This time of pandemic has greatly impacted how we do life. By now, many of us have adjusted to working from home. Or we work an essential position with a variety of different adjustments and new restrictions. But what about the kids, though. They’re missing out on recess, physical education, and youth sports. This week, I simply want to share a few fun family fitness ideas.
What is Family Fitness?
Family fitness isn’t all that different from personal fitness. Personal fitness is simply a person making the decision to get fit. Family fitness is nothing more than a family making the decision to get fit together. They could hire a personal trainer and have group sessions. It’s possible that they could attend the same fitness classes. However, the following options may be more appropriate for younger children. And they are definitely more applicable to our current situation
Play Tag
Most kids LOVE playing tag, but not the way you remember. When I was a kid, tag was simple. Someone was “IT”, and everybody else ran away from that person. If you made it to “base”, you were safe. If you got tagged, you were “IT”.
You don’t have to worry about coming up with new tag games on your own, though. Your children can probably teach you variations from recess our their PE classes. If not, check out these 10 Fun Tag Games for Kids.
Create Your Own Olympic Games
For the first time in history, the summer Olympic Games will be postponed, but your family can host your own version of the international sporting event. Simply pick categories like running, tossing, or jumping. Then create events that you can do around the house using minimal equipment. For example, you could have a paper towel toss or do rolled sock golf.
Don’t forget to include a scoring system and medals.
Geat a Daily Dose of Fresh Air
Maybe your family just isn’t into physical activity. The idea of running around playing tag or going all Olympian just doesn’t appeal to you…at all. You can still promote family fitness by making a commitment to getting some fresh air every day.
You could by walking five minutes away from the house before turning around and walking five minutes back. It might be surprising how accomplished you’ll feel. Who knows? You may even want to extend that walk the next time.
Keep It Moving
If these fun family fitness ideas work well for you, let me know. If you come up with your own fitness ideas, I’d like to know that, too. It doesn’t really matter what you do to keep your family fit. Just get out there and get moving!
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
Years ago, I dreamed of working from home. I desired to be in charge of my own schedule and make a living doing only what I wanted to do. Since we’ve been “on lockdown” the past few weeks, my dream has come true; it just doesn’t look the way I thought it would. Beyond that, there’s one aspect of working from home that I’d never really considered until now: naps. I’ve realized that are significant pros and cons of naps that you might be interested in learning.
The Negatives of Naps (aka The Cons)
Let’s start with the bad news. There are definitely a few cons that should be mentioned before you settle in for your nap today.
Con #1: Inability to Sleep at Night
Last week, we discussed How to Avoid the Quarantine 15 last week. The first two things we talked about were getting enough sleep but not getting too much sleep. We normally take naps when we’re tired. But super long naps or naps that are too late in the day, aren’t good. They keep us up at night.
Con #2: Grogginess
Naps are thought to help you catch up on some rest or give you a boost of energy. That’s not always the case, though. Sometimes after a nap, you feel groggy or cranky.
The same Texas A&M article also stated that long naps have the potential to increase our risk of death.
The Positives of Naps (aka The Pros)
There is a wealth of research on the benefits of napping. In fact, it was a little difficult to restrict myself to just five. Even so, I think I found the five pros that will bless your soul.
Pro #1: Resembles a Mini-Vacation
According to the National Sleep Foundation, “A nap can be a pleasant luxury, a mini-vacation. It can provide an easy way to get some relaxation and rejuvenation.” I couldn’t have said it better, so I let them take that one!
Pro #2: Boosts Energy (and Saves Money)
This one may seem like a stretch, but it’s not. A lot of people hit a slump sometimes after lunch. Our energy seems to have evaporated, but we need to stay awake. So we spring for a drink or snack that will give us the kick we need to make it through the day. A quick nap can actually boost your energy…allowing you to save a little cash each week.
Pro #3: Relieves Stress
The National Sleep Foundation said that we can lower tension by taking short naps. A variety of other sources indicate similar findings. In fact, one article said that even five minutes of rest has a positive impact on stress.
Pro #4: Improves Memory
Sleep experts say that sleeping at night helps make our memories stick, so we can bring them up in the future. Other research studies have shown that taking longer naps has the same effect on memory consolidation.
Pro #5: Improves Your Appearance
I’ll bet you’ve looked at a friend or co-worker and thought, “They need some sleep.”
We can tell when people aren’t well-rested. There are dark circles under their eyes. And they just look…tired. Napping can help out with that. Sleep restores and rejuvenates our bodies. So if you think you look tired, you might just need a nap.
Weighing the Pros and Cons of Nap
As you can see, there are some legit negatives against and some compelling positives for napping. There are additional pros and cons of naps that aren’t listed here. One expert says that naps are detrimental to your health, and another states that naps can help you lose weight. You will need to decide for yourself. If you notice that you don’t sleep well when you take naps, then avoid them. However, if naps help you feel energized and alert, keep doing what you do. The choice is yours alone.
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to think that these shelter-in-place orders and work-from home options, may have a negative impact on my waistline. Everyone knows about the Freshman 15. Those extra pounds that a lot of people tend to gain during their first year at college. I recently saw someone joking about the “Quarantine 15” and had an idea! Why not write a quick guide about how to avoid the Quarantine 15.
I know that I’m not alone when I say that my schedule has drastically changed during the past month. Some of the changes have been good. Like not being constantly on the go, and saving money on gas and eating out as a result. Then there’s the added bonus of spending more quality time with family! I’m guessing you can probably relate to some of those. You may even have some positive changes that are a bit different than what I shared.
The Flipside
Of course, there’s always a flipside.It seems that for every positive there’s at least one – maybe even two negatives. Like I’m not able to burn extra calories by swimming twice a week or teaching multiple fitness classes. Or being in super close proximity to foods that were supposed to be my quarantine snacks for the next several weeks. How about spending the overwhelming majority of my work day sitting at a computer, when I used to be up and about all day? I’m sure that you have some that are even more frustrating than mine.
The point I’m trying to make is this: our current life is way different than it was six weeks ago. Most of us have become quite sedentary, yet we’re eating the same amount of food or perhaps more than we used to. (Confession: I made a two-layer cake a couple of weeks ago and ate the whole thing in less than a week without sharing it with anyone.)
No one knows how long, we’ll be living life this way, so it’s probably best for us to create some new habits now. What follows are 10 tips on how to avoid the Quarantine 15. Every tip may not work for everybody, but I hope you’re able to find something that works for you.
#1: Get Plenty of Sleep…
Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between sleep deprivation and weight gain. During this season when most of us don’t have to be up at O’ Dark-thirty to get ready for work (or head to the gym before going to work), it’s really tempting to stay up much later than normal. However, since we’re creatures of habit, most of us still wake up at our formerly “normal time” even though we don’t have to.
Perhaps we should consider going to bed as close to our normal time as possible, just so we can still get enough sleep. According to the Sleep Needs article from HelpGuide.org, the average adult needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. One way to help ensure that you get enough sleep is to turn off the alarm clock and let your body wake up when it’s rested.As long as you get in bed at a decent hour, you should be able to wake up refreshed with plenty of time to get ready for that 8:00 virtual team meeting!
#2: …But Don’t Get Too Much Sleep
Believe it or not, there are also studies that show direct links between too much sleep and weight gain. If you read that part from the previous section about adults needing up to 9 hours of sleep, you may be thinking, “That’s waaay too much sleep for me.” According to that same article, if you’re alert and energetic all day, then you’ve had plenty of sleep. However, Matt Valentine’s Goal Post article about “6 Signs You’re Getting Too Much Sleep”, let us know that fatigue is a major sign of sleeping too much. So if you wake up tired and are completely exhausted after nine hours of sleep, maybe you should try seven or eight hours next time.
#3: Create a New Routine
Do you know what I finally realized this week!?!? Since I don’t have to be up super early, I don’t need my alarm, my secondary alarm or my final warning alarm to make sure I’m up on time. So I turned them all off. In addition to that, it occurred to me that it’s both pointless and impossible to try and maintain my old daily routine. So I created a new one.
How does creating a new routine fight weight gain? There’s a huge chance that when you realized your old schedule just wasn’t possible anymore, you sat around and snacked all day like I did. However, when I created a routine things changed. I something to do at a specific time, and it helped give me a sense of accomplishment.
If you’re not into routines or schedules, try making a list of ten things you want to finish each day. You might be surprised how great you feel at the end of the day.
#4: Plan Your Meals – And Stick to the Plan
I realized quite a while ago that I have a very interesting relationship with food…I eat it all the time. In a way, it makes sense. I mean, I typically teach five super intense fitness classes each week. Plus after running up to four times a week and swimming twice, I burn a ton of calories, so I need to eat to replace what I’m using.However, I take my food to work with me, so when I’m done eating them, there’s nothing left.
The food game has changed since I now work where the food lives. I’ve really had to be intentional about what I’m eating and when I’m eating. Now more than ever, it’s really crucial to focus on meal planning and meal prep. But more than that, we need to self-control to ensure that we only eat what we’re supposed to eat at a given meal or snack time. This is one of the best ways to avoid the quarantine 15.
#5: Switch to Daily Weigh-Ins
I am a HUGE fan of weekly weigh-ins to make sure you’re on track with your fitness journey. A lot can happen in a week, so making sure you have a dedicated time to check the scale helps you see the changes you need to make the following week.
Now that so many of us are working from home, there’s a lot that has the potential to happen from a food consumption standpoint each day. For that reason, it may be worth it to step on the scale once a day for the next month or two.
The focus isn’t so much weight loss as it is maintenance. The goal is to keep it the same from day-to-day. I’ve found that knowing I’ll face the scale first thing in the morning causes me to have a really thoughtful conversation with myself when I head to the kitchen for something to eat. I ask myself things like, “Am I really hungry? Do I need this or do I just want it? Are there any healthier options for me right now? Is this going to make me tip the scale on the heavier side if I eat it?”
Don’t have a scale? You can still monitor your weight by using a tape measure, taking pics of yourself and trying on “real” clothes to make sure they still fit.
#6: Drink Plenty of Water
I’ve said this before, but the body doesn’t have a die hard way to let us know that we’re thirsty. Sometimes our mouths are dry or our throats are parched, so we drink a little water.But did you know that a growling stomach doesn’t always mean that your body needs food?
The next time you think you need something to eat in order to satisfy your hunger, slowly drink 8 to 12 ounces of water and wait about half an hour. If the hunger pangs go away, you were simply thirsty. If they persist, you really could use a healthy snack.
Experts say that we should drink half of our weight in water, so if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be drinking 75 oz of water each day. Drinking enough water does some amazing things for you. First off, it helps clear up your skin. Secondly, it actually energizes you! Finally, it helps release toxins and wastes in your body which positively affects your overall health and can assist in maintaining your weight. All o that will help you avoid the quarantine 15.
#7: Schedule Three Rounds of Physical Activity Each Day
One thing many of us have right now is an abundance of time. Even though we’re working from home and helping children finish out their school year at home, we still have a ton of time because there aren’t sports practices and games to get to; we can’t go to church anymore and every form of entertainment is shut down. We’re really tempted to sit in the house and watch TV or cruise social media after the work day/school day is complete. But all that sitting is not going to help us avoid the quarantine 15.
We have to get moving, and the easiest thing to do is plan three rounds of physical activity each day – making sure that each round is a minimum of 10 minutes. If you have a dog, you can walk your dog three times a day. If you have young children, you can play tag with them for ten minutes, ride bikes or just take a walk. Turn on some music and have a dance off. Just commit to get moving for ten minutes three times a day every day.
#8: Break a Sweat for 30 Continuous Minutes
Strongly consider changing one of those ten minutes sections from the previous section to a thirty-minute exercise session that’s going to raise your heart rate and make you sweat. Run, dance or ride a bike. Head over to my YouTube channel and do five of the six-minute workouts. Join one of my online Zumba classes (just comment on this post to let me know you’re interested). Or google someone else’s workout videos.
Just break a sweat for thirty minutes a day to fight off that quarantine 15.
#9: Limit the Amount of TV Time
I’ve already hinted at this a couple of times in this post, but sitting there watching TV all day isn’t going to help anyone avoid gaining weight at this time. Why? Most folks don’t workout while watching TV. (I know I typically don’t.) Plus most of us like to snack while we’re watching TV.
If you’re having trouble finding time for that thirty minute sweatfest I mentioned earlier. Turn off the TV, take a break between episodes of whatever show you’re binge watching and get your workout on.
OR you could alternate between squats, lunges, jumping jacks, and burpees while watching one of the episodes. That could be really fun!
#10: Switch Refined Sugars for Natural Sugars at least Twice a Week
Let’s face it! It’s going to be hard not to snack, so let’s do so wisely.
I have the worst sweet tooth in the world. I rarely buy sweets or make them because they’re gone almost as quickly as I make them. Remember the cookies I mentioned?
However, I’ve learned that my taste buds enjoy natural sugars, like fruit and honey, as much as it enjoys refined stuff. So I would challenge you to take a couple of days each week to avoid refined, processed sugar and only eat natural sugars…just go easy on the honey.
How’s It Going?
Now that you have 10 tips to help you avoid the quarantine 15, I want to know how’s it going. Click the pink banner below to join the Facebook group, and let us know which tip is your go to!
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
Today’s post is a little different than usual. You haven’t seen me in a while because things have been tough lately, and I just haven’t had much motivation. Though things have gotten a bit better for me personally, the whole world is in a weird state of chaos mixed with uncertainty.
Instead of talking about physical health, I wanted to talk about mental health. I’m not an expert in this field. I just want to share what’s been working for me lately.
#1: Keep Moving
Schools, fitness facilities, churches and some places of business are shutting down indefinitely. We’re being told to self-quarantine or practice social distancing to slow the spread of the virus. However, that doesn’t mean that we stay in our home and do nothing.
Exercise is one of the best ways to relieve stress. Instead of staying glued to the TV for the latest news update, get your sweat on! Pause your streaming service for an hour or to go for a long walk or hop on YouTube and follow a workout video.
#2: Maintain a Schedule
We’re creatures of habit. Most of us wake up at the same time every day. Then we go through an almost identical morning routine because we have to be at work at the same time every day. But what do you when your business shuts down indefinitely and you have nowhere to go each day? You create another schedule
Most folks have things they’ve been meaning to get around to. We even have projects that we’ve been putting off until we have more time. This is the perfect opportunity to work on those things by creating a schedule.
If you work an eight-hour shift, I’m not suggesting that you create a schedule for every minute of your workday. However, I would suggest that you keep your same morning routine so that when work resumes, you’re good to go. Beyond that, you should schedule some things you need to do, some things you’ve been putting off and some fun things, too.
#3: Keep in Touch
This is one is especially for introverted single folk, like me, who live alone. However, it applies to others, as well. This is prime real estate for us. We have a legitimate reason to pull inside of ourselves and cut off all contact with the rest of the world. Let’s not do that.
One of the best ways to stay grounded is to connect with other people. While we may not be able to meet up with people face-to-face, we can FaceTime, Skype, host Zoom meetings and do Google hangouts. Check on the folks you love and let them know you’re okay.
#4: Go Offline
Turn off the TV. Go on Facebook fast. Stay off YouTube. Things are already bad enough. Just take one day – a full 24 hours – with no media or technology. You might be surprised how grounded you feel…and how much time you have.
This Too Shall Pass
Things won’t always be this way! They’ll get better! I promise.
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
There aren’t too many fitness professionals out there advocating low-impact exercises. In the age of cross-fit and HIIT, some think that the more intense the work out the better. I don’t believe that. In fact, I encourage people to engage in low-impact exercises.
What are low-impact exercises?
Low-impact exercises include any form of physical activity that has a “low-impact” on your joints. Exercises like walking, bike riding, swimming, and yoga. It’s even possible to convert a number of high-impact exercises, like jumping jacks, to low-impact exercises.
There are four distinct reasons people may want (or need) to consider low-impact exercises.
Reason #1: Change Things Up
The human body is completely adaptable. Your workout starts to seem ineffective if you always to do the same thing. However, incorporating some low-impact moves can help get things going again.
Reason #2: Increase Intensity and Preserve Your Joints
Some people are convinced that you can’t get a good workout with low-impact exercises. That’s not true. In reality, you can have super intense low-impact workouts that produce more sweat than some high-impact workouts. How? If your high impact workout, requires a great deal of jumping, you can only jump for so long. Your knees and ankles will eventually need a break from all the pressures. However, switching to a low impact form of the same exercises will enable to have longer more intense sessions because your joints won’t suffer.
Reason #3: Build Strength and Endurance
If you’re just starting out on your fitness journey, you might not be in the best shape right now. You may even have a significant amount of weight to lose right now. The idea of doing plank jacks, burpees and high knees probably sounds a bit intimidating or even painful. Starting out with low-impact exercises allows you to gain strength and see just how far you can grow in your fitness. When you’re ready, you can switch out some low-impact exercises with their high-impact counterpart and see how you feel.
Reason #4: Injury Recovery or Limited Mobility
Every exercise isn’t for every body. In other words, we all have physical limitations. There are things some people simply can’t do as a result of limited mobility and former injury. Someone who blew out their knee playing college football, might not be able to perform jump squats. The person who had shoulder surgery won’t be able to do push-ups or planks. Even so, there are low-impact versions of exercises individuals can do that will help them reach their fitness goals.
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
As you may know, I’m a huge fan of Body Weight Training! I know that I said that before, and I’m sure that I’ll say it again. Here are 3 incredible benefits of bodyweight training.
#1: Affordability
Bodyweight training is extremely affordable! Why? You always carry everything you need for every workout. There’s no need to invest in a home gym. You won’t need any weights or fancy equipment. All you need…is you!
#2: Accessibility
You can workout any time and anywhere! You can perform bodyweight exercises at your desk, in your living room, in a hotel room or in your back yard. Instead of waiting for the gym to open, you can work out first thing in the morning!
#3: Adaptability
When you’re performing bodyweight exercises, you’re not stuck. You don’t have to do a particular exercise a certain way. There are tons of options for nearly every type of bodyweight exercises. Take jumping jacks, for instance. If you have mobility issues or prefer low-impact exercises, you can do one-legged jumping jacks. On the other hand, if you want to up the intensity, you can alternate jumping jacks with stars jumps.
Summing it all up…
There are far more than three benefits of bodyweight training. However, I wanted to showcase the three benefits that are most applicable for getting fit at home.
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
Meal prep vs Meal planning. What in the world do either of them have to do with getting fit?!?!?
In a word: everything!
Eating properly is crucial if we intend to be successful in our fitness journeys. But eating properly is time-consuming. Despite that fact, we still do our best to eat healthily. We head to the grocery store and buy fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. But we still don’t eat differently. Why? Because either there’s no plan or we didn’t prepare anything.
Incorporating meal planning and meal prep into your daily schedule will allow you to revolutionize your eating habits. But a lot of people tend to ask, “Which one should I do? What’s right for me: Meal Planning or Meal Prep? What’s the difference?”
We’ll tackle all of that today.
What is Meal Planning?
Meal planning is simply planning what you’re going to eat during a specific amount of time. This could be done for a family or an individual.
The benefits of meal planning are that it decreases the chances of overeating because you can log your meals into your calorie count as you plan them so that you know precisely where are you are on a given day.
The drawback is that some people think it is too restrictive, but it’s not. Nothing is set in stone. As long as you switch foods with similar calorie counts you’ll be perfectly fine. Especially if you maintain the nutritional content.
What is Meal Prep?
Meal prep is simply preparing your meals in advance. It could occur in different forms.
You could actually take one day a week as a single person to cook large meals. Then place those meals in food storage containers. You’ll have lunch and dinner prepared for the remainder of the week.
You could prep ingredients for different meals. Suppose you want to eat a fresh veggie salad for dinner every day. However, you have no interest in chopping up vegetables before work each morning. You could take one day to chop all of your vegetables. Then place them in individual airtight containers in the fridge. When it’s time for you to assemble the salad, just take out those containers.
You could take some time on Sunday afternoon to assemble a week’s worth of breakfast and lunch for the members of your household. Simply make sure that everything is clearly labeled so picky eaters and folks with food sensitivities don’t get the wrong lunch.
The benefits are that it saves a great deal of time. Plus it helps you maintain proper eating habits by allowing you to control your portions.
A major drawback is that it can be very time-consuming.
Which Works Best?
Here’s where we tackle the question of Meal prep vs Meal planning.
There are those who think meal planning is the way to go. They’re the type of people who feel that a solid plan is all they need to be successful.
Other all but swear by meal prep. They consider it a lifesaver and feel that they lead much more productive lives because of it.
I firmly believe that meal prep and meal planning work best in concert with one another. Both are essential for your fitness journey. In fact, they are opposite sides of the same coin. Ideally, one would plan the meals and snacks prior to preparing those meals and snacks.
Prepping meals without planning when those meals will be consumed results in a lot of wasted food. You know what you’re going to eat, but you just don’t know when. As a result, you forget the food is in the fridge, and it just ends up getting tossed.
Planning meals without prepping means you’ll be spending a whole lot of time in the kitchen. That may be okay for some folks, but I don’t have that kind of time.
Next Steps
If this is new to you, it might be a little intimidating. The idea of sitting down and organizing what are you going to eat and when you’re going to eat it can be very overwhelming, but that’s why I’m here. I have created some amazing free resources to help you get this all figured. I’ll walk you through that next week!
Hopping on the Scale!
Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
Weight loss! It’s one of the many positive side effects of getting fit. However, you may get to a point where you’re doing everything you know to do, but the scale never changes. If you’re facing that right now, please know that there are specific reasons you’re not losing weight.
For several weeks, I’ve hopped on the scale every Wednesday, and I can honestly say that the numbers on the scale have been consistently inconsistent. Sometimes the number goes down by two pounds one week, but the next week it goes up by 1.5 pounds. Since I’ve also been counting my calories, monitoring my water consumption and tracking my exercise, I’ve noticed some interesting trends.
I’ve come to realize there are four distinct reasons why my weight fluctuates from week to week. Because you’re on this fitness journey with me, I’ve decided to weigh in on why we’re not losing weight.
Reason #1: You’re Not Eating Enough
Logically speaking, if you want to lose weight you should eat less, but when it comes to the human body nothing is logical. Calories are energy, and we all need a basic amount of energy to simply get going. Though it may sound hard to believe, not eating enough can actually cause you to gain weight. You can’t run on empty; no one can. If you consistently consume fewer calories than your body needs, it will simply “hold on” to what you’ve eaten, storing it for later because it’s not sure when the next round of energy (meal) is coming.
The amount of calories you need to consume depends on how much you weigh and how active you are. In short, the more active you are, the more you’ll need to eat. Healthline.com has a Calorie Calculator that will show you how many calories you should consume on a daily basis to maintain your weight, to lose weight, or to lose weight fast. However, it’s important to note that all calories aren’t created equally.
Reason #2: You’re Not Eating The Right Foods
You know that you’re consuming the proper amount of calories, but you’re still not losing any weight. Maybe it’s time to look at what you’re eating. What you’re eating is another factor that comes into play where weight loss is concerned. Suppose you wanted to consume 300 calories for breakfast. You could have (Option A) one scrambled egg and a cup of rice, (Option B) one glazed doughnut, or (Option C) a vegan omelette with a side of berries.
Certain foods such as raw fruits and vegetables help expel waste from your body. The more of those foods you eat, the more you’ll be able to lose unnecessary waste in your body.
Reason #3: You’re Not Drinking Enough Water
You may have heard that water flushes out impurities. That means water helps eliminate toxins from your system, toxins that could be causing you to hang on to extra weight.
If you’ve ever attempted to drink the recommended amount of water for your weight, you’ve probably wondered about a few things. Like why you have to pee ALL the time, why your pee super dark, or why it smells, it’s because of the impurities or toxins that are in your system. If you stick with it, you’ll notice that you will have to use the restroom less and your urine will become more clear. The more clear your urine is, the least toxic it is.
Did you know that water can serve as a natural appetite suppressant? Drinking water before a meal causes you to feel somewhat full prior to taking your first bite. If you sip water between bites during a meal you will end up eating less. In both cases, the end result of drinking more water would be weight loss.
Reason #4: You’re Exercising Enough
You may already know that there are some amazing things that happen when you exercise: your metabolism increases, you burn calories and your bowels are stimulated. All three of those amazing things provide solid proof that exercise is the most effective avenue for losing weight.
Even so, there are times when you getting your workout in every day and working up a good sweat, but nothing is happening in terms of weight loss.
During those times, it is imperative to reassess your exercise regime. If all you do is cardio, it might be time to do some strength training. If you take a thirty-minute walk every day, it might be time to up the ante by transforming that walk to a jog. Making even a very subtle change to your workout schedule can result in a couple lost pounds in one week.
What now?
If any or all of those reasons you’re not losing weight resonate you’re probably thinking, “What in the world am I supposed to do now!?!?!”
My free email course, 5 Steps to Creating a Healthy Habit will lead you through everything you need to do.
Hopping on the Scale!
Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
Since I keep asking people to get fit with me, and many have joined me on this fitness journey, I figured it’s time for me to weigh in on what “fitness” means and identify how to know you’re fit.
Fitness can be defined as “the condition of being physically fit and healthy”. However, that definition does very little to help you understand what fitness truly means because both “physically fit” and “healthy” could mean totally different things to different people.
To make sure we’re on the same page, the Get Fit with Charity definition of fitness is:
being in good athletic condition; being physically, mentally and emotionally strong; being relatively free from injury and illness
There are tons of ways to determine if you’re fit, but I’ll weigh in on five of them…the last one will probably surprise you!
#1: You embody the components of fitness
There are five main components of fitness:
Cardiovascular Endurance – exercises like running, swimming, dance fitness, etc.
Muscular Strength – how much weight a person can lift or carry
Muscular Endurance (i.e. how long [in repetitions or time] a person can sustain an exercise involving specific muscle groups,
Flexibility (i.e. the range of motion of a person’s joints) and
Body Composition (i.e. the amount of fat vs. muscle that a person’s body has.)
You know that you’re fit when you notice improvements in any of those areas. Perhaps you notice that you’re not breathing heavily after a brisk thirty-minute walk. Maybe you’re able to move a forty-pound box from the floor to the table with no problem. It’s possible that you can reach down and touch your toes for the first time in five years or you’re able to hold a forearm plank for nearly a minute. It’s possible that some of your favorite clothes are a bit loose on you because your body has gone through some positive changes.
#2: You look forward to your workout
I’m sure you remember what it was like before you started your fitness journey. “Working out” wasn’t part of your vocabulary. You didn’t care to spend your free time getting sweaty, but things have changed. Now you’re excited about taking that walk, going for a swim, or heading to your fitness class. You know that there may be a little discomfort, and there are TONS of other things you could be doing right now. You’re exercising for you. When your workout becomes your happy place, you know you’re fit.
#3: You have more energy
Energy produces energy! In other words, incorporating more movement into your day and working out more gives you increased stamina. You might still get a little tired at work between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, but you won’t wake up tired. You might even start replacing that morning cup of coffee with a morning run because you realize the run actually clears your head and prepares you to face the day at work. When you no longer wake tired and you feel more energized than you’ve felt in a good long while, you know that you’re fit.
#4: You’re more cognizant of what (and when) you eat or drink
Something pretty amazing is going to happen to you as you’re trucking along on this fitness journey. You’re going to be more mindful of what you eat and what you drink. That’s a sure sign that you’re fit because non-fit people typically don’t take their food and beverage choices into consideration. When you decide to avoid consuming a particular drink because you’ve realized that it zaps your energy or you make a different meal choice because you want something that’s both filling and healthy, it’s pretty safe to say that you’re fit!
#5: You realize that you’ll never arrive
As strange as it sounds, you know that you’re truly fit when you realize that fitness isn’t a destination. It’s a journey. Our lives are similar to the ocean. There’s high tide (i.e. time when we’re in the best athletic condition), and there’s low tide (i.e. times when we’re emotionally week). Then there’s the occasional squall, like when an illness or injury comes out of nowhere and sidelines us for a bit. Being fit means that you understand that you will never arrive at a state of ultimate fitness. You will ever and always strive to be the most fit you that you can be.
Putting It All Together
It’s crucial for me to stress that this information on how to know you’re fit should be seen as building blocks or sequential steps. You don’t have to master one area and then move on to another area; each area can stand on its own. Although these indicators are connected, they aren’t interrelated in the sense that it’s all or nothing. You can have success in all five areas at the same time or you can shine in a few areas.
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
If you’ve been checking in for the past few weeks you know that I’m a huge fan of both Body Weight Training andTabata Training. I almost got a bit carried away last week and went into information overload. Then something occurred to me! I could continue that conversation by weighing in on the benefits of Tabata Training.
Although there are countless benefits of Tabata Training, I will only focus on four that simply cannot be denied.
Benefit #1: Improves Aerobic and the Anaerobic Energy Systems
Aerobic means “with oxygen”. The aerobic energy system requires blood or oxygen to operate. Aerobic exercises are typically continuous, repetitive movements that greatly benefit the heart.
Anaerobic means “without oxygen”. The anaerobic energy system doesn’t require blood or oxygen to operate. Anaerobic exercise typically includes intense physical activity, and usually can’t be done for a long period of time.
Tabata Training allows you to activate both systems simultaneously so that you improve both your endurance level as well as build muscle.
Benefit #2: Easy to Customize Workouts
One Tabata round is four minutes long. It consists of eight 20-second rounds that are each followed by a ten-second rest period. You can do one exercise for all 8-rounds. Or you could do four rounds of two different exercises. You could even opt for two rounds of four different exercises…it’s all up to you.
Tabata workouts are extremely easy to customize. If you know you’re only going to have to exercise for 20 seconds, that really opens up tons of possibilities. You can include exercises that you either don’t like or you can’t do for a long period of time.
Benefit #3: Experience “After Burn”
Like other forms of high-intensity interval training, Tabata Training works on the theory of EPOC (excess post oxygen consumption). In other words, once the workout is complete, your body still continues to burn calories.
Admittedly, it’s a bit more technical and scientific than that. However, to help put this in perspective, other forms of exercise don’t work that way.
When you’re done running, you stop burning calories. The same goes for swimming and other forms of cardio (aerobic) based exercise form.
Since Tabata Training activates both the anaerobic and aerobic systems, it allows the body to respond differently to exercise.
Benefit #4: Burn Tons of Calories
The average person burns about 100 calories per mile, so if someone were to run for 20 minutes, they could burn up to 200 calories, provided that they were able to run ten-minute miles. However, that same person could burn about 15 calories per minute when participating in a Tabata Training workout.
In other words, a twenty-minute Tabata Training workout could allow someone to burn 300 calories during that workout out. T
he key to burning more calories lies in the intensity of your workout, so be sure to give your all during the twenty-second exercise round, so you can burn the most calories possible.
Talk is Cheap
You’ll be able to find several Tabata style workout video on the Get Fit with Charity YouTube Channel. I want you to experience the benefits of Tabata training first hand.
I can’t wait to start working out with you!
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
