I attended the SCW Fitness Mania in New York City last weekend. SCW is a leading education and certifying body in the fitness world, and hosts nine "Mania's" across America each year. I attend to keep my certifications current, but also to keep learning and growing myself. Once you are that arrogant or bored as a trainer where you stop educating yourself, you are moving backwards!
The keynote speaker was Lawrence Biscontini, M.A. Lawrence is an entertaining and knowledgeable fellow who is highly respected in the field. If your image of a fitness presenter is someone who looks or sounds like, say, Rob Gronkowski, think the opposite when imagining Lawrence. His online bio describes him as a "chocolate lover, tea-ologist, lecturer, and mindful moment specialist!"
His informative and witty keynote talk was entitled the "Six Paradoxes of Fitness:" THELBM, or, The Lawrence Biscontini Method. Here goes:
THINK: Lawrence attributes this one to Sister Agnes, a teacher of his in parochial school. "When silent, you can think." Thinking has a component in fitness. Mind-body is not separate from fitness.
HUMORIZE: "Intensity doesn't have anything to do with happiness," Lawrence, who specializes in Yoga and Tai-Chi, said. "Laughter builds up our immune system, boosts endorphins, creativity, and problem solving, and improves our memory. There is nothing more serious than a corpse!"
EAT: "America leads the world in nutritional research, obesity, and sedentary lifestyles," Lawrence, who grew up in Pennsylvania, but refers to himself as a citizen of the world, said. That certainly is a paradox the fitness industry is looking to change!
LOVE: Lawrence describes this as the most important point. He asks the fitness professionals in attendance if they are (metaphorically) "giving love and receiving love." He makes a valid point when he says, "We are not in this field for the income, but the outcomes!"
BREATHE: "The common thread of yoga, Pilates, running, or any form of exercise is breathing!"
MOVEMENT: "This has nothing to do with exercise!," Lawrence exhorts. He says the three excuses people use to avoid the gym are "Lack of time, fear, and intimidation (which should not apply to Mountain Fitness, by the way!). He asks if fitness professionals are making it easy for newcomers by keeping fitness simple, fun, and not necessarily within the club's walls. Exercise seems like a scary word for some people, but movement does not!
Concluding, he had a great saying, which he used in describing Sara Kooperman, the Founder and Director of SCW: "When you get a get a step up, turn around and take someone else with you!" I could not have said it more succinctly.
Besides teaching and presenting, Lawrence has written several books and has many fitness products on his website, the proceeds of which are donated to several charities close to his heart.
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Thursday, January 25, 2018
"I Had a Bad Night's Sleep!"
"I had a bad night's sleep!" I can't count how many times I've said that, or heard clients at the gym say the same thing! Short of buying Tom Brady-endorsed TB12 Performance Sleepwear, what do you do?
Going through my files, I found a 2015 article from Drs. Oz and Roizen on the subject. Here are some tips they had, interspersed with my own thoughts.
* No coffee within three hours of bedtime, no exercise within two. When I worked evenings managing a New York Sports Club, I would often work out pretty intensely between 9:30 and 10:30, right before the club closed for the evening. I'd eat dinner after we closed, around mid-night, and predictably, I wouldn't be able to get to sleep until at least two in the morning. The bad combination of late exercise, a meal before bed-time, and did I mention the stress of that job?
*Skip the nightcap: I find one beer or glass of wine helps put me to sleep, and does not affect me staying in that state. More than one drink will put you out, but you tend to wake up in the middle of the night as the alcohol wears off. Not good!
*No pets on the bed. We had a temperamental Yorkshire Terrier early in our marriage. He liked to sleep horizontally across the middle of the bed, and was very protective of his spot. You had to get used to sleeping like a pretzel. Ironically, when Carli was born, he stationed himself outside her room, instinctively protecting the newborn. It's amazing how smart (and sometimes, stubborn) animals are!
*Eat healthy fats: Foods that promote brain health like cold water fish are also sleep aids, according to the Doctor's article. If your diet does not include enough of this type of food, they recommend omega-3 supplements, totaling 900 mg a day.
*Shut the mind off!: The trickiest aspect of all. Whenever I have a half-marathon or any other type of big event the next day, I invariably sleep badly. You think of stupid things like sleeping through the alarm, all the time aware that is much more likely to happen if you don't get a good night's sleep! Articles always recommend getting a good night's sleep two nights before a major life event, knowing the night before will be rough. It's also often tricky getting to sleep the night after a big event, as your mind replays the day, good or bad!
*Sleep Therapy: Drs. Oz and Roizen mention CBT-1, short for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It's short-term therapy designed to train your mind and body for great sleep, and studies have shown it works better than a sleeping pill! I haven't tried it, but have been doing something else, that I picked up from a listener quiz on a sports radio station. Pick a professional sports team and pick the five best players you can think of in their history, just off the top of your head! Than go onto the next, until you get to sleep. You can't use a player twice, if they played for multiple teams (think Randy Johnson or Rickey Henderson). Someone please send me the best five Mets!
Going through my files, I found a 2015 article from Drs. Oz and Roizen on the subject. Here are some tips they had, interspersed with my own thoughts.
* No coffee within three hours of bedtime, no exercise within two. When I worked evenings managing a New York Sports Club, I would often work out pretty intensely between 9:30 and 10:30, right before the club closed for the evening. I'd eat dinner after we closed, around mid-night, and predictably, I wouldn't be able to get to sleep until at least two in the morning. The bad combination of late exercise, a meal before bed-time, and did I mention the stress of that job?
*Skip the nightcap: I find one beer or glass of wine helps put me to sleep, and does not affect me staying in that state. More than one drink will put you out, but you tend to wake up in the middle of the night as the alcohol wears off. Not good!
*No pets on the bed. We had a temperamental Yorkshire Terrier early in our marriage. He liked to sleep horizontally across the middle of the bed, and was very protective of his spot. You had to get used to sleeping like a pretzel. Ironically, when Carli was born, he stationed himself outside her room, instinctively protecting the newborn. It's amazing how smart (and sometimes, stubborn) animals are!
*Eat healthy fats: Foods that promote brain health like cold water fish are also sleep aids, according to the Doctor's article. If your diet does not include enough of this type of food, they recommend omega-3 supplements, totaling 900 mg a day.
*Shut the mind off!: The trickiest aspect of all. Whenever I have a half-marathon or any other type of big event the next day, I invariably sleep badly. You think of stupid things like sleeping through the alarm, all the time aware that is much more likely to happen if you don't get a good night's sleep! Articles always recommend getting a good night's sleep two nights before a major life event, knowing the night before will be rough. It's also often tricky getting to sleep the night after a big event, as your mind replays the day, good or bad!
*Sleep Therapy: Drs. Oz and Roizen mention CBT-1, short for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It's short-term therapy designed to train your mind and body for great sleep, and studies have shown it works better than a sleeping pill! I haven't tried it, but have been doing something else, that I picked up from a listener quiz on a sports radio station. Pick a professional sports team and pick the five best players you can think of in their history, just off the top of your head! Than go onto the next, until you get to sleep. You can't use a player twice, if they played for multiple teams (think Randy Johnson or Rickey Henderson). Someone please send me the best five Mets!
Monday, January 22, 2018
Don't Say "Diet!"
I cringe when I see the plethora of weight-loss products and programs advertised in January. From 30 years of working in health clubs, plus my educational background in the field, I know that all of these things work temporarily, and long-term, invariably fail.
At 5-7, 140 lbs., I've been lectured by people way heavier than I am "that I don't know anything" about weight control, and you have to eliminate all carbs, or drink shakes all day, cleanse, fast, or doing something equally radical to lose weight.
At heart, I know, it's calories in versus calories expended, with the most important consideration having your calories count. Have them packed with nutrients, from various plant fish, and animal sources, and as fresh as possible. Treat the food as fuel for your body, like a premium gasoline for your car.
Women need about 10 calories per pound, per day, to sustain current body weight, based on typical work or household chores with no additional exercise. Any additional exercise can go into your deficit column if you're looking to lose, or can allow you an additional treat if you want to sustain.
Young men can take in 15 calories per day, per pound, and middle-aged guys like myself would consume about 12 calories per day, per pound.
Carrie Dennett of the Washington Post wrote an interesting article on this topic entitled "Don't Starve Yourself - Do This Instead". I will review some key points, as I love articles that agree with my school of thought!
*DIETS DON'T WORK: Diet designers count on repeat customers. Why would you be a repeat customer? Because when your body goes below it's natural set point weight range, your metabolism begins to slow, and the weight creeps back on. You get frustrated and revert back to your old habits, only to pick up the "diet" again the following January. Repeated yo-yo dieting leaves your health in a worse place than if you never dieted in the first place!
*WEIGHT DOES NOT EQUAL HEALTH: The article correctly points out that people can be healthy or unhealthy at both lower or higher weights. While weight loss will generally result in better blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar readings, research is unclear whether the weight loss is responsible for this, or the better habits people will acquire in order to lose weight; like exercising or better nutrition.
*THE BINGING RISK: The more you restrict yourself, the more you're likely to fall off the wagon with binge eating. You were so self-disciplined at that wedding, then came home and downed a sleeve of Oreo's! It happens when people feel deprived!
The article urges people to evolve in their thinking, away from dieting, and more about overall health. Be intuitive, like babies or young children, who instinctively know when and how much to eat.
Think of weight loss as a by-product of good habits. If you start exercising and paying attention to nutrition, the weight will come off! Make a goal like finishing a 5-K or doing a charity bike ride. In the focus on those activities; you will make positive changes in your habits, the scale will move, and you'll fell good about yourself. Plus, don't forget that shiny finisher's medal at the end!
At 5-7, 140 lbs., I've been lectured by people way heavier than I am "that I don't know anything" about weight control, and you have to eliminate all carbs, or drink shakes all day, cleanse, fast, or doing something equally radical to lose weight.
At heart, I know, it's calories in versus calories expended, with the most important consideration having your calories count. Have them packed with nutrients, from various plant fish, and animal sources, and as fresh as possible. Treat the food as fuel for your body, like a premium gasoline for your car.
Women need about 10 calories per pound, per day, to sustain current body weight, based on typical work or household chores with no additional exercise. Any additional exercise can go into your deficit column if you're looking to lose, or can allow you an additional treat if you want to sustain.
Young men can take in 15 calories per day, per pound, and middle-aged guys like myself would consume about 12 calories per day, per pound.
Carrie Dennett of the Washington Post wrote an interesting article on this topic entitled "Don't Starve Yourself - Do This Instead". I will review some key points, as I love articles that agree with my school of thought!
*DIETS DON'T WORK: Diet designers count on repeat customers. Why would you be a repeat customer? Because when your body goes below it's natural set point weight range, your metabolism begins to slow, and the weight creeps back on. You get frustrated and revert back to your old habits, only to pick up the "diet" again the following January. Repeated yo-yo dieting leaves your health in a worse place than if you never dieted in the first place!
*WEIGHT DOES NOT EQUAL HEALTH: The article correctly points out that people can be healthy or unhealthy at both lower or higher weights. While weight loss will generally result in better blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar readings, research is unclear whether the weight loss is responsible for this, or the better habits people will acquire in order to lose weight; like exercising or better nutrition.
*THE BINGING RISK: The more you restrict yourself, the more you're likely to fall off the wagon with binge eating. You were so self-disciplined at that wedding, then came home and downed a sleeve of Oreo's! It happens when people feel deprived!
The article urges people to evolve in their thinking, away from dieting, and more about overall health. Be intuitive, like babies or young children, who instinctively know when and how much to eat.
Think of weight loss as a by-product of good habits. If you start exercising and paying attention to nutrition, the weight will come off! Make a goal like finishing a 5-K or doing a charity bike ride. In the focus on those activities; you will make positive changes in your habits, the scale will move, and you'll fell good about yourself. Plus, don't forget that shiny finisher's medal at the end!
Monday, January 15, 2018
Resolutions That Worked
Mid-January, most people are still in a disciplined mind-set. The over-indulging the Holidays bring usually add some weight and a feeling of lethargy. The routine of having a set schedule helps as far as health and fitness goes, and everyone has a built in support system of people at the gym and friends who are in the same boat (as well as an endless stream of commercials expounding the virtues of one diet plan or another).
Staying focused for an entire year is a whole other challenge. I remember a nutrition professor in college saying that you if you lost one pound a year for your adult life, you would be doing great. That seems so easy, yet most individuals gain a pound or two every year of their adult life. Need proof? Thumb through a wedding album.
The New York Post ran an article called the "Year In Renew" by Lauren Steussy and Molly Shea. The article chronicled five New Yorkers who changed their life over the past year, in different ways. Here is a capsule:
QUITTING ALCOHOL: a 46-year old Queens woman named Kambri Crews opened a successful new restaurant/bar in Astoria. Dealing with the stresses a business like that can present (as well as the limitless amount of liquor available), she sipped wine throughout the day. She put on close to 40 lbs. to her attractive 5-9 frame, and generally felt miserable. Kambri quit, cold turkey; began biking to work, and went on the South Beach diet. The wine was replaced by seltzer with lime or lemon wedges. The weight she put on disappeared over the year's time. Ironically, partially because of the weight loss, a lump was found in her breast that an earlier mammogram had missed. The loss of weight in her breasts enabled the doctors to discover it! She's going through radiation treatments now
(and biking there, as well) , and has put the drinking totally to rest.
EXERCISE AS AN ANTI-DEPRESSENT: Sam Smullen, a 56-year old structural engineer, had been feeling down for many years; the combination of long hours on the job and drowning his sorrows in beers at a Gowanus bar several nights a week. The ex-Marine, 5-9 and 210 lbs. at the time, stumbled across runners from the group Hash NYC. He asked if they were a running club, and they said, "No, we're a drinking club with a running problem"
Figuring he had half the equation down already, Sam joined them the next week and lumbered through a mile or two. He stuck with it, though, completing a 5-K shortly afterward, and building up to the marathon distance. Unbelievably, he's completed seven 26.2-milers in the last two years, and also completed the New York City Triathlon. Without even altering his diet radically, he's dropped 70 lbs., and has other running goals ahead. "Each day I have something to look forward to," The Park Slope resident said. "Running took me out of myself."
STOPPING BINGE EATING: Alex DePinto, a 28-year old Post video producer, would often eat to the point of sickness - whole pizzas and full cartons of ice cream were not out of the norm. A Personal Trainer friend of his offered to work with him for free, in exchange for Alex producing videos for the gym. Starting out once a week, Alex typically hated it. He gradually increased the number of workouts a week, and began looking forward to hitting the gym. Now up to five days a week, two hours at a time, Alex has dropped 48 lbs., and changed his relationship with food.
Like everyone else, Alex still loves his pizza and burgers, but now just eats reasonable amounts. It's not about deprivation, it's just keeping everything under control and exercising!
CHANGING HABITS FOR A CHILD: Marsha Parker, a standardized test tutor, had been slim most of her life. However, before giving birth to her daughter seven years ago, she ballooned to 260 lbs. Going up a flight of stairs to her Bronx residence became an ordeal.
Smartly, she taught healthy eating habits to her daughter, but was not following them herself. She vowed to lead by example.
Marsha's fitness journey began with kickboxing classes and simple diet fixes like giving up soda. She dropped to 185 lbs. by last March, and then discovered running, via the Mile High Run Club at a local gym.
She is a sleek 150 lbs. now and loves the comradeship and completion of doing local 5 and 10-K's. He greatest reward came when her daughter put her arms around her, and said, "Mommy I'm so proud of you!"
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE!: Denise Munroe, an administrator at NYU, was 58, carrying 210 lbs. on her 5-5 frame, and pre-diabetic. With a family history of diabetes, she knew a lifestyle change had to be in order. She started on her dietary choices first, cutting down on chips, cookies, and red meat and adding more fresh vegetables and other healthy goods. She tried, but didn't love, aerobic classes, and finally took up walking and slow jogging. Denise hooked up with the New York City Road runners for some group runs, and thrived on the group energy, even though she usually was the last to finish. "Other runners would wait for me at the end," The Brooklynite recalled. "It's what made me come back every week."
Denise dropped 40 lbs. with her regimen, and began running races. At age 60, she completed the Disney World Marathon last January, and followed that up with the New York Marathon in November. She's also no longer pre-diabetic!
This article shows that there are a lot of ways to get there - a healthy life. Consult with a doctor, figure out what you like to do exercise-wise, and don't look at food as a sacrifice or reward. Hopefully, you will be a 2018 success story!
Staying focused for an entire year is a whole other challenge. I remember a nutrition professor in college saying that you if you lost one pound a year for your adult life, you would be doing great. That seems so easy, yet most individuals gain a pound or two every year of their adult life. Need proof? Thumb through a wedding album.
The New York Post ran an article called the "Year In Renew" by Lauren Steussy and Molly Shea. The article chronicled five New Yorkers who changed their life over the past year, in different ways. Here is a capsule:
QUITTING ALCOHOL: a 46-year old Queens woman named Kambri Crews opened a successful new restaurant/bar in Astoria. Dealing with the stresses a business like that can present (as well as the limitless amount of liquor available), she sipped wine throughout the day. She put on close to 40 lbs. to her attractive 5-9 frame, and generally felt miserable. Kambri quit, cold turkey; began biking to work, and went on the South Beach diet. The wine was replaced by seltzer with lime or lemon wedges. The weight she put on disappeared over the year's time. Ironically, partially because of the weight loss, a lump was found in her breast that an earlier mammogram had missed. The loss of weight in her breasts enabled the doctors to discover it! She's going through radiation treatments now
(and biking there, as well) , and has put the drinking totally to rest.
EXERCISE AS AN ANTI-DEPRESSENT: Sam Smullen, a 56-year old structural engineer, had been feeling down for many years; the combination of long hours on the job and drowning his sorrows in beers at a Gowanus bar several nights a week. The ex-Marine, 5-9 and 210 lbs. at the time, stumbled across runners from the group Hash NYC. He asked if they were a running club, and they said, "No, we're a drinking club with a running problem"
Figuring he had half the equation down already, Sam joined them the next week and lumbered through a mile or two. He stuck with it, though, completing a 5-K shortly afterward, and building up to the marathon distance. Unbelievably, he's completed seven 26.2-milers in the last two years, and also completed the New York City Triathlon. Without even altering his diet radically, he's dropped 70 lbs., and has other running goals ahead. "Each day I have something to look forward to," The Park Slope resident said. "Running took me out of myself."
STOPPING BINGE EATING: Alex DePinto, a 28-year old Post video producer, would often eat to the point of sickness - whole pizzas and full cartons of ice cream were not out of the norm. A Personal Trainer friend of his offered to work with him for free, in exchange for Alex producing videos for the gym. Starting out once a week, Alex typically hated it. He gradually increased the number of workouts a week, and began looking forward to hitting the gym. Now up to five days a week, two hours at a time, Alex has dropped 48 lbs., and changed his relationship with food.
Like everyone else, Alex still loves his pizza and burgers, but now just eats reasonable amounts. It's not about deprivation, it's just keeping everything under control and exercising!
CHANGING HABITS FOR A CHILD: Marsha Parker, a standardized test tutor, had been slim most of her life. However, before giving birth to her daughter seven years ago, she ballooned to 260 lbs. Going up a flight of stairs to her Bronx residence became an ordeal.
Smartly, she taught healthy eating habits to her daughter, but was not following them herself. She vowed to lead by example.
Marsha's fitness journey began with kickboxing classes and simple diet fixes like giving up soda. She dropped to 185 lbs. by last March, and then discovered running, via the Mile High Run Club at a local gym.
She is a sleek 150 lbs. now and loves the comradeship and completion of doing local 5 and 10-K's. He greatest reward came when her daughter put her arms around her, and said, "Mommy I'm so proud of you!"
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE!: Denise Munroe, an administrator at NYU, was 58, carrying 210 lbs. on her 5-5 frame, and pre-diabetic. With a family history of diabetes, she knew a lifestyle change had to be in order. She started on her dietary choices first, cutting down on chips, cookies, and red meat and adding more fresh vegetables and other healthy goods. She tried, but didn't love, aerobic classes, and finally took up walking and slow jogging. Denise hooked up with the New York City Road runners for some group runs, and thrived on the group energy, even though she usually was the last to finish. "Other runners would wait for me at the end," The Brooklynite recalled. "It's what made me come back every week."
Denise dropped 40 lbs. with her regimen, and began running races. At age 60, she completed the Disney World Marathon last January, and followed that up with the New York Marathon in November. She's also no longer pre-diabetic!
This article shows that there are a lot of ways to get there - a healthy life. Consult with a doctor, figure out what you like to do exercise-wise, and don't look at food as a sacrifice or reward. Hopefully, you will be a 2018 success story!
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Beat the "Mid-Winter" Blahs
It's mid-winter. The Holidays are in the rear view mirror, and summer seems a long way off. The sun is staying out a little longer, but the cold has not begun to dissipate. It's easy to stay on the couch, remote in hand, snacking on comfort food...
To get in shape for summer, and (more importantly) for long-term health, you've got to fight the "shut-in" mentality of January and February.
The body needs some Vitamin D sunlight provides. Try a brisk walk at lunch-time, when temperatures are warmest. Even though I'm wrapped in about 10 lbs. of clothing, I try to run outside about twice a week in winter. There's something about fighting against a biting wind, or moving fast enough to stay warm in sub-freezing weather that gives you a sense of accomplishment when you're done. My treadmill workouts are more effective for race preparation, but the outside runs release the
endorphins that make you feel good.
I'm not a skier, but would love to try cross-country skiing one day. I understand that it's easy to execute, and is a tremendous workout. In fact, you burn more calories cross-country skiing that any other exercise. You're using arms and legs, engaging the core, and really getting the heart rate up! Probably because it corresponds to long-distance running so much, cross-country skiing is my favorite thing to watch in the winter Olympics.
The gym, of course, is the perfect place to meet all your winter workout needs. I hit the weights a little harder over the winter, and mix in a lot of cross-training on the bike and elliptical. Once the weather breaks, I'm back outside running as much as I can, but the other machines prioritize different muscles and ease the strain on my 59-year old knees. For a total body, all-out workout, I constantly extol the virtues of the Concept 2 Rower.
The Concept 2 is a push-pull movement, using just about every muscle in your body. It's low-impact, and safe on your structure. You can row steadily for long distances (10-K is my longest workout), or blow out 500 or 1000-meter sprints. The machine is featured in the Cross-Fit Games, and if you go all-out on it, you'll understand why. It's pretty much the hardest cardio workout you can do!
A good winter workout is a dumbbell free-weight routine, standing on balance disks or a Bosu ball. You're incorporating balance in the routine, which is great prep for skiing or snow boarding, or just not slipping on the ice!
Winter can be an isolating time, and the comradeship of a neighborhood club like Mountain Fitness is great social interaction as well. Just pack your gear up in the car, and leave the remote laying on the couch!
To get in shape for summer, and (more importantly) for long-term health, you've got to fight the "shut-in" mentality of January and February.
The body needs some Vitamin D sunlight provides. Try a brisk walk at lunch-time, when temperatures are warmest. Even though I'm wrapped in about 10 lbs. of clothing, I try to run outside about twice a week in winter. There's something about fighting against a biting wind, or moving fast enough to stay warm in sub-freezing weather that gives you a sense of accomplishment when you're done. My treadmill workouts are more effective for race preparation, but the outside runs release the
endorphins that make you feel good.
I'm not a skier, but would love to try cross-country skiing one day. I understand that it's easy to execute, and is a tremendous workout. In fact, you burn more calories cross-country skiing that any other exercise. You're using arms and legs, engaging the core, and really getting the heart rate up! Probably because it corresponds to long-distance running so much, cross-country skiing is my favorite thing to watch in the winter Olympics.
The gym, of course, is the perfect place to meet all your winter workout needs. I hit the weights a little harder over the winter, and mix in a lot of cross-training on the bike and elliptical. Once the weather breaks, I'm back outside running as much as I can, but the other machines prioritize different muscles and ease the strain on my 59-year old knees. For a total body, all-out workout, I constantly extol the virtues of the Concept 2 Rower.
The Concept 2 is a push-pull movement, using just about every muscle in your body. It's low-impact, and safe on your structure. You can row steadily for long distances (10-K is my longest workout), or blow out 500 or 1000-meter sprints. The machine is featured in the Cross-Fit Games, and if you go all-out on it, you'll understand why. It's pretty much the hardest cardio workout you can do!
A good winter workout is a dumbbell free-weight routine, standing on balance disks or a Bosu ball. You're incorporating balance in the routine, which is great prep for skiing or snow boarding, or just not slipping on the ice!
Winter can be an isolating time, and the comradeship of a neighborhood club like Mountain Fitness is great social interaction as well. Just pack your gear up in the car, and leave the remote laying on the couch!
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
Healthy New Year Tips
Christmas and Hannukah have passed - it's New Year's celebrations and then were onto 2018. Before the Holidays are even over, people are beating themselves up over what they've eaten and drank, and resolved to cure the ills in January.
And really, there's plenty of incentive to. Besides whatever weight you may have put on or conditioning you may have lost in the five week Holiday period, everyone is in the same boat. Due to rushing around, attending family gatherings, office parties, etc., just about everyone is ready to buckle down in January. Every television commercial seems to be for a weight loss plan, and January is a month devoid of distractions. It's back to work, and back to the gym!
I start my training for the Long Branch Half-Marathon, held the first weekend in May. With that event looming, my treadmill workouts start to get a little more purpose. Besides, cruising along for six or seven miles and watching the news, I'm spicing it up with "repeat miles" (5 x 1-mile at approximately 7:30 mile pace, with a three-minute walk in-between), or something similarly torturous. Without the carrot of the race, a workout like that seems excessive and senseless. With the half-marathon to think about, it's "pace work" that mentally brings me back to a younger, faster self (who once had cartilage in the knees)!
It's important to have goals when training. It keeps you motivated. It doesn't necessarily have to be a competition, per se. It could be completing a charity bike ride, trying to get an unassisted pull-up, or being able to run one mile on the treadmill. I grimace a bit when a client's sole aim is weight loss. You can literally starve yourself, smoke three packs of cigarettes a day, or down eight cups of coffee. You'll lose weight, for sure, but will you be healthier for it?
We have a program at Mountain Fitness called Biometrics, that I really like. It's set up by nutritionists, and takes into account people's food preferences, as well as extenuating circumstances like diabetes or high blood pressure. You buy and prepare your own food from the supermarket, with menus prepared by the Biometrics staff. It reduces calories gradually over a six-week span, and encourages clients to drink at least half a gallon of water a day. On top of that, you work with a trainer three days a week, for about a half-an-hour session.
The client does "super slow" weight training, meaning a 10-second "positive" and two-second "negative" on each repetition. You do one set of six to eight machines, and some abs and stretching. Short and intense, and hard to do on your own (I've tried).
Typically, a participant loses 12-15 pounds during the six weeks, and significantly changes their body composition. They look and feel good, and never feel like they're starving themselves. You eat three meals a day, plus two snacks. It's portion control, essentially, and people learn habits they can keep through life. The members who have done it here have kept the weight off, the trickiest part of any weight-loss program.
The New Year is almost here. Have a goal, and a game plan to achieve it. We'll see you at the club!
And really, there's plenty of incentive to. Besides whatever weight you may have put on or conditioning you may have lost in the five week Holiday period, everyone is in the same boat. Due to rushing around, attending family gatherings, office parties, etc., just about everyone is ready to buckle down in January. Every television commercial seems to be for a weight loss plan, and January is a month devoid of distractions. It's back to work, and back to the gym!
I start my training for the Long Branch Half-Marathon, held the first weekend in May. With that event looming, my treadmill workouts start to get a little more purpose. Besides, cruising along for six or seven miles and watching the news, I'm spicing it up with "repeat miles" (5 x 1-mile at approximately 7:30 mile pace, with a three-minute walk in-between), or something similarly torturous. Without the carrot of the race, a workout like that seems excessive and senseless. With the half-marathon to think about, it's "pace work" that mentally brings me back to a younger, faster self (who once had cartilage in the knees)!
It's important to have goals when training. It keeps you motivated. It doesn't necessarily have to be a competition, per se. It could be completing a charity bike ride, trying to get an unassisted pull-up, or being able to run one mile on the treadmill. I grimace a bit when a client's sole aim is weight loss. You can literally starve yourself, smoke three packs of cigarettes a day, or down eight cups of coffee. You'll lose weight, for sure, but will you be healthier for it?
We have a program at Mountain Fitness called Biometrics, that I really like. It's set up by nutritionists, and takes into account people's food preferences, as well as extenuating circumstances like diabetes or high blood pressure. You buy and prepare your own food from the supermarket, with menus prepared by the Biometrics staff. It reduces calories gradually over a six-week span, and encourages clients to drink at least half a gallon of water a day. On top of that, you work with a trainer three days a week, for about a half-an-hour session.
The client does "super slow" weight training, meaning a 10-second "positive" and two-second "negative" on each repetition. You do one set of six to eight machines, and some abs and stretching. Short and intense, and hard to do on your own (I've tried).
Typically, a participant loses 12-15 pounds during the six weeks, and significantly changes their body composition. They look and feel good, and never feel like they're starving themselves. You eat three meals a day, plus two snacks. It's portion control, essentially, and people learn habits they can keep through life. The members who have done it here have kept the weight off, the trickiest part of any weight-loss program.
The New Year is almost here. Have a goal, and a game plan to achieve it. We'll see you at the club!
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Happy Holiday eating
Hannukah started last night, and Christmas is less than two weeks away. We have Max's 21st birthday weekend in-between, which will involve varying amounts of red meat and beer. Yes, there is over-indulgence over the Holidays - how do you handle it?
Keeping things "evened out" with a lot of exercise is the most obvious answer. Burning an extra 500-1000 calories in a workout will work off a fatty meal, and stimulate your metabolism so you're burning more calories at rest for a good portion of the day. I always feel that exercise makes you desire healthier food also, both physiologically and psychologically!
Author Cara Rosenbloom of the Washington Post offered six tips to remember in a recent article
entitled "Keep Your Holidays Happy by Letting Go Of Food Guilt.".
1. IT'S JUST FOOD, ENJOY IT: Holiday food are about family customs and traditions, so go along and enjoy it. Whether it's potato pancakes ("Latka's"), lasagna, or ham, it's how you grew up, with all the memories entailed. Just slow down and savor the look, taste, and smell of your ethnic favorites.
2. THINK LONG TERM: There's 365 days in a year, and what you eat over a couple of celebratory holidays are not going to make-or-break your diet. Try to eat as healthy as possible during the days in-between each holiday. Drink a lot of water, and accept that you are not preparing a lot of what you are eating, and, most likely, will be "falling off the wagon" a bit during this period.
3. LISTEN TO YOUR STOMACH: Get up, and walk around for a minute after one plateful of food. Are you sufficiently full, knowing dessert is coming along, too? Probably so, but if not, have another half a plate, and don't feel you need to finish everything. Make a good portion of the holiday plate healthy: yes to more salad, easy on the other side dishes.
4. RESIST THE "ARMS RACE:" This pertains to guys more than women. If you're around someone who over-eats, your competitive nature makes you over-eat as well. The same with drinking: the person around you has one beer or glass of wine, you're okay with that, too. They push the "arm's race," you feel you must answer. One way or another, everyone's worse for wear afterward!
5. MOVE ON: The day after, you realize you ate and/or drank too much. Okay, get on the treadmill or elliptical the next morning, and get everything moving. Increase your water intake even more, and listen to your stomach again. You're probably not going to be particularly hungry or desire alcohol at all. By the end of the 48 hour period, your calorie intake has probably evened out. Don't beat yourself up, skip meals, or conversely, give up on a sound nutritional program you've been following. It's just one day!
6. FOOD IS NOT A SHRINK: The Holidays can be an emotional time. There could be loved ones who are ill or passed; or you may be separated by geography or family differences from others. There are also office parties and other gatherings where you may be around people you are somewhat uncomfortable socializing with. Don't use food (or alcohol) as a crutch. Again, a workout earlier in the day can release endorphins to get you through perceived stress, or try anything else that just puts you in a good place. Usually, the anticipation of an event if worse than the actuality. What can be so hard about sitting around with family and friends, enjoying each other's company? Think of people in hospitals or military service who don't have it at all, and keep it in perspective. Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
Keeping things "evened out" with a lot of exercise is the most obvious answer. Burning an extra 500-1000 calories in a workout will work off a fatty meal, and stimulate your metabolism so you're burning more calories at rest for a good portion of the day. I always feel that exercise makes you desire healthier food also, both physiologically and psychologically!
Author Cara Rosenbloom of the Washington Post offered six tips to remember in a recent article
entitled "Keep Your Holidays Happy by Letting Go Of Food Guilt.".
1. IT'S JUST FOOD, ENJOY IT: Holiday food are about family customs and traditions, so go along and enjoy it. Whether it's potato pancakes ("Latka's"), lasagna, or ham, it's how you grew up, with all the memories entailed. Just slow down and savor the look, taste, and smell of your ethnic favorites.
2. THINK LONG TERM: There's 365 days in a year, and what you eat over a couple of celebratory holidays are not going to make-or-break your diet. Try to eat as healthy as possible during the days in-between each holiday. Drink a lot of water, and accept that you are not preparing a lot of what you are eating, and, most likely, will be "falling off the wagon" a bit during this period.
3. LISTEN TO YOUR STOMACH: Get up, and walk around for a minute after one plateful of food. Are you sufficiently full, knowing dessert is coming along, too? Probably so, but if not, have another half a plate, and don't feel you need to finish everything. Make a good portion of the holiday plate healthy: yes to more salad, easy on the other side dishes.
4. RESIST THE "ARMS RACE:" This pertains to guys more than women. If you're around someone who over-eats, your competitive nature makes you over-eat as well. The same with drinking: the person around you has one beer or glass of wine, you're okay with that, too. They push the "arm's race," you feel you must answer. One way or another, everyone's worse for wear afterward!
5. MOVE ON: The day after, you realize you ate and/or drank too much. Okay, get on the treadmill or elliptical the next morning, and get everything moving. Increase your water intake even more, and listen to your stomach again. You're probably not going to be particularly hungry or desire alcohol at all. By the end of the 48 hour period, your calorie intake has probably evened out. Don't beat yourself up, skip meals, or conversely, give up on a sound nutritional program you've been following. It's just one day!
6. FOOD IS NOT A SHRINK: The Holidays can be an emotional time. There could be loved ones who are ill or passed; or you may be separated by geography or family differences from others. There are also office parties and other gatherings where you may be around people you are somewhat uncomfortable socializing with. Don't use food (or alcohol) as a crutch. Again, a workout earlier in the day can release endorphins to get you through perceived stress, or try anything else that just puts you in a good place. Usually, the anticipation of an event if worse than the actuality. What can be so hard about sitting around with family and friends, enjoying each other's company? Think of people in hospitals or military service who don't have it at all, and keep it in perspective. Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
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