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Another journey coming to an end…..or is it just beginning?

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Another journey coming to an end…..or is it just beginning?  Time will tell, and I will know in less than 2 weeks.  But for now, this part of the journey is coming to an end, and I have high hopes that it will continue onto the big conclusion….fulfilling a dream.
In 2002, while watching the winter Olympics, a US Short Track Speed skater caught my attention.  Not only mine, but the rest of the world’s attention also.  His name was Apolo Anton Ohno.  He was young, classy, and even through controversy at the Olympics, maintained a professional demeanor.  Apolo brought short track speed skating to the forefront, making it a popular Olympic sport to watch.  My co-workers made fun of me for being so captivated by him…….but, have you seen those quads?  AMAZING.  🙂  He is now, the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time.
Over the years, I have maintained that he is my favorite athlete, and always said that I will meet him one day.  Little did I know that my chance may come by means of an essay that I would one day write.
January 2013, I was ill with strep throat and recorded a week’s worths of “The Doctor’s” episodes and finally got a chance to watch them a couple of weeks later.  On one episode, they stated that Apolo Ohno would be on the show that week speaking of his recent diagnosis.  I quickly fast forwarded to that episode (thankfully it was one of the 5 that was recorded) and intently watched/listened as Apolo spoke of his diagnosis with EIB (exercise induced bronchospasms).  As he spoke about the diagnosis, I thought, “Hmm….we have something in common!”  I understood everything he was describing, because I had it too.  Even though I was in decent shape, I still had significant shortness of breath with exercise, I wheezed, coughed, and had a hard time training for my first 5K a few years back.  At that time, I saw my family physician who gave me a rescue inhaler and told me to use it prior to exercise….and it worked!  I could run longer than a quarter-mile without gasping for air!

At the end of that episode, Apolo mentioned visiting a website and answering essay questions about your diagnosis with EIB and the winner was going to be flown to LA and have dinner with him.  It was about midnight when I finished that TV show and I went directly to the computer and began answering the 3 essays.
A couple of months went by and I had forgotten about the competition until when I got an email stating I was a finalist!!  I was one of the top 10 essays in the country!!!  After I confirmed that it wasn’t a spam email, I was ecstatic!!
As you know…I am also a fitness/weight loss coach and I’ve heard too many people say that they can’t exercise because they get ‘too out of breath and feel like they are going to die.’  Yep, I get that!!  But, it’s treatable!!  Either the muscles between your ribs do not have the endurance to cont. to assist with your increased breathing during exercise, or you possibly have EIB and a simple trip to the doctor is all it takes!!!  As an athlete/runner living with EIB, I feel that I can help to eliminate excuses from my clients/patients and better assist them on their journey to their fitness/weight loss goals.  And, now that Apolo has brought EIB to the forefront, spreading awareness of this diagnosis is that much easier.  Two of my favorite things have come together (Exercise & Apolo) and through them, I am able to better assist others.  AMAZING!
Now, it’s up to the public to help me become the FINAL WINNER!!  Over the past 3 weeks, I’ve been promoting my essay on all my social media outlets and encouraging friends and strangers to vote for me.  I feel as though winning this competition would give me an incredible platform to assist others and eliminate excuses.  Being able to help someone exercise and benefit from the mental and physical aspects of increased activity is a pure joy for me.  As a physical therapist assist. and a fitness coach, I’m overwhelmed by what even a little bit of exercise can do for individuals!  Exercise boosts mood, relieves stress, creates strength in our bodies, assists/decreases chance of injuries, allows us to accomplish goals we never thought possible, helps us to beat the trend of obesity and teaches our children that taking care of our bodies can be fun and is worthwhile.  Not to mention how amazing a good quad muscle looks.  🙂
To read more about my journey with EIB and the obstacles that I was able to overcome, please go to www.EIBallstars.com and find the essay titled “Lisa: Fitness-Focused Mom.”  That’s me!!  While you are there, vote for me….a couple thousand times. ( I’m kidding….maybe)   Voting is unlimited and only takes a few seconds.  The voting ends May 10th.  The past couple weeks have been fun promoting myself, EIB, and the excitement of possibly meeting Apolo just as I said I always would.  If you would have told me in 2002 that I would be diagnosed with EIB and that would lead me to meeting Apolo Ohno, I would have denied it.  But, today….I feel truly blessed.  This is not an awful diagnosis….it’s a treatable one.  EIB is common and an estimated 30 million people in the United States have it. EIB is especially common in people who have asthma (I was diagnosed as an asthmatic in my adult years) and 80-90% of patients with asthma also have EIB.  But, you do NOT have to be an asthmatic to have EIB.

The public voting is coming to an end, and right now…..this journey for me may also be coming to an end.  I hope not, but I will find out soon.  I hope the end of this ‘promotional’ journey only leads to the bigger dream – helping others as a winner through EIBallstars and meeting the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time. I’d love to shake his hand and in an unforeseen way, help complete strangers accomplish dream goals through a proper diagnosis.
My business is called, YourFitness-411, and I hope to be able to follow-up this blog with another one soon entitled, “Journey Complete!”   Until then, vote often, breath well, exercise, and live life as Apolo says, “Zero Regrets.”

me without braces EIB pic

EIB awareness: Zero Regrets & No Excuses.

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It was the second day of January 2013 and I was laying on the couch, very ill w/ strep throat, watching “The Doctors” on TV.  Not really the start to 2013 that I was hoping for!  The show said, “Each day this week we will give you a tip on how to keep that New Year’s Resolution.”  I decided to DVR all the shows that week because I like to pass on tips to my clients and I like to learn all I can on how to help people stay motivated towards goals.

A couple of weeks later, in the LATE evening (when it’s finally peaceful in the house, kids sleeping, and all I can hear is my dog breathing as he sleeps beside me), I started watching the first show.  At the end, they announce that Apolo Ohno would be on the show Friday to reveal his diagnosis.  *GASP*  I am a HUGE Apolo fan and have been since he hit the scene for his first Olympics in 2002.  I respect everything he stands for:  he partakes in an exciting /drama filled sport & gives 100%, does NOT back down to competition, is the most decorated winter Olympian, is the face of speed skating, is a published author, promotes healthy eating & exercise, his father raised him & Apolo’s story is a good one of triumph over what could have been a kid turned ‘bad.’  Oh….and have you seen those quads and teeth?  *Dreamy*

Ok…. back to my blog…sorry, I got sidetracked.  🙂  I quickly skipped to Friday’s show where Apolo revealed he has a diagnosis of EIB.

What is EIB?    EIB is a temporary narrowing of the airways during or after exercise that can make it difficult to breathe. It can be triggered by breathing in air that is cooler and drier than the air in your lungs. EIB can affect people who have a range of fitness levels, from casual participants to elite athletes.

Symptoms of EIB may include:

•Shortness of breath

•Chest tightness

•Trouble getting a deep breath

•Wheezing or noisy breathing

•Coughing

•Decreased exercise endurance

While the symptoms are similar, EIB is different from asthma. EIB symptoms are set off only by exercise or aerobic activity like jogging or playing sports.

EIB is common—in fact, an estimated 30 million people in the United States have it. EIB is especially common in people who have asthma—80-90% of patients with asthma also have EIB—but you don’t have to have asthma to have EIB.

I thought….. I HAVE EIB!!  At the end of the segment, they announced a competition involving dinner with Apolo as the prize. So, right then, I went to my computer and completed the 3 essay questions at about 1am.  I submitted the essays and have now made it through hundreds of entries to the top 10 in the country!!!

As a fitness coach, I hear this all the time – “I get too short of breath when I exercise, so I don’t do it.”  AAAAhhhhh!!!  That’s an EXCUSE, because #1…you can train your body to breath easier with better strength and endurance and #2 …. you may have EIB and a simple rescue inhaler would help!

My son and I are of the 80-90% of people who are asthmatic and have EIB.   However, this does NOT give us an excuse not to exercise!  He is soon to be 9yrs. old and very active with Baseball, Soccer, Dodgeball, and now has started running 5K’s this spring with me.  I am very active with Running (completed first marathon in 2011, Volleyball, and working out in general).  I want to promote that EIB is no reason to be lazy!!!!  As someone who coaches individuals towards weight loss and better health, I would LOVE to be a spokesperson for EIB awareness!

Because I have been chosen as a finalist, I really want a platform to stand on in regards to teaching others about EIB.  Please help me become the WINNER of the competition and be that spokesperson.  As the winner, I also get flown to LA and have dinner with Apolo Ohno.  The prize is over $10,000!!!  Yes, here comes the plug >>>Please go to this site and vote for me …..Lisa: the ‘Fitness Focused Mom’ and help me win!!  http://www.eiballstars.com/finalist-bio.aspx?id=58

EIB allstars cover page for facebook

 

I also hope that this blog spreads like wildfire.  EIB is an important and easily treatable diagnosis.  If you feel you have EIB, I strongly urge you to see your doctor and get properly diagnosed.

Voting is UNLIMITED until May 10.  So, vote as many times as you can!  Thank you!!  

www.YourFitness-411.com
www.facebook.com/YourFitnessInfo

Happy Dance. Have you done one lately?

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Have you ever done the Happy Dance?  You know…..where you are so excited and pumped with adrenaline over something ‘happy’ that you dance all crazy?  Typically, this kind of crazy dance shouldn’t be seen in public, but occasionally it happens.  Well, I did the Happy Dance earlier this week!!  YES, I DID!!  Fortunately, it was safely behind the closed doors of a dressing room.  But, that was probably the best Happy Dance anyone would have seen!!

WHY was I getting jiggy in the dressing room?  Because I finally broke through to a smaller pant size!!  I thought I would always be a size 8 no matter how hard I worked on my fitness.  You see, I have thick (I like the term “strong”) thighs and I’m proud of them.  But, most pant sizes don’t accommodate body types like mine.  I work HARD on my fitness and make healthy food choices, yet it’s still frustrating. However, I was content with the size 8 and hoping for less.  (Notice, I didn’t say “content with BEING a size 8″ because I don’t allow a size to define me).   THEN….it happened!!  I slid my leg into the pants, then the other, and now is the time of truth.  As I slowly pulled the pants up my thighs, I started catching my breath as I thought……”Hey…they are still going up!”  They went over my bootie (yes, ‘bootie’ thanks to squats, lunges, and running) and I was even able to button them!!!  I stared in the mirror in complete shock.  “WHAT????”  I had them on!!  I sat on the bench and could still breath.  I did a few squats and nothing ripped.  Then, it happened.  An uncontrolled “Oh hell, yes!” followed by a happy dance.  Whew!!!  Happy, Happy, Happy!!!

I bought a pair in black, khaki, and jeans.  🙂

Now…that’s not saying I am a size 6 in EVERY pair of jeans I put on, because ladies, we all know that each style/store is different.  (frustrating)  BUT…There is a 6 on the tag of my pants and I’m a Happy Lady!!  I’m happy  not because of the number, but because it reinforced that the healthy lifestyle I choose to life is changing my body.  I’m not a certain type of eater (paleo, clean eating, raw eating, vegetarian, vegan, etc)….I do enjoy treats from time to time and I Love a good plate of nachos.  🙂  I’m a smart eater and I listen to my body.  I know what I need to do in the next 3 hours and feed my body for those 3 hours.  If I’m going to workout, I eat more carbs for energy.  If it’s after a workout, I refuel with carbs & protein.  If I’m not going to do much, I avoid carbs.  It’s the small changes that make the big results.  Most people think they need to overhaul their entire lives and fill the kitchen with only broccoli, oatmeal, and chicken.  Not true! Be smart, eat well, and exercise not only for your body, but for your brain.  YES….your brain!!  Exercise is a mood booster and stress reducer!

Want more assistance?  Find me at YourFitness-411 or on Facebook at YourFitnessInfo.  I’d be happy to help you tweak your food and exercise plans!

Exercise isn’t an option, it’s a Lifestyle. Don’t allow anything to stop you.

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I have been an athlete my entire life. About four years ago, this 30-something mother of two signed up to run my first 5K. During training, I was very discouraged when I started having trouble breathing after running just a quarter mile. I felt out of shape, even though I knew I wasn’t. I was frustrated and discouraged. I brought up my struggles with breathing while exercising during my next doctor’s visit. I was diagnosed with EIB and given a rescue inhaler to use prior to exercise.  After starting treatment, I was thrilled that I could run without gasping for air and feeling as though I couldn’t get a deep breath into my lungs.  My training took off and I completed my first 5K, which led me to complete many more and to grow competitive as a runner. I decided to attempt my first half marathon in September of 2010.  The training was going well until a month before the race, when I came down with a head cold and experienced an asthma attack. I was put on steroids and some other medications and told I needed to see an asthma and allergy doctor right away.  This asthma attack forced me to take three weeks off of training, but I still completed my first half marathon!  It may have been slow, but it was steady, and my rescue inhaler was attached to my hip. My allergy and asthma doctor works with me to keep me active and doesn’t let EIB stop me from exercising. Exercising isn’t an option for me, it’s a lifestyle.

My most prized goal that EIB didn’t stop me from accomplishing? That’s easy…..my first marathon!  I ran a full marathon in Columbus, OH, on October 16, 2011 as a birthday gift to myself! I carried my inhaler with me and crossed the finish line with tears and a smile!  I am proud to say that I am a part of the small group of people who have finished a marathon and I feel like a good role model for my kids. Although that marathon was the most difficult journey of my life in regards to the wear and tear on my body, training time and mental toughness, it also taught my children that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I know the symptoms of EIB can be exacerbated through many triggers, and for me, a head cold is one of them. Leading up to the marathon, I caught another cold. I took very good care of my body that week, which included lots of fluids, breathing treatments and rest. I also spent a lot of quiet time envisioning the race and my plan of attack.  With one of my running partners at my side, we crossed the finish line.  My running and fitness journey has continued to progress in many ways.  I even started my own online business a couple years ago as a way to teach others about their bodies & educate them on safe & effective weight loss strategies along with proper exercise techniques.

My marathon finish

(Us crossing the finish line.  I am on the left)

Lisa’s message about taking control:

Why are you going to allow a treatable diagnosis to stop you from living a full life or accomplishing personal goals and dreams?  Why allow symptoms to control how you live your life?  As a physical therapist assistant & fitness coach, I understand the importance of exercise. I encourage people to go to the doctor, get the tests, and work with their doctor to manage their EIB.  Decide. Commit. Succeed.

Peanut Butter Coconut Granola

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PB Coconut granola

I plan to incorporate some recipes into my blogs.  I’ve had a lot of requests for recipes!  I am typically a very basic meal planner.  I make some sort of meat (simply made) and then add a vegetable, salad, and some sort of pasta for the kids (every so often).  I typically stay away from casseroles and sauces because I find they have a lot of calories and ingredients that I do not want.

That being said, I found this delicious recipe for Peanut Butter Coconut Granola!  I LOVE home-made granola and often times eat it as a pre or post exercise (specifically run) energy booster or recovery meal.  I like to put a couple spoonfuls in a little bowl and add some fresh PB to it w/ a little honey, raisins, apples, bananas, protein powder and such (pretty much whatever I have in the house).  sometimes, I even sprinkle a bit of granola on my PB toast (that’s what I eat before every run that is 3+ miles.  It just works really well for me).

Anyways, I found this recipe on the facebook page of “I see Fit People” and love it.  Loved it so much….felt the need to blog it!

I liked the healthy mix of ingredients and I especially found the coconut sugar to be really tasty! I substituted walnuts for the peanuts because I wear braces (coming off soon!) and peanuts are too hard for my braces.   I can’t wait to try it frozen, such as ISFP suggests.  Here’s the recipe….ENJOY!!  (Oh….and it will make your house feel cozy and smell delicious!)

http://iseefitpeople-everywhere.blogspot.ca/2012/03/peanut-buttery-coconut-granola.html?showComment=1332189526446#

Finding & letting go of the past – Emotional Eating

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If you are following my blogs because you want some inspiration, motivation, healthy advice, or just like the way I write (awe)…. head’s up! Summer is on its way and it’s time to chin up and work dirty to get the summer body you want!
When you sweat, remember that is your fat crying because it’s LEAVING and NOT COMING BACK!!
I need some serious dedication from you this week. I need you to dig deep, get outside of your comfort zone, and mentally get prepared for change.  But, how can you truly prepare when you can’t let go of the past?
Much of our weight problems stem from our past experiences and emotions. Much of our emotional eating is the same way – we learned years ago that food makes us feel better. It comforted us during down/sad times and we celebrate with food too. However, we now know that the same food that comforts us, also ruins us. It hurts our bodies which lead to broken spirits and depression. Eating that dessert or second helping of gravy & potatoes may feel great while it’s happening, but I promise it will lead to feelings of guilt and frustration not including a possible upset stomach. Emotional eating is tough. WE ALL suffer from it and it takes discipline not to reach for the Girl Scout Cookies when feeling tired, sad, or giddy (I have felt a lot of giddy the past week).
Your challenge over the next 3 days is to do some self-examination. Nope…not the breast/testicular kind, although that is important, but the tough, deep kind. Spend a few minutes alone and really think about what drove you to eat poorly and turn to food for comfort. What happened in your life that caused you to gain weight? What stresses currently cause you to turn to food?  You didn’t gain weight because you just got lazy. There’s more to it than that and sometimes it can be painful to face. There is a deeper reason.

Let me explain my reason…… I have been an athlete ALL MY LIFE.  I had a lot of success in high school in Volleyball, played intramural in college and now on a co-ed league team.  I was the starting softball pitcher and played Basketball also.  I was always fit, had nice abs, and a strong build.  I love sports (Go UC) and am very competitive.  Then, I decided it was time to have a baby.

I had a premature baby (32 weeks) and spent the first 5 weeks of his life sitting beside his glass crib looking at him and praying he would live. I would grab a black raspberry smoothie from Zestos on my way home from the hospital and fast food because I was too tired to cook anything.  During that time, I also mildly dislocated my hip and was on crutches. Talk about bad luck!  Then, when my son came home, he was on heart rate monitors and all I wanted to do was hold him in my arms. I would hold him and eat quick foods just to fill my belly. After his first year, I got back on track again (to some degree) and then wanted another baby. CLASSIC, right?  I got pregnant 2 more times, and miscarried both of those babies. The second miscarriage was a partial molar pregnancy and I miscarried at 12 weeks. TALK ABOUT EMOTIONAL!! For the next 6 months, I had blood tests on a regular basis making sure that the D&C was successful and that no tissue was left behind that could turn to cancer inside my body. It was a long 6 months, but once I was cleared to get pregnant again….I easily got pregnant for the 4th time. Once again, I was high risk and placenta previa…..started symptoms of pre-term labor at 30 weeks, (I was terrified to say the least) but with the help of my doctors I was able to carry baby to 38 weeks. And, I now have a healthy boy and girl.  My youngest is 5 and I started working hard to get back on track about 3-4 years ago.  I wanted my body back. I began running and then needed more strengthening, but didn’t want to join the gym. I tried that when Jacob was 2 and wasn’t pleased with the daycare at the local gym. That’s when my friend said she was doing P90X and Shakeology and loved it. SO…I signed on as a coach because I didn’t want to pay full price for either product (they didn’t have challenge packs back then). I started the programs, found some success and people started asking me what I was doing. Then, I met a guy at a Christmas party, who was recovering from knee surgery and he wanted to lose weight also. We began challenging each other (we are a bit competitive) and before I knew it, I had lost 15 pounds and he lost 50. (Darn those men, always losing weight fast!) I started taking running more seriously, and being a PTA, I knew that I needed strengthening too (my knees and hips started to hurt) but was burnt out on P90X, so needed a new program. Thank goodness for nice discounts because that led me to Insanity > P90X2 > Les Mills Pump> Les Mills Combat!! I still have 10 pounds I want to lose. I’m on a mission before summer gets here! (I want my abs back!)
Anyways…that was/is my journey. I am WAY more educated about food choices now, so that helps me to make better decisions for myself and my family. When I think about those times, my bad food choices and the heartache during that time…my eyes leak. The pain of those miscarriages doesn’t go away. I pray for those babies daily and am grateful for the ones I am raising. I am working very hard at teaching my children the importance of health, fitness, and working hard to achieve goals all while making it fun.  I am now studying sports nutrition and will soon be certified (need to finish a few papers!). I coach others towards better health & fitness also…..and am a sponge when it comes to nutritional/exercise information, so I have plenty to offer.  If I don’t know the answer….I will find it.
Your goal is to deeply self-examine your past and recognize what it’s done to your body and then leave it in the past. It’s time to move forward and make a new you. You can’t move forward until you deal with the past. Otherwise, it will always be there….waiting on you.  And those bad habits will return, you will face those fears/worries again & make poor food choices all in hopes of finding comfort.  Then, you will look in the mirror and be angry at yourself. (Been there….done that).

I am physically stronger and can run longer than I could pre-children, even though I have yet to hit my personal goal.  But, I will hit it.  And I will rock those cute summer clothes.  It doesn’t matter that I’m a Mother – I can still look classy/cute in the summer….but this year I’m going to be the soccer/baseball Mom with the muscles too.  (Wink).

To learn more about emotional eating and techniques on how to cope, please look at this information from the Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/MH00025

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YourFitness-411's avatarYourFitness-411: Stronger Inside & out

PB Jelly
I was ill last week and had a hard time keeping much food down.  When I did get hungry, I found myself making a PB & Jelly sandwich.  It tasted wonderful and made me start to think about what a perfect combo it is.

When you think of a PB & Jelly sandwich, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?  For me, it’s the memory of being a kid and swimming at my Aunt or Grandma’s pond on a hot summer day.  After a couple of hours of swimming, we would come home and eat PB & Jelly sandwiches.  To this day, after swimming, I crave one of those gooey sandwiches on super soft bread.

PB & Jelly is a perfect combo.  The nutty, pasty goodness of creamy PB with the sweet, cold fruit spread on soft bread.  It’s a childhood staple (before all the PB allergies emerged).  It’s…

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Good Carbs/Bad Carbs = CONFUSING! YF-411 is here to help!

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Today’s LESSON: more info on food choices! Food is important to talk about because it’s 80% of your success or failure.
Have you heard of the 1-2-3 Nutritional Rule-of-Thumb?
It’s a nutritional guideline of approximately 1 part fats, 2 parts protein, and 3 parts carbohydrates is valid for most people who are weight training, and exercising to lose weight. If you follow this simple rule you will maintain a diet that is low in fat, moderate in protein, and high in carbohydrates. The lesson of the 1-2-3 rule is to have an easy way to prioritize your nutritional thinking when purchasing foods, preparing meals, and eating out.
When training for specific events…athletes require different diet plans. Such as, a body builder require a diet high in protein and low in carbs to provide quick bursts of energy, and repair the muscles after it has been damaged by lifting heavy weights. A marathoner, on the other hand, will require more carbs and less protein because they need to carbs sustain energy for a long period of time.
(Side note to help you understand) – Carbohydrates are arguably the most important source of energy for athletes. Carbs help to fuel muscle contraction.  Once eaten, carbohydrates are broken down into smaller sugars (glucose, fructose and galactose) that get absorbed and used as energy. Any glucose not needed right away gets stored in the muscles and the liver in the form of glycogen. Once these glycogen stores are filled up, any extra gets stored as fat.
Glycogen (carbs) is the source of energy most often used for exercise. It is needed for any short, intense bouts of exercise from sprinting to weight lifting because it is immediately accessible. Glycogen also supplies energy during the first few minutes of any sport. During long, slow duration exercise, fat can help fuel activity, but glycogen is still needed to help breakdown the fat into something the muscles can use.
Adequate carbohydrate intake also helps prevent protein from being used as energy. If the body doesn’t have enough carbs, protein is broken down to make glucose for energy. Because the primary role of protein is as the building blocks for muscles, bone, skin, hair, and other tissues, relying on protein for energy (by failing to take in adequate carbohydrate) can limit your ability to build and maintain tissues. Additionally, this stresses the kidneys because they have to work harder to eliminate the byproducts of this protein breakdown.
See the science behind food choices, especially for athletes?  🙂
Don’t fear carbs. Know the difference between healthy carbs (complex carbs like veggies, whole grains, nuts, seeds, etc.) and those that aren’t so healthy (pastries, chips, soda, cookies, boxed foods). Use google for more info on a list of good/bad carbs.

I have told you that high protein is good and important. There is such a thing as TOO high of protein, but to be honest, it’s really difficult to get that high. Protein takes longer to digest, makes the body work harder to digest, repairs muscle, and much more. It’s good to have protein w/ every meal and make the body process it. But, you cannot eat protein by itself all day long! That would be boring…yuck. Most of your other foods are carbs! So….keeping proteins and healthy (complex) carbs on your plates is the best bet. Healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocadoes, certain oils…..are all needed by the body too….but in moderation!! Healthy fats should only be about 25% of your food intake.
Confused? Ask me questions so I can help you learn more about how to feed your body for health! Find me on facebook at www.facebook.com/YourFitnessInfo

Back to the Basics Never hurt Anyone! – Strengthening w/ free weights 411

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Strength train!  Build Muscle!  Muscle burns more calories than fat! Yadda Yadda….you all have heard this before. You know what it means, but do you know how to do it? Do you know where to begin? Most don’t….so here’s the 411 on the basics of muscle-building.

I do not like the machines at the gym. (My opinion!) They work 1-2 muscles at a time in one direction. I don’t have time for that. I need to be able to work many muscles at one time and get on with my day. I also like to work them in functional patterns and movements which I use on a daily basis. Free weights allow that. For beginners, I recommend getting some free weights. Start w/ 5 lbs. It’s not a bad idea to get some 7-10 pounders too. The exercises should be done slowly so that your muscle is carrying you through the movement, not the momentum carrying you through. Do reps of 8-12. The last 3 of each should be difficult. If it’s not…increase the weight or go up to 15 reps. Repeat the exercise & reps 2-3 rounds. Do not compensate with other muscles….keep the rest of the body still (this uses core strength) and there are always ways to make the exercise harder. =) That’s what therapists do to patients…..always make it more difficult to showing progress! Stay within your pain-free range of motion with all exercises.
You can also do these without free weights too, or use objects around the house as weights.
I will give you 3 exercises for your butt and thighs to start. Back to the basics. It never hurts to re-examine basic form.  Stay tuned for more exercises!

SQUATS: free weight in each hand. Stand about 1-2 feet in-front of the couch. Slowly bend knees, and stick butt out until butt touches couch and then stand up. Having knee pain? Don’t go so deep. Important facts: to avoid future knee pain, keep knees behind toes at all times! Weight should be through heels. Do not allow knees to lean towards each other!! Keep knees apart and it works the butt more.

LUNGES: Free weight in each hand. Stand w/ feet shoulder width apart and take a LARGE step forward w/ one leg. Slowly bring pelvis straight down towards floor keeping back straight. Slowly raise up. This is a balance exercise also. No need to go lower than 90 degrees of knee flexion (bending) for knees. Weight should be on front heel and back toes. As with the squats, if it hurts, don’t go so deep. Stay within your pain-free range of motion.

DIAGONAL: stand feet shoulder width apart. Put a weight by your left foot. Without moving your feet, tighten your core and slowly squat down and pick up the weight with both hands and act as though you are going to transfer it to a shelf above your head on the right side of your body. Return weight to left foot. Your feet should not move, this is an overall strengthener into a PNF (diagonal) pattern. Do 8-12 reps and repeat on the other side. You will want a heavier weight for this exercise.

Remember….going until the muscle fatigues is key!! Then, eat protein post workout to supply muscles with the ability to heal faster so you are ready for tomorrow’s workout.

If you are looking for ways to advance these exercises, contact me on facebook at www.facebook.com/YourFitnessInfo or my website at http://www.YourFitness-411.com.

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