o Eat before you go grocery shopping. Many people do their week’s grocery shopping on Saturday or Sunday, do not go to the store hungry or you will most certainly put things in your cart on impulse.
o Keep healthy snacks handy in the car. Whether you are traveling or running errands, carrying a healthy snack will keep you out of the drive-thru lane.
o Keep a food journal. A journal will make you more mindful of what you are putting into your mouth. A recent study found that food journaling actually doubled weight-loss efforts!
o Limit eating out. Try to avoid fast food all together. If you do eat out remember to eat reasonable portions and eat all your vegetables.
o Limit your alcohol consumption. There are a lot of empty calories in alcohol. It also reduces your inhibitions to eat junk food AND makes you feel hungrier.
o Plan to get some exercise. Schedule in exercise either one or both days. If you are away from home and no equipment is available simply put on your walking shoes and get moving!
After the weekend, reflect back…
o Which tactics above did you try? Did they work?
o What did you do well?
o Ask yourself: What can you do better next weekend?
Have a fit & healthy weekend! Karin
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Double you weight loss with Food Journaling
You can use a regular notebook for your food journal or contact us at info@xofitness.com and we'll email you ours!
Food Entries... Entering More Than Food
What... It is important to include everything from what you drink to the butter that you place on your roll.
How much...This is the only way that you will get an idea about how many calories that you consume during the course of the day.
When...remember it is important to spread out your meals throughout the day. Every 3-4 hours if possible.
Where...Your may notice a pattern of eating certain times and places besides the table. Sometimes you eat in those places out of habit, for instance the car or the couch not because you're hungry , but because it is a habit.
Why... Were you hungry or were you bored/stressed/sad? By identifying emotions that cause you to eat, you will become aware of them and be able to develop other ways to deal with these emotions. To lose weight, you only want to eat when you are hungry. Check out How Hungry Are You?
After one week, review your food log. You might be able to pick out the trouble spots on your own, or bring your food journal to our studio for a nutritional review. Clients can get a nutritional review anytime they bring in a 7 day journal. If you are not currently a client, simply turn in your food log at xo fitness and schedule a complimentary session.
Yours in Health & Fitness,
Ryan & Karin
Food Entries... Entering More Than Food
What... It is important to include everything from what you drink to the butter that you place on your roll.
How much...This is the only way that you will get an idea about how many calories that you consume during the course of the day.
When...remember it is important to spread out your meals throughout the day. Every 3-4 hours if possible.
Where...Your may notice a pattern of eating certain times and places besides the table. Sometimes you eat in those places out of habit, for instance the car or the couch not because you're hungry , but because it is a habit.
Why... Were you hungry or were you bored/stressed/sad? By identifying emotions that cause you to eat, you will become aware of them and be able to develop other ways to deal with these emotions. To lose weight, you only want to eat when you are hungry. Check out How Hungry Are You?
After one week, review your food log. You might be able to pick out the trouble spots on your own, or bring your food journal to our studio for a nutritional review. Clients can get a nutritional review anytime they bring in a 7 day journal. If you are not currently a client, simply turn in your food log at xo fitness and schedule a complimentary session.
Yours in Health & Fitness,
Ryan & Karin
Sunday, January 10, 2010
How Hungry Are You?
The Hunger Scale
Learn to use this scale to rate your hunger and fullness.
0 - Ravenous, Primal Hunger. I'm so hungry I could die!
1 - Extremely Hungry, dizzy, shaky, faint
2 - Very hungry, irritable, finding it hard to concentrate
3 - Stomach growling
4 - Hungry but not ravenous
5 - Totally comfortable
6 - Feeling like I ate too much
7 - Stomach is stretched/uncomfortable
8 - Very Full/Stuffed
9 - Very Full and Bloated/Overstuffed
10 - So Full it Hurts, Feels like I'm going to explode, Feel sick to my stomach
LEVELS 0-2: Signifies ravenous hunger. You have allowed you blood sugar levels to drop too low. This is when you are most likely to overeat. Avoid this stage!
LEVELS 3-4: These are the best times to eat. Your body is saying that it needs food, however you will be able to make good choices and eat reasonable portions.
LEVELS 5-10: Starting to eat at these levels indicates emotional, not physical hunger. Eating until you reach level 6 and higher may indicate that you've lost touch with your physical hunger; focus on controling your portions.
Tune in to your body so you will look good and feel great in 2010!
Yours in Health & Fitness,
Ryan & Karin
www.xofitness.com
Learn to use this scale to rate your hunger and fullness.
0 - Ravenous, Primal Hunger. I'm so hungry I could die!
1 - Extremely Hungry, dizzy, shaky, faint
2 - Very hungry, irritable, finding it hard to concentrate
3 - Stomach growling
4 - Hungry but not ravenous
5 - Totally comfortable
6 - Feeling like I ate too much
7 - Stomach is stretched/uncomfortable
8 - Very Full/Stuffed
9 - Very Full and Bloated/Overstuffed
10 - So Full it Hurts, Feels like I'm going to explode, Feel sick to my stomach
LEVELS 0-2: Signifies ravenous hunger. You have allowed you blood sugar levels to drop too low. This is when you are most likely to overeat. Avoid this stage!
LEVELS 3-4: These are the best times to eat. Your body is saying that it needs food, however you will be able to make good choices and eat reasonable portions.
LEVELS 5-10: Starting to eat at these levels indicates emotional, not physical hunger. Eating until you reach level 6 and higher may indicate that you've lost touch with your physical hunger; focus on controling your portions.
Tune in to your body so you will look good and feel great in 2010!
Yours in Health & Fitness,
Ryan & Karin
www.xofitness.com
Saturday, January 9, 2010
SMART goals
Yogi Berra once said, "You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going, because you might not get there."
Be sure your goals are SMART:
Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Reward-based
Time-framed
SPECIFIC
"I am going to get in shape this year" is too vague. Instead, say "I am going to exercise for 30 minutes twice a week for the next 4 weeks." You should consider being even more specific and schedule the days you will exercise on your calendar. Notice how this statement is measureable in couple of ways (minutes of exercise & days per week) it also has a time frame of 4 weeks so when you have successfully exercised through out the month of January you can reward yourself. Then you can set a new goal (maybe 3 days/week) for the month of February!
MEASURABLE
Most people who make "getting fit" a New Years Resolution are concerned about their body image and want to see changes. Avoid setting a goal to lose a specific amount of weight in a specific amount of time as your one and only goal. Instead, assess your starting point...click here for details.
ATTAINABLE
Steer clear of false expectations. Do not expect to lose more than one pound per week. You did not get out-of-shape overnight and it may take some time to see the results. Weigh yourself only once each week. For most re-assessments wait at least one month.
REWARD-BASED & TIME FRAMED
It's important to dangle a carrot out there for motivation. Setting a time frame will help you know WHEN it is time to reward yourself. Think of something you've been wanting to do. When you reach your 4 week, 8 week or 12 week goal do something nice for you!
Our advice to those just getting started: Make your resolution to stick with it through March 31, 2010. Once you get past that three month milestone, experience the benefits of regular exercise and see some results you will look good & feel great!
Do you need help setting or reaching your goals?
Email us at info@xofitness.com
Yours in Health & Fitness,
Ryan & Karin
http://www.xofitness.com/
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Safe Shoveling
If you live in Wisconsin, shoveling snow is as inevitable as eating cheese but not nearly as fun (or tasty!). Shoveling combines intense aerobic activity with weight-lifting, so even if you are in shape, it is important to do it right.
Who should not shovel?
Anyone all ready experiencing back problems or any cardiac risk factors (history of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smokers) should let someone else do the work or get a snow blower. If in doubt, talk to your primary care giver before you start. You could save yourself a lot of pain and money by delegating this task!
How to Avoid Shoveling Injuries
As for the rest of us, shoveling can be great exercise as long as we do it right. Shoveling snow can aggravate your back and increase your risk of cardiac-related conditions. Here are some tips for avoiding shoveling injuries.
1. Warm-up. Avoid straining your muscles and cardiac system by gradually increasing your heart rate and stretching. Before you pick up a shovel, do each of the following exercises 5x:
· Stand on one leg and swing the other forward with a straight leg and back bending your knee to bring your heel toward your butt.
· Slowly bend forward to touch your toes.
· Circle shoulders forward and backward.
· Reach one hand up to sky while reaching other hand down the side of your leg toward your knee; switch sides.
· Get on hands and knees or stand facing a chair and place your hands on the seat. Arch your back curving it down toward floor with tailbone lifted and shoulder blades pulled together; then round back up toward ceiling tucking tailbone under and letting head hang between arms.
2. Drink water. You will probably break a sweat shoveling so drink some water before you head out. Dehydration can stress your heart.
3. Dress properly. Yes, it is cold and you want to bundle up, but in a few minutes you may start to overheat, so dress in layers you can remove. Overheating places undue stress upon your heart. Also, proper footwear is important not only to keep your toes warm, but also so that you have good traction.
4. Use proper technique.
· Push the snow. Instead of lifting it, lower the handle to about hip height and “plow” it.
· When you must lift; use your legs. That means you should bend your knees NOT at the waist.
· Take small scoops. It might take longer, but you won’t strain as much.
· Avoid holding your breath! It sounds silly, but holding your breath causes a sudden increase in blood pressure.
· Abdominal bracing (tighten up as if someone is about to punch you in the stomach) will protect your back.
· Switch lead leg and hand to avoid overuse. This feels awkward like writing with your non-dominant hand, but do it anyway and you will not only get more coordinated; but stay balanced.
· Avoid twisting and don’t throw snow over your shoulder.
5. Take breaks. Pay attention to how you feel. Take a break every 5-10 minutes to recover if you are over doing it and never ignore chest pain or tightness.
6. Timing is everything. If possible, shovel later in the day because a back injury is more likely to occur in the early morning due to the build-up of fluid in the spinal column from lying down all night. If you have to shovel in the morning (most of us do) be sure use the warm ups listed above!
7. Stretch when you are done. You might feel like collapsing in a heap, but you should do the same stretches mentioned for the warm-up.
Shoveling may be a necessary evil, but done correctly it doesn’t have to be a pain. I hope you will get out and enjoy the snow whether you ski, snowshoe, or just build a snow man with your kids.
Do you have a health or fitness question? Contact me karin@xofitness.com
Yours in Health & Fitness,
Karin
Karin Jennings is a certified personal trainer and co-owner of XO Fitness, LLC in De Pere.
Who should not shovel?
Anyone all ready experiencing back problems or any cardiac risk factors (history of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smokers) should let someone else do the work or get a snow blower. If in doubt, talk to your primary care giver before you start. You could save yourself a lot of pain and money by delegating this task!
How to Avoid Shoveling Injuries
As for the rest of us, shoveling can be great exercise as long as we do it right. Shoveling snow can aggravate your back and increase your risk of cardiac-related conditions. Here are some tips for avoiding shoveling injuries.
1. Warm-up. Avoid straining your muscles and cardiac system by gradually increasing your heart rate and stretching. Before you pick up a shovel, do each of the following exercises 5x:
· Stand on one leg and swing the other forward with a straight leg and back bending your knee to bring your heel toward your butt.
· Slowly bend forward to touch your toes.
· Circle shoulders forward and backward.
· Reach one hand up to sky while reaching other hand down the side of your leg toward your knee; switch sides.
· Get on hands and knees or stand facing a chair and place your hands on the seat. Arch your back curving it down toward floor with tailbone lifted and shoulder blades pulled together; then round back up toward ceiling tucking tailbone under and letting head hang between arms.
2. Drink water. You will probably break a sweat shoveling so drink some water before you head out. Dehydration can stress your heart.
3. Dress properly. Yes, it is cold and you want to bundle up, but in a few minutes you may start to overheat, so dress in layers you can remove. Overheating places undue stress upon your heart. Also, proper footwear is important not only to keep your toes warm, but also so that you have good traction.
4. Use proper technique.
· Push the snow. Instead of lifting it, lower the handle to about hip height and “plow” it.
· When you must lift; use your legs. That means you should bend your knees NOT at the waist.
· Take small scoops. It might take longer, but you won’t strain as much.
· Avoid holding your breath! It sounds silly, but holding your breath causes a sudden increase in blood pressure.
· Abdominal bracing (tighten up as if someone is about to punch you in the stomach) will protect your back.
· Switch lead leg and hand to avoid overuse. This feels awkward like writing with your non-dominant hand, but do it anyway and you will not only get more coordinated; but stay balanced.
· Avoid twisting and don’t throw snow over your shoulder.
5. Take breaks. Pay attention to how you feel. Take a break every 5-10 minutes to recover if you are over doing it and never ignore chest pain or tightness.
6. Timing is everything. If possible, shovel later in the day because a back injury is more likely to occur in the early morning due to the build-up of fluid in the spinal column from lying down all night. If you have to shovel in the morning (most of us do) be sure use the warm ups listed above!
7. Stretch when you are done. You might feel like collapsing in a heap, but you should do the same stretches mentioned for the warm-up.
Shoveling may be a necessary evil, but done correctly it doesn’t have to be a pain. I hope you will get out and enjoy the snow whether you ski, snowshoe, or just build a snow man with your kids.
Do you have a health or fitness question? Contact me karin@xofitness.com
Yours in Health & Fitness,
Karin
Karin Jennings is a certified personal trainer and co-owner of XO Fitness, LLC in De Pere.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Stressed-Out
Americans are, in general, stressed out and the holidays just put the icing on the cake. According to the American Medical Association, stress is a factor in more than 75% of sickness today. Also, according to the World Health Organization, stress is America’s #1 Health Problem.
How do we reduce stress-levels?
First, you must make reducing your stress a priority which means finding time to manage it. Consider this:
“If we do not make time for health we’ll have to make time for sickness.”~Marilu Henner
“If we do not make time for health we’ll have to make time for sickness.”~Marilu Henner
How is stress affecting you?
Some people have physical symptoms such as headaches, back pain, heart disease, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, decreased immunity, stomach upset or sleep problems. Others experience anxiety, restlessness, irritability, depression, anger lack of focus or burnout. Stress can also affect behavior causing overeating, angry outbursts, drug or alcohol abuse, social withdrawal, crying spells or relationship conflicts. If you think about it, most of these physical symptoms, feelings and behaviors will just cause more problems and more stress and lead into a downward spiral. Yikes! How do we put on the brakes? Put on the brakes by taking a break.
Some people have physical symptoms such as headaches, back pain, heart disease, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, decreased immunity, stomach upset or sleep problems. Others experience anxiety, restlessness, irritability, depression, anger lack of focus or burnout. Stress can also affect behavior causing overeating, angry outbursts, drug or alcohol abuse, social withdrawal, crying spells or relationship conflicts. If you think about it, most of these physical symptoms, feelings and behaviors will just cause more problems and more stress and lead into a downward spiral. Yikes! How do we put on the brakes? Put on the brakes by taking a break.
Here’s my favorite new quote:
"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." ~Author Unknown
"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." ~Author Unknown
Ways to reduce stress
Got 5 minutes?
Find a quiet place (even your parked car) where you can close your eyes and breathe. Try Progressive muscle relaxation. In this relaxation technique, you focus on tension and relaxation. Start by tensing and relaxing the muscles in your toes and progressively working your way up to your neck and head. Tense each muscle group for five to ten seconds and then relax and move on to the next muscle group. Most people hold a lot of tension in their upper back, neck, jaw and face. You may not even realize that you are tense in those areas until you try this technique. Imagine letting the tension “melt away”…this really works great.
Got 10 minutes?
Exercise. You just knew I was going to say that didn’t you? It doesn’t take as much time as you may think. Even a brisk 10 minute walk can help to clear your mind. Physical activity increases the production of endorphins, your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters.
Got 20-60 minutes?
Longer bouts of exercise (if squeezing them in doesn’t not stress out your schedule) are highly recommended. Cardiovascular exercises such as walking, running, cycling and swimming will all give you some “me time” which is great for sifting through your list and solving a problem or two. Another suggestion: relax, breathe and get re-focused with yoga or tai chi. Do you need to get totally distracted? Try a playing a sport or attending a choreographed exercise class which will keep you focused on the activity at hand with no chance to dwell on your problems.
Put things into perspective
I love the question: “Will this matter 5 years from now?” Some things will, but a lot of things won’t. Try to identify them.
Follow Richard Carlson’s advice: "Don't sweat the small stuff... and it's all small stuff."
Yours in Health & Fitness, Karin
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