As a fitness professional, it is my goal to help others learn how to live a healthy lifestyle. By doing so, I like to lead by example & practice what I preach. With one living such a healty lifestyle, you might assume that they are healthy, with no issues what so ever, right? WRONG!
I recently discovered that the fruits and veggies I thought were good for me are actually hurting me. Who knew that my love for broccoli, beans, apples and brussel sprouts (yes even those) could make me so sick? I thought these types of foods were essential for living a healthy lifestyle. While for some people, this may be true but not for me.
After an interesting discussion with my GI doctor, she handed me a paper which listed foods I should eliminate. Of course listed was the "normal" stuff like high fructose corn syrup , dairy, certain sweeteners etc ....all things I avoid anyway. But then in other catagories I noticed all of my yummy veggies, fruits and beans!! YIKES!
Seriously? I'm not getting it. Why in the world shouldn't I eat an apple ? It contains fiber, phytonutrients, vitamins & minerals.
I realized I had been consuming a high "FODMOPs" ( Fermentable, Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides and Polyols ) diet. FODMAPs are carbohydrates that are found in foods.
For more information regarding FODMAP, please check out these sources:
http://ibs.about.com/od/ibsfood/a/The-FODMAP-Diet.htm
http://stanfordhospital.org/digestivehealth/nutrition/DH-Low-FODMAP-Diet-Handout.pdf
A couple that works out together, Stays Together! As a fitness professional, I encourage couples & families to exercise together.
Other than the benifits of fitness, I believe staying active together builds the relationship by having common goals, interests, support, quality time and fun!
I love sharing fitness with my husband, Allen. I love it so much that in this New Year we are taking the next step and starting a fitness team. I'm thrilled that my husband and I are going to help people reach their fitness goals and pay it forward!
Ok ok, so I'm all about stressing less but the truth is I get stressed just as much as the average joe. Stress is everywhere, some good and some bad. It's all a matter of how you handle the stressors in your life. Too much of any kind of stress can wreck havoc on our bodies & minds.
One strategy for coping with stress is Meditation.. Though ideal, to meditate you don't have to go to yoga or get a massage. Find that time daily to give your mind a vacation, even if only for 5 minutes. Try to be alone and without distractions. If your meditation spot is noisy, find a new one or turn on white noise. Relax every muscle in your body and clear your mind. Do not allow ANYTHING to enter into your head, other than relaxing thoughts!
When you are ready to come back from "vacation", gently wiggle your fingers, toes and then feet,hands. Slowly come back and open the eyes, if they were closed.
It is interesting to see how many calories you could spare yourself by switching to a healthier alternative.
By sharing this with you, I'm certainly not saying to give up all of those holiday favorites! I'm all about allowing yourself to have a "treat" once in awhile. Moderation is the key!
Well our Baby boy arrived almost 4 weeks ago and boy am I ready to get MOVING! Only exercises I can do right now is walk & lift baby but you'd better believe I'm doing it!! . Thank goodness I stayed active through out the pregnancy. Labor was good and I have only 4lbs to lose to be at my pre-pregnancy weight. See, even a trainer needs to work off the baby weight....moral of this blog post is keep moving!!
It's about this time that I hear many students say , "I'm bored with my workout and don't have many options". Here is some of what I tell them to beat winter workout boredom:
Whether you have a gym membership or a home gym, now is the time to spice up your indoor cardio routine.
Make a cardio medley by picking three different cardio machines, or circuits, and workout on each for 10 minutes or so. This is a great alternative to just getting on the same machine for certain length of time.
If exercise isn't fun, you probably won't do it. Find something that excites you whether it be dancing, exercising with a friend or group, walking the dog, gardening, ......something!
Don't forget to switch it up from time to time to prevent boredom & plateau.
Identify your triggers for eating when not hungry and find a solution. Example- If one of your triggers is seeing food and then eating it, try not to have the "junk" in the house. If your excuse is "my kids want it", find healthy alternatives. You'll be doing yourself & them a favor in the long run!
-Use a static stretching program that exercises the major muscle groups.
-Focus special attention on muscle groups or joints that have limited range of motion.
-Do stretching exercises a minimum of 2–3 days per week and preferably 5–7 days per week.
-Hold each stretch for 15–30 seconds.
-For optimal flexibility, repeat stretches 2–4 times.
It is not rocket science, calorie deficit = weightloss. If you want to lose weight, consume less calories then you burn. Cut the calories but be sure they aren't too low. Seek a professional to figure out the amount of calories that are right for you! Also keep in mind it is not recommended to lose more then 2lbs per week.
Remember, exercise DOES NOT give you an excuse to eat whatever you want!
