Monday 28 November 2016

How To Have A FIT Pregnancy

The 3 Components of Prenatal Exercise

Pregnancy comes with many questions. How often should I exercise? Is it safe for me to exercise at an intense level? How long should I exercise? What type of exercise should I do? These are all important questions that women have when they become pregnant. Prenatal exercise has numerous benefits for both the mother and her baby. It can be scary and overwhelming though when you don’t know what to do. Here is a look at three factors of prenatal exercise; frequency, intensity, and type.

Frequency

During pregnancy, exercise is recommended on most, if not all, days of the week. Exercise needs to be done for a minimum of 3 days per week to see a benefit. Frequency of exercise also depends on your level of fitness, the type of activity, and the intensity of the activity. Women that were active before pregnancy will have an easier time exercising every day of the week. Just remember, harder activities require more rest time. 

Intensity

A moderate to hard intensity level is perfectly fine during pregnancy. The best way to monitor intensity is by doing the talk test. If you are too out of breath to carry on a conversation, the intensity is too high. This is more accurate than heart rate because heart rate is naturally higher during pregnancy.

At least 30 minutes of exercise per day is recommended during pregnancy. Activities that are not weight-bearing can be done for longer durations. During pregnancy, you don’t want to workout so long that you are feeling extra fatigued at the end of the day. Your workout should help boost your energy, not knock you out. You should lower the intensity or duration if you are feeling worse after your workouts. 

Type

The type of exercise that you do is up to you. It is best to choose something that you enjoy so you’ll want to do it every day. During pregnancy, you want to avoid activities that could increase the risk of falling or getting hit, such as horseback riding, water skiing, and contact sports. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking and dancing, are great because they help maintain bone mass. Remember to listen to your body. If what you’re doing doesn’t feel right, then pick a different type of exercise.

Jump Into FITness

Frequency, intensity, and type of exercise are the three components to a FIT pregnancy. It is recommended that you workout on most, if not all, days of the week. Exercising at a moderate to intense level is perfectly fine during pregnancy, as long as you aren’t exercising to the point of extreme fatigue. You should also choose a type of exercise that you enjoy, while avoiding activities that have a high risk of injury. Exercise is an important component to staying healthy during your pregnancy. Talk to a trainer today about starting your FIT pregnancy program!

 

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Monday 21 November 2016

How To Survive The Holidays Without Gaining Weight

Gobble Gobble!

A chill is in the air and the holidays are upon us. Turkey and ham, giving thanks and stuffing stockings. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! But, there is one drawback to the holidays. Many people gain weight from all of the delicious food. It doesn’t have to be this way though! Here is your guide to surviving the holidays without gaining weight.

Appetizers Must Fit On One Napkin

With Grandma’s famous cheese ball or caramel corn, you want to enjoy these once a year holiday treats. You can eat them in moderation though. Follow the one napkin rule. What is that, you ask? All of the appetizers that you eat have to fit onto one napkin, and only ONE napkin. This way, you can eat your favorite appetizers without overdoing it.

Limit Yourself To One Plate At Dinner

You get one plate and that’s it! No going back for seconds. No side plates. Just one plate. This will help you limit the amount of food that you eat. Without this rule, it is too easy to go back and get more of your favorite food just because there is some left. You don’t need it though!

Only Pick Your Favorite Food

We all have our favorite holiday foods and then some food that we could do without. You don’t need to get every single item that is available. Pick your top three to five favorite dishes and only those. If you don’t particularly want the cranberries, don’t grab the cranberries. You don’t need the pie, ice cream, AND whipped cream. Pick one or two of those and leave the third.

Wait On The Dessert

Give your body time to digest your meal before you have dessert. If you rush straight to the pie, your body won’t register just how full you are. For this reason, wait at least 30 minutes before diving into dessert. You will be feeling the full effects of your meal by then which will help you limit your portions. While you are waiting, you can drink a glass of water to further increase your feeling of fullness and help you limit dessert.

Go On A Post-Meal Family Walk

After you’re done eating, spend some family time walking around the block. This will increase your calorie burn while you chat with your loved ones. You can even start a football game to work off the meal! Remember, to avoid gaining weight, you need to burn more calories that you are eating. Getting active after your meal will help you do this.

Your Holiday Survival Guide

Don’t let holiday weight gain get you down! By limiting the portion of your appetizers, sticking to the one plate rule, only eating your favorite foods, and waiting for dessert, you can reduce the number of calories that you consume and avoid those sneaky pounds.

 

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Wednesday 16 November 2016

5 Reasons Why You Should Be Thankful For Your Body

“Your Body is a Temple”

You’ve heard this phrase before. We all know that we should be thankful for our bodies. The problem is that it’s easy to forget why you should be thankful for your body when you are focusing on what you want to improve. The trick is to LOVE YOURSELF as you are continuing to work on becoming the best version of you. Here are 5 reasons why you should be thankful for your body.

1. Your Arms Can Hug Your Loved Ones

You have arms. You can wrap them around those that you love and hold them close. Your arms can carry your loved ones and stay connected to each other, hand to hand. As long as you take care of your arms, they will work their hardest to continue to do what you need them to do. Be thankful that you have arms.

2. Your Legs Can Take You Where You Need To Go

You have legs. They will take you wherever you need to go. You can run from danger, or jump for joy. As you age, your legs try their absolute hardest to keep you moving. It is essential to use your legs everyday so they can stay strong and healthy. Be thankful that you have legs.

3. Your Body Knows What It Needs

Your body actually knows what it needs. If it needs energy, it will tell you through hunger pangs. If you need water, your body will let you know. When there is something wrong, your body will cause you pain to alert you. Be thankful that your body knows what it needs.

4. Your Body Knows How To Survive

It has mastered the art of survival. Your heart pumps without you thinking about it. Your lungs automatically process oxygen as you inhale and exhale. When you are bleeding, your body stops it and heals all on it’s own. If one thing in your body stops working, it automatically figures out a way to make up for it, such as heightened senses when one goes away. Be thankful that your body knows how and wants to survive.

5. Your Body Is Unique To You

Last but certainly not least, your body is unique. It is yours and no one has the exact same one. You will never show up to prom with the same exact body as another girl. You don’t have to worry about finding your body now marked down on clearance right after you paid full price. There is only one you and you should be so thankful for that!

Be Thankful For What You Have

Your body is there for you when you need it to be. Parts of your body may shut down due to injury, age, or disease, but it tries it’s hardest to give you what you need. It is always on your side. Remember, as you are working on becoming a better you, that you should love yourself just the way that you are! Embrace being you!

 

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Saturday 12 November 2016

Exercise and Breastfeeding

You Can Exercise and Breastfeed

New mom’s have a million questions about what to do after they have their baby. One of these questions is if you can exercise while you are breastfeeding. Will it hurt your baby? Will it slow down your milk production? Will it take too much of a toll on your body? As long as there aren’t any medical complications to be addressed, the answer to all of these questions is no. Exercise is actually great for new moms and will help with your recovery!

It Won’t Hurt You or Your Baby

The biggest question is, will exercise hurt your baby? The good news is… no! Studies have found that exercise doesn’t cause any significant changes in milk production or taste. The body is excellent at producing what your baby needs even if you are exercising or on a calorie deficit. In underdeveloped countries where nutrients from food are scarce, a mother’s body can still pull what she need from stored nutrient reserves. In addition, studies have found that, since the babies are getting what they need, there isn’t any difference in growth rate with mom’s that exercise while breastfeeding.

Speed Up Weight Loss and Help You Recover

The body requires an extra 500 calories for breastfeeding. This means that you will naturally burn more calories just by breastfeeding. If you want to speed up postpartum weight loss even more, exercise can get you there. Weight loss occurs when you are consuming less calories than you are burning. By exercising, you are increasing your daily calorie burn. Exercise also helps reduce bone mineral density loss and lean body mass loss. This will keep the body strong and protect against osteoporosis later on. In addition, you know that back pain that you were feeling from all of the changes your body went through? Exercise will help strengthen the muscles that you need for support.

What Kind of Exercise is Best?

So what kind of exercise should you do? The honest answer is, whatever you prefer! Ideally, you want to do some form of strength training and some form of cardiovascular conditioning. Strength training is a way to improve muscular strength through weight bearing activities with various forms of resistance. You can use anything from resistance bands to dumbbells and weighted cables. Cardiovascular conditioning, on the other hand, is anything that gets your heart rate up. This could be taking a class or even joining a mom’s stroller walking group.

Now You Know

Never fear, exercise is here! It is a great way to speed up your recovery without harming your baby. Exercise will increase your calorie burn without reducing the quality and quantity of milk that your baby receives while breastfeeding. It is a great tool that will help you not only stay healthier, but get back to your pre-baby body. Talk to a trainer today about which exercise program is right for you!

 

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Wednesday 9 November 2016

Peanut Butter… That Has Protein, Right?

Forget The Common Misconceptions

“I eat protein. I have peanut butter on my toast every morning.” We’ve all been there or know someone who has been there. The media does an excellent job at making people believe that peanut butter is this magical tasty protein solution. I hate to burst your bubble, but they are LYING to you! Peanut butter is a fat source, not a protein source.

Let’s Do The Math

“But peanut butter has some protein, right?” In grams, yes, but you need to look at the calories and what percentage of calories come from protein versus fat. Let’s take a look at Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter. Here are the numbers:

Calories per Serving: 190

Protein: 7 grams

Fat: 16 grams

It doesn’t stop here. Protein has 4 calories per gram and fat has 9 calories per gram.

Calories from Protein: 7 x 4 = 28 calories

Calories from Fat: 16 x 9 = 144 calories

Given that there are 190 calories total in a serving of this peanut butter, this means that this peanut butter is almost 76% fat. These numbers are pretty consistent across all peanut butter brands and not just Skippy.

“Reduced Fat” Isn’t So Reduced

Reduced fat sounds like the solution then, right? Wrong. While the label may say “reduced fat”, if you look at the numbers of Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter, it still has 12 grams of fat and 7 grams of protein. The total calories from fat are still really high at 108 calories, and 60% calories from fat. This really isn’t that reduced! It is STILL a fat source.

Almond Butter Isn’t a Protein Source Either

Don’t be fooled by almond butter. While it is tasty and you may prefer it to peanut butter, it still isn’t a protein source. Let’s take a look at Justin’s Classic Almond Butter. Here are the numbers:

Calories per Serving: 190

Protein: 7 grams

Fat: 18 grams

Yes, you read that correctly. There is actually even more fat in Justin’s Almond Butter than in normal peanut butter. No wonder it’s so tasty!

Organic Source of Fat

If you still have any doubts about peanut butter not being a source of protein, let’s look at Trader Joe’s Organic Peanut Butter. Here are the numbers:

Calories per Serving: 200

Protein: 8 grams

Fat: 15 grams

Not much lower now, is it? Organic peanut butter is the solution to your organic fat needs, but will not give you the protein that you need.

Your Favorite Fat Source

Now that you know that peanut butter is a fat source and not a protein source, let’s clear up the stigma of fat. There isn’t anything wrong with fat. You NEED fat in your diet and peanut butter is a great way to get it. Just be aware of what you are eating. You have to make sure to get protein from a true protein source. This could be a protein shake, egg whites, or lean meat.

Clearing The Air

Peanut butter is a source of fat, not protein. While it does have some grams of protein, when you look at the calories, it is clearly a fat source. Don’t let the media and the nutrition “know-it-alls” mislead you. Peanut butter is a great way to get the healthy FATS that you need in your day. Then you can pair it with a protein source like a dotFIT protein shake, and you’ll be good to go!

 

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Monday 7 November 2016

Don’t FALL Out Of Your Fitness Routine

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

The leaves are changing and pumpkins are everywhere. You know what this means! The holidays are right around the corner. It’s the most wonderful time of the year for everything except your fitness goals. Never fear though! You don’t have to FALL out of your fitness routine. Follow these 5 tips to stay on track!

1. Pick a Specific Goal

Do you have something that you’re working towards? Maybe it’s fitting into that dress on New Year’s Eve that you’ve been dreaming of? Having a specific goal that you want to achieve will help you remember why you started. Once you make a goal, you can write in on your mirror or fridge as a daily reminder. It’s personal and will give you a reason to keep going when motivation starts to go away, which it will. Remember, motivation is fleeting, but discipline will get you there.

2. Make a Plan That You Can Stick To

This is a big one. Make a plan that you can realistically stick to. Set a schedule for yourself so your workouts are planned into your holiday schedule. If you know that nights are going to be busy, get up earlier and beat the crowd to the gym. This goes for nutrition as well. What you eat is 100% responsible for whether or not you get to your goal. Use a food logging app, like My Fitness Pal, to plan out what you will eat every day to stay within your calorie goal. Then you can hit the grocery store to stock up and avoid the “grab whatever you can get” catch.

3. Start a Journal

Keeping track of your workouts, nutrition, and goals will help you stay motivated. You can write your plan in your journal and make sure that you are staying on track. Journals are also a great tool for staying motivated because you can get out any frustrations that you are having with staying on track and go back and read old entries to remember why you started.

4. Enlist The Help of a Buddy

The buddy system is an awesome way to stay motivated during the holidays. If you have someone else waiting to meet you, then you are more likely to go workout. This can be a friend or family member that you go with every time, or better yet, a personal trainer that will take you through specific workouts based on what you need.

5. Try Something New and Fun

Changing your normal routine is a good way to spice up your workout. You can take a dance class, join a hiking group, or even rent a bike to ride at the beach. If you are getting tired of your workout, you will be less likely to want to go. Plan ahead to keep things fun and interesting.

There You Have It

Fall is a great time of year to spend with loved ones as long as you aren’t letting your own goals slip away. Just make sure to follow these 5 tips to stay on track. By setting a goal, making a plan, journaling, finding a workout partner, and trying something new, you can avoid falling out of your fitness routine this holiday season.

 

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Wednesday 2 November 2016

What Supplements Are Right For You?

3 Steps To Figure It Out

Have you considered taking supplements but figured that it wasn’t for you? Well, here’s some good news. Supplements are for everyone! They are designed to help you get to your goal by filling in the gaps in your nutrition and boosting your energy levels. Supplements are anything from protein powder, to caffeine, to vitamins. But which supplements are right for you? To determine this, you need to determine your goals, figure out what is currently missing in your nutrition, and decide how fast you want to get to your goal.

1. Determine Your Goals

What do you want to achieve? Do you want to lose body fat or build muscle? Just how much of a change do you want to see? Every person has a unique goal and thus needs a unique blend of supplements tailored to them. If weight loss is your goal, you will likely need a lower calorie protein powder, as well as an energy booster to fight the fatigue of a lower calorie diet. If you want to put on some muscle, you will likely need a protein powder, amino acids, and possibly creatine. Each supplement has a purpose and you need to determine which supplements will help you achieve your goal.

2. Figure Out What Is Missing

What is currently missing from your diet? Do you struggle to get protein? If so, adding a protein supplement will help with that. Do you feel hungry all the time? If so, adding an appetite suppressant can help curb the hunger. The first thing to do is to log your food using an app, like My Fitness Pal. This will tell you if you are low in any nutrients. Look for the gaps in your nutrition and use that as a guideline for which supplements you should take.

3. Determine How Fast You Want To Get There

Everyone wants to say “as fast as possible”. You have to be honest with yourself though. The faster you want to get to your goal, the harder you have to work. You need to be spot on with your nutrition. The human body is capable of a lot but, when it comes to weight loss, there are limitations in order to stay within the the safe zone.

For example, if you want to lose 10 pounds in a month, or 2.5 pounds per week, you need to eat a calorie deficit of 1,250 calories per day. If you are an average female and burn 1,800 calories per day, then that means that you would need to eat 550 calories per day. It’s just a basic math equation. The problem with this is that 550 calories per day is way to low. That’s not a realistic goal and would do more harm than good. To determine how fast you want to get to your goal, you need to do that math to stay within the safe zone while setting realistic expectations.  

How does this apply to supplements, you ask? Various supplements can help you reach your goal faster through a variety of methods, such as restricting carbohydrate absorption and decreasing your appetite. The faster you want to get to your goal, the more supplements you can take to help you get there. Remember, there isn’t a magic pill. Supplements will only help you get to your goal if you’re putting in the work with your nutrition and workouts.

The Missing Element

Supplements are great for everyone. Once you determine your goal, they will help you get there. When you know what is missing in your nutrition, supplements can fill in the gaps. They will also help you get to your goal on time. Talk to one of our trainers today to figure out which supplements are right for you.

 

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