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Festive Friday: Decking the Halls with Caution
As we prepare to welcome December, I realize many people will spend this weekend decorating for the holidays. That means it’s time for those annual rituals including bringing heavy boxes down from the attic or up from the basement and climbing ladders to string some lights.
All that climbing and lifting can make a festive time a bit hazardous if you don’t use some caution. You probably already know it’s not a good idea to jump into a high-intensity interval training program following a six-month period of zero exercise. You may have also read my previous posts describing the importance of building stabilization before strength. While I expect decorating your home for the holidays isn’t as strenuous as a boot camp class, I still want to remind you of a few key moves that deserve some extra attention:
- Lifting: Over the years, I’ve grown into the role of “good elf” helping my parents get their house decorated for Christmas. Since that involves moving some heavy boxes from the attic to the living room, I have to repeatedly remind myself to not pick up those boxes in a way that could hurt my back. Don’t bend at the waist! Instead, turn those heavy-item lifts into an opportunity to perform the perfect squat. Whether you think you have a “strong” back or not, these are good tips to keep in mind to help prevent back injuries.
- Repetitive movements: Stringing lights around the house or tossing tinsel on the tree are a couple of decorating duties that require you to work with your arms overhead for long periods of time. This presents a situation where the latissimus dorsi (the broadest muscle of the back) can become overactive and tight. This can ultimately lead to shoulder soreness. So, it’s not a bad idea to do a couple of lat stretches before (and after) you get started on any type of arms-overhead activity.
- Ladder safety: While Chevy Chase’s classic turn as Clark W. Griswald in “Christmas Vacation” (my all-time favorite holiday comedy) makes ladder disasters look hilarious, in reality, ladder accidents are no laughing matter. Click here for a checklist on proper ladder usage.
If you can pop in a workout DVD, take a walk or hit the gym for a group exercise class before the decorating begins, extra kudos to you for burning yet a few more calories during this hectic season! (Just remember not to void all your hard work by having a cookie for each ornament you put up on the tree.) In the end, following a few safety tips and using some good ol’ common sense can help you have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Exercise is Nothing to be Embarrassed About
Knock Out Any Thoughts of Slacking Off!
Photo by Leslie Hassler
Everywhere I turn, people are asking me for some extra words of encouragement to make sure they stay active during the hustle and bustle of the season. So on this Workout Wednesday, instead of posting a specific high-intensity workout, consider this an extra dose of motivation to make time for that favorite group exercise class or morning run.
I also want to address a related topic brought to my attention by one of my loyal readers, Toni (check out her blog at januarylace.blogspot.com). I thought she’d want to remain anonymous based on the issue she raised, but she said I could share her name. Toni recently told me she’s embarrassed to workout in front of her fiancé at home. My response? Exercise is nothing to be embarrassed about! In fact, my take is that her future husband would probably be impressed by her effort to do something positive and healthy for herself. Who knows, it could even motivate him to get off the couch and get moving, too!
Unless you’re a professional bodybuilder or fitness model, there’s no need to feel judged by your workout routine. Instead, be proud of yourself for wanting to add exercise to your life for a healthier and happier you. I can also tell you when I’m at the gym, I’m not looking at who’s lifting what and how many times they’re able to lift it. I’m also not looking at what the woman on the elliptical machine next to me is wearing. Sure, there will always be people more “buff” than me on a nearby treadmill or standing next to me in “Club Strength” class. There will also be people who are on a steady, safe pace to lose weight. However, they’re not the focus of my workout. I am.
Simply put, I say there’s no room for judgment at the gym. It’s a place to go to improve your cardiovascular health, strength, agility and endurance. It’s also a great place to find those much-needed endorphins. If you’re not comfortable in your gym, maybe it’s time to try a friend’s gym and see if it’s a better fit for you. If you simply “hate” the gym (and I know a lot of people who do,) then you should definitely find comfort in your own home. The real key is feeling comfortable in your own skin. Without that, it doesn’t matter if you’re working out in your living room in front of your family or a crowded gym full of strangers, you simply won’t stick with your routine.
So, leave the self-doubt at home. If you are working out at home, leave it in the closet. Focus on your breathing, focus on you form and focus on the fact that you’re dong something positive to continue on the journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
‘Tis the Season for Fitness!
You Must Chill!
Photo by Leslie Hassler
Hopefully you beat that turkey hangover, survived the crazy Black Friday crowds and are ready to tackle a new work week. As the holiday season of 2012 has also officially kicked into high gear, I thought this Motivation Monday offered the perfect opportunity to touch on the importance of keeping your mental health in check during the hustle and bustle of this joyous but chaotic time of year.
Now more than ever, getting those workouts in will help burn some of the extra holiday calories that come in all shapes and sizes ranging from homemade cookies to sweet, seasonal cocktails. Weight maintenance aside, breaking a sweat can also help you shake off some of the extra stress of the “most wonderful time of the year” including battling the crowds in overheated stores and spending extra amounts of time with the extended family. When you add online shopping and maybe some lo-cal recipe surfing to the everyday stimuli of emails, texts, Tweets and status updates, it’s no wonder our minds are in overdrive.
With so much more than sugar plums dancing through our heads, it’s more important than ever to not only get those workouts in, but also steal some precious moments to disconnect and re-boot. Here a few tips to make it happen:
- Focus on one thing at a time: If you set aside one hour to write holiday cards or wrap gifts, then for those 60 minutes, don’t deal with texting or answering emails. If it makes you feel better, you can alert your social network that you’ll be offline for a bit. Then put on whatever music motivates you to be a good elf and get to work.
- Step away from the computer: When December starts, I will be making a conscious effort to NOT turn on my home computer unless absolutely necessary when I get home from work and the gym. I will check my iPhone or iPad at least once before bed to make sure I didn’t miss any “emergency” correspondence, but it makes a difference not to have the desktop on with the Facebook tab taunting me to make my way back to the keyboard.
- Turn off the TV: Try to establish one night where the DVR does the watching for you. Turn that night into decompress time with family or friends. Maybe play cards or a board game to forget about the holiday craziness for awhile. It may turn into a night of getting the Christmas gifts in order, but it’ll be time to tackle those holiday chores with fewer distractions.
- Make me-time a must: If you’re making the commitment to find 20-30 minutes in your crazy schedule for a workout, take another five minutes to stretch. Then try and add five more minutes to a hot shower at night. When you’re out shopping, treat yourself to a lavender-scented body wash or moisturizer to turn that shower in to an extra calming experience. Sip some caffeine-free tea afterward, burn a candle with a calming scent and try to shut down that overactive mind before getting under the covers.
As you work through this holiday high-time and make an effort to workout, don’t forget the importance of standing still for awhile, too. Never underestimate the power of your mind on the journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
The Morning After
I hope you had a wonderful holiday filled with good food, quality time with family and friends and a win by your favorite football team. So now what? It’s time to push through that turkey hangover and get moving!
- Shop Til You Drop: The only time I dealt with the Black Friday crowds was during my TV-news days when I had to be at the stores reporting on the craziness. However, if you plan on hitting the mall today, wear your sneakers, pack some healthy snacks and use the hustle and bustle of the crowds as the perfect motivation to keep walking briskly from store to store!
- Trot Off That Turkey: Many communities have walks and runs scheduled for the weekend after Thanksgiving. Check your local paper for any events that welcome last-minute participants. Grab some friends so you can share your holiday stories.
- Toss Some Pigskin: Touch football anyone? It’s supposed to be a pretty mild weekend here in New York, so it’ll be a great time to get a spontaneous game going at a local park or in someone’s backyard. Then you can share whatever leftovers still linger from Thanksgiving. That means you won’t eat them all by yourself!
- Put a Healthy Twist on Leftovers: Instead of a turkey sandwich, why not chop up apples, grapes and celery and mix them with the turkey for a salad with zing? Or you can dice the turkey, and simmer it in broth with brown rice and celery for a savory soup.
My final tip: don’t stop moving! Keep your body in motion right through the weekend so you can start the holiday season knowing you’re doing all you can to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Thanksgiving Eve: The One Day You Shouldn’t Skip the Workout This Week!
Another Awesome CrossFit UWS Workout!
- with Ashleigh & John
Happy Thanksgiving Eve!
I’d say this is the one day you really don’t want to skip the workout this week! If you have an abbreviated work or school day, why not add an extra ten minutes to your cardio session or take that 90-minute group exercise class.
If you can get outside and take advantage of the not-yet frigid temps, you could always try the awesome workout CrossFit UWS Head Coach Roberto Murichi pushed us through this past Saturday. This was the first time I was able to get to the Central Park class in several weeks, and it felt great to be back in action!
- Static/Active Stretch – Two rounds; four areas of focus:
- Hamstrings: 30-second static stretch followed by 30 seconds of “butt kickers” – similar to running in place, but instead of bringing your knees up toward your chest, you bend them enough to try and kick your heels to your glutes.
- Quads: 30-second static stretch followed by 30 seconds of “high knees”- running in place with those knees coming up as high to the chest as possible.
- Hip flexor: 30-second static stretch followed by 30 seconds of jumping jacks.
- Chest: 30-second static stretch (clasp hands behind back and “pull”) followed by 30 seconds of “sun gods.” That’s simply raising your arms to shoulder level, keeping them straight and moving them around in circles.
- Warm up: 100 meter sprint. 10 rounds. This was done in “relay” style with my two other classmates. With the combined effort, it took us just under 13 minutes to get through the 10 rounds.
- Workout: Roberto broke things down into one-minute intervals where we’d bang out as many reps as possible of four different exercises. We continued with as many one-minute rounds as needed to get through the total number of designated reps as follows:
- 100 sit ups
- 75 squats
- 50 push ups
- 25 burpees
- The “catches”: At the start of each minute, (which we were alerted to by a beep on Roberto’s iPad), we had to bang out five box-jumps using the park benches as our jump-on/jump-off origin. The other catch was that you had to finish all the reps designated for each exercise before moving on to the next. So, let’s say I got through 50 sit-ups in the first minute. When I heard the one-minute beep, I banged out five box jumps, then went back to sit-ups starting at #51. I couldn’t start the squats until all the sit-ups were done. It took me 12:50 to complete all the reps of all the exercises. (Which means my workout also included a total of 70 box jumps.)
Just a friendly reminder that these workouts aren’t designed for fitness novices. However, if you’re looking to take things up a notch, Roberto’s workouts are a great way to supercharge your routine! Click here for more information on the workouts and when they’re held.
Whatever you do on this Workout Wednesday, be sure to make it count! That way you can head into the Thanksgiving holiday knowing you’ve done all you can do to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Gearing Up for Turkey Time
I’m not sure how it happened, but here we are just a few days away from Thanksgiving 2012. Since many people have abbreviated work weeks and may also be busy prepping or packing up to travel for the holiday, I thought I’d offer an early dose of motivation on how to get through the traditionally gluttonous holiday.
I’ve always loved Thanksgiving. There are no gifts to buy and you can just enjoy quality time with family and friends. Of course, that quality time tends to be filled (or should I say stuffed?) with food, drink and football. Here are some tips to help you avoid overdoing it – at least when it comes to the food and drink:
- Get in some morning activity: Even if you can’t get out of the house, you can still pop in an exercise DVD or bang out a Tabata or two wherever you have space to do push-ups or burpees. If you only have a short amount of time to escape the house, take a brisk power walk or abbreviated run. If your gym is open, get to a morning group exercise class or at least bang out some cardio and core work.
- Don’t skip breakfast: Eat something sensible to get your metabolism moving and to avoid being ravenous when you dig into that holiday meal. If your Thanksgiving feast isn’t scheduled until late afternoon, make sure to follow breakfast with a small lunch or sensible snack so you don’t go overboard later. One of my favorite sensible fillers is a non-fat plain Greek yogurt with a serving of almonds mixed in. The protein-rich snack keeps me satisfied for hours!
- Use a smaller plate (like a salad dish) for your meal: If there’s salad or veggies, load up on those first, then take some turkey. Use the remaining space for the potatoes, stuffing and other starches. (There won’t be as much room left as you’d have on a regular dinner plate.)
- Savor the flavor: Eat slowly! If you do clean your plate, wait about 10 minutes before going back for round two. This will help you decide if you’re really hungry. If you aren’t, you’ll feel good knowing you had one helping – before moving on to dessert, of course!
- Watch the alcohol intake: This is a good day to follow the every-other-drink-is-alcohol plan. Enjoy a glass of wine, beer or cocktail then have a glass of water of diet soda before moving on to the next libation.
- Give away leftovers: Hosting the holiday feast? Don’t be shy about giving some of the uneaten turkey and trimmings to your guests.
If you have any “secrets” that help you enjoy the holiday without waking up feeling guilty on Black Friday, I’d love to hear about them! The holiday season is definitely challenging when it comes to watching our waistlines, but the good news there are some tricks that can help you continue your journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Fast Friday Thoughts on Emotional Eating
TGIF!
I started this week with new energy to bolster my self-discipline where my diet and exercise habits are concerned. Five days later, I’m happy to say I feel much better than I did at this time last week. One of the reasons behind the shift has to do with addressing a downfall many of us can relate to: emotional eating.
I suppose you could say I’m “lucky” that stress and anxiety usually cause me to eat less thanks to an unsettled stomach. However, for whatever reason this past month, my stomach was more than happy to welcome my comfort food cravings including those big bowls of cereal while watching TV before bed or that extra glass of red wine. I was able to keep those cravings at bay this week. How? By realizing my body didn’t really want the cereal or even the wine. Instead, I was searching for something that couldn’t be found at the bottom of a bowl or wine glass.
In fact, the cravings had nothing to do with my stomach at all. I was really looking for a something to lift my spirits. The key is figuring out where you can find that boost outside the refrigerator. Getting back to my normal exercise routine at the gym helped satisfy my “cravings,” as did catching up on emails with a few “old” friends and talking to others on the phone. I also found reading in bed before calling it a day instead of sitting on the couch and staring at the TV kept me from eating unnecessary calories.
Now don’t get me wrong, I know there are some days when a cupcake really can make things a little better. It’s just important to not let the total number of those days add up.
The bottom line is anyone – even full-time fitness fanatics like me – can make unhealthy choices thanks to a less-than-stellar mood. The key is breaking that automatic connection between food and mood and learning to identify when you’re eating for reasons that have nothing to do with being hungry. The good news is you can retrain yourself to find a boost from other things like exercise or interacting with friends. Luckily, there are plenty of mood enhancers out there that won’t sidetrack your plans to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Exercising Hard – Or Hardly Exercising?
We made it to another Workout Wednesday!
As I’ve been working to re-charge my own fitness focus this week, I thought I’d take advantage of today to remind everyone of a simple way to gauge how much work you’re putting into that workout. It doesn’t involve calculations of target heart-rate zones. In fact, there’s no math involved at all. Instead, what helps many fitness lovers gauge the intensity of their workouts is known as the “talk test.”
Here’s what the scores look like:
- Low intensity: You can carry on a conversation comfortably with a workout buddy or sing along with your playlist – being off-key doesn’t matter!
- Moderate intensity: You can still talk, but you’re slightly out of breath and can’t carry on a conversation at a normal pace.
- High intensity: You can only say a few words at a time because you’re breathing rapidly.
As I’m sure you’ve already figured out, if you’re looking to lose weight, working out at a moderate to high intensity will provide the biggest benefits for your waistline and your overall health. In our time-crunched lives, however, there aren’t always enough days in the week to get in all the hour-long high-intensity sessions we want. That’s why I’ve become a big fan of Tabata training. Click here for a reminder on why the high-intensity training protocol became a fast favorite in my fitness routine.
I wrap this short and sweet post with the reason why it’s important to assess just how hard we’re pushing ourselves when we workout. You know how easy it can be to underestimate just how many calories you’re eating? It’s just as easy to overestimate how hard you’re exercising! If you don’t have a heart rate monitor, the talk test can be a good way to gauge if you’re really doing all you can to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Time to Get Back on Track
Ready to Rock and Roll Again!
Photo by Leslie Hassler
It’s really been a strange couple of weeks.
Two weeks ago at this time, we were bracing for Hurricane Sandy here in the New York area. The clean up and recovery continues and will continue into the unforeseeable future. While reading this week’s People over the weekend, it was difficult to grasp that the pictures and stories of devastation originated in towns only miles from where I sit and write this post. My parents are supposed to have power restored today. While their being in the dark and without heat hasn’t been as severe as the other horror stories I’ve heard, it doesn’t change the fact that I’ve worried about them.
As I hear more and more stories about people coming together to donate clothing and supplies or volunteer their time to help with clean-up efforts or simply be there for people affected by the storm, I’m reminded of and moved by the strength of the human spirit. So many people in so many parts of our country have suffered at the hands of Mother Nature or people who’ve wanted to do us harm. Somehow, we rebuild and we go on.
I know this sounds ridiculous, but it was while I chopped vegetables and prepped other items for the week ahead when the realization of just how strong we can be as a community gave my own spirit a swift kick in the you-know-what. I needed it. I’ve been relying on a few too many comfort foods and glasses of wine to wind down after watching news coverage of Sandy’s aftermath and also cope with the added worries about my parents. Also, I hate to admit it, but I’ve even been slacking at the gym. While I’m a firm believer in doing some sort of activity is better than no activity at all, if you’re looking for results, you’ve got to make those moves count.
So, I kick off the new week with new energy to stay disciplined and lose the few pounds I know I’ve added to my waistline. No more bowls of cereal or having that second serving of almonds while watching the little TV I sneak in some nights before bed. No more skipping the weight circuit because “I can always do it tomorrow.” It helps that I have a friend’s wedding coming up in a few weeks. Since I have my dress picked out for the occasion and knowing I want to feel as comfortable as I can in it, I’ll have a little extra incentive to avoid the cookie jar in our office break room and get to the gym even after a long day.
Wherever you are on your health and fitness track, I invite you to join me on this Motivation Monday and assess how things are going. Remember, even fitness lovers like me need to re-group and re-boot once in a while. So here’s to a new focus, new week and new chances to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Workout Wednesday: Cold Weather Edition
It’s hard to believe we’re gearing up for what could be a Nor’easter here in the New York area just one week after Sandy left our shores. While I pray today’s storm ends up being less severe than predicted, there’s no escaping the fact that the colder temperatures of November are here to stay.
Now that I’ve broken out the winter coat, gloves and other warm, woolly items, I thought it was a good time for some important reminders on how to safely stick with your outdoor exercise routine as we head into a cold finish for 2011:
- Dress In Layers: Start with a thin layer of synthetic material (e.g. Under Armour or Nike DriFIT clothing) closest to the skin. Avoid wearing cotton as it takes longer to dry and the wet feel can give you a chill. Add a layer of fleece or wool and last but not least, finish off your outfit with a waterproof outer-layer.
- Protect Your Hands, Feet & Ears: My hands and feet are cold even on the hottest days of the year, so they’re especially vulnerable to wind chills and icy temperatures. So, in colder weather, I’ll often wear a thin pair of gloves under a pair of heavier ones, or even a pair of mittens. I know some people who have a “winter” pair of running or walking shoes that are up to one size bigger so they can wear thicker thermal socks or two pairs of regular ones. Finally, I’m a big fan of the wrap-around ear warmers or fleece headbands to keep the biting wind from wreaking havoc on my ears.
- Don’t Forget the Sunscreen: If you’ve ever gotten a nasty sunburn from skiing, you know the sun is just as strong in the cold-weather months as it is in the summertime. Remember to put on the SPF 30 before heading outdoors and don’t forget the SPF-infused lip balm, too.
- Stay Hydrated: We hear lots of warnings about becoming dehydrated in the heat, but you can become dehydrated just as easily in the cold. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids before, during and after your workout. (Here’s a refresher on why water is so important.)
- Special Populations: While most people can exercise safely in the cold weather, if you have a heart condition or suffer from asthma, be sure to check with your physician before starting a cold-weather exercise routine.
The good news is you don’t have to pack away your motivation to exercise with the bathing suit and beach towels. Using a little common sense and having the right gear will allow you to continue your love affair with the great outdoors through November and beyond so you can have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
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