The mid-workout energy drop: we’ve all experienced it. It usually occurs somewhere between that second set of squats and before the shoulder press. It’s that point in the workout where you realize that you just aren’t working out as efficiently as you want to be – you can’t get as many reps as you did when you worked out a few days ago and you’re just all around tired.

There are several factors that can cause this slump to occur. The most likely to affect you is usually the last meal you had before working out. For most people, a light meal between 1-2 hours before working out is perfect to help them maintain their energy during their workout. In this meal (and remember to keep it light!!) you want to include some protein and carbohydrates. In other words, downing a bagel won’t cut it. But add some peanut butter to that bagel, and you have the makings of a beautiful thing.

What happens if you’re working out first thing in the morning? Well, something light before your workout is important. Any workout (especially morning workouts) is affected by your dinner from the night before. If you skipped your dinner the night before or simply didn’t eat right, you may feel the negative effects in your workout the next day – i.e. less energy, strength and/or stamina.

The second factor to consider is how much sleep you got, not only the night before, but also two nights prior. We often feel the effect of a night of poor sleep 24 hours later. During your sleep, your body repairs itself and builds up for the next day. If you sleep fewer than your optimal night’s rest, your body won’t be 100% the next day. Now, if you do it over an extended period of time, you’re more likely to get sick and have other long-term effects.

The third factor that we will discuss here is how much water you’ve had throughout the day. As we all know, water is an essential part of our bodies’ proper functioning. Simply said, without enough water, our bodies simply will not perform at the level we want them to perform.

When you find yourself in that mid-workout drop, think back: When was my last meal? What did I have for dinner last night? How well did I sleep last night? How well did I sleep the night before? How much water have I had today? Oftentimes, your crash can be explained by one of those answers. And if it isn’t, try to realign your focus. So much of how we interact with the world around us is based on our intentions and desires. If you really don’t want to be working out, your body may be reacting to your mental lack of motivation. So, before you work out the next time, make sure you set your intention to have a good 30, 45, or 60 minutes of exercising. Stay focused for that set period of time and see how you feel in your next workout.

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1.    We’ve all been there, myself included – the "post-fun" workout aimed solely at working off all those extra calories from the night (or week) before. All too often our exercise and eating habits stem from guilt-laden motivations aimed at reconciling ourselves to what we believe is the “right” or “healthy” way of living.

Rather than treating a workout as atonement for a previous day’s pleasure, treat each workout like each new day – a chance to experience something wonderful in-and-of itself – not as a late payment. No one is perfect. Being forced to workout solely by seemingly “punishment” workouts will only keep you motivated for so long. Be intentional about what you do. “I’m going to have a big dinner tonight,” or “I’m going to have cake at my friend’s birthday party.” Fine, plan for it. But don’t get to the end of the night and be surprised by the big meal or the cake that you didn’t expect to eat.

Yesterday was Superbowl Sunday. There’s a pretty good chance that many of my readers are feeling a bit of post-party guilt right now. Feeling like that isn’t going to change anything. Don’t think about whatever parties you may have attended this past weekend when you work out next. Always think towards the future. What are my goals in working out? To drop a pant size? To be able to take the stairs to your 8th floor office? To be able to keep up with your grandkids? Establish both short and long-term REALISTIC and ATTAINABLE goals. Then work out to attain those goals and create a better future for yourself, not to make up for your last splurge.

2.    We all have our guilty pleasures. I like, nay, I love ice cream. I’d take a scoop of that sweet stuff over cookies or chips or hamburgers any day.

This is where my own personal accountability comes in to the situation. Do I eat ice cream? Absolutely. Life is too short not to experience the simple pleasures that are available for us. However, I make room in my healthy eating habits for my ice cream splurges. I won’t eat the potato chips at the weekend barbeque. I’ll pass on a hamburger in exchange for a salad with grilled chicken. And then I’ll say, “Yes, please!” to a bowl of that delicious mint and chip.

This next step is the most important: Eat slowly and ENJOY your splurges. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve eaten a splurge item while watching television or reading, only to discover my guilty pleasure half-gone. It’s okay to have the occasional splurge, just don’t let them be wasted.

3.    Sometimes, I just don’t feel like working out. It’s true. The more consistent I am with working out, the more I enjoy it. But there are certainly weeks that an extra hour of sleep is much more appealing than the Elliptical. If I stay consistent with working out during my motivated weeks, I can survive skipping a workout.

I set goals: During my “motivated weeks,” as I’ll call them, I set a goal of 3-4 “in-gym” workouts (some with weights, some just cardio) and 1-2 “in-nature” workouts. My in-nature workouts are as intense as a hilly bike ride or as simple as a walk through the park with someone I love. Those workouts are the perfect time to enjoy the world around me and get back in touch with myself.

During my “unmotivated weeks” I will commit to 2 in-gym workouts and usually more simple in-nature workouts. A 20-minute brisk walk around the neighborhood after dinner is much more rewarding than watching another rerun.

As always, it comes down to setting realistic goals for yourself. No one knows you better than you. You know how often you can realistically get to the gym. Don’t say you’re going to go to the gym five times this week if you know that it isn’t realistic. It will only end in feeling disappointed by not making your goal. If you don’t currently have a steady exercise routine, start with 2 workouts a week – and make time for them in your planner. Do that for a month, and then add a third workout.

 

A healthier you begins here and now. Today is the day. Start with a clean slate and a fresh state of mind.

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1. You’re following incorrect advice
Sometimes the government goofs. In the late 1970s, the US began advocating a high-carbohydrate, low fat diet. In the early 1970s, the average daily energy intake was 2, 450 calories. By the year 2000, that number had risen to 2, 618. Almost all of those extra calories came from carbohydrates, according to the Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES).
Do this: Eat fewer carbs. People are overeating carbohydrates, not protein and fat. So if you want to lose fat, start by cutting back on carbs. Ask nutritionists what the main purpose of carbohydrates is and they’ll say “energy”. Trouble is, most people are consuming more energy than they can burn.

2. You eat fat-free foods.
Warning: Low-fat foods may make you fat. Cornell University researchers reported that when overweight men and women were told they were eating low-fat M&Ms, they consumed 47 percent more calories than those who were given regular M&Ms (the M&Ms were actually all the same). On average, low-fat foods contain 59 percent less fat, but only 15 percent fewer calories than full-fat products.
Do this: Go ahead and eat full-fat foods – for instance, cheese, sour cream and a nice, marbled steak. They have slightly more calories than their lower-fat counterparts, but they’ll help you feel full longer after you eat. And that’ll reduce the number of calories you eat at your meal. In a lab at the University of Connecticut, they’ve found that people who eat 60 percent of their calories from fat lose weight faster than those who eat just 20 percent of their calories from fat.

3. You (Still) Don’t eat Breakfast
Sure, you’ve heard this one before. But it’s important: Researchers at the University of Massachusetts found that people who don’t eat breakfast are nearly five times more likely to be obese than those who make it an everyday habit. That’s because if you sleep for 6 to 8 hours and then skip breakfast, your body is running on fumes by the time you get to work. And that sends you desperately seeking sugar, which happens to be easy to find.
Do this: Eat your first meal within 90 minutes of waking. The UMass scientists determined that people who waited longer increased the likelihood that they’d become overweight by 147 percent; those that didn’t eat breakfast within 3 hours elevated their risk by 173 percent.

4. You’re eating too much sugar
You’ve stopped drinking regular soda? Great, but your diet is probably still filled with the sweet stuff. Check the label of your breakfast cereal. Some products marketed as healthy are PACKED with sugar. Case in point: Kellogg’s Smart Start Health Heart cereal contains more sugar per serving – 17 grams – than a serving of Froot Loops. The problem: sugar raises your blood levels of insulin, a hormone that signals your body to stop burning – and start storing – fat.
Do this: Carefully read labels – especially when it comes to cereal. Or even better, trade your morning bowl for an omelet. Saint Louis University scientists found that people who have eggs as part of their breakfast eat fewer calories the rest of the day than those who ate bagels instead, probably due to the increased protein consumption (protein will make you feel fuller longer than carbohydrates).Even though both breakfasts contained the same number of calories, the egg eaters consumed 264 less calories for the entire day!

5. You don’t lift weights
In a study at the University of Connecticut, overweight men were put on a 1,500 calorie per day diet and divided into three groups – one that didn’t exercise, one that performed aerobic exercise 3 days a week and a third that did both aerobic exercise and weight training. Each group lost almost the same amount of weight – about 21 lbs. However, the lifts shed 5 more pounds of fat than those that didn’t pump iron. Why? Their weight loss was almost pure fat, while the other two groups lost just 15 lbs of fat, along with several lbs of muscle.
Do this: Make three total body weight training sessions a week a non-negotiable part of your weight loss plan. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that lost muscle is replaced by fat over time. This not only makes you look flabby, but it also increases your pants size – even if you somehow manage to keep your scale-weight the same. The reason: Each pound of fat takes up 18 percent more space on your body than each pound of muscle.

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According to a random telephone survey conducted by Stephen Shapiro, president of Goalfree.com, with the assistance of Opinion Research Corp. of Princeton N.J, 45% of Americans set New Year’s Resolutions. The result is an 8% success rate. Why are New Year’s Resolutions so unsuccessful? From the beginning, setting a New Year's Resolution is a recipe for defeat. The basis of such a yearly evaluation is good, but as Americans we generally don’t set goals that will actually increase our happiness. And thus, we end up discarding our goals feeling resentful or defeated. "Albert Einstein once defined common sense as 'the collection of prejudices acquired by age 18,'" says Shapiro. "In this sense, too many Americans are using too much 'common sense' when setting their annual goals. Why not -- this year, as an experiment -- set goals that are chosen to bring joy and success in the New Year? Instead of setting goals based on supposed 'faults' or 'flaws' that your parents or your spouse might want you to 'correct'-- why not set goals that can lead to your own, individual happiness, instead of just conforming to the often misguided, if well-meaning, expectations of others?" 34% of Americans set a resolution related to their income, 38% to their body, 47% involve self-improvement and 31% have resolutions that involve a relationship or dating. While advancement in all of these areas is undoubtedly respectable, we need to maintain awareness so we don’t become so enamored with achieving a goal that we forget to enjoy the present moment. If we put all of our hope and efforts into a future that never comes, we will have squandered all our happiness. If you have to set a New Year’s Resolution, resolve to live in the present moment. The past is always behind us and the future will never come. We only have the present.

At the same time, it is good to set year-round realistic goals in your life:
•   Goals should be lofty enough to motivate us into action, but not so excessive that we are constantly left feeling defeated or underachieved.
•   Try to make simple daily, weekly, and even monthly goals.
•   Don’t make all the goals about money and achievements or exercise and diet.
•   Accomplishing simple, daily goals can be more rewarding that a goal that has been pursued for months. It’s the little things that are going to add up in the end, both for you and for the people in your life.
•   Daily goals can be as simple as finishing a to-do list, reading another chapter of a book, smiling at a stranger, or getting to work without getting angry at all of the bad drivers on the road around you.

These rules still apply if you are setting goals involving weight loss, exercising, or better nutrition:
•   Set goals for the long-haul. Don’t go on a crash diet or exercise craze to drop a size in two weeks. Recognize that our bodies can only do so much, so fast and we shouldn’t put unnecessary stress on them.
•   When setting a goal to work out 3x a week: Put 2 “definite” workouts in your weekly planner that you will have no excuses to miss. Put 2 “optional” workout times in your planner. If at the end of the week, you have worked out twice, then congratulate yourself. You didn’t hit 3, but you’re still on your way. Fill in the 2 “definite” and 2 “optional” for the next week.
•   Recognize that pant size is a more realistic evaluation of your fitness progress than the scale. One pound of muscle takes up 1/7th of the amount of room as one pound of fat. Therefore, it is possible to gain weight, but still have lost fat and pant size. Your best bet is to avoid the scale all-together.
•   Losing 1 lb of fat per week can be a realistic goal with sufficient exercise and proper diet (high in protein sources, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates and low in sugars).
•   Don’t exercise and eat with the thought of atonement on your mind. If this is your case, your workouts and eating habits will always consist of making up for the previous day and will always have a negative undertone.
•   Let yourself splurge and don’t beat yourself up for it. Complete deprivation will only lead to binging down the road. When tempted with a dietary splurge, ask yourself the following question: Do I really want this? If yes, then take a small portion, eat slowly and enjoy it fully. If no, then pass and allow yourself the opportunity to splurge on something else.
•   Finally, the subject of genetics. There are certain aspects of our bodies that we cannot change without surgery. If surgery is out of the question, then dwelling is not going to change anything. We need to learn to accept our bodies and body types and celebrate ourselves for our individuality and unique qualities. 

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Who Should Stretch?

Anyone, regardless of age, level of fitness, or occupation can enjoy the benefits of stretching. However, anyone with a medical condition or sedentary lifestyle should consult their physician before starting any new routine.

When to Stretch?

Stretching can be done almost anytime or anywhere. An effective practice to start is taking advantage of those 5-minute moments: stretching during short breaks at work or while watching TV.

How Often?

Everyone should stretch at least once a day. An ideal time to stretch is after a workout when your body temperature is elevated and muscles have more elasticity. Athletes or others who exercise vigorously should stretch 4x a day: when they wake up, before exercising, after exercising, and before going to bed.

Benefits of Stretching:

* Reduce muscle tension and allow the body to feel more relaxed.
* Help coordination by allowing for more free and easy movement.
* Increase range of motion.
* Promotion of better posture (most notably with chest stretching).
* Preparation for activities by "waking up the muscle"
* Develop body awareness. As you stretch various parts of the body, you focus on them and get in touch with them. You get to know yourself.
* Help loosen the mind's control of the body so that the body moves for "its own sake".
* Promote circulation.
* It feels good.
* Help prevent injuries. It should be noted that stretching has not been proven to help prevent acute muscle injuries. However, stretching can help prevent injuries by allowing your body and joints maintain a healthy and normal range of motion.

How to Stretch

Stretching should be done in a relaxed, sustained way with your attention focused on the muscles being stretched. When you first begin a stretching program, it may not be comfortable, but you should never stretch to the point of pain.

The Easy Stretch: 10-30 seconds. Feel a mild tension. Relax as you hold the stretch. This should be done within a comfortable range of motion. Eventually, the tension should diminish. This part reduces muscular tightness and gets the tissues ready for the developmental stretch.

The Developmental Stretch: Move a fraction of an inch further than the easy stretch. Mild tension for 10-30 seconds. Again, the tension should diminish. This stretch fine-tunes the muscles and increases flexibility.

Breathing: Should be slow, rhythmical, and under control. Exhale as you reach and continue to breathe slowly as you hold the stretch. DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH. The stretch should be light enough that you can easily maintain your breathing.

Assisted Stretching

Assisted Stretching, when done by a trained professional, allows one to experience a greater range of motion and improved benefits from a stretching routine.

Note: Stretching should never be painful! It may be uncomfortable at first, but pain is never a good sign. Pain also causes your muscles to tense and does not allow for greater flexibility or range of motion.

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You've seen them - those "infomercials" for various fitness gizmos that promise to give you flat, toned abs or firm thighs, or bulging arms or eliminate cellulite, or whatever. Did you know that some of those "shows" cost up to $1 million to produce? They're incredibly slick productions with beautiful models, exotic settings and best of all - great lighting!

These shows promise that ten minutes a day, 3 times per week with their "technologically advanced" product will bring you amazing "spot reduction/tightening/firming/development" of particular body parts. Their message is so compelling, it's really hard to keep your credit card in your wallet. Don't feel bad if you've purchased one or more of these gizmos - you're not alone. Millions of people have. And I would venture to say that 99% of those people did not get the results that were advertised. Why?

Because "spot reduction" doesn't work. A recent scientific study examined the effects of a vigorous sit-up exercise program on adipose (fat) cell size and adiposity. They had subjects perform more than 5,000 sit-ups over a period of 28 days. That's 140,000 sit-ups!! Skinfold thickness, body composition and circumference measures were taken before and after the exercise program. The extensive sit-up routine resulted in NO changes in skinfold thickness, body composition or circumferences.

Truth - consistent resistance training and aerobic exercise involving all major muscles as well as correct nutrition is the only proven method to reduce bodyfat. Generally, most people who embark on a fitness and nutrition plan will tend to see body fat reduction first in the upper body and arm, then the legs and lastly, the abdominal region.

So, stick with your routine long enough and you will lose the fat in those pesky problem areas! But don't forget to switch up your exercises every 6-8 weeks to prevent reaching a plateau. Remember, the goal should be to reach your optimal health. Generally, that journey comes with fat loss, "slimmer thighs," and a "tighter tummy". There are no short-cuts in the real world. Treat your body with the devotion and respect that it deserves, and you won't be dissappointed with the results.

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Results Most people who start an exercise routine have one goal in mind - lose weight. But a lot of people end up frustrated when they see the scale going up rather than down after all their hard work. If you are experiencing weight gain rather than weight loss, don't give up because the scale is NOT a good indicator of whether you are getting results or not. Here's why you should stop worrying about your weight and why knowing your body fat percentage will tell you much more about your progress in the gym.

When you exercise, especially with resistance (weight training) you are using muscles that may have not been used in a while. Muscle mass is primarily made up of water and water is stored in the muscle along with processed carbohydrates, or glycogen, for energy needs. During the first 4 weeks of working out you can gain 2 - 3 lbs in water and glycogen weight.

In addition, exercise requires increased oxygenation of the blood. The body has an ability to create more available oxygen by increasing your blood volume. Up to 2 lbs of blood can be added to your body during the first 4-6 weeks of working out.

So what can you do in order to monitor your progress accurately? Two things - first of all, have your body fat measured before you start your new exercise program. I use skinfold calipers to accurately measure all areas of your body in order to calculate your body fat percentage. I use your scale weight in conjunction with this percentage in order to find out how many pounds of body fat you currently are carrying, as well as how much lean mass (muscles, bones and organs). It is recommended to wait 6-8 weeks to repeat this assessment to monitor your progress. (I also change my clients programs at this time.) Most times the scale will show a very small weight loss (only 1-2 lbs) when in fact, a client can have lost as much as 8 lbs of fat! The additional blood volume weight, water weight and also density of tendons, ligaments and eventually muscle mass can make up for the 6-7lbs gained!

In short, don't panic if you feel like you are going backwards, not forwards - your body will adjust in a matter of weeks and then not only will your body fat percentage decrease, but also your clothes will be much looser and you will LOVE what you see in the mirror!

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I am not a nutritionalist and any recommendations I may make within the area of nutrition should always be discussed with your doctor or nutritionalist. However, the following recommendations have been gathered from educated individuals and are what I recommend to, and have been useful for, my clients.

The three main rules for eating, according to what will increase your metabolism and help you lose weight, are the following:

1. Eat small meals. - Fairly simple.

2. Eat every three hours.

3. Eat protein at every meal or snack. - The amount generally equates to 1g of protein for every pound of lean mass. To find out your lean mass, you can have your body fat tested and your lean mass will be calculated from that.

[If you are interested in having your body fat measured, I offer free body fat analysis as well as fitness testing. Just call (619) 987-8428 and ask for Christina.]

- See below for explanations of 2-3.

Combination Rules:

Meals: Always combine food from Groups 1, 2, and 3.

Snacks: Always combine food from Groups 1 and 2.

Frequency: Eat every 3 hours, this will keep your metabolism elevated throughout the day, increasing the amount of calories you burn and thus lowering your body fat.

Protein

Description: Protein is essential to human life. Your skin, bones, muscles and organ tissue, blood, hormones and enzymes all contain protein. Protein is found in many plant and animal sources.

Digestion: 3 hours to digest; approximately 30% of their caloric value is used in digestive process

Recommendation: Between 10 percent and 35 percent of your total daily calories - 50 to 175 grams a day - can come from protein. This recommendation is based on a 2000-calorie diet. The standard amount is generally around 30% for the average, healthy individual.

Examples:

Protein Group 1A:

o 2-3 oz chicken, fish, pork or meat (about the size of a deck of cards)
o 2-3 oz canned tuna or chicken in water (mix with a little mayo and celery)
o 2-3 oz deli meats
o 2-3 oz lox
o ½ cup nuts (any kind - raw nuts are even better!)
o 2 tablespoons peanut butter
o 1-2 eggs
o 2-3 oz tofu

Protein Group 1B: 1B is lower in protein that 1A and also contains simple carbohydrates. Add a small serving from 1A to increase protein levels, e.g. Cottage cheese and nuts

o 1 cup 1% or 2 % milk
o 1 cup yogurt (preferably plain & sugar-free)
o ½ cup reduced fat cottage cheese
o 2 oz cheese (any kind, including cream cheese)

 

Carbohydrates

Description: Carbohydrates are your body's main energy source.

Digestion:

Group 2: Simple Carbohydrates: 20-30 minutes to digest; approximately 10% of their caloric value is used in digestive process

Group 3: Complex Carbohydrates: 1.5-2 hours to digest; approximately 15-20% of their caloric value is used in digestive process

Recommendation: Get 45 percent to 65 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates. Emphasize complex carbohydrates, especially from whole grains and beans, and nutrient-rich fruits and milk. Limit sugars from candy and other sweets.

Examples:

Group 2: Simple Carbohydrates:

o 1 glass fruit juice (preferably fresh)
o 1 Banana
o 1 Apple
o 1 Kiwi
o ½ cup Strawberries
o ½ cup Grapes
o ½ cup Raspberries
o 1 Orange
o 2 small Tangerines
o 1 large Tomato or ½ cup cherry tomatoes

Group 3: Complex Carbohydrates:

o 1 cup Vegetables/Legumes
o 1 cup Dark Green Leafy Salad Greens
o 1 slice of Bread (sprouted whole grain, Ezekiel have high nutrient value)
o ½ Bagel
o ½ cup Cereal (try to avoid high sugar varieties)
o 1 Granola bar
o 8-12 Small Crackers (wheat thin size)
o ½ cup Dry Oatmeal
o 1 cup Cooked Pasta
o 1 cup Potatoes (sweet, red, or yellow)
o 1 cup Cooked Rice (brown preferably)

 

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