Monica's Motivation to Move!

I wanted to share a simple experience that I had tonight to reinforce the fact that fitting in physical activity has to be a "must do" activity, not an "if I have time" activity.  At one time, physical activity may have been viewed as a leisure activity, but scores of research has proven that regular exercise provides numerous benefits, including:

*preventing chronic illness
*weight loss and successful weight management
*lowering cholesterol
*improving mood
*stress management
*improving quality of sleep
*strengthening heart and lungs
*strengthening bones
*easing joint pain
*decreasing risk of cancer
*prolonging life

Back to my story...tonight while I was at my son's baseball practice, I was getting in my physical activity walking around the perimeter of the park and I saw an older man who was also walking.  As I got closer to him, I saw him climbing stairs and commented on the fact that stair climbing is great exercise.  He stated back "yes it is, I have to do it...this is how I get in my aerobic exercise".  He proceeded to go up and down about 10 more times and then continued on with his walk.  As I continued on, I thought about his choice of words..."I have to do it".  Not only does he feel like he has to do it, but he really seemed to be enjoying himself.  

Now, you don't need a gym membership or an array of home equipment to exercise (although those are both great for added variety).  You simply need a pair of good shoes, and the motivation to walk out your door.  Go to your nearest park, find a set of stairs to climb or simply walk around your neighborhood. 

The bottom line is that exercise has to be a priority.  Think about exercise the way you do about all of the other things that you have to do in your life...getting kids ready for school, going to work, preparing meals, running errands (the list could go on and on).  Make exercise a non-negotiable part of your life.  There will be some days that you simply cannot fit it in - on those days, I challenge you to find 10 minutes, just 10 minutes, for a walk - 5 minutes out your door and 5 minutes back.  That 10 minutes will benefit you for that day and will also help to make exercise a consistent routine...consistency is the key!

Tonight, I could have easily brought my chair and watched baseball practice from the sidelines, especially since I feel like I'm coming down with a cold.  Instead, I chose to take advantage of that time to fit in some much needed physical activity.   I honestly felt physically better and happy to have had that brief experience with a total stranger who embraces his health and wants to live his life to the fullest!  Don't you?

If you have your own story to share or would like some ideas on how to get started with an exercise program, please make a comment or send me a direct email at HMRatHome@earthlink.net.  I would love to hear from you!

Earlier this week, Alicia posted a fantastic blog about role modeling healthy behaviors (click blogs to read entire blog).  It made me think about the different roles I have in my life - mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, personal coach, and, most importantly, parent.  As a parent, the most important "job" I have is to be a good role model for my kids. 

I understand the huge responsibilities that come with parenthood - we have to teach our children right from wrong, how to be honest and respectful, how to care for others, and how to care for themselves.  We need to teach them and show them through our own behaviors how to live a healthy, disease-free, long life.

As I was reading through health news today on the web, I found yet another distressing story about overweight children.  New research shows that overweight children as young as 3 can begin to show signs of cardiovascular disease risk factors.  The study showed that 24% of US children aged 2 - 5 are overweight and 12% are obese; 33% of children aged 6 - 11 are overweight.  Another study published by the American Heart Association found that obese children are showing arteries of 45 year olds.  

These startling statistics can easily be addressed by ensuring that our children are eating healthy foods, including lots of fruits and vegetables, and getting enough exercise...the same behaviors that we, as adults, need to practice to maintain a healthy weight and keep from developing chronic diseases.

Here are some ideas to help kids eat right and get more physical activity.  I invite you to comment and post your own suggestions for me, and others, to read and learn from.

• Have fruits and vegetables readily available and encourage them at every meal.  Prepare cut-up fruit, such as apples, pears, pineapple, melon, berries, grapes, etc. and have it in easy to grab containers or single serving ziploc bags.  Kids often love crunchy vegetables, such as carrot sticks and cucumber - give them a little low-fat ranch dressing or hummus for dipping!
• If your children are school-age, send them to school with a healthy lunch.  Don't rely on school lunches, many of which are too high in fat, salt, or sugar.  I recommend that you also avoid Lunchables - although they are marketed as a fun way to enjoy lunch, they were recently listed as one of the worst food items for children.  Get your kids involved in preparing their healthy lunch and they will be more likely to eat it and enjoy it!
• If you are going to be out with your kids at sports practices and/or games, go prepared.  Bring a cooler full of healthy snacks, such as low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese sticks, cut-up fruit, veggies, whole-wheat tortilla wraps with turkey or a thin layer of peanut butter, and, of course, water.  Avoid the temptation to get them something quick and easy at a fast food restaurant.
• Reward your kids for their good behavior or school/sports performance with fun family activities, such as ice skating, roller skating, bowling, etc. rather than with food.
  
• Involve the whole family in fitness.  Go for walks, bike rides, investigate a new park, play at the playground.  You will be spending great quality time together and improving your health!
• Get kids involved in sports (if they are old enough).  Not only will they benefit from being physically active, but they will also build their social skills and confidence.
• Limit TV and video games.  Allow your kids to watch or play for a short amount of time AFTER they have been physically active!
• For more ideas for fun ways to fit in physical activity, check out my blog posted on January 28.

As parents, it is our responsibility to model healthy behaviors and instill those same behaviors in our children.  Their future depends on it!

Last week, I traveled to Orlando, Florida for the annual HMR training.  I have to say that I was a little concerned, as I always am when I travel, about how I was going to continue with my workouts.  I love to exercise, even if it means just simply fitting in a 30 minute walk. I feel more energized, sleep better, and have a more positive outlook when I exercise.  

I came up with a list of great ideas to stay fit while traveling, many of which I did last week.  I plan to keep this list handy for future travels...I hope you do, too!

•  Make sure the hotel you choose has an exercise room or fitness center.  We chose the Hilton, which had a great Precor fitness center.  One word of advice: don't go at 6:00 am - this is prime time, especially if there are other business travelers with morning meetings.  Arrive before 6:00 or after 6:30.

• Pack appropriately.  Be sure to bring your running/walking shoes and workout clothes.  Workout clothes don't take up a lot of room so be sure to bring enough or else you'll be washing them in the bathroom sink! 
  

• Pack portable exercise equipment, such as resistance bands (with or without handles) or a jump rope.  I didn't bring mine on this trip, but I plan to in the future.  It's a great way to fit in a little extra strengthening!

• Fit in exercise at the airport.  Often, we have over an hour to wait before boarding our flight after checking in and going through security.  Make good use of this time.  Last week, I walked...20 minutes from my gate, through the terminal, and 20 minutes back.  I also used the stairs when going from one level to the next.  I guarantee you will not run into traffic on the stairs like you do on the escalator - you'll actually get up and down faster!  One helpful tip - be sure that your carry on is not too heavy since you'll be lugging it around with you.

• Walk, walk, walk...and walk some more.  If you are traveling for business and have meetings all day, be sure to fit in some walking when you can.  Luckily, our schedule allowed extra time at lunch to walk (a great idea!).  Even a 10 minute walk will be enough to reenergize you and help you focus for the rest of the day. 
  

• Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, be sure to stay active.  Don't just lounge by the pool...get in and splash around!  Don't simply sunbathe on the beach...go for a walk - walking in sand provides extra resistance and burns more calories!  Walk whenever you can - it's a great way to sightsee and explore.
  

• And, finally, don't use your traveling as an excuse to "eat whatever you want".  Pack healthy snacks and water to have on the plane.  Make sure that you are eating lots of fruits and vegetables every day (at least 5 servings).  We were lucky enough to have a refrigerator in our hotel room - we stocked up with fruits, veggies, hummus, tuna, yogurt, cottage cheese, and, of course, water.  We saved money by not eating out every meal and felt great!

Happy travels!

Have you made your plan for physical activity today?

Too busy?  Too many meetings?  Too many appointments?

I often hear from clients, friends, family and acquaintances that they are just too busy to fit in physical activity.  You may feel this way, too.  We are probably all justified in feeling this way - our lives have gotten jam packed with responsibilities from the start of our days to the end.  But, I have to ask...can you find 10 minutes in your day to do something good for yourself?

Research shows that moderate-intensity exercise performed in 10 minute bouts can accumulate throughout the day and will provide the same health benefits as one longer exercise session.  So, if you don't have 30 minutes at one time to devote to exercise, break it down into smaller components - a brisk 10 minute walk in the morning before leaving for work, a 10 minute walk during your lunch hour, a 10 minute walk before or after dinner with your family.  There's your recommended 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity!

On some days, you may only be able to fit in one 10 minute bout and that's okay.  The goal with physical activity is to remain consistent and make it a part of your daily routine. 

The National Weight Control Registry, established in 1994, was developed to investigate the characteristics of people who have been able to maintain a minimum of a 30 pound weight loss for at least a year.  They track over 5,000 individuals who have lost significant weight and been successful at keeping it off.  In addition to maintaining a low-fat, low-calorie diet, over 94% of these individuals increased their physical activity (mostly walking) and 90% exercise, on average, at least one hour per day!

The conclusion:  successful weight loss and weight management must incorporate diet and exercise!  For some fun ideas on how to fit in physical activity, click here.

Now, I call that motivation to move!

One of the top headlines this week was Denny's offer for a FREE Grand Slam Breakfast to all customers between the hours of 6 am to 2 pm on Tuesday, February 3rd. 

Let's talk numbers....

• A Grand Slam Breakfast includes 2 pancakes, 2 eggs, 2 sausages, and 2 slices of bacon...a mere (not really) 795 calories and 50 grams of fat (77% of daily fat allowance for a 2,000 calorie diet)
• It is estimated that they served over 2 million people across the country.
• People lined up in the hundreds and waited for hours for their free meal.
• It cost Denny's an estimated $5 million for the Superbowl Ad in which the offer appeared and the free meals.
• Denny's website received over 14 million hits from people trying to find a location near them - and crashed!

Is a 795 calorie breakfast (with 50 grams of fat) a good, healthy way to start any day?  I don't think so!

Let's take a look at what this means just in terms of calories and physical activity.  In order to burn off this 795 calorie breakfast, a 150 pound person would have to:

• Do medium intensity exercise, such as walk at 4.0mph pace, for about 2 hours and 40 minutes;
• Do high intensity exercise, such as jogging or swimming, for about 1 hour and 20 minutes;
• Do very high intensity exercise, such as running, fast stairclimbing, or jumping rope for just over an hour.

But, after having a breakfast laden with calories and fat, who is going to want to engage in one to over two hours in physical activity?  Probably not many. 

So, while this promotion may have been good for Denny's business, it is bad for the health, and waistlines, of the 2 million people who took advantage of the offer and who may go back to Denny's for another try!

This is yet another extreme example of "The Gap", that ever-widening difference between healthy living and our current American culture.

Personally, I'll stick with my ritual of HMR Multi-Grain cereal with fruit and my morning workout.  My body will be much happier for it!

Another day is upon us!  If you are like me, most days are like Groundhog Day...get up, get the kids off to school, go to work, run errands, clean the house, make dinner, do homework, clean again, get the kids off to bed, read or watch tv (if possible) before falling sound asleep to be ready to start all over again.  Whether your day-to-day routine is similar to mine or different, the bottom line is that we are all extremely busy and often stressed out.

Our to-do lists are often full from the beginning of the day to the end and we think that there just isn't time to fit in any physical activity...that it's just not possible.  I encourage you to find a way to make it happen, even for 10 - 15 minutes!  Time spent on physical activity is time well spent, not time wasted.  If you are stressed, I guarantee a walk in the fresh air will help clear your head and make you feel refreshed.  If you are feeling tired or sluggish, moving your body will make you feel strong and prepared for anything.  

Look at your to-do list for today...have you planned time for physical activity?  If not, can you fit in 1 - 2 bouts (or better yet, 3) at 10 - 15 minutes each? Challenge yourself to find the time and write it on your to-do list.

Maybe it's...a brisk walk at lunch and then again after dinner, participating in a new class at the gym, working out with a fitness DVD at home, or doing exercises while watching your favorite show...  Whatever it is, just make sure you do it!

Remember, every moment spent on physical activity is another moment that helps promote weight loss or weight maintenance, prevents weight gain, reduces the likelihood of developing chronic diseases, reduces stress, improves sleep patterns, improves your mood...the list goes on and on!

So...decide on a plan, write it down and stick with it...you will be glad you did!

Do you think you don't have time for physical activity?  Do you feel like you just don't like to exercise very much?  Do you think that exercise can only be done at the gym? 

Consider this...our bodies were made to move.  We were meant to be physically active and we perform better and feel better when we are active.  When we are active, our bodies are better able to fight off illnesses and chronic diseases and we are able to maintain a healthy body weight, thus making even more physical activity possible and enjoyable!

I encourage you to think outside the box when it comes to your physical activity.  Here are some suggestions:

If you have kids...

• Play a game of soccer - You will definitely get a workout running around the soccer field with your kids.
• Set up an obstacle course at a park or playground - Bring a jump rope and devise a mini circuit:  jumping rope, step-ups on benches, jumping jacks, chin ups or pull ups on the monkey bars, push ups on the ground or using a bench, walking lunges, squats.  If there is a large grassy area, you could also include running or walking intervals.
• Swing - You forget how fun swinging actually is!  When you swing, contract your abs and use your core strength rather than your legs to propel yourself higher - I guarantee, you will feel it!
• Be silly - Skip, do a side shuffle, run with high knees (pumping your arms) - your kids will love it!

If you are stuck in the house because of weather:

• Play balloon volleyball - A simple balloon is all you need to have a great game of balloon volleyball.
• Dance - Put on your favorite music and just dance...the louder, the better.  Kids go crazy when the music starts!
• Create an indoor circuit - If you have stairs, use them!  You can include stair climbing, jumping jacks, push ups, squats, lunges, tricep dips on the edge of the stairs, jogging in place...if you have home equipment, such as bands or a ball, incorporate even more exercises.
• Do an exercise DVD - There are so many fitness DVD's available...walking, yoga, kickboxing, dancing, calisthenics, etc...choose your favorites and get moving!

While doing household chores:

• Walk up and down stairs as much as possible - Bring one or two things up at a time so that you have to make more trips.
• Squat down when picking things up - Focus on tightening your legs and glutes when picking things up - don't bend at your waist!
• Stretch when washing windows or mirrors - Emphasize the movement when you reach high places and feel the stretch!
• Putting food in pantry - Take the opportunity to do a few sets of bicep curls or overhead presses with canned food.
  

This is just a short list of ways to fit in physical activity throughout your day...and have fun doing it!  If you have your own fun ways of fitting in physical activity, please let me know - I would love to share them.

Remember, the goal is to KEEP MOVING!

Three key areas should be considered when developing, or building upon an existing, fitness training program.  They are:

• Flexibility Training
  
• Cardiovascular Training
• Strength Training

Many of us are creatures of habit.  When we find a type of exercise that we like and that works for us, such as running, cycling, weight lifting, etc., we often stick with that for a period of time.  The problems with that are:  1.  our bodies become very efficient at that particular exercise and we start to see diminishing results, and 2.  we are not addressing the natural occurrences of aging, such as losing muscle mass, balance and flexibility.  In order to combat these forces, we should adopt a well-rounded fitness program including the key areas highlighted above.

Flexibility is the ability to move your joints and muscles through their full range of motion.  Many activities, such as running, tighten our muscles.  Flexibility training helps muscles loosen and lengthen back to a normal state.  Some benefits of flexibility are:

• Improves balance
• Decreases risk of injury
• Decreases aches and pains
• Easier body movement

Examples of flexibility training:

• General stretching
• Pilates
• Yoga
• Tai Chi

Cardiovascular Training, or aerobics, can be defined simply as the body's ability to get oxygen and blood to the muscles.  There are many factors to consider when developing a cardiovascular training program, such as:

• Frequency - number of training or activity sessions for a certain time frame
• Intensity - level of demand activity places on the body, for example:  low, moderate, or vigorous
• Time - length of time engaged in the activity
• Type - the activity used
• Enjoyment - the pleasure and personal satisfaction derived from an activity

Benefits of cardiovascular exercise include:

• Improves muscle strength
• Promotes fat loss
• Increases energy 
• Lowers blood pressure
• Improves immune system
• Lessens anxiety and depression
• Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, and osteoporosis

Click here to find examples of moderately intense and vigorously intense exercise.

Strength Training, or resistance training, is the use of muscular resistance to build the strength, anaerobic endurance, and skeletal size of muscles. 

Strength training can be done in a variety of ways, using a variety of equipment, such as:

• Resistance machines
• Free weights
• Resistance bands
• Kettlebells
• Medicine balls
• Stability balls
• One's own body weight
  

The benefits of strength training include:

• Increases bone density and builds bone, muscle, tendon, and ligament strength
• Improves joint function
• Reduces risk of injury
• Improves cardiac function
• Elevates good cholesterol
  

A trained fitness professional can provide you with a fitness assessment and establish a personalized strength training program based on your current level of ability.  I highly recommend doing this, if possible.  It will ensure that you are training properly and effectively and will reduce the risk of injury.

Before beginning any exercise program, you should consult with your physician if you have any medical issues or concerns. 

When you are ready to begin, be sure to incorporate flexibility, cardiovascular and strength training as part of your well-rounded program and ENJOY!!