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.

 

Related Links

• Calories 101- What is a Calorie?
• Personal Training
• Strength and Conditioning
• Hybrid Training
• Blog

 

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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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• Supplements For Weight Loss
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You Can Be Healthy And Still Eat Ice Cream

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream,

For ICE CREAM

Healthy isn’t typically the first word that comes to mind when you think of ice cream. Eating ice cream doesn’t have to be a scary thing for your weight loss goals though. Let’s be honest. If you love ice cream as much as I do, traditional “diets” can feel like you’re depriving yourself of everything that is good. So how can I eat ice cream and still be healthy, you ask? Let’s start by answering a question.

What is Health?

“Health- the condition of being well or free from disease;  the overall condition of someone’s body or mind” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Health does not mean organic or vegan. It does not mean gluten free or that you can’t eat any sugar. Being healthy is an overall condition of well being. It means that your body is functioning to the best of your ability and that you are treating your body well by giving it what it needs. This can mean something different for everyone based on individual needs and what makes you happy. As long as you aren’t eating too little or too much, and are getting all of your nutrients, you can be healthy. You want to be able to live your life to the fullest without fear of not being able to do what you want to do. 

It’s All About Moderation

Moderation is the key to eating your favorite food. You don’t have to cut out everything that you like, you just need to cut back on how many calories you eat. If that bowl of ice cream is in addition to a day’s worth of calories, it would probably be a good idea to skip it. If you work the bowl of ice cream into your plan and count those calories ahead of time, you can have it without feeling guilty about deviating from your plan.

Find an Alternative

New brands are making their way into stores as an alternative to traditional ice cream. Two of these alternatives are Halo Top and Arctic Zero. Trust me, they’re delicious! They taste like regular ice cream but are more in line with a weight loss goal because they are both higher in protein and lower in calories than regular ice cream. By eating one of these alternatives, you will have an easier time staying on track.

Now You Know

Ice cream is a tasty treat that doesn’t have to leave you screaming over weight gain. You can eat ice cream and still be healthy by eating it in moderation and finding alternatives, like Halo Top, to help you stay on track. To learn more about how to fit ice cream into your meal plan, talk to one of our trainers today!

 

Sources

“Health”. Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2016. Web. 28 October 2016.

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• Sugar… I Shouldn’t Eat That, Right?
• Calories First!
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5 Tools For Surviving Halloween Weight Gain

Trick or Treat!

Halloween is a fun time of year where you can be anything that you want to be. Children can dress as their dream careers and adults can dress as their childhood fantasy. Sounds like all fun and games, right? Everyone knows that there is an abundance of candy this time of year. Seriously, it’s everywhere. Do you feel that it’s tricky to avoid Halloween treats? With candy everywhere you turn, it is way too easy to overeat and gain weight. Don’t worry though! Here are five tools for resisting the candy and surviving Halloween without gaining weight:

Understand What You’re Eating

The biggest factor in losing weight is understanding that it all comes down to how many calories you are eating and how many calories you are burning. Your calorie burn depends on how much lean body mass (muscle) you have and how much you move with that muscle. To avoid gaining weight, you need to eat less calories than you are burning everyday. And remember, it’s your total daily calorie intake that matters for weight management. Every calorie counts!

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

We’ve all heard this phrase before and Halloween is the perfect time to apply it. If there isn’t candy around, then it is less tempting to overeat. You can request that coworkers don’t bring candy, or at least leave it hidden away in a drawer. Another way to keep candy out of sight is by waiting until the very last minute to buy bags of candy for trick or treaters. It is way too easy to “just have one” when you have big bags of candy sitting on your counter.

Find Lower Calorie Alternatives

Another way to ensure Halloween success is by developing a nutrition plan that has lower calorie alternatives to replace candy. You can buy a package of grapes or another sweet fruit to nibble on instead. YOU could be that person that always has a bowl of fresh fruit on their desk. My personal favorite snack this time of year is to slice up an apple and put it in a ziplock bag with a pinch of cinnamon. Shake it up to coat the apple slices and create a tasty, lower calorie treat.

Come Up With a Plan That Includes Candy in a Limited Amount

You don’t have to cut out candy completely. As long as you make a plan that leaves calorie room for candy, you will be fine. Save room in your calories to have one piece of your favorite candy every day. If you plan for one piece per day and make most of the other candy that you buy your least favorite of the bunch, it will be easier to stay on track.

Enlist The Help of a Buddy

The buddy system is a great way to avoid over-indulging on candy. You can both keep each other accountable and motivated. Use a food logging app, like My Fitness Pal, where you both can check each other’s nutrition on a daily basis. Having a buddy that is going through the same program that you are, can really help you stay on track.

No More Halloween Weight Scares

Weight gain doesn’t have to be the scariest part of Halloween. By understanding what you’re eating, keeping candy out of sight, finding lower calorie alternatives, coming up with a plan, and enlisting the help of a buddy, you can make it through Halloween without compromising your goals.

 

Related Links

• Calories 101- What is a Calorie?
• Sugar… I Shouldn’t Eat That, Right?
• Personal Training
• Strength and Conditioning
• Hybrid Training
• Blog

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Prenatal Exercise Is Good For Your Baby

Did You Know…

You already know that exercise is beneficial for the expectant mother. Did you know that it is also beneficial for your baby as well? That’s right! Research has shown that exercising during pregnancy can have numerous benefits for your baby and can even help give them an advantage in the early stages of childhood. The following are some of the many benefits that exercise can provide for your baby:

Better Physical Condition at Birth

When a baby is born, the physician will determine the newborn’s Apgar Score, which evaluates the physical condition of the baby at birth. It is done at one and five minutes after birth to assess breathing effort, heart rate, muscle tone, reflexes, and skin color. Babies that are born to mothers who exercised during pregnancy have a slightly higher Apgar Score. This gives the newborn a physical advantage and sets them up for success later on.

Slightly Lower Birth Weight

Babies that are born to an active mother typically weigh a little less at birth, though still well within the healthy zone. These exercise babies have less body fat than those born to sedentary mothers. Why is this important? Studies are now finding that these babies born to exercising mothers are also able to maintain a lower body fat percentage throughout childhood than those born to sedentary mothers. This is most likely a combination of the physical advantage at birth AND the active habits that the mother passes down to her child.

Healthier Heart

In the past, mothers were concerned about overexertion during pregnancy. They feared that an increased heart rate could harm the baby. Good news! This fear has been found to be false. It is true that the baby’s heart rate increases as the mother exercises but this actually leads to a lower and healthier heart rate overall in the baby. Just like the mother, the baby learns to adapt to the constant rise and fall of heart rate which enhances overall cardiac function. Think of it as prenatal conditioning. This becomes an advantage for the newborn because their heart is already conditioned and in better shape than the non-exercise newborn.

Better Oxygen Regulation

Another fear of exercising during pregnancy is that decreased oxygen could harm the baby. This isn’t something to worry about though. As long as you are following safety guidelines and not pushing yourself past your comfort zone, your baby will be fine. In fact, your baby will learn how to adapt to lower oxygen levels which will help them better tolerate times of stress.

Higher Intelligence Scores

If you still need a reason to exercise during your pregnancy, do it for your baby’s future! Seriously. Studies have found that babies born to exercising mothers score higher on general intelligence tests and oral language skill tests than those born to sedentary mothers. This continues through childhood and will help set your child up for success.

Do It For Your Baby

Exercise is a crucial part of pregnancy health, not just for you, but for your baby as well. It will give your baby a physical advantage through enhanced heart function and an overall better physical condition at birth. In addition, exercise can lead to higher intelligence and a lower chance of obesity. Now that you know the benefits of exercising during your pregnancy, talk to one of our trainers today to get started on a program!

 

Sources

Hyatt, Gwen, and Catherine Cram. Prenatal and Postpartum Exercise Design. Tucson, AZ: Desert Southwest Fitness Center for Continuing Education, 2016. Print.

Series

• Exercise and Pregnancy
• Exercise is Good For The Expectant Mother
• Prenatal Exercise is Good For Your Baby

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• Personal Training
• Strength and Conditioning
• Hybrid Training
• Blog

 

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Exercise Is Good For The Expectant Mother

It’s Good For Your Health

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Now what? Every woman has many questions when they enter this happy time in their life. One common question is, can I exercise during my pregnancy? The answer is, ABSOLUTELY! Exercise is an important component in a healthy and happy pregnancy. There are numerous maternal benefits to exercising during your pregnancy.

Reduced Weight Gain

Exercising during your pregnancy will help minimize weight gain. Studies show that, on average, women who exercise during their pregnancy gain 8 pounds less body fat than women who don’t exercise, while still staying well within the healthy zone. As long as there aren’t any complications, it is important to continue exercising throughout the pregnancy and after. Similar studies also found that women who stop exercising halfway through their pregnancy gain more weight than those who don’t exercise at all. This is because they often continue to consume the same amount of calories even though they are burning less calories. 

Less Severe Symptoms of Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a beautiful time but can also be a very uncomfortable time. It can be difficult to continue your day as normal because of the symptoms that go along with pregnancy. Exercise helps your body adapt to the changes by reducing symptoms, such as fatigue, nausea, and muscle cramps.

More Energy

Do you feel tired all the time? You’re not alone! Your body is going through a lot of changes and it can be exhausting. It has been proven time and time again that exercising on a regular basis, especially during pregnancy, can help fight fatigue by boosting energy levels. 

Cope With Physiological Changes

There are many physiological stresses that accompany a pregnancy. As your body shifts to make room for your baby, it can put a lot of stress on your back and hips. Strength training will help strengthen the muscles that support these areas and hold your body up. This will help alleviate pain as your body goes through these postural changes because it won’t be such a big stress to just stand for a prolonged period of time. 

Shorter and Less Complicated Labors

Women that exercise during their pregnancy tend to have an easier time with labor. Studies found that active women had shorter labors as well as lower rates of C- sections. They were also able to handle the stress of labor better than women who didn’t exercise because their body had a higher tolerance for exertion.

Easier Recovery Postpartum

What happens after? Exercising during pregnancy can speed up your recovery. It is easier for women who exercised to get their pre-baby body back because they already have those habits in place. The last thing you will want to do as a new mom is try to take on something else that is brand new. Start early!

Your Pregnancy Aid

As you can see, exercising during pregnancy has countless benefits for the expectant mother. Increased energy, decreased nausea and back pain, as well as, less complicated labors are only a few of the many benefits of exercise. Pregnancy is an exciting time and you want to remain as worry free as possible. Talk to one of our trainers today to learn more about setting up a prenatal exercise program.

 

Series

• Exercise and Pregnancy
• Benefit of Exercise For The Baby

Related Links

• Personal Training
• Strength and Conditioning
• Hybrid Training
• Blog

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Exercise and Pregnancy

Active Living For The Expectant Mother

Whether you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, the question of exercising during your pregnancy is one that has probably come to mind. People use to believe that exercise would put too much stress on the baby. This has been found to be false though. Exercise is encouraged as long as there aren’t any complications in the pregnancy.

Did You Exercise Before Pregnancy?

Your pre-pregnancy fitness routine plays a role in exercising during pregnancy. If you were active before, you can continue exercising as normal during your pregnancy, modifying exercises as needed. If you are new to fitness, it is safe to begin an exercise program as long as you are following safety guidelines and monitoring intensity. It is recommended that pregnant women exercise for 20-30 minutes on most, if not all, days of the week. This isn’t the time to work on peak fitness levels though. Overall health of the mother and baby should be the primary focus of exercise during pregnancy.

What Type of Exercise Should You Do?

A better question is, what do you like to do? Exercising during pregnancy should be a fun way for you to feel your best. Strength training, walking, and dancing are all great ways to stay active during your pregnancy. The most important thing to consider when picking a type of exercise is safety. You want to avoid any activities that increase your risk of falling, as well as anything that could cause trauma to the abdomen, such as contact sports. If you are new to exercising or aren’t sure about particular modifications during pregnancy, speak to one of our trainers to get set up on a plan today!

What Should You Avoid?

Your doctor will give you guidelines for exercise if there is a particular concern or condition. Typically, it is best to avoid exercises on your back after the first trimester because it can increase feelings of dizziness. It is also best to avoid any unstable activities that would put yourself and your baby at risk.

How Much is Too Much?

The best way to determine how much is too much is through your own perceived rate of exertion. How do you feel? You don’t need to exercise to the point of extreme exhaustion. If you can’t carry on a conversation, the intensity level might be too high. The minimum number of days needed to reap the benefits of exercise is three days per week. From there, you can exercise as much as you feel like you can handle.

The Best Results

Should you exercise during your pregnancy? Yes. Exercise is absolutely advised for the expectant mother. Consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program to learn about specific contraindications that may pertain to you. Talk to one of our trainers to learn more about getting started on a prenatal exercise program today!

 

Series

1. Exercise and Pregnancy
2. Benefits of Exercise For The Expectant Mother
3. Benefits of Exercise For The Baby

Related Links

• Personal Training
• Strength and Conditioning
• Hybrid Training
• Blog

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