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.
