Posted by Monica Bautista on Wed, May 05, 2010 @ 09:13 AM
How often have you felt unmotivated, lethargic, or even downright grumpy after being cooped up inside at home or at work for a long time? An interesting new study from the UK shows that even five minutes a day of "green exercise" goes a long way to improve people's moods, self-esteem, and mental health. "Green exercise" is activity that is done in the presence of nature.
How often have you experienced being refreshed and rejuvenated after stepping outside, enjoying the sunshine, and breathing in fresh air? Just look at kids and how happy and energetic they are when they are outside, running around and playing. If you have kids of your own, you may wonder like I do sometimes...where do they get all of that energy? Now, research has shown that being outside and moving around in nature creates this positive effect.
So, I encourage you to leave the treadmill, elliptical machine, or stationary bike behind today and Get Moving outside! Click here to download Full Life's Outdoor Workout...challenge yourself and reap the benefits of "green exercise".
To read more about this study, click here.
Posted by Monica Bautista on Thu, Apr 08, 2010 @ 08:30 AM
Happy Thursday! I hope you are all having a great week.
As you may have read back in February, First Lady Michelle Obama has launched a nationwide campaign, Let's Move, aimed at tackling and eliminating childhood obesity. If you have not visited the website to learn more about the objectives and goals of this campaign, I encourage you to do so. I also encourage you to join the campaign, subscribe to their blog posts, and read all of the valuable information about how to help kids make healthier choices and be more physically active.
As I was leaving the gym the other day, I noticed a flyer in the Kids Club area where my kids go to play when I work out. It had the Let's Move logo on it so I picked it up to see what it was all about. It was a week-long event in which kids were invited to participate in a special exercise class every evening; every time they participated, they would receive a punch on their card. At the end of the week, all of the punched cards would be entered into a drawing and the kids would be eligible to win great prizes of fun outdoor toys: a football, frisbee, a kite, etc. I was so excited to see that the staff had embraced the idea of encouraging kids to be more physically active. I was also excited to see that they were not using food as a reward!
As a parent, keeping my kids healthy and providing them with opportunities to be physically active is my top priority. I know that what I do now is building a foundation for them and helping them develop the skills they will need to live a healthy lifestyle as they grow older.
All of us can make a difference as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends...and it is our job to do so! Learn more about Let's Move and about how you can help create a healthier generation of children.
If you have any stories about things happening in your community or ideas about how you help your kids stay healthy, we would love to hear them!
Posted by Monica Bautista on Wed, Mar 17, 2010 @ 03:07 PM
It's Wednesday again! I hope everyone is having a great week. Spring is definitely in the air here in Northern California...I hope it is where you are, too!
This week I want to talk about the common mistake of overestimating the number of calories expended during physical activity. Research has shown that many people underestimate their caloric intake and overestimate their caloric output. As many of you probably know, one pound = 3,500 calories; that means that to lose 1 pound per week, you need a 3,500 calorie deficit. If calories in are underestimated and calories out are overestimated, people may think they have more of a deficit than they actually do. This can lead to frustration, especially when trying to lose weight.
It is important to use calorie expenditure tables or caloric readouts on cardio machines as a benchmark, but beware of consuming extra calories based on those numbers. Calorie tables and cardiovascular machines are based on caloric expenditure for an average person; they don't take into account the body fat percentage or the fitness level of each individual person doing the activity. Cardio machines, such as treadmills and elliptical machines, can overestimate expenditure by up to 25%!
When clients ask us how to estimate the number of calories they are burning in physical activity, we direct them to the HMR Walk-O-Meter. This table provides an estimated number of calories burned per minute for various levels of activity - low, moderate, high, and very high intensity - based on your weight. Beware of categorizing your physical activity level too high; if you are unsure, it is always better to err on the low side. That way, any extra calories you burn are bonus!
I encourage you to download our FREE Weight Loss Planning Guide and complete the Calorie Budget Worksheet. This worksheet will help you figure out your calorie budget at your current weight and your calorie budget at your goal weight. You can then use the Walk-O-Meter guidelines to estimate the number of calories you will expend for various forms of physical activity and make your plan!
Remember, the more you move, the more calories you will burn! So, get out there and Get Moving!
If you have questions or want to go over your Calorie Budget Worksheet, call us! We are here to help you achieve your goals!
Posted by Monica Bautista on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 @ 01:24 PM
Happy Wednesday to all! I hope that you have been scheduling in time for your physical activity this week. Remember, it takes energy to make energy! The more you put in, the more you will get out!
Today, I want to talk about the importance of setting goals for your physical activity and fitness, especially if you are new to exercise or have just become bored with your current routine. There is no reason why physical activity should ever be boring - it's just too much fun!
Here at Full Life, we work with our clients to set realistic, measurable short and long-term goals to achieve a healthier lifestyle. And, because we know how important it is to practice what we preach, we, too, set goals for ourselves. Here are our fitness goals:
Whether or not you decide to train for an athletic event or if you just want to increase your physical activity and get more fit, the important thing is to have a goal. Here are some tips to get started:
- Establish your goal. Be specific.
- Write down your ultimate goal. Make it realistic and measurable.
- Break down your ultimate goal into smaller, achievable mini-goals.
- Determine how to achieve your mini-goals. Make a plan.
- Monitor your progress. Use a training diary or download Full life's Monthly Planning Calendar.
- Be flexible. Life happens...it's important to be able to adjust your plans and goals as needed.
- Focus on the positives! Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small they may seem!
If you want some extra support or accountability to get started or stay motivated, call us! We are here to help you get healthier!
Posted by Monica Bautista on Wed, Feb 10, 2010 @ 08:37 AM
Happy Wednesday to all! As you may have read in my post last week, I spent the end of the week at the HMR training in Southern California. It was a great opportunity to reconnect with so many others throughout the country who are helping their clients lose weight and live healthier lifestyles. There was also some very powerful data presented that I want to share with you today regarding how a healthy, active lifestyle protects against mental decline.
We have known the benefits for our bodies that result from regular physical activity - it helps to combat chronic diseases, improves mood, helps with weight loss & weight management, boosts energy level, promotes better sleep...
More and more research is now being conducted about how regular physical activity affects our brain. Here are some highlights:
- Physical activity slows the process of myelin breakdow (myelin is the "insulation" around nerve fibers in the brain).
- Exercise stimulates the production of neurotransmitters and the formation of new synapses.
- Physical activity guards white blood cells from aging by preserving telomere length (telomeres are the tips of chromosomes that protect the cell from aging).
- Aerobic exercise immediately improves short term memory.
- In a study of over 3,000 twin pairs, fitness far outweighed genes in determining higher intelligence.
- Remaining physically, mentally, and socially active has a substantial impact on whether older adults experience declines in memory and cognition, which includes our ability to learn and solve problems...with the benefits of aerobic exercise being the most impressive.
For more information about the studies that produced these findings, please email me at HMRatHome@earthlink.net.
Do your body and your brain good...get out there and Get Moving! Have a great week!
Posted by Monica Bautista on Wed, Feb 03, 2010 @ 07:24 AM
I'm leaving today to go to Southern California for HMR's annual training. I've got my bag packed and ready to go...
- Outfits, check!
- Shoes, check!
- Jacket & sweater, check! (it's always cold in hotel conference rooms!)
- Toothbrush, toiletries, check!
- Running shoes, check!
- Workout clothes, check!
- Resistance bands, jump rope, food journal and workout log, and IPod, check!
The first four items are things that everyone brings when traveling (or has to buy when they get there!). The last three may not be the most common items to pack when traveling, but they are an easy way to keep up with your physical activity while away from home.
Here are some other ideas:
- Do your research...choose a hotel with a fitness center and/or a hotel that offers exercise programs on the television. If you go to the fitness center, I suggest arriving before 6:00 a.m. or after 7:00 a.m. - this hour seems to be prime time for many business travelers.
- Fit in exercise at the airport. Don't just sit as you wait for your connecting flight. Walk 10 - 15 minutes away from your gate and 10 - 15 minutes back (more or less, depending on when your flight leaves). Use the stairs instead of the escalator - they are always a lot less crowded!
- Walk, walk, walk, and walk some more. Especially if you are in business meetings all day, you need to get up and get your body moving when you can. Even if you can only fit in a 10 minute walk during the lunch break, do it! And then try to fit in another at the end of the day.
- Stay active! Don't just lounge by the pool...get in and splash around! Rent a bike! Go for a walk and sightsee!
- And, finally, don't use your traveling as an excuse to "eat whatever you want". Pack healthy snacks and water for the plane. Bring your HMR meal replacements and hand-held blender with you (or call the hotel ahead of time to see if they will have a blender available for you). HMR shakes, puddings, and entrees are portable and great for traveling. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables - at least 5 servings per day. Make wise choices when you go out to eat, like grilled chicken or fish, steamed veggies, salad (without cheese & dressing), or a baked potato with salsa!
Remember, the next time you travel, make a plan for how you will fit in physical activity on your trip, go prepared, and keep moving! It will be that much easier to resume your workout routine when you get back home!
Happy Travels!
Posted by Monica Bautista on Tue, Jan 26, 2010 @ 11:01 PM
Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness. ~Edward Stanley
Last week, I read Laird Hamilton's book, Force of Nature. For those of you who have never heard of Laird (as I hadn't until last week), he has been hailed as the world's greatest big-wave surfer. I was interested in looking at his book because I wanted to find out about his circuit training workout which, as it turns out, is a great, challenging workout. But, I was surprised to find so much more in his book, especially the chapter titled "There's No Such Thing as Not Enough Time".
As I read this chapter, so much of what I always find myself saying to clients was right there in front of me. As Laird writes, "it takes energy to make energy". When people say they do not have time for exercise, he states, "how can you not have time for your health and sanity?" So true...
Yes, you may not have 1 or 2 hours to spend working out at the gym, but that doesn't mean that you should give up and call it a day. How about 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes at lunch, and 10 minutes in the evening? And then on those days that you can devote more time, do it!
The point is that physical activity should be a part of your life, your everyday life. Plan it, schedule it, and make it happen. Take advantage of opportunities that arise throughout the day...if you can take the stairs instead of the elevator, take the stairs (& go up and down a few more times). If you find yourself at the mall or the grocery store, make a couple of extra loops around. Take your dog for a walk. Play catch with your kids. The possibilities are endless!
Remember, "it takes energy to make energy"...the more you move, the better!
If you have great ideas about how you make the time to fit in physical activity, please email me at hmrathome@earthlink.net - I would love to hear them!
Posted by Monica Bautista on Tue, Jan 19, 2010 @ 11:48 PM
Happy Wednesday to all! I hope you all are having a great, active, and healthy week. Remember, fit in physical activity when and where you can...MORE is BETTER!
This week, I want to share some powerful information about the benefits of exercise. But first, consider this:
If there was a pill that would:
- Lower the risk of stroke by 27%
- Reduce diabetes by 50%
- Reduce mortality and the risk of recurrent breast cancer by 50%
- Lower the risk of colon cancer by over 60%
- Reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's by 40%
- Decrease depression as effectively as Prozac or behavioral therapy
Would you take it?
Let me ask another question...If you are thin, does that mean that you do not need to exercise?
And finally...Is weight loss the only benefit of exercising on a regular basis?
If you answered yes to any or all of these questions (or even if you answered no), I encourage you to take a few minutes and read The Hidden Benefits of Exercise published in the Wall Street Journal on January 5th.
While you're there, check out the video about Joy Johnson, an 81- year old marathoner...If she can do it, can't we all??