Friday, October 18, 2013

MOPs "Getting Started" Chat


  This morning I had the pleasure of speaking with a wonderful group of mothers at the LivingStones/Nazarene MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting. I love doing these types of presentations because I learn so much from the questions I receive and the eavesdropping I do while chatting with everyone. :)
   If you missed grabbing one of my cards, don't forget to check out the FB page, Twitter feed @ElevFitness, my website and Pinterest. I am slowly building the Pinterest account...I am sure I was the last holdout in America to sign up just last month. As I mentioned, I will be making lots of exciting changes to the website in the coming months, including bodyweight progression photos/videos and adding members to Team EF! 

   I also spoke quite a bit about what a fantastic resource eMeals.com is. Click on the banner on the right. If you would like a free week or two to see what you think, email me and I can send you Healthy Lunch, Clean Eating Family, Clean Eating Slow Cooker or Paleo. The prices are quite reasonable - around $7/month. I can also email copies of the Snack Calendar and Portion Control handout.
  

 Here is an outline of what I attempted to cover this morning. Even if you aren't a MOP, I find that it is a nice general plan for what you need to consider before throwing out all the food in your pantry or jumping into a new workout routine. Dads can read along, too...
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  Getting started w/ exercise
o   Exercise is the easy part! First we need to identify your barriers.
o   Medical contraindications? Injuries / illness (acute or chronic) / medicine
o   What approach has worked for you in the past? Solo or group? Need direction or can you create a realistic plan that will get you to your goals in a reasonable time?
o   How much time are you willing and ABLE to dedicate to exercise?
o   What time or schedule restrictions do you face? Ie: kids, work, outside commitments
-    What is your skill level? Lots of folks simply don't know how, where, when, or if they are doing something with proper form. Or maybe you think everyone will laugh at you because you are a beginner again? Or maybe you don't want to show up your friends, so you tone down your effort to match theirs?
o   What motivates you? Intrinsic motivation has been proven to be far superior in the long-term v. extrinsic. Unfortunately, we can’t MAKE ourselves want to change…find the right state of mind, or you are wasting your time/energy/money.
Once you identify your barriers, you can use your support system to figure out how to take them down.

-        C25K Program is a wonderful starting point. Not only for high impact activities like running, but just about any activity (speedwalking, cycling, elliptical, nordictrack, etc).
o   The point is to slowly progress with increasing number of or duration of intervals over a long period of time. Don’t expect to run for 10 minutes straight out of the gate. Run/Speedwalk to make progress quickly.
o   If you are working your way back after baby, be especially careful. Knee and hip injuries abound in new moms who exercise too much, too soon. Hormones that tell your tendons and ligaments to relax and stretch for childbirth often take awhile to flush from your system and cause joint pain. Take your time and ease into high impact exercise (running, jumping, throwing, etc).
-        What if you just completed C25K?
o   Do it again! Strive for better performance through faster times.
o   OR – rather than walking b/t intervals, try speedwalking or easy jogging.
o   OR – crank up the incline of your treadmill to 5%+ or hit some hills outside for your “run”/work effort.
o   OR – construct a plan that includes the following 3 QUALITY workouts (do the work, don’t just put in the time)
§  1 Endurance day. Longer, slower distance at a lower intensity (65-75% estimated maximal heart rate; 130-140bpm for most 30 year olds). If you can successfully jog 2 miles at a 12 minute pace, try jogging 2.5 or 3 miles at a 13:00-13:30 pace.
§  1 Tempo day. Pacing is the key here. After a 5-10min warmup @ 65-75% effort, find and maintain a set speed and/or cadence for 25-35 min. at a 75-85% effort. (145-155bpm)
§  1 Interval or Speedwork day. Just as your intervals in C25K progress each week, your interval day should as well. Start with a 1:3 work effort to recovery effort ratio and slowly decrease your recovery to 1:2, then 1:1, then 2:1. Number of intervals depends on the individual, but a simple workout is:
·       10 min solid warmup @ 65-75% with a few accelerations at minutes 7, 8, 9, 10.
·       30 sec FAST (85-90%) : 90 sec recovery (65-75%) x 5-10
·       cooldown. If you worked as hard as you should have, you will be pooped and ready to cooldown. Otherwise, if your heart rate is fully recovered after only 30 sec, you need to change the work:recovery ratio to make it more challenging.
o   We are a bit of an endurance nation, but there is great value in building speed and power. Truth be told, it is often easier to go farther, rather than faster. Don’t take the easy way out. Just because you ran 3 miles doesn’t mean that you should or have to run 6.
o   Working on speed is also great if you are pressed for time….but always balance your workouts with strength training and flexibility/mobility work.

-        What about getting started with a strength-training regimen?
o   EVERYONE MUST lift weights 1-3x weekly. Lifting weights also means using your own bodyweight.
o   Not only will it make you faster, fitter and healthier, it will allow you to maintain muscle mass as you lose weight via healthy eating. Did you know that everyone loses muscle and bone when they lose weight? Research has proven that 30% of your weight loss comes from bone/muscle. If you add strength training to your regimen, you reduce that percentage to 12-15%.
o   No equipment? No problem. There are hundreds of exercises that you can do with body weight alone.
o    I am revamping a portion of my website to include simple progressions. In the meantime, fitness666.com has straightforward explanations and photos.
o   I often hear that ladies are concerned with bulking up if they lift “heavy” (maximal effort for 3-8 reps). Adding mass is different from adding strength. Mass comes largely from diet. Remember, THERE IS NO POINT TO LIFTING WEIGHTS LIGHTER THAN YOUR PURSE, and most of your children are far heavier than the weights you “think” you should be lifting. Get strong!

As I said, exercise is the easy part. Food can be a challenge. I find that Clean Eating is a lifestyle that most folks can transition to fairly easily, and maintain long term. Your results may not be seen as quickly as a low-carb or supplement-based approach, but it is sustainable and a great example to set for children. It is a great recommendation for the general public. You can purchase Clean Eating magazine locally at Walmart and Hastings. Digital and print subscriptions are available online.

So, what is clean eating? (from CleanEatingMag.com)
Eat five to six times a day
            
Three meals and two to three small snacks. Include a lean protein, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a complex carbohydrate with each meal. **I like to emphasize vegetables over fruit whenever possible, and limit complex carbohydrates after 5 or 6p unless you workout in the late afternoon or evening.
Drink at least two liters of water a day
            
Limit your alcohol intake to one glass of antioxidant-rich red wine a day.
Get label savvy
            
Clean foods contain just one or two ingredients. Any product with a long ingredient list is human-made and not considered clean. ***I know you have heard it before, but shop the perimeter of the grocery store when possible.
Avoid processed and refined foods
This includes white flour, sugar, bread and pasta. Enjoy complex carbs such as whole grains instead. ***By the way, white potatoes are not the devil. Precision Nutrition just posted a great article on the subject. http://www.precisionnutrition.com/regular-vs-sweet-potatoes
Know thy enemies
Steer clear of anything high in saturated and trans fats, anything fried or anything high in sugar. Read your labels!  ***Fructose (sugar naturally found in fruit) is still sugar. Don’t go overboard with your fruit intake via raw, frozen, smoothies, etc.
Choose organic whenever possible

If your budget limits you, make meat, eggs, dairy and the Dirty Dozen your organic priorities (apples, grapes, hot peppers, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, imported nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach, strawberries, sweet bell peppers, kale/collards, summer squash).
Consume healthy fats

Try to have essential fatty acids, or EFAs, every day.
Learn about portion sizes

Work towards eating within them.
Slow down and savor

Never rush through a meal. Food tastes best when savored. Enjoy every bite!
Take it to go

Pack a cooler for work or outings so you always have clean eats on the go. ***But live realistically. I had a client that refused to order food when her family ate out. She would munch on celery sticks from her purse while they enjoyed time together. Try picking a restaurant that appeals to everyone, and don’t go crazy. Everyone needs a little wiggle room, and oftentimes your metabolism will benefit from a couple hundred extra calories once a week. Build in a cheat meal or day if you need it.
Make it a family affair

Food is a social glue that should be shared with loved ones. Improve the quality of your family’s life along with your own. ***Your kids are your biggest fans, and they watch / imitate everything that you do. Try new foods and encourage them to do the same. Even if you can't pronounce quinoa! 

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Discussion Questions

1.    Do you have a real support system? Family / friends / neighbors, etc. Who is the most important and what actions do they take that make them stand out?
      I often hear that this can be a tricky balance for spouses. We want our husband’s support, but we don’t want them to judge us when we help ourselves to dessert. 

2.    What qualities do you look for in a workout partner?  
       Respectful of my/our goals, supportive, sticks to a schedule, won’t talk me OUT of exercise, positive and encouraging, knowledgeable enough to help modify the program if need be.

3.    What words of encouragement really help you stick to healthier foods and habits? What situations or words discourage you? 
      I read recently about a gentleman who would give himself permission to “quit tomorrow”, as long as he made it through that day. ---- Discouraging situations: after work, after school, by yourself, etc.

4.    What is your favorite go-to breakfast when you and your family are short on time? Is it a “clean” choice? If not, what can you substitute or replace to make it a better choice? 
      Mini quiches are quick and freezable. Load them with veggies. Steel cut oats can be made in advance and frozen. Homemade waffles and pancakes can be frozen. Throw on some PB or AB and a piece of fruit and you are good to go. Smoothies are also quick and yummy. Make sure you add protein via flax, wheat germ, milk or milk product (soy/almond, too) to balance out the sugars. Kids love green juice! Don’t sell them short.

5.    Can you think of a kid-friendly snack that can be made in bulk and in advance? Keep it “clean”! 
      Homemade trail mix with nuts, seeds, whole grain cereal, dried (unsweetened) fruit and some dark chocolate (optional) can be a great go-to. --- my blueberry health muffins (from the Super Snacks EF Party) can be frozen and pulled out one at a time. Don’t forget hummus, babaganouj, white bean dip…and washing and slicing veggies and pre-bagging them makes them easily accessible.

6.    What is a realistic choice for post-workout energy replacement? What makes it such a good option? 
     This is sort of a trick question, because it depends on when your last meal was, when your next meal will be, how hard you worked out, and for how long. I know, I’m mean. Generally speaking, if you work out at 85% (cardio or weights) for 30 min or more, Chocolate milk (6-8oz) has a nice balance of protein and sugar. Yes, you need “sugar” to help repair muscle!

7.    What inspires me to be a better mom? How does this translate to leading a healthier lifestyle / reaching for a new fitness goal?

8.    What can I do to make my kids WANT to try new foods?  
      Try new foods in front of them. Don’t let them know you don’t care for certain foods. Explore different cuisine at home and when you travel. Call veggies or dishes by a different name; when I was little, poppy seeds were "spider bellies" and broccoli was "mini trees".

9.    What can I do to make ME want to try new foods?  
       Use social media to get inspired. Subscribe to Clean Eating Magazine and pull 1 new recipe every other week. Challenge yourself to cook dinner using only items in your kitchen (no pre-planning) without the help of the internet/cookbooks.


10.  What is my vice? What are some good substitutions to keep me on track toward reaching my goals? 
      Do you like salty snacks? Try nuts instead of chips (watch your serving size!). Crunchy: go for carrots and fresh veg. Sweet: fresh fruit, but pair with a protein to slow down digestion.


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