Keeping Exercise Interesting at Home

I'm one of those people that get sucked in by the early morning infomercials, and now own random pieces of exercise equipment and almost every workout program avaliable. A lot of that comes from constantly searching for exciting and especially new ways to exercise. I get bored very easily and if I'm not learning something new, I'm not exercising. After having my son, the need for effective and interesting at home workouts took over.  With 40 pounds to lose (I didn't hold back on eating for two) you can imagine how many different exercise programs I went through. Almost everything I did can be done in your own home, and now that I'm 40 pounds lighter than a year ago I'd like to share some of my favorites with you. So to all of my fellow working moms (and dads if you put on some symphathy weight) here is my top five favorite at home workouts.

# 5 : Zumba Total Body Fitness

I got sucked into this informercial the minute it came on, but I can tell you I have no regrets. I absolutely love dancing, and if I wasn't 40 lbs overweight and had an infant I might have tried to dance off the weight at the bar. Unfortunately, those days are over so I got the next best thing... Zumba. I was learning salsa, samba, reggaeton, and all kinds of other dances that I had never been introduced to before. They broke the moves down so it was simple to learn, and at the end of each dance I was sweating bullets. But the most important aspect for me was that I was learning something new. It kept me interested long enough to knock my first five pounds off, and I still use it sporadically when I want a nice cardiovascular workout. If your ready for something new and exciting you can get it the cheapest off Amazon, just click the following link... Zumba Fitness DVD Set.

#4: Kettlebells

My experience with kettlebells came about because of my loving boyfriend John. He is a certified personal trainer, and I had refused (several times in fact) to let him help me lose my weight. John had just gotten his certification in kettlebells and wanted to try some new moves out on me before he used them on his clients. I reluctantly became his guinea pig, but quickly fell in love with the workouts. While I still believe you can do the majority of the workouts with a plain old dumbbell, it was still something new to me and I enjoyed mastering some of the moves. The thing I enjoyed the most with kettlebells was being able to target multiple muscle groups with just move. You also get a nice cardiovascular workout, which beats running on a treadmill. For a beginner I recommend the 7lb. kettlebell. You can buy them anywhere, but I got

mine at Target and it came with a nice workout DVD that I still do today.
Target Kettlebell with DVD $29.99

#3 Exercise Bench

The exercise bench was a must have for my at home workout. It's a piece of equipment that can be utilized in working every muscle you have. Typically used for just arm workouts, the exercise bench tends to not live up to its potential in most homes. I recommend a bench that has an incline for arm workouts and a decline for a nice abdominal workout. Laying the bench flat can make a challenging workout for your legs as you can see in the video above The man in the video touches on just a few of the many uses of the bench. I own the Marcy Decline Flat Utility Bench, which has an incline and deline and includes support handles for arms and legs. You can get the Marcy at Amazon for $69.99, but it you don't want to pay that much there are cheaper versions for as low as $45.99. Anything I know I can use to work my entire body is a good buy in my book.

#2 Yoga

Out of all my at home workouts, yoga is the most important to keeping my sanity. When you work, go to school, and have a child anything that encourages you to take a minute to breathe and relax is vital. Yoga is an amazing workout and it gives me time to be by myself and forget about the day. There are so many forms and poses that I never get bored. I'm always learning something new or taking the next step in poses I already know. Because of yoga's growing popularity there are tons of great videos out there, but my favorite video is Sarah Ivanhoe's Yoga on the Edge. It's challenging and relaxing all at the same time. Also, for those of you with smart phones there are a variety of free apps that will send you daily poses to try at home.

#1 Chris Freytag's 10 Pound Slimdown

After losing 30 pounds, the last 10 would not budge. That's when I got on ExerciseTV and found this awesome workout program by Chris Freytag. She provided five 20 minute videos and a free 30 days workout plan that told you what exercises to do each day. Chris also provided meal plans and recipes for low calorie meals. The videos were intense, and I found myself having to adapt a lot of the moves in the beginning, but by the end I could do the whole video without stopping. She had me consuming about 1600 calories and doing one or two videos a day. The pounds melted off, and even though I cheated some days, it only took me about 40 days (instead of 30) to lose my last 10 pounds. I'm not going to lie, you are probably going to hate Chris in the beginning because she makes you work really hard but you'll love her in the end when you've lost your weight and look amazing. You can get the whole program, workout and meal plans included, for $17.99 on Amazon just click on the following link and it will take you right to it...Chris Freytag's 10 Pound Slimdown



Sources:

http://www.yogaworkouthq.com/

http://chrisfreytag.com/

http://www.ehow.com/video_5538667_use-exercise-bench.html

http://www.zumba.com/

Don't Know What To Do in The Gym?

Many people who want to lose weight, are intimated by the gym. To them it seems as if they are in place where everyone around them is fit and skinny and knows what they are doing. This isn't true! Many of the people you in the gym are like you or once was. They joined the gym with the same attitude and goals you have, to lose weight and be healthy. So I bet your wondering where do I start? Do I ride the bike, do some bicep curls or leg lifts first? No worries, here I will tell how to get through your first work out.

It's important to make sure your hydrated and have eaten a light meal before working out. Drink plenty of water before and after your workout. A light meal consist of fruit, vegetables, or protein. Making sure you do these things prior to working out will ensure you will have the energy you need to complete the workout.

The ACSM Guidelines consist of:

Cardio:

• moderate intense 30min a day/ 5days a week
• vigorously intense 20 min a day/ 3 days a week

Strength:

• 8-10 strength training exercises with 8-12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week

Flexibility:

• Frequency: 2-3 times a week
• Intensity to a position of mild discomfort
• Duration:10 – 30 seconds for static 6 second contractions followed by 10- 30 seconds assisted stretch for PNF
• Repetitions: 3-4 times for each stretch

So what should you do first? Warm up with a slight jog or brisk walk to get your blood pumping and muslces loose. The warm up should be 10 to 15 min. Next, Stretch! Make sure your muscles are loose and ready to be worked. Tight muscles when working out can cause you to pull, strain or even tear a muscle. It is recommended by the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) to stretch 2-3 times a week. Stretching on daily basis can improve your flexibilty, range of motion, and help decrease muscle soreness. 

Time for some cardio now. It is suggested to do 20 to 30 min of cardio but it doesnt have to be done all on activity. You could do 15 min of running and another 15 min of riding a sationary bike. After completing your cardio drink so water! Remember to stay hydrated.

It's time to strengthen those muscles. To get a full body workout, you should two to three different exercises working the major muscle groups. To work the upper body you could bench press, use the lat pulldown, and finish with bicep curls. Next lets focus on the lower half of the body. Squats, leg press, and leg curls and good ways to strengthen the hamstrings, quadriceps and calfs. Last but not least, core. Abs of steal is what we all want. So finishing up your workout with ab exercises is good thing.

Sources: http://acsm.org/

 

 

MyPlate Replaces MyPyramid

On June 1^st 2011, the USDA announced a new program, MyPlate, will replace the MyPyramid.  MyPyramid is an educational tool used to guide Americans on what to eat. Various forms of this tool have been used by the USDA since 1992.  Many may ask, why did the USDA decide to make the change?

Although the pyramid was colorful and well recognized by most Americans, My Pyramid was always too confusing without explanation.   With 5 sections, >40 items in the picture, and a person walking upstairs; it tried to convey too many messages at once.  Many educators, including myself, haven’t found it to be very useful, which likely led to the change.

The new display MyPlate, shown below, is a quicker method that will be much easier to follow by Americans.  The MyPlate figure is described as the following: a plate icon divided into approximately 30 percent grains, 30 percent vegetables, 20 percent fruits and 20 percent protein, accompanied by a smaller circle representing dairy.

 Its main messages:

• Enjoy your food, but eat less
• Increasing fruits and vegetables by filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables
• Make at least half of your grains whole grains
• Switch to fat-free or low fat (1%) milk
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and choose the foods with the lower number
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks

If you visit:

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

You can find a lot of information including:

 

• Lists of foods that are in each category
• Pictures demonstrating what a serving of an item is, an example can be seen to the right
• Specific materials for weight loss, kids, pregnant and breastfeeding, and for the general population
• Resources for educators

Initial Impressions:

For years educators have used a similar method called “The Plate Method.”  I honestly believe the change is a plus for the average American, because it helps guide how to eat in a simple image.  Even young kids can easily understand this without much guidance from an educator.  When a mother or father preparing a meal for his kid, many respond “I don’t have time to read a nutrition facts labels.” He or she can now easily follow the illustration above.  There is also a section that allows you to personalize the plan based off your age/sex/weight/height/etc. Best of all, all the information can be obtained free of charge.

Possible negatives:

1. Leaving out the exercise component was unfortunate; however understand this is a tool for nutrition, not for exercise.  There is a small section on physical activity called “Get Moving.”
2. I personally believe (and many educators would agree) they should clarify that fried potatoes shouldn’t be used as the vegetable for half the tray. French fries or Potato chips would be acceptable for half the tray if this plan was taken literally.
3. The dairy section may not be appropriate for lactose intolerant or in cultures that do not consume dairy products (e.g. Asian Americans/vegans).   In a positive move, they do include soy milk in their listing.
4. Some may believe the icon is too simple and vague: such as not making a distinction between lean sources of protein and high fat sources of protein.

Despite the possible negatives listed above, I feel this program is a step in the right direction.  MyPlate is meant to guide Americans, and when additional information is needed; resources such as Registered Dietitians and other health educators can help individualize these recommendations.  Overall, this program should help guide Americans to a healthier eating plan.

How To Eat Fast Food Without Adding Pounds

There will always be a day when there isn’t enough time to prepare a meal.  During these times it is important to be able to find reasonable options at fast food restaurants.  Here are some quick options that won’t expand your waist line.

Subway 6gm of fat or less

We’ll start with Subway’s promotions: 8 different subs <280-320 calories and 8gm fat.  Subway was bold with this campaign; offering low to moderate calorie options with available veggies to add.  One thing to be aware of; this information is based off of 6 inch sub with no mayo/cheese/or oil.  If ordered without cheese and with one of their lower calorie sauces (e.g. sweet onion, fat free honey mustard, or regular mustard), this meal plan can be part of a weight loss/maintenance plan.  Remember, this promotion only includes the 8 listed subs under the 8gm fat or less banner.

Tip:  Make sure you load up on vegetables; most Americans do not meet even half of the recommended 5-8 servings of fruits and vegetables.

Taco Bell Fresco Menu

In the last year, Taco Bell started its “7 items under 9gm of fat” with all items 340 calories or less.  It requires ordering the food “Fresco” style.  

  

From tacos to burritos, most of the fat is removed due omission of sour cream and the addition of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.  

Note: If you don’t order fresco style your calories are likely to be much higher than listed above.

McDonald’s

Lately McDonald’s has slowly introduced some low calorie options onto their menu.  Their 3 snack wraps contain 270 calories, and 10gm of fat or less.  Although they contain small amounts of lettuce and tomatoes, the wraps are on the smaller side and are moderate in calories.   If fast food is needed, the wraps can be eaten without causing weight gain.

McDonald’s also introduced its fruit and maple oatmeal and snack sized fruit and walnut salad.  The fruit and maple oatmeal contains 260 calories, a serving of fruit, and 5 grams of fiber.  This may be the healthiest breakfast item from any fast food restaurant.  The Fruit and walnut salad introduced last year, contains apple slices, red grapes, walnuts, and low fat yogurt.  This dish has 210 calories, provides calcium and vitamin D for bones, and the walnuts which contain omega 3 fatty acids.  These are both good additions to any moderate to low calorie plan. 

Noodles and Company

This restaurant has 16 dishes and dozens of combinations with 400 calories or less.  In order to add fiber, you can order whole wheat linguine, unheard of in most restaurants.  You also have the option to add fruits and vegetables to meals such as:  carrots, broccoli, mushroom, cabbage, spinach, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and green/red bell peppers.  

They also offer multiple lean meats/protein sources such as chicken breast, shrimp, and tofu.

Example Small Dishes <400 calories:

• Bangkok Curry with Chicken: 380 calories

• Spaghetti with Shrimp: 375 calories

• Pad Thai with Shrimp: 395 calories

Important:  Most dishes are much higher than 400 calories unless the small plates are ordered.

Final note:  Although these foods are moderate in calories, most are high in sodium (450-1200mg). Many of the items are also low in fiber, and lack fruit or vegetables.  These items would be much cheaper and contain less sodium than if bought at a fast food restaurant.  Although not intended for daily consumption, these foods can be part of a low to moderate calorie plan.

Sources:

http://www.tacobell.com/nutrition/information

http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/nutritionfacts.pdf

http://www.subway.com/applications/NutritionInfo/index.aspx

http://www.noodles.com/nutrition/400calories.php