Tag Archives: Women

You Need to Put Down the Bread Basket

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Since moving to Phoenix it has been a long time since I had to do emergency shopping for a snowstorm.  If you have never had to do it, picture this:

A weather man is freaking out on television stating the obvious: It’s snowing.  It’s going to keep snowing and it might be a while for the roads to be clear enough for throngs of people to drive.  So you need to prepare for getting locked in your house for a few days.  Now everyone heads to the local grocery store to stock up.

Smart people buy items like extra fruits and vegetables and some eggs and chicken and of course, you need fat free hot chocolate when it is going to be 20 degrees, right?

What do most people get?  Bags and bags of crap!  Chips, cereal, pasta, gallons of milk and last but certainly not least, BREAD.

If you don’t know by now, white flour is a huge killer of any training program.  It zaps energy, adds unwanted fat, and is a huge part of the cyclical process of eating empty calories.

One of the first things I tell my clients when they start a program is to make sure that when they eat out (which a lot of my clients do because they are career-type people) is to tell the server at a restaurant to not bring them bread.

That is not to say that restaurants are the only culprit.  Your pantry is mostly to blame.  Toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, bread basket at dinner…you get the idea.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not preaching you should never have bread ever again (A person has to have a life).  What I am saying is 4-5 servings of any type of bread product every single day will make you gain weight, ensuring you never lose your unwanted weight which can lead to diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

So here are a few nutrition programming strategies I utilize to help me fight the battle of the bread and reduce cravings:

  • Breakfast - Don’t automatically go for toast, bagels, or a roll.  Two or three hard boiled eggs over sliced tomatoes is delicious.  Maybe whip up a batch of oatmeal and add walnuts and berries.  My clients even add in protein powder for flavor and love it.  How about cottage cheese and pineapple? For an open mind the options are endless.
  • Snacks - Pack them at home and bring them to work rather than the buying from the dreaded vending machine.  In less than 90 seconds, you can throw natural peanut butter, raw almonds, dried fruit (no sugar added), an apple or banana and baby carrots all in a bag and be out the door.  Now you don’t need the employee room bagels or donuts.  (Doughnuts may be Homer Simpsons favorite food but who wants to look like Homer Simpson?)  Spread the peanut butter on an apple and have at it.
  • Ditch the sandwich as your everyday choice for lunch. Bring in a portion of last night’s dinner for lunch.  Salmon, broccoli and brown rice or maybe chicken from last night and a sweet potato are great options.  Lunch is simply another version of dinner.
  • Bread is not a staple at the dinner table. Rather it is a once-in-while experience.  Choose healthy carbohydrate choices like salad, cooked vegetables, brown rice, or quinoa.
  • Think that eating “100% Whole Wheat” is any better? Wrong answer.  It still falls in the category of refined flour (it’s just not bleached) and a huge contributor to weight gain.

So there you have it.  Shock yourself and see if you feel better and look more trim by only cutting out the bread for a week and then tell me about

You Are Completely Out Of Your Mind If You Don’t Do This. Really!

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Newsweek – March 26th, 2007- Headline- Exercise and the Brain… Research says exercise will make you smarter.  

 

Yes, finally a study that shows that you can actually generate nerve endings from working out.  Charles Hillman is a PhD at the University of Illinois and he was tired of the stereotype of the “dumb” jock so he did something about it.  He has been an athlete all his life and it just didn’t make sense.  He knows a lot of smart athletes and in the classes he currently teaches, often times it is the athletes who set the curve on his exams.  

 

I am not going to re-write the information in this newsletter, but I think it is important that if you get a chance to pick up the issue that you take the time to read the articles. We all know that exercise will lower your risk for just about every ailment from coronary artery disease to battling Alzheimer’s and ADHD.  Now there is proof it will make you smarter too.  

 

This study is a personal trainer’s dream.  Remember the ad on TV during the Reagan years, “This is your brain; this is your brain on drugs?”  I have a whole new slogan.  

 

This is your brain:

 

(show picture of a black and white brain)  

 

This is your brain on exercise:

 

(now show a picture of the stimulated brain with parts of the brain colored to show activity).  

 

Someone from the Center for Disease and Prevention, please steal this idea!  

 

Hillman has even gotten a Senator from Kentucky to sponsor a bill putting in ½ an hour of exercise a day back in schools.  We can only dream that it passes.  The abilities that the initial studies proved for children in the ages of 3rd through 5th grade are so encouraging.  I am pleased to have something concrete to show parents to help them get their children more active.  

 

So what does this all mean for you?  It just gives you another reason why making time for exercise is so important.  With an astonishing low 31% of the American population 18 and over choosing to exercise, (yes that means that almost 70 % don’t do anything), why would you want to fall into that category?

 

I know part of the reason you subscribe to the Catalyst Coaching newsletter is because you are not one of the almost 70%.  

 

What is a good protocol?  

 

It is important to get activity period, but the Newsweek article and many other studies are proving that short bouts of High Intensity Training is the most beneficial for your body, your mood, your health, and now your mind. 

 

Gee, where have you heard that before?  Right here, that’s where.

 

It can be as short as 25-30 minutes or as long as 60 minutes depending on your goals and your motivation.  I believe that one of the greatest ways to get the most bang for your buck is to do circuit training.  You get so much done, in a short amount of time and you receive the benefit of it all.  

 

You can alternate an upper body move with a lower body move.  Let’s say you use a set of bicep curls and alternate with squats.  You do 12- 15 of each and while one body part is working, the other is resting.  This is not rocket science.  It’s just good educated structure.  

 

Many of you are probably accustomed to trying some of this training but for those of you who are not, you can always take a look at the membership site where we have custom made workouts designed with this exact principle.  

 

These carefully planned programs are exactly timed with the proper work rest ratio and will get you in and out of the gym in 30 – 45 minutes if you stay focused.  With studies like Dr. Hillman’s coming out, along with an epidemic of obesity in our country, why be average?  Making time for fitness will not only save your health, make you look and feel great, add years to your life, but now it makes you smarter too.

 

Now you know why I said you would have to be crazy not to start now.

When Is The Best Time To Do Cardio For The Highest Benefit and Maximum Fat Loss?

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Most trainers are happy with the fact that their clients do cardio any time at all, and almost all will live with the motto do cardio “whenever you get a chance.”

This is a great guideline if you’re a person who is not exercising as often as he/she should.  However, there are some ideas on ways to increase your benefit so you get the most out of your time spent sweating.

Here are some examples of when people typically fit cardio into their daily routines:

*  First thing in the morning
*  During the middle of the day, maybe during the lunch hour
*  After dropping the kids off at school
*  Before bed
*  Directly after a weight training workout
*  Before a weight training workout

The bottom line is: no matter when you choose to workout, you will receive those benefits.  Get moving and you will get results.

It doesn’t matter what time of day you get your cardio workout in.  You are always burning calories every time, as long as you put in a good effort (see the article from last week’s newsletter).

BUT, what you want to know is, which of those times is the most effective?

Survey says (I feel like a game show host),

First thing in the morning! TA DAAAH.

The most recent findings show doing cardio first thing in the morning, you are most likely on an empty stomach, prior to you eating anything, and that makes it, by far, the most effective. Doesn’t matter your cardio of choice (run, jog, walk, swim, jump rope, take an aerobics class, ride a bike, etc.), doing it first thing in the morning gives you the best opportunity for achieving maximum fat loss.

Why?

Simple.

When you do your cardio training, you are burning calories.  Let’s take the lunchtime example.  You wake up, eat breakfast.  You have a snack at midmorning to keep your metabolism kicking, have lunch a little later in the day, and then a few hours after lunch, you do your cardio.

It is possible that all you will be doing during that time of hard working, high intensity cardio is burning the calories and carbs of the food you have eaten all day.

When you do cardio first thing in the morning, you haven’t had a chance to eat anything for the last 7-8 hours.  You were sleeping.

When your body sees that there are no carbs to burn as fuel, it goes directly to body fat stored throughout the body to get that fuel.  You want to get rid of body fat, right?  Well, why not give yourself every opportunity to make that happen.

Make sense?  When you do your workout some other time during the day, not first thing in the morning, you spend most of that time burning off carbs that you have eaten all day long.  But, when you do it first thing in the morning, there are no carbs to burn.  So all that your body can burn is body fat!

Give it a try for a couple of weeks.  Use your new found high intensity training advice as soon as you get up.  You will find you not only burn more fat but you have more energy throughout the day and that your body will devour calories like a furnace.

Then the abs will show through and you will need to start buying new clothes for that slimmer sexier you.

Choosing The Perfect Gym For Your Workout

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It is interesting to study the many different ways people choose to workout. Some can simply step out the front door and go for a walk or run with nothing but a pair of sneakers. Others need an iPod or running group to keep them motivated. Working out at a gym is often an option because people like the variety of classes, equipment, and the motivation of being surrounded by similarly motivated people.

Others look at the gym as a place that is crowded, smelly, and expensive. They prefer to workout at home and create an environment for themselves that is all their own, where they can be confident and at ease.

It doesn’t matter which you prefer as long as your surroundings keep you motivated and on schedule to work out when you are supposed to . . . without distractions.

Let’s take a look at the gym option first. Many of us belong to gyms currently that make us happy and fulfill our needs; however, if you don’t like your current situation or you want to join a gym and never have made the commitment before . . . here are a few things you should keep in mind before you sign on the dotted line.

First decide what is necessary for you. Think about:

* Do I need the bells and whistles of pools, saunas, spas, nutrition bars, child care and other up scale amenities?
* Does the gym meet my personal proximity criteria? (This is a personal test that helps decide if the gym is close enough) – If you have to drive far out of your way to attend, there is a higher likelihood of skipping it when you lack motivation.
* Am I going to go before or after work? – Maybe lunchtime is a good time to go for you.
* What are the facilities’ hours? Am I a morning/night person? – Be sure that the facility is open during the hours you need.

Next, ask friends and family where they exercise. – Odds are they like the facility they belong to and can tell you the pros and cons. They also should tell you about current promotions that you could take advantage of.

All of these factors should be considered.

Make sure you visit the facility you are considering. Take advantage of free trial memberships. If there a few gyms in the running… try all the free trial memberships in a row. 4 gyms that offer 1 week trial memberships = 1 month of free exercise.

During the visits look for things like:

* Is there an initiation fee?
* What are the rates/dues for membership?
* What is the age of the facility?
* How clean is the facility (especially the weight room, locker rooms and showers)?
* How old is the equipment?
* How many of the machines are “out of service”?
* What is the typical clientele?
* Is there music in the background?
* If so, is it too loud or not the type you like?
* Note the hours it is crowded and quiet.
* Are there certified personnel available if you have questions?
* What is the overall attitude in the gym?

After you have assessed these questions, it should be easy to make the right decision for your needs.

What if you are going to workout at home? If you have the choice of a separate room, it would be optimal if it is at least 10’ x 10’, well ventilated and has enough height and width to move without restriction. It is also important to note the structure of the ground or floor boards. Be sure the floor can handle the stress of any impact that may occur and that it is properly protected in areas where weights may drop or equipment may sit.

If you have a small budget I suggest:

* Stability ball
* Dumbbells from 5 – 25 lbs.
* A mirror big enough to see you full body during most basic exercises
* Tubing
* Floor/abs mat

If you have a little extra money in the sock drawer I would include:

* A piece of cardiovascular equipment (treadmill, bike, elliptical)
* Weight bench or step bench
* Original sets of dumbbells and add 30 –50 lbs.
* Balance board, pillows, bosu or foam roller (not all but at least one would be nice)

Making sure the environment you plan to workout in is motivating, easy to get to and simple to use is truly the most important aspect of any exercise program. If you hate where you have to go, you will never go there. If you make your surroundings fun, energetic, and accessible you are more likely to stick to your program for the long haul.

That is the key to ACHIEVING YOUR GOAL.