Carriefit

In with the NEW Post 4: New Goal Setting Approach

2012-01-31T15:15:00.000-06:00

How is your goal setting? Are you realistic? Are you specific? What about your time table? Too many of us throw a goal out there, like "I want to be thin" or "I want to be strong." These are wishes, not goals. Let's not confuse the two.

A wish might be a fun thought. It might be something that you feel is attainable for a moment, but then vanishes. It might be arbitrary.

A goal is definite. You can close your eyes and see it. It is close enough in your mind to almost touch it. What is your REAL goal and how do you plan to see it through?

For many people, something in writing or otherwise visual may help with the concrete nature of your goal. Do you plan to be able to run a certain distance by a certain date? Write that date down. Review that date. Make a timeline to lead up to that date. Do you plan to start a new eating plan? Get pictures (www.pinterest.com makes it so fun) of your new meals and snacks. Post them for yourself. Learn to make them. Have a week's worth of recipes by a certain date.

Can you see this as a reality now, not a wish? Be real with yourself. Make yourself accountable. And, if necessary, enlist help! Friends, trainers, professionals, etc, can really help hear you out and make you talk out your plans.

What happens if you get to the date and the goal didn't happen? You need to continue to another date without judgement. When we spend too much time judging ourselves for not accomplishing what we had planned, we negate the entire process and sometimes take steps backward. Take a breath. Forgive yourself. Start again with the new lesson of a realistic timeline or a more realistic, attainable goal. And go for it.

In with the NEW: Post Three

2012-01-22T08:24:00.001-06:00

Are you ready to be a 10 minute super hero?

Time and again, I hear "I don't have time!" "When do I fit it in?" "How can I work out when I have so many responsibilities?"

Gone are the days when we should expect to have an extra hour for exercise. For working parents, it usually does not exist. But 10 minutes does exist in today's world. How long did you look at pinterest today? Play Farmland? If you have 10 minutes, you can work it! But you have to be efficient.

Example 1: walking lunges, moving squats, push ups. 10 minutes, and you'll feel it. And your heart rate will be up.

Example 2: 10 minutes of punches and kicks (especially on a bag), and your body is worked!

Example 3: a quick 10 minute run may only get you a mile plus a little down the road, but if you are limited on time, then you are more likely to push that mile out and improve your pace.

Example 4: 10 minutes of salutations leads to a worked body and a relaxed mind.

Try it!

In with the NEW: Post 2

2012-01-18T20:00:00.000-06:00

Reset your tummy timer!

Your old tummy timer did not tell you in advance that it was getting full. Your eyes did all the talking and your numb tummy took everything you fed it, and then ached after what could have been a wonderful meal. What good is a wonderful meal when you feel terrible later? I'm all about enjoying the food, but only if you can enjoy the after.

Instead, start listening to the tummy timer to tell you when you are finished with your meal. Here's how.

1. Start using a smaller plate. Pull out the salad plates rather than platters.
2. Put small portions on your plate. Don't pile anything unless it is a vegetable. Pile the veggies as high as you like, so long as they are not fried or slathered in butter or cheese.
3. Eat slowly with NO SCREEN TIME, and enjoy your food.
4. When you start to feel satisfied, stop eating. Move your plate away from yourself.
5. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
6. If after 20 minutes, you find you need some more food, finish what you are comfortable with and then set the timer again.
7. Continue the cycle until you feel comfortable at the end of the 20 minutes. Not Busting. Not uncomfortable. Just done and comfortable.

This takes a little practice, but after a few tries, you should know your body signals of being 80% full. Then, you can stop using the timer for a while.

As you start to lose the need to stuff your stomach, your stomach will shrink. You may not require as much food to feel 80% full. Go back to the timer exercise and see if you need to reduce portions at this time. Though your portions get smaller, never cut out an entire macronutrient (carb, fat, or protein). Balance your plate with healthy carbohydrates, like whole grains and vegetables, healthy fats, like fish or nuts (or cook with olive oil), and lean protein, like white meat poultry or soy products.

We'll talk more specs later. Let this be a temporary guide for realistic eating.

Out with the OLD: Post One

2012-01-11T19:24:00.000-06:00

Here is where we get even more honest with each other. Is there something OLD that you are carrying around that manifests itself as extra weight? Is it like a huge boil on you that you can't shake? A lie you tell yourself? A lie you tell someone else? Now, you need to be honest. Write it down just for you. When you get in touch with reality, you can start to take the negativity away. Here are some lies people tell themselves. See if you relate:

-I'll just eat/drink this once, and I won't ever need to again!
-I'll work out tomorrow.
-Monday is my new diet and exercise day!
-I can smoke and be healthy
-I can drink a bottle of wine/six pack of beer every day and be happy and healthy
-I'm only going to live this unhealthy lifestyle until....

What is wrong with all of these statements we tell ourselves? You are not being honest with where you are and where you are going! It's time to turn those statements in to honesty!

-I have a problem with overeating/overdrinking, and I need help with my addiction.
-I don't want to work out.
-I don't want to change my eating habits.
-I can not smoke. At all. Any more. And I need help with that.
-I need to review my relationship with alcohol and put it in perspective.
-I am choosing to live an unhealthy lifestyle.

OK. Now, we are being honest. What should you do about it?

1. Get the help you need. If you have an addiction problem, a doctor or trained professional can help with that.
2. Get on an exercise program. Today. And do it tomorrow. And the next day.
3. Start eating good, fresh foods. Now. Don't even wait until tomorrow. And dump the trashy foods that you have in your pantry or fridge. Now.
4. Choose a healthy life. There are plenty of resources. There are professionals, websites, self help books, videos, online tutors, and ways of accessing information like never before. Do it now. Don't wait. Start walking. Start moving. Start eating vegetables. Start researching recipes, workouts, etc. Dump the dumpy food. Now.

Ok, now we are getting somewhere. Give yourself a new truth.

1. I need help and I am going to seek it. Now.
2. I deserve a healthy life and I am going to seek it. Now.
3. I deserve to feel wonderful. I am going to start. Now.

Ahhhh......

In With the NEW: Post 3

2012-01-06T06:15:00.001-06:00

There are really two things I want to talk about today. I've mentioned waking up in a positive place. Make sure you are also going to bed in a positive place. A quiet place free of screen time is best. I should also mention that if you are a caffeine drinker, make sure your caffeine cut off time is a few hours before bed. My personal cut off is 4:00. Caffeine past 4 means I'll be up all night. Set a bed time that will give you 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep before the morning of peace begins.

Secondly, I want to remind you that you are a being of energy. You emit energy all day long. You know, like how you and your friend say the same thing at the same time, or like how you can feel through someone's energy how they feel about you. Or even how you can tell without looking that someone is watching you. People are energy fields that constantly emit energy, positive or negative. Think about the power of prayer. What are you really doing when you pray for someone? You are sending out your energy into the universe toward the divine (God) to pass along energy of a positive nature. It's no mistake. People radiate heat and light, like celestial beings.

I first discovered this and really started to think about our role as energy fields when I was watching a Discovery show on stars and galaxies. The scientist was explaining that we are "ashes to ashes, dust to dust," but that our very ashes came from stars. We are made of stars. We are the stuff of power and energy. And if you think about the life of a star, from a heat and light producing beautiful celestial being, to a small ray of a smaller light, to a consumer of the energy of others, our lives could be the same way. But the Lord gave us the ability to not become a black hole.

A black hole sucks the energy and life out of the stars around it. Do you know a black hole? Are you a black hole at times? You have the capacity as a human being to change that. You do not have to be a black hole. If you remind yourself to emit a positive light daily, or to reflect the positive light of the Lord, then you can be bright. Your rays of light will positively impact others. And it won't take away your energy to share your rays with others. Conversely, if you choose to become a black hole, you will take the energy out of others. And, for that matter, when you surround yourself with black holes, your light will be sucked out.

Everyone knows a black hole. The person that walks in to the room and spreads negative feelings all around. The black hole does not get brighter from taking the energy from others, but feeds itself into deeper blackness. You do not have to surround yourself with black holes. You have the right to excuse yourself when a black hole enters the room. You can take control of your environment and keep the black holes at bay. Toxic friendships that bring you down or make you think less of yourself are NOT friendships. A friendship made of positivity and light will only make your light feel stronger. Sometimes, you cannot escape the black hole that lives in your home or works right next to you, but you can distance yourself, excuse yourself from their presence, and focus on more productive use of your time.

Why am I telling you this? Because when you find your light and when you feel the positive energy of self love and good friendships, many other good health habits will fall in to place, because you will care enough about yourself and others to treat yourself with respect. Today is a good day to evaluate whether you are a star or a black hole, and also to evaluate which category your surrounding people fall into. Some of the time, you may need to reevaluate what your true friends are and whether certain relationships need to change.

In With the New Post #2

2012-01-02T10:39:00.000-06:00

Habit #1 had to do with brain function and brain chatter. Habit #2 has to do with how you set yourself up for success or failure on a daily basis based on your morning habits.

What do you do when you get up in the morning? Are you awakened in the midst of chaos? Do you rush yourself and family into a frenzy? Do you yell and scream at yourself or your family first thing? What about the media you pay attention to first thing? Are you turning on the news and facing death and destruction first thing in the morning? What about breakfast? What breakfast? Now consider how that sets you up for the rest of your day. Do you feel harried? Rushed? Anxious? Angry? Nervous? If you are starting your day this way, your are setting yourself up for this kind of day.

I'm not asking for a big time commitment here, but consider this kind of morning. Wake up a little bit before your children if you have them at home. If not, make sure you are getting up in time for a little bit of ease in your schedule. Do not turn on the news first thing. That can wait at least 15 minutes while you set yourself up for a successful day. Consider one or more of these early morning habits instead:

-a brisk walk
-some sun salutations (you can find these on my youtube site, www.youtube.com/user/CarrieFit
-read a chapter of the Bible
-meditate or lie in savasana pose and quiet the mind for a few minutes.

It only takes a few minutes to reset your mind to a more positive place. Then, make a healthy, hearty breakfast of eggs and toast or oats with fruit and cinnamon. Enjoy it with tea or coffee and plenty of water.

Ahhh.. How's that? Try it. Journal your results in relation to the rest of your day. Do you feel a little different for the rest of the day? Does it carry over in to your work place? Your relationships? Your family ties? If you have a story for me, feel free to share.

Namaste.

In with the NEW! Post ONE

2011-12-29T15:02:00.000-06:00

So, I am trying to move my blog somewhere friendlier, but in the mean time, I will start my series "Out with the Old, In with the NEW" over here on bloodspot.

I hope you are thinking of what is working in your life and what is not. To achieve wellness, we must start looking at mind, body, and spirit, so make sure to list your goals in each area and see their connection. Without one of the three, the others will not work in their best way. During this series, I will be talking about habits. Some of them are such a part of your life that you may not even see that they are habits. But we can nudge our habitual ways enough to lead a more clear and efficient life, and therefore a healthier one.

So, if you are starting to read through this, you think my first habit is going to be about physical exercise, right? Or what your are eating and when? Well, of course I am concerned with that, but we have to start from the top. Literally. We have to start with the way you are thinking, and more specifically, the way you are thinking about YOURSELF.

Let me first make sure you understand that I am NO psychologist! These realizations come from my beginning practices in yoga and meditation, which I highly recommend!

Your brain is full of thoughts. Constant thoughts. Thank God for that, right? God made such a miracle in you by creating your brilliant brain. But that same brain can sabotage your efforts. Your thoughts are so much more than just thoughts. Those thoughts become what you think of yourself. What you think of yourself becomes you. Remember that cheesy Saturday Night Live skit "I am good enough, I am smart enough, and Doggone it, people like me."? Well, it's ridiculous in the skit, but it isn't far from the truth. Most of our brains don't tell us those nice things. Most of our brains play tapes of past events, things others have told us, or thoughts we have conjured up through bad events in our lives. Somehow, those thoughts outweigh and overpower the kind thoughts.

So, your next assignment is to be conscious of these thoughts that creep in and how often they happen. Examples would be "You'll never achieve this," "you are not strong enough," "you have no will power," "you are not important enough to spend time and money on," or "you will always be this way." These are just thoughts, and they don't mean anything unless you let them. So, much like in meditation, when these thoughts occur, your assignment is to acknowledge that it happened, and then usher that thought away. There is no judgement because you had that thought. There are no repercussions for having that thought. Just acknowledge it and send it away. You can follow that thought with one that better represents you, such as "I am worth this effort," "I care about me," "I am not my past," or "I am definitely strong enough." One of these statements that works may become your mantra in these days, and as I heard someone say the other day, when you say something nice often enough, it becomes you. Wouldn't it be nice to become one of these thoughts rather than something angry and bitter from one of your old thoughts?

As you begin to clean out the system and usher the old thoughts goodbye, you may see some of them happening less often. Self doubt is normal, and it will come and go, but using this process will hopefully make them happen less often. Hopefully, by setting your brain up for success, you will then be ready to create new habits and usher out the habits that are not conducive to a new, healthier, brighter life.

I hate Blogger!

2011-12-29T13:16:00.001-06:00

I need to find a new place to blog, apparently, because I can't embed anything on this site. Links disappear. Suggestions are welcome.
If you can do it the old fashioned way, type in www.youtube.com/user/Carriefit to find my free fitness videos on youtube. Tell me what you think of the beginning workouts. There are LOTS of things coming. What would you like to see next?

I'll let you know when I can get a different site running my blog. This just isn't going to work for a multi-media blog site.

Carrie

Out With The Old In With The New Series

2011-12-28T15:57:00.000-06:00

In the next few days, especially in to 2012, I will be have this series running about ending old habits and beginning new ones. While I am thinking on the topic, start journaling your own feelings on it. What do you see yourself ending? What do you see yourself beginning? How would you like to start fresh and what would that mean?

Also, in the mean time, my youtube page is on its way. I will post it as soon as it is looking good!

Feel free, as always, to send me your comments and concerns.

Carrie

2011-12-15T20:30:00.000-06:00

Beginner's Plyometric Workout

In plyometrics, you challenge muscles in explosive movement.
Note: only for moderately fit people with no back or joint issues :) And no pregos. If you do have a health ailment, make sure your doctor ok's any kind of explosive movement.

The easiest way to plyo the arms are through the arm movements outlined in my cardio kickboxing workout. An advanced exerciser can extend push ups to leap the hands from the ground and return.

Plyo legs are through jumping exercises.
1. Jumping squats
2. Jumping split-squats
3. Jumping plies

Do 4-8 reps of each exercise with a walking recovery in between sets. One way to work in plyos is to do three squats without jumps and then add a jump, and repeat the sequence 4-8 times. You can do the same with the other exercises.

Enjoy this new challenge!

2011-12-08T20:25:00.001-06:00

Day 12: Where are you?

If you did cardio kickboxing on day 11, do your cardio speed bursts on day 12, and vice versa.

If you are doing cardio kickboxing, try last week's workout, or look on netflix for the 10 minute series on kickboxing. It's Keli Roberts, which of course gets my recommendation. Do the whole video,not just 10 minutes. Great workout.

If you are doing speed intervals, try to increase your full speed times to 25 or even 30 seconds of bursts every 5 minutes, but increase your recovery time to 45 seconds before going back to a moderate-comfortable pace. Try to do 5 or 6 blocks of intervals with recovery and moderate tempo in between.

2011-12-06T21:16:00.001-06:00

Day 10

Look at my facebook page for video ideas for today. It is a core-yoga day. www.facebook.com/carriefit

Carrie

2011-12-03T14:10:00.001-06:00

Day 7: Rest and Reflect.
You absolutely must schedule in a rest day in any exercise plan. Without a rest day, the muscles cannot recover and rebuild. The brain needs rest as well. And your body needs to not start overproducing cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that works well when you are also producing adrenaline, that feel-good-go-get-em hormone. When it is out of whack, cortisol can cause the body to swell and make weight loss or body sculpting difficult to impossible.
On this day of reflection, you can take weight and measurements if you want to, or you can just reflect on how you are feeling and what is working.
Fell free to tell me how it's going for you and what you would like to see coming up.

Don't forget to FB me@ www.facebook.com/carriefit

2011-12-02T19:45:00.001-06:00

Day 6: Primary Ashtanga Series

Take a yoga class or join yoga today on youtube or online at www.youtube.com for a great, full body yoga workout.

Have a relaxed and calm day.

2011-12-01T20:43:00.001-06:00

Soon To Come: My You Tube Exercise Channel

I am so sorry, my dear readers. It is so difficult to find a video that I would recommend for a good full workout. I am personally now making it my goal to do a channel in the new year that you can refer to any day at any time and find a comprehensive workout.

That being said, next is Day 5! Toning with kickboxing.

0-2:00: jump rope or pretend to jump rope

2:00-4:00: shuffle side to side with a pretend (or real) speed bag. Pretend you are holding ice picks and picking off the ice by your forehead.

4:00-5:00: Bob and weave. Protect your face with your fists. Squat down and raise up to the side, like you are ducking a punch. Alternate sides.

5:00-10:00: standing abdominals. Brace the abdominals, pull down with your hands as you pull up your knee. If it helps, hold a ball in your hand and bring it to your knee. Alternate sides to the front 15-20 times. Then, Bring your knee up to the side while your knee comes down to meet it. Do 15 per side. Finish the time with high knee jogs.

10:00-15:00: arm challenges
A. Jab (quick punch) with a shuffle, 50 per side
B. Punch (deep punch with force), alternating 50 times
C. Hook. Pretend to punch someone in the jaw at a close range to you. Your arm creates a hook shape. Alternate 50 times.
D. Upper cut. Get into a squat. Pretend to punch someone in the jaw, bring the fist up from your rib cage. Raise up slightly and return to the squat. Alternate. 50-100.
Remaining time, practice a combination of the above punches.

15:00-20:00: leg challenges
A. Front kick. Brace abdominals. Lean back slightly as you pretend to push a door open with your foot. Alternate. 25.
B. Side kick. Turn the left foot to face 45 degrees out from the body. Lift the right knee. As you lean left, push open an invisible door that is slightly behind you to the right with your foot. Bring the knee back in and return the foot to the floor. Repeat 15-20 times and switch legs.
C. Back kick. Lift the knee up and then push the foot to open an invisible door behind you while leaning forward. Bring the knee back in and down, switch sides. Alternate 15-20 times.
With the time left, use a combination or practice above leg moves.

20:00-25:00. Blocks.
A. Bob and block. Go back to the bob and weave. As you raise out of the squat, block with an outward sweep of the arm, bent at 90 degrees.
B. Low rear block. With a flat hand, extend your arm behind you, as if slicing a person in the lower abdomen, and quickly retract the arm to the block position. Alternate 15-20.
C. Mid rear block. Use your elblow to quickly push back in the rib cage area. Quickly return. Alternate 15-20.
D. Upper rear block. Put your right fist in your left hand. Push your right elbow behind you, as if blocking a punch to the head. Return quickly. Alternate 15-20.
With the time left, combine the above blocks.

25:00-27:00: jump rope
27:00-29:00: speedbag
29:00-31:00: bob and weave, block and weave
31:00-35:00: combine jabs, punches, kicks, and blocks.
35:00-37:00: march or walk it out
37:00-39:00: lie down, do straight or bent leg raises to fatigue.
39:00-45:00: pull knees in to chest. Hold and breathe for a few seconds. Extend legs and arms, pretend that someone is pulling fingers and toes to elongate the body. Turn over, go into cat-cow poses. Sit, stretch back, legs, arms, chest, shoulders, etc.

Feel great? Great. Kick butt all day.

2011-11-30T18:50:00.001-06:00

Day 4: Cardio-Inverval Intensity

Adding intervals adds strength and stamina. You will notice after practicing intervals that your body will be more efficient. You will also be multiplying the number of calories that you use in a day because you are building muscle and helping your entire body use fuel more efficiently.

Use a stop watch, digital watch, or sports related timing app for this workout.

Choose a cardio activity that can be timed and intensified. The best examples would be walking, running, swimming, or biking.

0-2:00: start in a moderate pace. Take it easy for these two minutes, breathing deeply and feeling heat come in to the muscles.

2:00-5:00: find your low-moderate pace. This is a pace that you can talk in, but have a constant cardio flow to. Your rate of perceived exertion should be around a 5 out of 10.

5:00-5:20: high intensity interval. Push yourself to a exertion of 9 out of 10. Warning: 20 seconds feels like a long time at this level. You should focus on breathing in and out, not talking to anyone.

5:20-6:00: walk or jog it out. This is a recovery mode, so slow way down without stopping completely. By the end of this 40 seconds, you should feel that you can talk again and are smiling again.

6:00-8:00: moderate pace, around a level 4.
8:00-10:00: a little faster, around level 6.
10:00-10:20: high intensity interval
10:20-11:00: recovery mode

Repeat the 6:00-11:00 directions four more times.

35:00-40:00: recovery mode to slow mode. Bring the heart rate down and calm the breathing.

40:00-45:00: stretch the back and legs with long, thoughtful stretches.

Enjoy the rest of day 4!

2011-11-29T06:16:00.001-06:00

T2C Day 3: Core and Yoga

1. If you have done Pilates before, follow this sequence:

A. The 100
B. 6 Roll-ups
C. 6 single leg stretches each side
D. 4 roll overs
E. 6 double leg stretches
F. 6 beat-beat-up
G. 90 seconds of swimming

If you have NOT done Pilates before, you can make today your first day by seeking professional help or taking a LIVE class.

If you do NOT want to take a Pilates class today, try this yoga-core sequence:

2. After your core sequence or Pilates, go to a basic awakening stretch yoga series, such as this one:

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!
Namaste.

2011-11-28T21:01:00.001-06:00

T2C Day 2

Day 2: Basic toning.You will need a set of hand weights at a moderate weight. Something you can lift easily, but not that you could toss around like a balloon. (I'm using a pair of tens).

Warm up:
0-2:00: shuffle feet side to side while hitting a make-believe speed bag. Think of it as a large piece of ice in front of your forehead, and you are using an ice pick in each hand to make shaved ice for your soon-to-be beverage. Your feet are just moving easily, bouncing side to side.

2:00-5:00: moving squats. Step to the side as you squat down. Do not extend the knees past the front of the foot or toes. Step together and then step out for another squat. Do at least 3 in one direction and then move them in the other direction. For more challenge, do 12-15 in one direction before reversing.

The following exercises should be performed to fatigue. When you feel that you cannot go any further with good form, then stop and go to the next exercise. One set per exercise to fatigue. Do not repeat.

Drop set push ups:
Go to plank position. Do a full, true push up from hands and toes.

When you cannot complete a full range of motion, drop the knees to the floor and continue to fatigue.
If you cannot do push ups on the floor yet, put hands on the wall and toes stretched behind the center of the body. Complete wall push ups to fatigue.

Plie squats to calf raise:
Stand with feet farther than shoulder width, toes pointed out 45 degrees. Lower the body straight down, dropping the center toward the floor. Knees should stay over feet. Stop when the legs make perfect right angles. Raise the heels (stand on tippy toes) while knees are still bent, stand. Return heels to floor. Beginners, do this to fatigue. More advanced members, complete 12-15, and then do low pulses. Stop on the low part of the set. Pulse the body down and up in small, controlled motions while you alternate heels up. Continue to fatigue.

Bicep/deltoid:
Hold a weight in each hand, palms forward, arms straight. Do a bicep curl to the shoulder, turn the arms so that palms again face forward at the shoulder. Press weights up over head, return to shoulder, reverse palms, finish bicep curl down to start. Continue to fatigue.

Walking lunges.
Take a large step into a lunge. Front leg should make 90 degree angle at the knee. Bring the back leg to the front, and then step that leg forward the same way. Keep walking in lunges to fatigue. More advanced exercisers can continue without stopping in between steps. Beginners will have to stop and rebalance in between steps. Advanced exercisers can also carry a weight in each hand.

Front/side deltoids
With a weight in each hand, lift one arm to the front and the other to the side lifting from the shoulder. Do not shrug. Use only the shoulder muscles. Return and then switch sides. Beginners will need to bend their elbows quite a bit. More advanced exercisers will need to straighten their arms more, but can adjust the lever according to strength and ability. Continue to fatigue.

Deadlift/Drinking bird
With a weight in each hand, stand with feet together and legs straight but not locked out (make sure there is wiggle room in the knees, but don't bend them). Bend over from the hips, keeping the back straight.When you reach a good stretch point, return to standing position, using the hips to raise you up. Beginners will continue in this vein, called a deadlift. Advanced exercisers can do a one-legged deadlift, or drinking bird by letting one leg straighten behind them as they lower down, and then bringing the foot down as the body stands. Continue to fatigue on each side.
IF THE BACK HURTS, STOP THIS EXERCISE. REST AND STRETCH THE BACK.

Single Arm Row/Tricep
Stand in a lunge with a weight in one hand. Keeping the back straight, pull the weight from forward to the rib cage. Hold the upper arm steady, and press back from the fore arm, squeezing the tricep. Return the forearm and then return the upper arm down and forward. It is as if pulling the string on a lawnmower and then pulling that string straight back toward the wall behind you. Then return by bending the elbow and then the shoulder. Continue to fatigue on one side and then do the other.

Stretch:
Breathe and circle arms around and then up over head. Press palms together over head. Exhale and circle arms back out. Do a few times with slow, even breathing. Drop from hips to reach toward legs, ankles, feet, or floor. Keep legs straight but not locked. Hold for a few moments, breathing deeply. Hands on thighs, straighten back and press top of head toward the front, feeling a lengthening in the spine. Relax and curve the spine forward, then repeat.Breathe as you reach up toward the ceiling, then stretch only from one side, then the other.
Continue to use stretches that target all worked muscles. Take your time and time your breathing with your movements.

T2C Day 1

2011-11-27T19:41:00.001-06:00

For those of you following my workout plan from Thanksgiving to Christmas, here is the first day, which I will complete on Monday, November 28.Constant Cardio0-5:00: choose your cardio activity. It could be walking, running, biking, swimming, dancing, etc. Anything that is constant and challenges the heart. Got it? OK, start those first 5 minutes on a steady, easy pace. On a perceived exertion scale of 0-10, you are starting about a 4. Your heart rate starts to increase, but you can easily have a conversation. You begin to feel muscles heat up.5:00-35:00: this is the "constant" part. This is your challenging pace without becoming breathless. After all, you will maintain this rate for 30 minutes. You are exerted at about a 7 and can answer questions if asked, though you might not be able to complete your sentences within one breath. Patterning your breathing will help you get through this portion. Good, steady music helps too (I use www.motiontraxx.com for running).35:00-40:00: you are bringing your rate steadily downward without stopping dead in your tracks. Slow your pace to the warm-up pace and then in the last 2 minutes, slow to a pace of a 2 in exertion.40:00-45:00: now you can stop and stretch. Don't forget all of the muscles you used today the the muscles you always use. Never neglect your spine.http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/15/cat-camelAhhhhh!

Diastasis Recti Part 4: well over a year out of surgery

2011-10-09T18:32:00.003-05:00

I got surgery on diastasis recti with an umbilical hernia on June 22, 2010. It is now October 9, 2011, and I am still feeling the remnants of recovery. The good news is that I am in great shape compared to other people my age, and I am able to live my life as I want. I have no restrictions. I was finally released by my doctor a couple of weeks ago, if you can believe it.But if I compare me to me, I still have my difficulties. For instance, my strong suit was my core. I was a Pilates instructor and enthusiast before it all went haywire with diastasis. Knowing what I know makes a difference in my recovery because, I believe, a nonprofessional would be ok with poor form in trying to get back in to Pilates and other core work. I am very particular with my form, and I know that one improper exercise can send my practice backward. I can finally do about half of the original Pilates series modified. I can do roll ups with weighted assitance, and I have to watch my repetitions to make sure my abdominal wall stays contracted inward.I am finally able to do twisted movement and to extend my spine upward, but I can not bend backward still. I question if a back bend will ever be possible post surgery.I feel very strong and capable otherwise. I hold to my statement that I am grateful for the opportunity to have the surgery, and that I am glad I did it. I would recommend it only to people who have an irreversible situation like mine. I recommend physical therapy from a post natal professional before looking at surgery, and even after surgery.

New training site!

2011-08-30T20:36:00.000-05:00

Friends, I just wanted you to know that I am on the staff at traineo as well as the other stuff I do. I'll be a writer and consultant for them. My first book with them should be out soon, so stay tuned!

Are You Sleeping?

2011-08-14T15:21:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not asking Brother John, I'm asking you! Do you sleep? Do you stay asleep? Sleep relies on so many factors. Here are a few:
-stress
-activity during the day
-disease
-hormones
-diet
-caffeine
Not sure what the problem is? Here are some solutions to start with:
-unplug all technological devices 60 minutes before shut eye
-meditate/pray before bed
-stop eating 2-3 hours before bed
-check hormone levels such as thyroid and ask for hormone meds if you need them!
-eat fresh foods and keep it light
-stop consuming caffeine (including chocolate) 6-8 hours before bed
-try taking melanin in the form of cherries (YUM)
-lie in savasana (corpse pose) 5 minutes before rolling in to sleep position.
AHHHHHH....rest!

Interval Training

2011-07-15T13:41:00.000-05:00

Interval training is one of the best ways to increase cardiovascular endurance and strength. Using intervals will increase your threshold of training. So, to get to the next level (or, to just kick your butt in record time), try adding some intervals to your cardio routine. The most basic interval would be walk-run intervals. If you are usually a walker, try adding a run intervals, either in time (start with 30 second bursts), or distance (One city block at a time). To start this kind of interval, try the program outlined at www.coolrunning.com . The C25K app is also available on Iphone and will guide you through the process.
There are other types of intervals, as well. Do you want to be a swimmer? Start by using the kick board and add a lap of swimming every third lap. Want to challenge yourself on the bike? Try sprint intervals or higher intensity intervals. www.motiontraxx.com has music for bike interval training led by great spinning instructors. Follow the music, and you'll do automatic intervals at set times. Are you a runner and want to increase your strength and time? Short sprint intervals challenge the muscles from a different angle. If you are not ready to sprint, try intervals of a slightly higher rate. A Garmin watch or similar will have times and distances built in so that you can see what your rate is in any given time (www.garmin.com), or use a metronome or metronome app to challenge your pace. For example, if you notice you normally run at a BPM of 160, add some intervals of 180. Start with just 30 second intervals blocked with 3 minutes of your regular speed, and then increase the time of the interval slowly.

Creating a Circuit

2011-07-14T09:03:00.000-05:00

To make the most of your time to work out, try a circuit. Circuit training is cardio and strength training all in one, much of it with very high intensity, to get the most out of your workout. Set up a circuit that includes a cardio station ( a jump rope or trampoline, or even a running in place spot), a strength station (with weights or body-weight station), and a core-inspired station (a mat, ball, or bosu). Rotate between the stations 3 times, spending 2 minutes on each. As you get stronger, add more circuits. Your initial circuit will be a 20-25 minute workout, and you can keep adding to it for more time and intensity. With a larger circuit, add a 20-30 second recovery period in between, and you'll end up with a 30-45 minute full body cardio wear-me-out workout.
Here is an example of a beginning circuit:

Warm up with a march or step touch sequence for 2 minutes.
1. Run in place 2 minutes
2. Use a hand weight. Squat down to put it on the floor, Stand up, squat back down lift the weight (straight back, head up) up, straighten the legs, pull the weight above your head. Repeat for 2 minutes.
3. Pull your arms down as you lift one knee at a time, pulling the abdominals in and exhaling on each rep. Continue with one knee for one minute, and then the other knee for one minute.
Walk around for 20-30 seconds and start the process again.
Do the circuit 3 times.
The final walk should bring the heart rate down. Follow a stretch or yoga routine for 2-5 minutes, and you're done.

That's for starters. The possibilities are endless. You won't get bored, you can design it yourself, and you'll get in tremendous shape. Like a circuit? Do it every other day for a full body workout, or just a couple of times a week for a change to your routine. The body likes to be challenged with something new, and will thank you by changing it's shape for the better. You may also find some new muscles that haven't been challenged before. Bonus!

Fat to Burn Fat

2011-05-22T18:16:00.000-05:00

The macronutrient called "fat" comes in many varieties. Here is what they have in common: they are 9 calories per gram. They come in vegetable varieties, animal varieties, and yes, man-made varieties. So, what kind of fat burns fat?
Think of it this way. A fat in an animal has already gone through that animal's processes and has become fat cells within a body. How do you think your body sees something so fatty that it is predetermined as extra weight on another animal? These fats are called saturated fats. They are usually the artery-plugging type that don't do a whole lot for you. The exception would be fat from fish. These lean little plant eaters create more good-for-you fats that actually FIGHT the cholesterol from saturated fats! The fish oil goes under the same category as the vegetable oils, plus the benefit of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are linked to a reduction in diabetes and heart disease.
Then, there are fats that come from vegetables: olives, avacados, grapeseeds, and flaxseeds. These fats are called unsaturated fats, and the body processes these fats very well. Monounsaturated fats, like olive oil, are the healthiest kinds of fats to drizzle over your food because they, like fish oils, attack bad fats that get stuck in the arteries. Now, keep the whole calorie thing in mind and DON'T over do it! Using a sprayer for oils can keep the amounts low while packing on flavor and getting the health benefits of the oil.
The other source of Omega-3? Good nuts. Enjoy a serving or two of RAW, UNSALTED walnuts or almonds every day for a serving of Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and vitamin D.
Now, for the ugly side of fats. It was discovered many years ago that in order to increase the shelf life of fast food and prepackaged food, that unsaturated fats can be given an extra hydrogen molecule. These would become man-made fats, called trans fats or partially-hydrogenated fats. This is NOT food, and the body does not see it as such. Any amount of partially-hydrogenated oil should be seen as the enemy and should be avoided. It causes immediate inflammation in the body because it is not recognized as a food, and it goes straight to the arteries. The body can not process or expel it because it is unrecognizable. Trans fats have become the bad guy to nutritionists and doctors, finally to lawmakers, and eventually to food manufacturers. Trans fats are actually illegal in some states. Fast food restaurants have gone back to natural oils, as have many pre packaged foods. There is no reason for partially hydrogenated anything to go in to your body. Consider it a poison and do not purchase any product with these. There are plenty of other options!
Poly and Mono UNsaturated fats=the good
Saturated fats=the bad
Partially hydrogenated ANYTHING=the UGLY

Finding My Center

2011-05-21T08:12:00.000-05:00

I was going to post today on healthy and unhealthy fats. I hope to get to that later today or tomorrow. For right now, I am too angry to focus on anything but the absolute insanity of our Texas state legislators. How DARE they mess with kids and old people? How DARE we put up with it? While they give tax breaks to the wealthiest Texans and big oil, they are choosing to try to destroy public education, and send grandma out into the street.
I encourage everyone to know how their legislator voted. www.votesmart.org . Not only that, but we need to remember that at the next election time. Turn off the TV when the attack ads come on and remember the truth: that our legislators do not care about the future because they will be dead and gone. As long as the rich get richer, they could care less about your kids. And your grandma.
These people are obviously blinded by greed. They don't have to answer to their constituents, because they don't care how their constituents feel. I think the public has made it abundantly clear that this is not ok with us. But they have this attitude of being greater than us, and they have the overconfidence that they will be reelected, especially if there is an R after their names. Say NO. Voice your anger. Voice with your vote. Be diligent. Stick up for your kids and your grandma, because they won't.

Basic Nutrition Part 2: Protein

2011-05-18T21:11:00.000-05:00

Protein gets a lot of buzz. It's the miracle food that builds muscle, right? Well, sort of. Proteins are a series of amino acids necessary for the body to build muscle and lean tissue. Proteins are incomplete, meaning some but not all of the necessary amino acids, in vegetables and whole grains. Proteins are complete in animal products and soy products. That is why soy is so valuable in a vegan or reduced animal diet plan. There are other ways to create whole proteins by combining incomplete ones, listed here http://www.bodyforlife2.com/incompletprotein.htm .
There are other ways of getting protein, like in a whey powder form. Just remember that more processed foods have less nutrients and more additives. OR, they could have dangerous additives, such as EAS Muscle Milk, which has had problems recently with large amounts of cadmium (a lethal metal substance) found in the drinks and powders.
Protein is great because it keeps the body satiated longer than most carbohydrates. The down side is that a lot of them have large amounts of fat, too. Some are healthy fats, which I will get to next time, but fats are very dense and can add calories quickly.
The healthiest animal sources of protein are poultry breast and low mercury fish (wild salmon, light tuna). The healthiest soy option would be tofu. Do not limit your diet to all protein, or even mostly protein because the body does not like to use protein for energy. So, if your diet is out of balance with protein taking too much of a lead, you may feel less energy to get the workout done. The other downside is that the kidneys and liver do not like too much protein. Extreme protein dieting can lead to ketosis, which is a serious kidney condition.
Of course, the other thing to remember is that any calorie the body doesn't need becomes fat. So, if you are ingesting a ton of protein and the body does not have any reason to build that much muscle or need those amino acids at that time, then fat stores will increase. Muscle is built from exercise, and no amount of ingested protein can change what your body wants to build.

Basic Nutrition Part 1: Carbohydrates

2011-05-17T20:51:00.000-05:00

Carbohydrates are the topic of debate in many dietary circles, though people that actually know what carbohydrates are have no reason to debate them. They are, quite simply, sugars and substances that grow from the earth. They are the main source of energy in the human body, and they are stored in the muscles and used for brain power. The confusion comes when you start asking "what kind?" and "how many?"
Carbohydrates are 4 calories per gram. The simplest ones, like fructose (fruit) are changed into glycogen instantly and burned very quickly. Slower burning carbohydrates, called complex carbohydrates, work in the body longer. Why is this important? Well, for quick energy and a calorie less likely to stay with you, a simple fruit works great. For a snack that stays with you longer and probably has more fiber, choose a complex carbohydrate, like long grain oats or wild rice.
Fiber is found in many natural carbohydrates and it is important because it A. sticks to fat cells so that some of them will not be absorbed by the body and B. flushes all that extra stuff out of the body in the form of feces. Yes, fiber-filled carbohydrates are your friend. They get rid of the bad stuff, or some of it.
So, when you are choosing carbohydrates, remember that fruits are quick burning, so they won't add weight to your thighs, vegetables are so low in calories and high in vitamins that they are the jackpot of carbohydrates, and whole grains stay with you longer and rid the body of nasty fatty substances. Also, think about that big cookie full of sugar. A carbohydrate? Yes. A lot of calories? Yes. A lot of nutrients? NO. That big cookie is the vast wasteland of carbohydrates. It won't provide you with anything but extra calories, and a lot of them at that. Think about this. A cucumber has seven calories. SEVEN. You just burned that reading this article. A cookie has a couple HUNDRED calories. Which has more bang for your fill? Yeah, you guessed it. Vegetables are best when you mix up tons of colors. Colors mean different vitamins. Cookies are best when you just need a little something sweet on a special occasion. No, they don't need to sit around the house staring at you. Enjoy one, and be done. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains make the body function the way it should, make you feel like a million bucks, and aid in BRAIN and organ function...as well as prevent disease, etc, etc.
Carbohydrates are not the enemy. Just know how to use this powerful weapon!

stitches!

2011-05-13T16:33:00.001-05:00

Drat. I have stitches and am currently not allowed to sweat. Or swim. What's a girl to do in May in Texas? I will have to turn the air down and keep everything to my lower realm of aerobic capability. I just hope it won't deter my fitness level to much. I will let you know. So, I got stitches this past Tuesday, and no sweating until another 2-3 weeks! That's a long time!
In an unrelated note, I saw a girl today who was obviously suffering from anorexia nervosa. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and encourage her to get some help. It often makes me wonder how these eating disorders affect the people who live around and work around the sufferer and how much they can do to save someone who is so deep into a depressed mental state. She was about my height and probably around 90 pounds.

Diastasis Recti: Surgery and Recovery Part 3

2011-05-10T16:51:00.000-05:00

So, I have been slowly recovering for eleven months. I don't think everyone's surgeon is as thorough and intense as mine was. I also don't think others get the individual attention that I have gotten for the past year. My doctor goes above and beyond to check on recovery.
Exercise is a vital part of my life, and I lost a lot of strength. I started the road to recovery with light body weight exercise and yoga. It was amazing to me how weak I was and how inflexible I had become. The abdominal wall functions differently now, and is still not able to completely hold my weight. I can not, for instance, hang from my hands. It even took me a while to be able to leave the ground again. You don't realize how much you have to hold in the abdominals for basic movement until you lose that mobility. Balance was another issue. My back was in a rounded and stiff position for about 16 weeks before I felt like I was at least standing straight, and I still do not have much mobility hyperextending the spine past vertical. Yoga is my best friend in redeveloping this. Being able to be in plank position again was a big goal of mine. I can now hold plank for a couple of minutes, but still nothing like I used to be. It is like I inherited an all new body. My tummy is all pulled in tight and sewn together, but it lost its mobility and strength.
Today, I went back in for a follow up. You can see and feel all of the stitches that hold down the hernia repair mesh. One of them that is prominent has caused a lot of discomfort over this year, so my doctor offered to snip that one stitch out in a simple office visit. Well, it was not such an easy thing (is it ever?), and he could not get the stitch out. The local anesthesia caused the tissue around the stitch to swell too much. So, he covered that area with some of my tissue he pulled over, and then covered it with a synthetic tissue. I am again in a hunched position and hurting, but after what I have been through, this is a walk in the park. I hope this is the last process.
My doctor prescribed some tape-like medicine for the scars. It is called Cordon. I wear it over all of the scars every day, and in about 8 weeks, the scars have become flat and the redness is much reduced. He says the end result will be barely detectable scars. That's a wow, right? The scars run from hip to hip with a dip down the hip bone and straight across the lower pelvis, also a cut vertically in the lower pelvis, and a new navel.
So, in all, Diastasis friends, I would recommend this surgery to people who have a diastasis as advanced as mine was, and who have a hernia in it. Otherwise, I would recommend Julie's process (www.diastasisrehab.com), and help from a post natal trainer (like me!). It is a VERY extensive process to get the surgery, and should be elected as a last result or emergency.

The Paradigm Shift to Weight Management

2011-05-01T13:25:00.000-05:00

In our culture (American), it has occurred to me that people want to lose weight for the following "reasons:"
1. Anger, resentment, frustration at one's self.
2. A feeling of being out of control
3. For someone else (spouse, friend, job)
4. Because the person "has to" or will die
And using these reasons, the typical American person will find one or more of these so-called solutions to achieve smallness:
1. Punish one's self through starvation, over-restriction, stressing the body, over-exhaustion, or by taking something unnatural or dangerous.
2. By leaving it up to someone else to do it for that person
3. By coming up with a quick fix, leaving the conscious awareness of weight loss out of the equation.

As a personal trainer and weight management coach, I have seen all of this and until recently, I have taken personal responsibility for people that have suffered through all of the above reasons and have tried all of the solutions. The thing of it is that I have taken the responsibility for all of those who have failed. Gosh, I would say to my conscious self, I have tried everything with this person, and they are not succeeding! I've used all of my knowledge from all of my trainings and readings. And I can't fix this person!
Therein lies MY problem. It is not my job to FIX anyone. I will never enter a person's mind or spiritual world and make the leap of faith for them. I will never be able to physically connect that person's mind, body, and spirit. That part I can share with others, I can suggest to others, and I can counsel with others, but I can not do it for anyone else.

Here is the real solution.
The mind, body, and spirit are necessarily connected through a personal relationship with one's self and with God (or another name for the Creator of the person). The person must see that he or she is a miracle of God and is a precious commodity unto this earth. Only through self love, self worth, and self respect can one make the conscious, rational decision to make the extra weight go away. Then, the person is ready to do the work involved. Then, the person becomes conscious of what it takes in and what it expends out. Then, he or she is ready to ask a coach, a mentor, a peer to help without the ego getting in the way. Then, he or she can do the work without the excess of stress, anxiety, and anger.

Going Sleeveless: Arms

2011-04-15T09:01:00.000-05:00

Long, sleek, defined, toned. These are the arms we want, and we can get there. In fact, arm muscles are small, so they become defined rather easily with the right routine. Here we go.
1. Yoga and Pilates. Yes, the simple act of taking a mind-body class will instantly improve arm tone. Why? Isometrics (holding poses) creates tone and lift, and stability exercises increase strength. Finally, the posture and positioning in these classes make the arms appear longer and sleeker because the body is in alignment. Voila!
2. Boxing. Now, the boxing stance is quite opposite from yoga, so use these things in balance. The plyometric action of striking, even if it is in the air, forces the muscle to develop. Self defense classes are great for this, too.
3. Lift. Yes, lift weights or use a restistance band or pully to work the arms. The major groups: biceps, triceps, and deltoids.
http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/exercises.aspx?bodypart=2
4. Don't forget the cardio! If you have pretty arms that are covered with a layer of fat, well, those arms are hiding! Use cardio to remove fat from all areas, including the arms. Swimming does amazing things for the heart while toning all those little arm muscles, so there is a perfect double-duty exercise. If you are running or walking, keep the arms at 90 degrees and swing them with control. If you are biking, the isometric work of holding a low body posture also will work the arm muscles.

Nice Legs!

2011-04-10T08:28:00.000-05:00

Ready for shorts weather? Let's get moving today for better results!
1. Checking in all day! Are you using your legs all day? When you sit or stand from a chair, do an extra squat without using the arm rest on your chair. When you walk from place to place, walk with purpose. Have a minute? Do walking lunges around your house for a few minutes. Do moving squats to get to another room or place in your house.
2. Cardio Cardio Cardio! Yes, it's true, leg-intensive cardio sculpts legs and burns that layer of fat over the top. Walking works more of the hamstring and glut muscles (back of the leg), but you have to walk like you mean it. Running uses more quadruceps (front of the leg) and burns more calories. Swimming uses hips and hip flexors. Biking is more quadruceps than hamstrings. All of these are beneficial, so don't limit yourself to one form of cardio.
3. Pilates. You know Pilates as a core workout, but the Pilates professional understands that the core is connected to all other parts, and the legs cannot work without core support. So, several parts of the series are hip exercises that work the muscles in a way that slims and lengthens muscles (think pretty hips).
4. Explode! Jumping rope, jumping on the trampoline, jumping movement in sports, sport training that uses plyometrics, and the new aqua plyo trainings give the muscles such a challenge that they burn a ton of calories and they develop for strength and endurance. Aqua Plyo training is jumping in coordinated exercise in a pool. Look in to this, especially if you are concerned over injuries or joint problems.
Questions? Find me here or on my FB page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carriefit/138324099558280

Core Focus

2011-03-29T08:37:00.000-05:00

The first stage to a strong "core (central section of the body; abs and lower back)" is a new mental focus on this area, all day long. Once the muscle memory is learned, it will be a subconscious focus, but at first, the mind must interract with the abdominals with everything that the body does.
Start with a focus on breathing. A good, strong breath is deep into the lower abdominals, and then is pushed out by engaging the abdominals. Pilates and yoga are based on this philosophy, though they perform deep breathing in slightly different ways. In order to learn the basics of yoga or Pilates, the breathing comes first.
Then, any time you have a moment and can focus on the abdominal section, focus on pulling it in. Think of it like zipping up a tight pair of high waisted jeans, but make sure the lower back does not collapse and fall backward. In order to make the waist smaller, it must pull in from all angles.
Finally, in every motion, breathe out and pull the abdominals in. This is especially true in exercise and in lifting anything. The rectus abdominus is an unusual body part that can push out or pull in, depending on how the person allows this body part to be used. If the person pushes the abdominal wall out while lifting, then the muscles will grow outward and create bulk in the middle of the body. If the person pulls in on every movement, the muscles will grow inward and create the sleek and toned midsection that looks great and works well with the rest of the body.
Even with pretty, strong abs, they can hide under a layer of fat. Burn visceral fat with cardio exercise. Fight bloat with a low sodium diet and LOTS of water.

Work. Hard. Rest.

2011-03-14T11:56:00.000-05:00

So there is a lot of information coming down the pike that has to do with Rest Based Exercise. It makes sense. See, we were designed to work for our livelihood. We were building houses, hunting food, and using elbow grease to clean up only a hundred years ago. Our bodies are still created this way and are designed to work hard and then rest up. It would make sense in the day to hammer until your arm gets tired, take a breather, and then start up again.
In rest based exercise, you perform hard, real-body exercises. Tough intervals of jumping, lifting, sprinting, etc. Things that would push you over the anaerobic (breathless state). You work until you can't, and then take a break until you can again. Think of how kids play. They run fast and then stop when they are tired. Your body was designed this way, and was designed to do amazing things this way.
Here is how it works in the exercise world. Use 20-40 minutes ONLY with a set of very difficult exercises. Perform each one to the best of your ability, going hard. Take a break when you need to for as long as you need to, and jump in there again. At the end of the allotted time, cool down and stretch. The time limit is because of the body's response to an overload of stress over a long period of time. If you try to do this kind of workout for longer than 40 minutes, the body will not respond as well and will begin release cortisol unopposed, which causes stress and inflammation.
Would you like to try this kind of workout? Curious if it will work for you? Want to be part of a loose study? Contact me if you are interested.

Spring Time is NEAR!

2011-03-02T13:19:00.000-06:00

Spring time is calling! If you live in the southern states today, the breeze is blowing and the sun is out. It is calling you to get out there and appreciate Mother Nature. Is your body ready? Tank tops? Shorts? Swimsuits? Get active and get in there to make a big change for your body TODAY. Want killer arms? Time to take up boxing. Nothing will tone your arms faster and make them prettier. No bag? That's ok; just jab the air with a quick retreat and you'll be burning soon! Want killer legs? Time to start running! And what perfect timing it is to run the neighborhood! Check out some apps that make learning to run easier, and get that playlist ready. Now, RUN! What about a flat middle? Well, besides the cardio, it's time to take up Pilates! For best results, see a professional in this matter. If you already know about your Pilates form and you have been trained in feeling the posture and position that make Pilates what it is, then go ahead and explore all the DVD and Netflix options for Pilates. Are you going to do it? OK! TODAY!

MORE blogs!

2011-01-10T06:14:00.002-06:00

Need more Carriefit blogs? I just started writing for hotbodytips.

Setting a Schedule

2011-01-08T08:40:00.000-06:00

Once you start a fitness routine, the questions start to pop up: Am I doing all I can to maximize the results? First of all, you should know that spending hours and hours exercising is a complete waste of time, unless you are training for a major event like a marathon. The old way of losing fat and gaining muscle was long and strenuous, including "rest time" between events or sets. The new and more efficient way is to make a plan that works in a short amount of time.
The cardio MYTH: If you walk or run every day, you will lose the most weight in the least time. The "fat burning zone" is a less-than-optimal range that must be maintained for a long period of time to get the most effects.
The TRUTH: If you walk or run every day, your body will thank you with some weight loss, heart benefits, and an increase in metabolism through more mitochondria in the cell structure of the body. HOWEVER, the "fat burning zone" means that the percentage of calories burned at that zone are more fat cells than general calories. But in your body, a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. Burning more calories means burning more fat. Bottom line: work harder in a shorter period of time and you will burn more calories. Work yourself up a sweat. Increase your breathing. Work in difficult intervals. THIS is how the body burns more calories and increases stamina. Your body will continue to burn calories for a while after the workout, though the exact amount of time is not known. Hard work is really the key to a good cardio workout, and you don't have to do it for hours.
The weight lifting MYTH: Work one body part per day, 3 sets of heavy weights, and rest in between sets. Rest that body part for at least 24 hours after the workout.
The TRUTH: Working the muscles is a vital part to an exercise routine. The more muscle you have, the less fat you will have because muscle cells burn lots of calories. BUT, a workout that includes body-weight lifting, plyometrics, and resistance exercise in a way that keeps the body moving is the most efficient way to build muscle, keep the cardio up, and burn more calories. There are lots of programs out there based on the new truth, including Active II for Wii, P90X, Crossfit, and boot camp methods around the country.
The flexibility myth: If I stretch before and after my workout, that's enough flexibility and I'm good to go....if I remember to do it.
The TRUTH: Stretching before a workout is UNNECESSARY and could actually hurt your workout. Stretching after the workout is important, but a good exercise regimen includes a few minutes of flexibility exercise, Pilates, or yoga every week. Your joints and muscles will thank you for this.
How to work it all in: A good interval workout will include enough of everything to get you in great shape. Check for local classes in your area or purchase a program that lays it out for you. You can also alternate days of running or walking with muscle work. Just make sure to make a little time for flexibility, too. And, if a muscle group is sore, it is rebuilding. Do give it time to rebuild before stressing it again. This doesn't mean don't use the muscles, but do give them some time. The legs in particular need to be used when sore. Walk or run on sore legs to loosen them up and remember to do flexibility exercise.
I hope this helps put some things in perspective. Let me know if you have questions.

Shopping for New Year Fitness Goals

2011-01-02T08:41:00.000-06:00

Ready to get moving? Well, you know you need some gear. May as well get it while the prices are right. Here is a list of the essential items. Check your closet first, and then hit the stores! Keep in mind that you probably don't need everything for the first day, but you probably need to at least get dressed for the workout.
1. Shoes. There are lots of foot types and shoe types. I would recommend that your basic shoe for most people would be a running shoe. Most cross trainers are too heavy, and running shoes are great for most types of exercise. Try on shoes by Adidas, Nike, Asics, and New Balance to find one that works best for you. Take a brisk walk or jog around the store before making a decision. If it feels like you are wearing nothing, then you probably found a good shoe. If you have specific foot problems that cause you pain, make sure you check with your podiatrist about inserts.
2. Clothes. Bulky cotton sweats won't do it. Nowadays, you will find lots of choices in breathable synthetics that adhere to the body well, wick away sweat, and don't get in the way. Adidas, Nike, and Champion have good options. Check Target for the C9 line; it's well priced and does the job well.
3. Home gym or fitness center? If you know you won't workout unless you go to a fitness center, do your shopping now while they are running specials. Find a gym with cardio theater, fitness classes, and a good training staff (check certifications by NASM, ACE, AFAA, AFTA, or ISSA). Also, do you need good childcare? Check out the facility for the kids. Check cleanliness in the facility and locker room. Need a pool? Specific classes? Don't waste money on a lesser facility that doesn't include everything you need. If you want to workout at home, or you know that working out at home is your best option for now, here are some basics to keep in your home:
- handheld weights: a heavy set and a light set (new exercisers go for a pair of tens and a pair of fives)
- exercise bands with handles: Gold's Gym is selling boxed sets this year at Walmart.
- Pilates/yoga mat: sticky mats work best
- balance ball: choose one that you can sit on and the knees bend at 90 degrees.
- workout videos or training systems: Wii Active, Wii Zumba, Wii Dance Workout, etc. optional
- planning to learn to run this year? Download a 5K training system on your computer or phone, such as www.coolrunning.com
- Netflix membership. For $9 a month, you can instant stream tons of exercise videos by Crunch, Self Magazine, and others. And you'll never get bored of your system!
- check the ACE website for constant video updates and proper form information. www.acefitness.org.
- optional equipment: a trainer watch. I like the Garmin Forerunner 60. It has a distance calculator, heart rate monitor, and calorie calculator. Keep track online with their Garmin Trainer system.
- optional: join a peergroup, like at www.peertrainer.com
- running or biking: you need motivational music. Try the podcast www.motiontraxx.com for your ipod. Perfect beats to keep you moving.
- need a trainer? Check the ACE or IDEA website for a good one properly certified in your area. www.ideafit.com

Review: Wii Active II

2010-12-30T20:03:00.000-06:00

I got Wii Active II as a gift this Christmas (I am not a paid spokesperson by anyone) and have used it for three days. Here is what I have found out so far.
This is a pretty detailed program of many types of workouts. After asking a couple of simple questions, it asks what kind of workout your prefer. I chose rigorous, of course. It gives the player the option of a few workout schedules, including the initial 21 day jumpstart. I started with this.
The package comes with a sensor for the arm and one for the leg, as well as a band with handles to attach. Directions for the sensors are self explanatory. Attaching the handles to the band is not so explanatory and I could not attach them in a secure way. I finally got frustrated and used another band.
The workout is safe and effective. It includes tutorials for everything and constant form cues. I am not sure if a person brand new to exercise would understand the cues. If you have tried this program as a new exerciser, please let me know so we can compare notes.
If you are new to exercise and need to see the tutorial, don't stop moving to watch. If anything, practice as you watch. Skip tutorials if you have already seen them. While the program is loading to the next topic, keep a constant movement, such as running, walking, or jumping. With the circuits being so short, you could use the extra time. Stopping and starting is generally not a good idea.
I also noticed that the leg sensor actually sees about half of my actual reps in a fast-moving circuit. Just be aware of this. It does not bother me as I could use the extra reps!
The game should also advise the player to do some other exercise forms. 20 minutes a day 4 days a week will not be as substantial as it would be in conjunction with a cardio plan or other activity.

Overview:

Pros: Simple, short workouts, can be challenging,heart rate monitor, journal of progress, personalized workout, personalized calendar, easy to follow, easy to stick to.

Cons: circuits can be too short, sensor can miss reps, bands not useable.

Overall:
Thumbs up! I'm going to stick to it and see what happens next.

Diastasis Recti: The Surgery and Recovery Part 2

2010-11-30T05:37:00.000-06:00

The recovery at home seemed to take forever. For someone who can push through about anything, being in pain and restriction from movement was a lot to handle. I could not shower for three weeks. I sat up to sleep also for about three weeks. After that time, I thought I would eventually be able to stand up straight. That would not happen for about thirteen weeks. Because of my small size, the sutures for the mesh show through my skin. One is rather pronounced and irritates the nerves around it. That one may need to be removed.
I consider myself to be in recovery still, as things that seem simple are not. Everything is connected to the core, so everything has to be relearned as my body recuperates. Jumping was particularly difficult at first, and I still have trouble with exercises that are body weight on the upper body, like push ups and tricep dips. These exercises really pull on the stitches. The left side is recovering slower than the right and feels pulled and uncomfortable. I can feel where the mesh lays and all of the sutures around it.
After all of this, I am very glad that I got the surgery. My stomach muscles were not going to repair themselves, and this injury was greatly impacting my life. Though the recovery impacts my life, it is well worth it. I will eventually be able to do all of the things I enjoy, though maybe not to the full range of motion that I had when I was younger. At least I feel repaired and pulled together, and the problems associated with torn muscles and hernias are gone.
Because of the shock of recovery and the methods I have gone through for this recovery, I hope to come out with a new DVD or series to help others recover from surgeries or illnesses.

Diastasis Recti: The Surgery and Recovery Part 1

2010-11-29T05:32:00.000-06:00

For all of you who have Diastasis Recti and you have come to the conclusion that it will not close through your efforts, or if you have a hernia in the diastasis and you know you will have to have surgery or live with it forever, I am writing a few articles for you. Please note that I am very honest. Some people do not want to know how it really is and would rather go in to the surgery without prior knowledge. Please know that I am not going to tiptoe around the situation.
The surgery was in June 2010. It is now almost December 2010, and I will say that the recovery is still underway, though I can do most activities that I enjoy, though everything is a process and nothing is easy. Here is how the surgery itself went for me:
Two weeks prior to surgery, I signed my life away and paid a "package" price to my plastic surgeon and the hospital. This took all day. They did blood work and I signed lots of paperwork about risks. My particular plastic surgeon works with a general surgeon on this surgery. The general surgeon removes the hernia and applies the mesh over the area to reduce risk of future herniations. On the day of the surgery, I arrived at 5 AM, and sat in an admitting room where they marked me up and took more blood. They started the IV and I fell asleep as they wheeled me down the hall.
Approximately five hours later, I woke up in the recovery room unable to take a full breath. I was terrified and shocked at first. The nurse was telling me to take a deep breath and I could not. I felt like I was hyperventalating. I could not move. I was taped to a corset-like hard shell that was holding me together. I was in terrible pain, even with lots of pain meds. I do not know how long I was in recovery. It took me a long time to relearn how to get air in to my lungs without expanding my torso, and this is how I would breathe for quite a while.
I stayed in the hospital for two nights. The first day and night, I mostly slept to escape the pain and frustration of breathing and moving. The second day, I had to get up and move more. Everything was difficult. My husband had to help me do everything, including moving my legs. I was on morphine for most of that time, until the headaches became excruciating. They moved me to another pain medicine then. The leaky drains were awkward and gross.
My husband drove me home, carefully, after the second night, and my adventure of recovering at home would begin.

Protect Your Daughters

2010-08-09T09:16:00.000-05:00

Today's news is not shocking, but warrants a review. I am referring to the new study showing that American girls are entering puberty earlier than ever, with a drastic increase in seven and eight year old girls. The experts claim the only proven problem is obesity. This is a problem, of course, but I would refer to the many girls growing breasts who are not overweight. My personal theory is that we are feeding girls products laced with growth hormones, and covering girls with products laced with parabens. I would encourage parents to check their products as follows:
1. milk: use milk that does not contain growth hormones, especially rBst.
2. meats and poultry: check that your provider does not use growth hormones (and while you are at it, check for arsenic in your chicken).
3. bath and lotion products: do not use any product on your child that includes a chemical ending in "paraben." Parabens imitate estrogen and do permeate the skin.

Didn't Mean to Say "I Told You So, BUT...."

2010-07-20T15:10:00.000-05:00

Dr. Oz reports on his radio show this week that multiple sets are NOT necessary and may do NO more good than single set workouts! HOWEVER, this means that single set needs to fatigue the muscle. You're going to have to work a little harder, lift a little heavier, but hey, you only have to do it once and MOVE on. In fact, in strength training, shorter workouts are better because there is less risk of injury. Another way to shorten your workout time? I've been saying it for years, but now I hear it everywhere: stretching before your workout is a WASTE of time! In fact, loosening it up before working it out is counterintuitive to what you are trying to accomplish, so save the stretch. Do it when the muscle needs it, which is when it is fatigued and feels shortened.
On the diet front, what is my main rule? DO NOT starve yourself! Obesity, which is a medical journal, reports that women who fast or use diet pills will gain on average 8 pounds during that dieting time period! How is THAT working out for you?
What's the rule? Eat real food, be in control of what you eat, and move it!

EAS and Muscle Milk: STOP NOW

2010-07-01T15:33:00.000-05:00

This is what happens because of the FDA's lack of power over the health and wellness industry in this country. There are toxic levels of serious heavy metals (ie. arsenic, lead, and cadmium) in Muscle Milk and EAS Myoplex. Muscle Milk is actually marketed to pregnant women, which is even scarier. Stop all use of these products and see the complete list of dangerous health drinks (that have been found in this study) at http://www.healthspanblog.com/?p=310 . The more I think about it, the more I think we just need to stop using all prepackaged protein shakes and unregulated supplements and substances until better laws are passed. Just eat healthy, tested, washed (wash them again!) foods. It's insane that we live in a country that does not protect your health in the foods that we eat and the supplements we take!

Surgery: Check!

2010-07-01T15:27:00.000-05:00

I had my diastasis recti and hernia repair done recently. I will be giving updates as my condition improves. Let me just say that this surgery is for people who struggle beyond physical therapy and work with a postnatal fitness specialist. The surgery is serious and invasive, and the recovery is really tough. More later!

Buy Me a Slendertone!

2010-05-08T21:12:00.000-05:00

Watching the Slendertone commercials make me laugh; I have seen this type of toning device since I was a kid. But this one...are you ready for this?.... is different! Yes, according to the research of the American Council on Exercise, the Slendertone does actually help tone the buttocks area. The pros of this contraption are:
-minimal effort
-a little tonal musculature is denoted after as little as a month
the cons are:
-there is no cardio benefit. Toning has to go along with fat loss for most people, or the benefits can not be seen, only felt.
-if you can take 30 minutes out of your day to shock your muscles, you can take 30 minutes a day to do that with a cardio workout and get the benefit of both
-it's expensive

However, if you really just want to feel your muscles down there and you are so lazy that you really can not walk around the block, the Slendertone will actually tone your muscles...you'll just have to search for them.

Healthcare Reform: The Reviews are Yet to Come

2010-05-08T13:52:00.000-05:00

The arguing has lessened...for now, but the long term effects of this health care reform bill hopefully will be seen soon. The good news to all of us is that the term "preexisting condition" should no longer be a lame excuse of insurance companies to deny you and your family. Also, the "doughnut hole" for all the Medicaire folks is shrinking and will disappear in a few years. The waiting may seem endless, but breaking down the "brick wall" (as an attorney friend call it) of these monstrous insurance companies is a hard and long task.
From a personal standpoint, the time that it does take to break these ridiculous conditions and terms of insurance policies can not happen too soon. I am having to jump through major hoops and beg tons of doctors to attempt to have my insurance cover a major surgery that is important to my health. Sufferers of diastasis recti, I am fighting the fight. My doctors are folding under the insurance pressure, but I will continue knocking on doors and making appointments until some doctor is unafraid to write a simple letter that states the same thing that they don't mind telling me verbally: "you need this surgery, or you will have abdominal discomfort for the rest of your life."

Yes, I would like my salad sanz feces, por favor.

2010-04-13T20:31:00.003-05:00

If you are buying bagged salad or eating a salad at a restaurant, the hard and scary truth is that you may be eating (brace yourself) poop. Yes, the latest studies of WASHED bagged salad show that there is a high level of manure in those salads. Very few show e coli or other bacteria that will cause serious illness, but the fact that they contain POOP is still a little unnerving. WASH that salad!

Jillian Michael 30 Day Shred: A review

2010-04-13T20:14:00.002-05:00

I was excited to try the 30 Day Shred, as many people I know say they are getting a good workout from it. I will say that I enjoyed Michaels's workout, though I don't agree with everything on the video.
I did level 3, which I don't recommend on the first try with this video, unless you happen to be a fitness professional. Here is what I like: It is a continuous transition from one activity to another, which for most of the workout, keeps the heartrate up and continues to challenge different body parts. She does challenge the abs and back quite a bit in just the cardio and strength section, which begs to ask: why have the minute of abs every few minutes? She stops and has the client lay down for abs...to that affect, she does this RIGHT AFTER major cardio work???? Any exercise teacher that passed the first day knows you do not have a student lie down at the highest point of cardiovascular work. It's like she elevates the heart rate to a peak, and that is when she has the client lie down. This is strange, awkward, and questionable. Why not do abs from a standing or from plank, as she tends to like? We could hit more parts with that ab minute without stopping the heart full force and going to a supine position. Of course, the mommy diastasis issue is never brought up, so the mommies trying this workout will be vastly devastated as their bellies grow rather than decline. And another issue: how long are we elevating the heart rate? Is it worthy of weight loss efforts? And another issue: Are we causing danger by dropping the heart rate immediately?
I love plyometrics, so I am excited that there is some plyo in this workout. This is the way to raise the heartrate quickly and really challenge the muscles in a way that nothing else can. However, I would not recommend her rock star jumps. She encourages landing softly, but this jump forces a hard landing. And she does a lot of them. One or two, and it's kinda fun. A lot, and you might have a blown knee or ankle in a minute.
I am no Jillian Michaels, and I am not on TV, but I wonder if results would be even more stellar if she followed regular guidelines of ACE or her certification brand. I wonder how her own review of her workout was, and how much time she took to review this.

Jamie Oliver

2010-04-02T15:58:00.002-05:00

If you aren't paying attention to Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution reality series, it's time to pay attention. He is reading my mind. The food we feed kids in school is disgusting and irresponsible. We teach them to make good food choices in health class, and then send them to a school-run cafeteria full of junk food. My personal favorite that I see on my students' plates is chips with fake cheese, a bread stick, chocolate milk (or birthday cake flavored!), and chocolate ice cream. If we are what we eat, then our kids are saturated fat, high fructose corn syrup, and salt. The guidelines are a joke. We are basically setting the future up to be a nation of heart disease and diabetes. Not to mention lack of productivity! Have you ever had that after-birthday-party feeling? You have the hot dog, the chips, the soda, and the chocolate cake. How much do you get done after that party? How much are you inspired to do? Can you imagine doing that to a 5 year old every day? It's what we're doing to our kids and our future business and governmental leaders every day. It is in our education system, so this is our education: eat junk and treat your body like a garbage dump. And then, pass the taks test. Good luck, Johnny and Susie.

Consumer Reports

2010-04-01T19:40:00.002-05:00

I love a couple of the articles in this month's Consumer Reports. First of all , it reminds us that we need to be wary of ingredient labels. We do NOT need anything added to our foods, especially sugars. People are starting to get wise to "high fructose corn syrup," which is just a way of saying "a darned lot of unnecessary sugar," so now they are listing things like "evaporated cane juice" instead of just saying "SUGAR." If something looks like unnecessary added sugar, it probably is, and the calories will probably tell you the same thing. Drinks do not need calories, and if they have calories, it's sugar. Sugar when it comes in food naturally, like in fruit, is not bad, but when it needs to be added, remember that it adds pounds to your body and cavities to your teeth.
The other thing that caught my eye this month is the amazing accessibility to ephedra, deemed illegal by the FDA. The ephedra accessible online says it is not the part of the plant deemed illegal, but the legal part of the ephedrine plant. Let me just warn you that ephedra is linked to heart palpitations, heart attacks, and strokes. Even if you do not suffer these extreme symptoms, extreme hyperactivity is likely, to the point of being socially unacceptable or causing irrational behaviors and decisions.

Yogurt News

2010-03-20T13:20:00.003-05:00

If you are a daily yogurt eater, you know that yogurt helps your digestive system, even if it doesn't have a celebrity endorsement and a special label. Any probiotic yogurt is good for digestion and helps the intestinal tract stay healthy. But, ladies , did you know it may reduce your risk of breast cancer? Yes, in fact, it may help with our production and maintanance of estrogen, the female hormone that affects breast and ovarian cancers.
www.sciencedirect.com for the study details!
Eat on, ladies!

Diastasis Recti Part 4

2010-03-20T13:18:00.002-05:00

So, after meeting with several surgeons, I see that I will be working with two surgeons; a general surgeon for the hernia, and a plastic surgeon for the diastasis recti repair. The disappointing news is that plastic surgery simply is not covered, even if it is a necessity. I don't get it, but I don't get the health care and insurance business on any level.

New informative sites

2010-02-21T07:41:00.002-06:00

Go to www.clubnewmom.com if you are a new mother in need of a little advice...on anything, including the baby weight issue. ACE's new Get Fit site is designed with everyone in mind. All kinds of advice, information, and resources available. www.acefitness.org/getfit Have a great week. I have a plastic surgeon appointment this week and will give an update then.

Diastasis Recti Part 3

2010-02-10T20:37:00.003-06:00

I saw a surgeon today. He found a hernia. I had no idea. No wonder it couldn't heal. My intestines are herniated through my navel. No wonder I was so uncomfortable. I was referred to a plastic surgeon, as they are the ones who fix this problem. I am inspired!

Diastasis Recti

2010-02-10T20:37:00.000-06:00

Diastasis Recti

2010-02-09T08:55:00.000-06:00

Diastasis Recti

Diastasis Recti Part 2

2010-02-09T08:51:00.003-06:00

I am very vocal about Diastasis Recti, which supposedly only affects 15% of women who have had children (I happen to think it's more like 90%). I would like to hear from other sufferers either here or on peertrainer, as there are hundreds of responses on that thread. Follow it at the link listed. I see a surgeon tomorrow, as I have tried my hardest to work on my own diastasis to no avail, and I am tired of feeling weak from it.

Madness in Cows

2010-01-31T17:55:00.002-06:00

Another jaw dropping moment for me, as I read in the Consumer Reports Shop Smart Magazine today that cow are fed (don't eat while you read this) chicken LITTER as their meals in some places, and it is LEGAL. Yes, that means cows that we eat have been fed chicken POOP as their diet. There are many health complications related to ecoli and other bacteria found in poop that could lead to serious cow diseases that could enter our body, and yes, this is linked to the famed MAD COW disease. There is a wide movement to make this illegal (duh), so contact your senator about this problem to ensure that he or she will support common health standards here. McDonalds even agrees that this needs to stop, and you know that they cut corners wherever possible.

Things to Have around for 2010

2010-01-18T15:00:00.002-06:00

Here are some of the basics to have in your kitchen for everyday use (starting today!):

1. olive oil (a dab will do ya in your dinner cooking)
2. smart balance light spread (instead of butter)
3. frozen vegetables (rainbow of colors, pop em in the mic for instant dinner veggies)
4. McCormick grinders (spices to grind over those yummy veggies to make them even yummier)
5. skinless chicken breast frozen
6. Uncle Ben's instant bagged rice in brown or wild (NOT other flavors; we're talking So Di Um!)
7. fresh whole grain bread from your local bakery
8. boar's head low sodium lunch meats
9. canned pumpkin (add to oats in the morning, muffin mixes, and even chili for a yum + a ton of vitamin A)
10. raw walnuts, almonds, or both
11. light yogurt (Yoplait is the tastiest)
12. fresh or frozen fruit (berries are great frozen this time of year, mic what you need)
13. Quaker one-minute oats. Quick, hearty, yummy breakfast. Make sure to top w pumpkin, nuts, truvia, cinnamon
14. Truvia or sweetener made from Stevia plant. Better choice for sweetener now available!
15. Kellogg's Fiber Plus bar. great flavors, lots of good stuff, low cal, fiber!

The Other Carrie Harper

2010-01-03T08:22:00.002-06:00

If you google "Carrie Harper," you may be surprised at what you will find. Most of the google posts are indeed about me and several news groups that I am a member of and that I write for. But, there is indeed a criminal with my name living in the same town as me (what are the odds?)! If you see a news article on criminal hearings, stealing money, and fake obituaries, please know that this is NOT me. I lead a pretty tame life of teaching and parenting, not stealing and lying.

New Year!

2010-01-03T08:16:00.003-06:00

This is always the time of year that we try to find new ways to improve our health and fitness. Just remember not to shoot for the moon on the first day. Usually, that creates more problems than it solves. Instead, focus on short, attainable goals and reassess yourself once a month. Good, short, attainable goals could be:
1. I will exercise for 20 minutes a day 5 days a week.
2. I will eat 3 meals and 2 snacks every day.
3. I will carry water with me everywhere I go.
4. I will eat 90% healthy food and save that 10% for something really special.
5. I will pack my lunch 4 days a week.
6. I will focus on one muscle group each day of exercise.
7. I will ease into running by starting with walk-run intervals.
Starting with statements like "I will lose ten pounds this month" could be a losing and unfortunate battle, which does more emotional damage in the long run.
Feel free to tell me your new goals and let me know if I can help!

New Pre-Natal and Post-Natal Certification

2010-01-03T08:15:00.001-06:00

Just wanted you to know that I am officially certified through ACE (www.acefitness.org) in Pre-Natal and Post-Natal Fitness. A goal for 2010 is to start a Mommy Fit Club here in Lake Jackson for moms of all shapes, sizes, and abilities.

Let's Review: Parabens

2009-10-09T20:13:00.002-05:00

I think it has been a while since I mentioned parabens, and I think this is very important, so let me mention it again. I would encourage you to check every shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lotion you own (especially if your kids use it). Look on the ingredients list. Look for any word ending in "paraben." There are several blends of parabens, so just look for the suffix. This is a dangerous chemical that enters the skin when applied and imitates estrogen. No one needs unregulated estrogen in his or her blood stream. It is linked to breast and uteran cancers (breast cancer can happen in men, too), early development of girls, and childhood hormonal imbalances. On a side note, it is running in to our streams and ponds from our waste products. As a result, in the heavily populated areas, male fish are becoming scarce. And who knows what it is doing to the girl fish in the mean time.
Parabens should be banned, but there is nothing in place to allow the FDA or any government agency to regulate it. The best thing we can do now is protect our own from it. Stop using any paraben and replace it with healthier options. Most Aveeno products are paraben free, though I have found a few with parabens, much to my disappointment. Bar soaps and clear soaps are more likely to be paraben free, as are clear shampoos and conditioners. Stick to original Desitin, not generics, with babies' diaper creams (yes, imagine my shock when I noticed my Target diaper cream I had applying to my baby's butt had parabens. I was sick.).
If you have a ton of bottles with parabens in them, I am sad to say I don't know how to dispose of them in a non-toxic way. Perhaps they will have a system for it when it becomes a known health issue instead of a closet knoweledge of only a few.
Be an advocate for our children and tell a friend about parabens.

Health Care Reform

2009-09-02T12:51:00.000-05:00

I may be unpopular on my view here, but something has to be said. We MUST reform current health care. There are too many people without insurance and too many inner problems with all aspects of health care. It just can't be ignored any more.
I am tired of people who call themselves conservatives or right winged, trying to strong arm everyone by yelling and screaming things that don't even make any sense at meetings. It's a great way to get on TV, but it's just illogical and ludicrous. I am tired of people claiming that their religion dictates how they feel about issues, when really, they are just being selfish. What is Christian about being selfish? Don't tell Jesus they are using his name this way. I call these people the UnChristian Christians.
In reality, the whole idea is to "break" President Obama by blocking anything he is passionate about. Now, what is that going to do for our country? We are SO behind the rest of the civilized world in health care and education. We need reform and we need it now.
Instead of yelling and screaming, can we try listening and reading? Can we try coming up with a plan that will not break the bank, but will make sense for all of us? We are paying an unbelievable amount of money now for people who can't get insurance. We are paying every time someone cannot pay their bill, and it happens a lot. Doesn't it make more sense to pay less so that everyone can afford insurance? Can someone look at the bottom line here? And why is it that we have to depend on our employer to supply us with health insurance? Many employers can't do that, especially small businesses. Why don't we have a choice? Why isn't there a competitive market in our so-called capitalist environment?
There is a plan set up by Consumer's Union that makes sense and has been well thought out. If people could read and advocate for themselves and their neighbors, maybe we could get something done. Today.
www.prescriptionforchange.org

Garmin FR60

2009-08-05T11:57:00.003-05:00

Garmin's latest addition is the perfect workout watch if you don't need the GPS unit. It has a VERY TINY foot pod, a heart rate strap that is very comfortable, the free Garmin software to keep track of everything, tons of options on the wrist unit, and is an actual wrist watch on a watch battery. VERY helpful. It's also small enough and light enough for a small framed lady, such as myself, but does not look feminine at all. Men can definitely sport the look.
I took my test run last night. The Garmin device recorded all the heart rate and pace information I needed and keeps all my info online.
www.garmin.com
for options!

Research News of the Week

2009-07-26T15:37:00.002-05:00

Here are some things I am following this week.
There is new research that male cyclers (women were not part of the study) have lower bone density in their spine than non-cyclers. This is disheartening to cyclists and all exercisers. The question remains: were the men in any other activities? I think it would make sense that men who do not do any weight-bearing exercise and are in a compromised posture for their exercise would have lower bone density. But a man who balances cycling and weight lifting, it seems, would be ok. I would be curious to see if any of these men had a balanced active lifestyle.
Sminny jeans made news this week because they can cause problems with circulation in the legs. Ladies and Gentlemen, if you are cutting off the circulation in your legs with any type of clothing, then change your clothing! I think it's pretty obvious that if you are going numb in your leg or turning colors that you need to loosen up a little. It would be the same if your bike shorts are too tight. Definitely don't wear too-tight-clothes all day, and keep an eye on your legs' comfort level. I think that goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway.
Finally, ACE reports that exercise reduces migraines in sufferers. Great news, as migraines are so debilitating. I am sure the increase in blood flow is the reason.

Postpartum Depression and News on Generic Drugs

2009-07-09T11:09:00.003-05:00

It took me about 3 years to admit that I had postpartum depression after the birth of my first child. It was excrutiating. I feel for all women who go through all levels of this debilitating problem. I never told my doctor, which means I never got help for it. After Brooke Shields came forward with her admission, I wished I had asked for help.
Immediately after the birth of my second child, I asked the doctor for help out of fear that this would happen to me again. He prescribed Zoloft as my "security blanket," just in case I needed it. Luckily, I haven't. This postpartum time is a million times different from my first. I understand that hormones play a big part in postpartum depression, as does iron deficiency. Maybe my hormones are better aligned this time. Maybe it's my iron pills. Maybe it's because I'm getting a little sleep and I have some help, thanks to my incredible husband. Regardless, I am happy that I do not have to use the Zoloft, but it has been in my medicine cabinet just in case.
After reading the June issue of "Self," however, even if I have symptoms, I will not be using the medicine that my pharmacist gave me. There is an article about generics in this issue of Self, so I checked my bottle. Sure enough, they gave me the generic. My doctor did NOT prescribe the generic, and he has offered to give me a more specific prescription. After reading the article, I would recommend to anyone taking any medicine that affects the brain (anti-depressants, anti-seizure meds, etc.) get the brand name drug, not the generic. The FDA does not control the amount of key ingredients in the generic drug, so they are not necessarily the same as the name brand. Generics, it seems, can actually make symptoms worse. How scary for someone who is already afraid of symptoms of depression. Make sure that if your doctor gives you a prescription that you ask questions and get the medication that you actually need.
If you don't have the June issue of Self, read it online at http://www.self.com/health/2009/06/dangers-of-generic-drugs
Take care of your body and your self!

Reality of the Caesarian

2009-07-04T14:34:00.003-05:00

I have been very vocal on the subject of being honest about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. I was published on the subject in the 2005 summer issue of "Mom and Baby." My first Caesarian was rough; especially because I tried to have her vaginally, and failed after 27 hours. You can imagine that recovery was rough.
I asked my husband if this one was worse or better than the other. He seems to think they were about the same. I honestly don't remember the amount of pain I had the first time. I do remember vividly that I was exhausted and starving. I couldn't move on my own, but I had a crying baby to take care of. I don't think I slept for the first week, and after that, sleep was still extremely rare. I remember my dinner sitting out for hours and never getting to eat. I remember not being able to get a drink of water all day long.
In those respects, at least, this postpartum is exponentially easier. The recovery from the second Caesarian, however, was not easier. I thought since it was planned and I wouldn't go through the 27 hours of labor that my muscles would miraculously heal easier. I was wrong.
This time, the baby was facing down and ready to be born the day before. We thought everything was going to go so smoothly. Well, she turned breech right before the delivery. AND, she was awake. She played get-away with the doctors, and as a result, my inner organs were shoved, pushed, popped, and pulled to get to her. Even with a spinal, it was painful. And VERY uncomfortable.
Now, 3 weeks later, I am up and around. I can hardly tell that I was unable to move 3 weeks ago. I am recovering from surgery and also from diastasis. I am splinting 24 hours a day to try to help the diastasis along. My doctor has placed 4 stitches along my rectus abdominus to help, hopefully...

I Survived a Breast Biopsy.

2009-06-05T10:43:00.003-05:00

Getting toward the end of a pregnancy, it's never a good thing to then hear that you have a potential breast problem. So, what do I do now? What if it is something? Well, I just wanted to let you know that I did have a breast biopsy at 37 weeks pregnant, and it's not that scary.
The biopsy needle looks like something used to tranquilize an elephant. It could pass all the way through my body. My husband looked a little green after seeing that thing laid out on the table next to me.
I'm here to tell you that the lidocaine is a miracle, that the pinch is next to nothing, and that the pain afterward was minimal (we're talking 1 tylenol).
My point is this: if you feel something in your breast, don't wait. Don't get nervous and terrified about what it is and what to do. Go and get it biopsied so that you can rest. It will save your life, possibly, and set your mind at ease if you are unsure.
For me, it was a benign cyst. I am relieved to know that, and relieved that I don't have to wait to know for sure. I will have to keep an eye on it.
Do your breast check and take care of business, ladies! It's better to know than not!

2 Weeks to Go and New Good News

2009-05-29T13:09:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to note that I have just 2 weeks until the arrival of my new little one! I'm at that stage where I literally feel ready to pop. I can't eat much at a time, I have constant heartburn because my stomach is next to my neck, and everything I do is getting uncomfortable. BUT, with only 2 weeks, I shouldn't complain. Just do what I can, right?
Thought you might be interested in some new research I've read up on. All positive!
A new study relates caffeine conusmption to muscle pain relief! Isn't that good news, coffee folks? And it's a realistic amount, too, like 3 cups a day could reduce our exercise-related muscle soreness!
And now, for us musicians, the studies prove that music and music therapy relieve pain, calm anxiety, and ward off depression. Well, we knew that, didn't we?
All of this information is from the most recent studies reported at the American Council on Exercise (www.acefitness.org).
Speaking of music, we all know that the right songs get us moving and help us calm down at the end of the exercise. Don't underestimate the power of strong music. Update your ipod! And if you haven't yet, try www.motiontraxx.com. I tried it, and it did make my 50 minute cardio workout move along faster.

Getting Closer!

2009-05-16T07:40:00.003-05:00

On a personal note, I am getting closer to the big day of arrival of baby #2. With less than 4 weeks to go, a lot has changed. I've had a few problems with overheating and getting breathless suddenly. These things have never happened to me before, but this pregnancy is different. Apparantly, my body is having a hard time getting the blood through my abdomen and then all the way through my 5'8" body at times, causing lightheadedness. I carry completely in front of my body (which everyone thinks is so cute, but it looks a little freakish, to be honest), so I have awkward moments, and a few problems with side and back pain. But the biggest surprise is that my lungs and heart are having to work so hard, though my weight gain is just in that one area.
I look forward to meeting baby #2, I hope that she eventually will be named :) . And I am ready to move on as well. My next stage will be not only caring for an infant, but recovering from a caesarian and diastasis repair. I am ready to get on with that, though, because I know the good times are ahead.

Let's Do It, Texas!

2009-05-09T06:50:00.002-05:00

Following the lead of New York and California, the Texas House passed a bill outlawing trans fats in all restaurants. Now, it just has to pass the Senate. As always, there are nay-sayers, like the Amarillo Senator who was quoted in the paper making wise cracks about the bill. But if we have enough thinking Senators, we can help the health of all people in Texas, and maybe this can finally spread nation-wide.
If you are in Texas, please make sure to look up and contact your state senator to vote for the banning of trans fats.
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/Members.htm

New posting

2009-05-01T09:19:00.001-05:00

I have 2 new sites that I am now posting to
www.ehow.com . I have posted one on How To Power Walk
www.empowher.com . I haven't posted yet, as I just joined, but this site is all about women's health, so it should be fun for me. Hope you enjoy what you find there!

Nervous in Texas!

2009-05-01T09:06:00.002-05:00

Geez, we don't have enough to worry about these days. They say a person can handle 5 stressors at once before they start to show signs of serious stress disorders. Well, hope you don't live in Texas right now.
First, we have wars and destruction to worry about. Then, there is the economic collapse, which, yes, is affecting Texas. In my area, people are waiting with baited breath for the next "wave" of layoffs at the local plastic plant. Even teacher's aids are losing their jobs. And don't you DARE ask anyone for anything! You can forget a raise, paid vacation, or extra help in your department. If anything, you'll be doing the work of 3 people, and your pay will definitely NOT show that!
Now, we get to worry about a pandemic. And I know everyone is worried, but being so close to Mexico, I think, makes us a little more paranoid. We watch for school closings, and the second someone sneezes, we run to the bathroom to wash up or start spraying the area with Lysol. At least we're not in masks yet.
Let's add to the scenario. A few days ago, areas in Texas were bombarded with storms so bad that people were flooded out of their homes. Some roads are flooded four days later! Schools closed at first because buses couldn't move, but some are still closed for damage. And now that the water has sat around for a few days, well, we have a little mosquito problem. Meaning, you better run to the car or your house or you are mosquito bait. Now, let's add West Nile Virus to the mix. So, if we get sick, should we assume it's West Nile or Swine Flu? And which is a better scenario?
How many stressors have we counted now? Then there are the local school problems that I can't list online, oh, and it's TAKS week. Meaning, our kids are all locked up for a week taking stressful standardized tests. If we think WE'RE stressed, try worrying about all of this and being 12 years old!
How do we handle all this stress? Well, we try to go on about our days as normally as possible. And we try to eat healthy and exercise. Stressful situations can lead to stress eating or exercise issues. Let's keep things in perspective and keep ourselves healthy first. After all, we're no good to anyone with a lowered immunity. Take your vitamins, drink lots of healthy water, eat and move, and we can slowly reduce the number of stressors right now.
Let me know how you are handling your stress!

Happy Music

2009-04-27T16:37:00.002-05:00

Here's something to be happy about
www.motiontraxx.com
It's even BPM mixes for your workout. You can get the downloaded podcasts for free, and you are set for your next run or bike ride! Totally cool. The DJ even opens with statements about the time and average miles/calories expended during the mix. What a great idea. And FREE? LOVE IT.

New Video Available

2009-04-17T09:42:00.001-05:00

My new DVD is now available for purchase for $15. It is designed for prenatal and postpartum women, but can be used by any beginning exerciser.
www.createspace.com/263912

Sodas and Kidney Disease

2009-03-22T08:49:00.001-05:00

This morning, there is a research article in Parade Magazine linking sodas or soft drinks to kidney disease. People who have 2 cans per day are twice as likely to develop kidney disease. Another reason to switch to something natural!

Peanut allergies and schools

2009-03-22T08:42:00.002-05:00

This morning's news was about doctors being angry for schools going peanut free. They say children should be exposed to peanuts in order to not become allergic.
What an ignorant stand on the part of the doctor. A child that has a peanut allergy cannot be in the viscinity of a peanut without swelling up. This is a fatal allergy! A child could be standing in the lunch line, not picking up the peanut butter sandwich, but picking up what is next to the peanut butter, and then suddenly not be able to breathe.
Yes, non allergy sufferers should be around peanuts. They are a great source of inexpensive protein, too. So, the rest of us should enjoy peanuts and peanut butter AT HOME.

Toxic Fried Potatoes

2009-03-22T08:38:00.002-05:00

A new study posted this week that potatoes release a toxic chemical when fried. It is causing cancer in lab rats. What's my point? French fries and potato chips really are evil. It's time to choose a different side order! Maybe this will put an end to the pointless sides in restaurants...once people finally catch on.

Calories In, Calories Out

2009-02-28T20:05:00.002-06:00

So this week, the UK released their results on a very long term study about diets. The bottom line is this: exercise and take in less calories, and you lose weight. Keep doing it and you keep it off. Go figure! Nutritionists have been saying it for ages. It really is a math equation. You have to burn more calories than you take in in order to lose weight. It gets complicated when we start looking at ratios of protein, fat, and carbs, but look at it this way: everybody's body is different, and you have to do what makes you feel good. For most people, that means playing the balancing act all day long. Too many simple carbohydrates, and you're starving in an hour. Too much fat and you feel like you ate a lead balloon. Too much protein and you may feel bloated or sluggish. How do you figure it out? Start with a basic balance plan. Every meal has a handful of carbs, a handful of protein, and a dop of fats. How do you feel after? How long do you feel full? Work the equation until you feel great and can go about 4 hours without starving. Work in tons of fruits and veggies, and drink water all day long. Continue to reevaluate, and continue to feel great.

Pregnant and Exercising

2009-02-22T08:34:00.000-06:00

Pregnant and Exercising?

If you are pregnant and you are in a fitness routine, modern science usually says you can keep up your routine within reason. If you have never exercised before, please consult a physician before starting any exercise routine.

There are many reasons to exercise while pregnant. Doctors agree that you need to keep your weight gain to a healthy number, and exercising women tend to gain little body fat during pregnancy. Gaining too much fat during pregnancy can cause extra stress after the baby is born. And she will be too busy tending to a new baby to lose weight right away. Besides that, a breast-feeding woman needs to keep her nutrition level high for the sake of the baby. All in all, not gaining too much is important. Check this approximate calculator to help you find an average for you. http://www.babycenter.com/pregnancy-weight-gain-estimator

Many doctors discourage running on hard paved surfaces, and some recommend no high impact at all. Many pregnant women find high impact uncomfortable. Actually, riding a stationary bike can be a good alternative for a while, swimming can be very comfortable for the extra tummy weight, and walking is always an option. Please remember that the baby needs oxygen, so you should never feel breathless or reach the anaerobic threshold while pregnant.

If you are a mind-body exerciser, make sure that you are doing a routine appropriate for pregnant women. There are many DVD’s on the market specifically for pregnant women. Denise Austin has one available on amazon.com. Plank position causes strain on the already stressed ligaments in the abdomen. This can cause extra tearing of the rectus abdominus, leading to diastasis recti (see my previous article on diastasis recti, as well as the community thread on the subject), so entering your average Pilates or yoga class is not recommended.

Weight lifters, the body does benefit from lifting weights. We want your body to be strong for delivery and for taking care of this baby. Again, we don’t want to stress the ligaments in the center of the body and we never want to hold our breath. So keep those things in mind as you lift. To play it safe, limit your standing weight-lifting exercises. If you feel dizzy, sit down right away. Walking lunges or split squats also cause extra strain to the ligaments around the pelvis. This area is mobile and stretching to make way for baby, so my recommendation is to stabilize this area during exercise rather than risk overstretching the ligaments here.

In general, the body is undergoing many hormonal changes that allow the body to stretch out to carry and deliver this baby. Therefore, we need to take extra caution with anything that will permanently strain ligaments and tendons. This can cause an injury that will make your pregnancy very difficult. After exercise, or even some time during an average day, sit down and do some easy static stretches like the V-sit. Make sure to take deep breaths and ease into each stress without strain or overstress. The sore back needs some easy cat stretches and rounded back stretches to ease some of its pain.

Always consult a physician before starting any exercise routine, and consult a certified personal trainer (www.acefitness.org for one near you) if you have any questions.

Carrie Harper
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
ACE Certified Weight Management Consultant
www.carriefit.com
Peertrainer Team: Carriefit

What a Week

2009-01-25T17:48:00.004-06:00

and if you are not inspired yet, I would encourage you to open your eyes and see what we are living. There is finally someone who is taking the country's interest at heart. I do believe that where we are now starts the collaboration between two seemingly different ideologies to come up with a plan to help us start a new tomorrow. WITHOUT all the special interests....maybe.
I know this is a deviation from my usual rants on health, but my mental and emotional health has improved this week with the hope that things are going to change. That we don't have to destroy other lands to spread love and democracy. That we don't have to have a trickle down effect so that the CEO's get all the benefits while the rest of us wait at the bottom of the food chain. That we can open our minds to the possibilities that we don't have to do the same old thing with the same old results. We are being fleeced everyday by programs that don't work. We are being cheated by government offices that allow our families to injest poison legally. We are told that living in a clean world just won't work for us. Well, this week says that maybe we can. Maybe we can stand up to all of the big businesses that think they can spend our money irresponsibly. Maybe we can have a say about our own health care, our own bodies, and our own lives (isn't that in the constitution?). Maybe we don't have to see a gloomy future of nothing but war, cancer, and poverty.
This week, on the health front, was the first week that there was a legal stem cell trial done for a spinal ailment. Thank goodness it happened, and lives can be saved. It happened without a lot of hoopla or craziness. It's just the right thing to do to save lives.
Let's end the anger and animosity and just do it. Just live for tomorrow. For our kids.

Les Mills Review

2009-01-19T07:49:00.002-06:00

I spent the weekend with my pregnant butt on a bicycle seat, in the interest of finding out all about this Les Mills RPM program I have heard all about. It is to be discovered how patrons will feel about specifically choreographed biking, but it has its positives.
-there is emphasis on body form and care for the back
-music is predetermined to ensure a varied terrain (though the terrain will always be the same type in ratio of flat to hill)
-all classes will be the same so that patrons can memorize what to do and focus on doing it well.
-speed drills are to mimic outdoor cycling

I guess that is a positive and a negative. After all, I feel the brain must be working in order for the body to get full benefit of the exercise, and we don't want people to tune out and go on auto pilot. The instructor must be good at keeping people engaged in order to avoid this.

The cycling programs I usually teach are harder on the muscles than this program. This program is more about speed and VERY short intervals of work. It will be discovered as to whether we see benefit on the body from that ideal.

It makes me SICK...

2009-01-04T18:36:00.003-06:00

If it is not bad enough that we have to worry about pesticides on our vegetables and deadly bacteria growing in our meats, but now we have to worry about ARSENIC in chicken. ARESENIC? Did I read that right? Isn't that the famous poison they use in the movies to kill people? Yes. Chicken farmers feed it to their chickens. And it's LEGAL. You injest it when you eat chicken...
UNLESS you are looking at organic and farm-raised chicken. Hmmm....let's rethink what we thought before about that. My pregnant body has injested ARSENIC, therefore, my tiny lemon-sized person inside has ARSENIC in its body. How incredibly INSANE that is. And my 4-year-old? ARSENIC is in her blood!
What's the moral of the story? Let's do our research and buy products with social consciousness. Organic and farm-raised might take more money, but ARSENIC? No, I will spend the money to save my body and my family from poison! And, I will use other forms of protein more often. Besides, I am terrified of the amount of mercury in local fish, and I am uncertain about all forms of animal proteins that are not farm raised. Organic beans, tofu, and rBST-free cheeses are less expensive in the long run, so those may be my new choices.
USDA and FDA need to get on the BALL. Our lives should not matter less than keeping these unhealthy businesses growing. I am SICK of government caring more about them than us.
Keep reading and keep sharing. Otherwise, we won't be told.

more goals

2009-01-04T18:29:00.002-06:00

I had to keep the previous blog brief. Here are some more things to do for 21 days to really kick the health quotient up.
1. eat your fruits and veggies. go for a baseball size of fruit or veggie with every meal, and at least one snack every day.
2. get your fiber. start your day with a high-fiber cereal (like All Bran or Fiber One or good old fashioned oatmeal), fill up on veggies, beans, and legumes.
3. lower your salt intake. don't cook with salt, and definitely don't add it on the table. Try pepper spices and no-sodium alternatives. for snacks, if you are a salty snacker, move to Soy Crisps or flavored popcorn cakes instead of chips, and slowly reduce your intake of those.
4. less sugar. You can switch your sugar add-ins with Splenda for a while and slowly reduce the amount you use. Definitely go for sugar-free prepackaged snacks like sugar free yogurt. Get rid of the junk food in your house and replace it with simpler snacks. Need a fix? Try a fudgsicle or a tootsie roll. They are sweet without packing on the calories.
5. reduce your stress. If exercise, diet, and sleep schedule do not fix the stress issue, look into alternative therapies like massage therapy and acupuncture. Stress affects everything on this list, so we want to work it down to a push of happiness intead.

New You in 2009!

2008-12-29T07:32:00.000-06:00

Change Your Health in 2009

“Starting this New Year, I’m gonna…” fill in the blank: lose weight, exercise more, quit a bad habit, stop eating sugar, etc. The unfortunate thing is that we usually make unrealistic, quick-set goals. As soon as they start to fail, the ego tells us to just forget it., and we go back to bad habits.
This year, let’s start off with a better plan. I will list for you today the things that most people need to do to lead a healthier life, lose weight, feel better, fend off disease, live with less stress, be more productive, and even sleep better. So, if any of the above things are the end goal, please find the things on this list below that you are not doing yet. Then, take out your calendar. Spend twenty-one days on each habit. It takes about twenty-one days for the body to start adjusting to a new habit. Do one at a time. If you slip up for a little bit, forgive yourself and keep moving forward. A slip up here and there will happen, and it should not mean the end of the road for your new healthy you.

Quit smoking. This is the number one thing on the list because you simply will not be healthy if you smoke. Period. Get a quit-smoking package from the doctor or your drug store, or see a hypnotist. Do what you need to do to make this a priority for your life and the life of those of us around you.
Move every day. If you do not move at all, start small. Start wearing a pedometer and start logging your steps per day. Make your goal 10,000 steps by building 500-1000 steps per day. When the end of the day gets here and you only have 8,000, take a walk. When you are ready to move forward, start power walking, jogging, or taking a class every day. Then, start doing some kind of weight-bearing exercise. There is a ton of information online and in DVD stores. Your local fitness club has classes and trainers to help you find something that suits you. Exercise IS fun, if you find your nitch. www.acefitness.org , http://www.youtube.com/user/ACEfitness?ob=1
Go to the store. This seems simple enough, but many people eat out so much that they miss the weekly shopping trip to get necessities for cooking and eating healthy. The perimeter of the grocery store is the most healthy section: fresh produce, fresh poultry, seafood, frozen vegetables, and the deli are great places to start. Search the middle for beans and whole grains. Don’t know where to start? http://www.simple-healthy-recipes.com/ Start simple!
Eat breakfast every day. Those who eat within the first two hours of waking in the morning consume fewer calories throughout the day. There have been numerous studies on this. Nutritionists say the body is still in sleep mode until food awakens the organs. Then, they work more efficiently and burn many more calories. The latest studies show the big morning eaters (600 kcal of food in the morning), weigh less than those who do not eat in the morning. What’s a good breakfast? A balance of protein and complex carbohydrates. For example, try a scrambled egg and a slice of whole grain toast with smart balance butter or natural peanut butter.
Prepare your own lunch and dinner. If you work or are away during the day, this takes some early preparation. This means preparing a lunch while you make your breakfast in the morning, or even fix it the night before. A simple sandwich, fruit, yogurt, and a handful of nuts should do. Come home starving? Become friends with a slow cooker or a quick-cooking apparatus like the George Foreman grill. A good dinner consists of a lean protein the size or your palm, preferably grilled or baked with olive oil, and a ton of vegetables, steamed, sautéed, or microwaved.
Plan snacks. Everyone has their low point in the day. Some of us are starving halfway through the morning, and some of us need something in the mid afternoon. Some of us even need both. This is fine, just prepare for it. Bring with you nuts and dried fruit, or snack bars. Products by All Bran, TLC, Fiber One, and Pria by Power Bar are all excellent. A good snack is 110-180 calories.
Drink water all day. Walk around with a steel water bottle or a thick-plastic bottle (recycle numbers 2, 4, or 5) and refill it all day.
Quit sodas. Drinking full-calorie sodas add hundreds or even thousands of calories per day. Diet sodas are loaded with chemicals. Some studies show that diet drink consumers eat more sugary snacks through the day than non-soda drinkers. If you are on full-calorie sodas, start mixing them with diet sodas. Eventually, you will be on diet sodas. Then, drink fewer diet drinks. Try fresh-brewed teas and lots of water. It does take some time, but you can get rid of sodas all together.
Balance the caffeine. Caffeine has health benefits. Some coffee in the morning, or midday tea is healthy. But if you find yourself drinking coffee all day, try alternating between coffee and water. You will find you don’t need so much coffee afterall. Have a cutoff time. Drinking caffeine too late in the day means less sleep at night.
Balance your alcohol intake. Alcohol also has health benefits. If you find yourself having more than 1 drink per day as a female, or 2 drinks per day as a male, then cut yourself back. If cutting back is difficult, please seek a professional’s help.
Work out the schedule. As you start making all these changes, a daily schedule should emerge. There are times to exercise, times to eat, and times to sleep. Try to stick with your schedule every day. Consistency is key. Rest is key.
Log it in! If you are not a member yet, join the team at www.peertrainer.com . Log in your goals and what you are doing for your health every day. Find a group or team that you feel likeness to. Studies prove that loggers stick to their goals! Check out this free meal and calorie planner, too. http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/menuplanner/menu.cgi

There are professionals to help with any or all of these goals. Seek out nutritionists, sleep professionals, and personal trainers for extra help.
Let’s make 2009 the year to feel fantastic!

Carrie Harper
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
ACE Certified Weight Management Consultant
www.carriefit.com

New Week!

2008-12-17T08:17:00.003-06:00

It is a new week! Besides the fact that I have caught constant viruses since October, I am starting to feel pretty good. I'm not exhausted or pukey any more.
BUT, this is NOT the time of year to be pregnant and wanting sugar. There is sugar everywhere. So, those of you with a sugar addiction out there, I am with you for the first time. I have to remove myself from the situation because I know that sugar won't make me feel better, but it seems to be a magnet these days! And these days, fake sugar won't do. So, again, I am trying to remove myself from the situation, and sugary gifts are being re-gifted! So, if a box of cookies shows up at your door, try one and REGIFT or leave them in the conference room! Bye Bye, Sugar!

Thanksgiving and Other Holiday Survival Tips

2008-12-07T17:42:00.002-06:00

The average American consumes over 600 extra calories PER DAY in the holiday season, which can mean 6 pounds of fat, plus extra water-weight gain for the new year. That can be a tough uphill battle, so let's stop it before it starts.
For the big meal days, make sure you don't save up for the big event. In other words, eat light meals and snacks at your regular times. At meal time, just watch the portion size. And after the meal, enjoy one dessert. The alternative is overindulgence. All things in moderation makes for an easier holiday.
The other thing that packs on the calories is alcohol. One "serving" of alcohol is 100 calories. A margarita or long island iced tea can be 6 servings, plus the mixer. The body has to work pretty hard to get rid of the alcohol in the system, and in the mean time, the fat you had with the alcohol is NOT getting burned off.
Instead, opt for one glass of wine or light beer, and then try a spritzer of carbonated selzer water and cranberry juice. If you do decide to have a few drinks. Go double fisted, but with water in the other hand.

gearing up for holidays?

2008-11-20T20:29:00.002-06:00

The treats are already around. They are sneaking up at work, at home (that big Halloween basket), and in the stores (Starbucks is shameless). So what should we do to not go totally out of control? Most people gain 6 pounds over the holiday. Do we want to work on that for the new year, to add to our already overwhelming goals? Of course not.
Allow yourself a treat at work once a week. You know, your best friend's birthday or it's your very favorite kind of cake. But leave it at that and enjoy what you get.
At home, GET RID OF IT. Give it away, and keep it out of the house. If it's not good enough for you, do you want to put it in your child's body, too? He's had enough Halloween, now be done.
Out and about: never go out hungry! Eat first, and eat sensibly. If you do decide to stop by Starbucks or any of the wonderful shops that are so enticing, always think "skim," "low sugar," "light," etc. You CAN request these things, and it is your right. For a special treat, a soy hot cocoa has the goodness of soy protein and flavenoids from the cocoa. Leave off the whipped cream, of course, and get a "tall" (ie. small). The lattes of the season are also available in skim or soy and are a better option than the big mocha drinks.
Wanting a little peppermint chocolate? Try a peppermint patty (about 100 calories), a mint 3 musketeers (about 150 calories), or the new 100 calorie york peppermint sticks. They taste like thin mints (and we LOVE those, yes?).
Ideas are welcome. Let me know what works for you this time of year.
Up next: The Thanksgiving dieters' nightmare!

Womens' "Health"

2008-10-16T06:39:00.002-05:00

I don't like to get political on this blog meant for health, but when womens' "health" was brought up last night, I felt it was my responsibility to stand up for the "health" of women in our country.
I am referring to the last presidential debate last night. So, women, consider this before going to the polling booth in a few days.
Certain parties and candidates want to deregulate big business and Wall Street. The business people are smart enough to have their own regulations and make smart business decisions that impact the entire world, apparantly. On the other hand, according to the same party and candidates, a woman needs to be regulated by federal government, legislature, and a court system. According to these parties, the women of our country are not smart enough to take all options into consideration and make the best choice for her family, and her doctor must be a kill-crazy masochist, too.
Such little faith in the women, doctors, and families here make me so incredibly sad. God Bless any woman who has ever had to make such a horrible choice. I know it is not something anyone can take lightly, and it is something she has to live with forever. There is no right answer when it comes to making this decision for someone else, because with every story, there are many sides, and there is no way to truly walk in someone else's shoes. I cannot imagine a society where a woman is brought before a court and treated like an animal when she is going through the most painful time in her life....I think they called that Witch Trials in early American times. Do we still consider women to be creatures to control?
What an insult to every family in America. Whether we personally would make this choice or not, how can we sit by and let a government make that decision for our sisters?

Healing power

2008-10-14T21:03:00.002-05:00

To add fuel to the fire, the eternal fire that fitness enthusiests burn at all hours, ACE's latest publication says there is definitive evidence, ladies and gentlemen, that moderate exercise can do more for diabetes than the drugs can. Yes, whether it is the weight loss itself or just the moderate exercise (we're talking a few minutes of walking per day, people!), the actual disease can be reduced or CURED through exercise and eating right.
Ha!
Now ask you insurance company why your gym membership and trainer fees aren't covered. It's gotta be cheaper than the drugs...and without all the side effects. Plus, you'll feel and look darned good doing it.
Long Live Long Life.

The Reality of Changing How You Eat

2008-09-07T07:48:00.002-05:00

I counsel people all the time on how to eat with their health in mind. Today, you get to hear about how I'm handling a change in diet.
I first discovered the nutritious life in college. I realized that eating certain foods made me feel more alive and vigorous, and I slowly cut out all the typical college foods that made me lethargic or sick. That was when I first fell in love with the science of nutrition. And that was not hard for me to stick to. I knew too much sugar made me feel bad, and that the wrong kinds of fats made me feel even worse. I did have some habits that took a while to shake, but I was young, so it really wasn't that hard. And I allowed myself to continue eating my very favorite foods, like pizza, within reason. Then, I started reading diet books and discovered that I needed a better balance of protein and good fats. That was pretty easy, too. Balancing every meal made me feel great. I was out running everyday and playing with friends well into the evening. It was easy.
The next time I had to change my diet significantly was when I was pregnant with my daughter. Now, how easy is it to think about that child when putting something in your mouth? Remarkably easy. When I imagined that peanut butter and jelly sandwich or blueberry cereal entering my baby's body, I felt good about it. I kept tabs on myself because I was accountable to a little person's pure little body. I led an incredibly healthy pregnancy and felt great about it. That may be one reason why she is so incredibly healthy....even though she won't touch a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or blueberries. Ever.
Then it got hard. My breastmilk was making my child sick. No one knows such pain as a mother who realizes that she is her child's demise, or at least that is the mother's perception. When my child got sick, my doctor suggested cutting out all tomato products, dairy products, and raw vegetables. Now I had cut out things before, but this? No yogurt? Cheese? Spaghetti? You've GOT to be kidding! But I did it...and it still didn't work. About the time I was about to give up just about everything in my diet except grilled plain chicken, the people around me convinced me to try a formula. My child and I felt much better, even though I was still beating myself up about it. And I quickly gained 5 pounds, which I lost with the guilt as I saw her grow happily.
And now, I am faced again with a change in my diet. And this time, I sympathise with all of those folks who try a diet to get healthier and give up all the foods they have been eating forever. This time, I am on a diet to balance the minerals in my body. I am out of balance for many reasons. To balance myself out, I am supposed to cut out all my favorites: nuts, dairy, soy, chocolate, sugar, all alcohol. The alcohol is pretty easy, and I don't eat that much of the chocolate and sugar. But giving up my daily walnuts, yogurt, cheese, soy milk, and soy bars is terribly difficult. As I walk through my daily life now, I see the struggles of all of those who had to change their diet for their health, and I see how easy it is to slip up. It's like telling someone NOT to think about a white bear. You're thinking about it now, right? And then it becomes obsessive. So, just as I am not supposed to eat those things, just the mear suggestion makes it incredibly difficult. And I have slipped up a little ...even on things I wouldn't normally slip up on, because of the suggestion of it! I wish there was a way to take something out of the diet without having to know what it is....hmmm. If there is a way to do that, someone clue me in.
Readers struggling with changing your eating habits, let's try to think positive about all the wonderful things this new plan has for us. For me, I will balance my body and thyroid (and metabolism) with a new plan.
I will keep you posted.

The Green Guide

2008-09-01T08:38:00.002-05:00

Many of you know about my feelings about parabens in products. We are trying very hard to be a paraben-free house, especially for the health of my child. I just found out today that there are more products to look for beyond those ending in the word "paraben." Check out national geographic's new site, www.thegreenguide.com for information on chemicals found in sunscreens that can cause forms of cancer.
I still just can't believe the FDA won't regulate this stuff. We have to be on our guard when buying sunscreens and beauty products.
I do believe in sunscreen, used DAILY, to avoid skin cancer. But let's avoid all cancers in the mean time by avoiding dangerous chemicals that can permeate the skin.
While you are at it, go through your shampoos, lotions, and soaps, and look for these "paraben" words. Even diaper creams have parabens...THAT is scary. Get rid of your paraben items (yes, you have to toss them and then replace them with safer materials), write to your production companies for your paraben products (even Dove carries parabens; what an oxymoron), and then support those who care about the safety of your family, like Aveeno. No, I am not sponsored by Aveeno. I just believe in supporting companies that support our safety.

oops

2008-08-24T16:40:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxUGEN9kS9o
This is why I called the previous blog "back in the saddle." I meant to include this video. It's inspirational.

Back in the Saddle Again

2008-08-24T16:34:00.003-05:00

This is the other time of year everyone starts up on their fitness routine or revives an old one. Of course, January would be the other time. For this new school year and new you, start thinking about where you want to see yourself in 5 years...1 year...by June...by Christmas. If you start writing these things down, you can start checking off your fitness goals.
So, if you are new to me or you are just getting started, make sure you review where I have been so far and then check out my new poll at the bottom. I look forward to hearing from you.

Olympiatic!

2008-08-12T15:35:00.002-05:00

Are you getting into the craze of the Olympics? Time to unleash your inner Olympian and get out there. I am inspired by the grace and balance of our gymnasts, the power of the swimmers, and the bravery of the polo team (seriously!). Now, to translate to your life, take a look at the olympians at www.nbcolympics.com , or check out how they workout at http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/olympic-athlete-workouts . You can even find out what they are listening to.
Speaking of inner-athlete music, I happened upon some FREE workout music that can definitely get you moving on itunes! Look up the podcasts for Exercise-World Fitness. There, you will find a huge selection of music from yoga to cardio. Fantastic!

Next Step: Scheduling

2008-08-04T13:09:00.002-05:00

So after you know where you want to go and when, let's talk day-to-day schedule. Most people live on a general schedule: when you wake, work, etc. Well, most people find that living on a daily schedule helps coordinate all things in life. For instance, what is the grocery shopping day? When do you do your regular hair appointments or other appointments? Do you have a scheduling software program or do you do a pen-to-paper style? Either is fine (check out www.plaxo.com for a free scheduling software). Pencil in your regular work, wake, play, etc. Schedule. Then, pencil in when you normally eat. And try to stick to it. Then, pencil in your workouts. Include what you plan to do, where, and how long. Get someone to make you accountable to this new schedule (a workout buddy, spouse, or peertrainer buddy), and start living on this schedule. Welcome to the end of the "I don't have time" lame excuse. No More!
Some people have to use several schedules, especially shift workers. That will take more planning, but it's worth it, and technology can definitely help.

new article

2008-07-24T07:05:00.001-05:00

I have a new article on peertrainer about heart rate calculations and exercise. Check it out!
http://www.peertrainer.com/fitness/working_hard_or_hardly_working.aspx

Carriefit

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