Exercising in the Heat
July 17, 2010 by Deb · Leave a Comment
I have received a few questions about this over the last couple of days and thought it was important to give advice on exercising in the heat!
I suggest that you try to workout in the morning or late evening during the hot summer months. I can speak from personal experience about how heat affects you during workouts. Your heart rate can be elevated by 5 to 15 beats versus exercising in normal temperatures. You also sweat a lot more and can cramp up easily as you also lose more sodium due to the high sweat levels. You will also see that it is more difficult to hit target heart rates or target perceived exertion levels in the heat as you can feel exhausted and drained.
I suggest that you avoid exercising outside in temperatures above 90 degrees (maybe even 85 degrees). Your health is too important to risk by trying to fit in a hard interval workout on a very hot day. Of course, your doctor is the best source of information on what is too hot a temperature for your workouts.
One last point, regardless of whether you are working out in the heat or on a 70 degree day, you should always have a water bottle with you and keep hydrated during your workout. If you feel thirsty while working out, then you are too late as you are already dehydrated. Being proactive about this will keep you safe and performing well.
The #1 thing to focus on while trying to fit in your summer outside workouts is to be safe. So do some smart planning, avoid making excuses and get your workouts done early in the morning or late in the evening if you absolutely can’t do the mornings.
When it’s just too HOT outside, hit the GYM!
GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!
IMPORTANT NOTE: IF YOU EVER FEEL SICK OR THE SLIGHTEST BIT DIZZY WHILE WORKOUT (IN THE HEAT OR OTHERWISE), STOP WORKING OUT IMMEDIATELY. YOU ARE PROBABLY DEHYDRATED, LOW ON CALORIES AND/OR PUSHED TOO HARD. IF YOU TAKE IN SOME FLUIDS AND FOOD AND DON’T FEEL BETTER, I SUGGEST YOU CALL YOUR DOCTOR RIGHT AWAY. REMEMBER, BEING SAFE IS THE #1 PRIORITY ON YOUR FITNESS AND/OR WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY.
Stay Cool!
Deb 
Are you de-hydrated?
April 27, 2010 by Deb · Leave a Comment
This was submitted to me by CPT-Carol Ferry who works at CrossTrain and does personal training with many clients! Here is what she had to say:
Recently I have talked with a few of my clients that complain about what they think is low blood sugar. They feel they need to eat something every hour or two or they feel light headed and weak. Although hypoglycemia is a valid condition, most people do not truly have it. As I talked with them more and asked about their water intake, I learned all of them drink very little water and many drink caffeinate diet soft drinks.
Dehydration also causes the same symptoms as low blood sugar. In addition to dizziness and fatigue, when your body is dehydrated let you know it needs water with the same signals that the body uses to tell you that it is hungry and needs food for fuel. Most people will reach for something to eat instead of a glass of water.
These same clients also talked about hitting a wall after 10 or 15 minutes of exercise where they feel they can’t go any longer. This too can be related to dehydration. It is always a good idea to drink 4-8 ounces of water before exercise and sip small amounts during your workout to replenish lost fluids. However, this shouldn’t be your only time to drink water. Maintaining your level hydration by drinking water throughout the day will not only help you stay alert and energized during the day, it will help power you through those workouts.
So the next time you feel dizzy, weak or hungry, try drinking a glass of water. You’d be surprised at how much better it makes you feel and how it can positively affect the numbers on your scale!
Cheers and Bottoms Up to that Glass of water!
Thanks Carol for this great information!
Deb
Back to School, Get Back to YOU!
August 4, 2009 by Deb · Leave a Comment
It’s just about time for the kids to head back to the classroom, and this means at least a little more well-deserved free time for the busy parents. Some of you may be considering starting (or re-starting) a fitness routine during this month. Some of you may also need a little guidance during this time, especially with all of the conflicting fitness information in the media. This month’s article is geared specifically towards you. It consists of ten simple and easy ways to fine-tune your workouts. These tips are based on the very same program I use with many of my new clients during their first month of personal training; and they can easily double the effectiveness of your workouts. Keep it handy and use it as a guide on your journey towards weight loss, muscle toning, and a healthy lifestyle.
1. Renew Your Commitment
Before you even begin to schedule that first workout or plan your meals for the week, you must take a moment to revisit why you want to do this in the first place. When you have a strong reason WHY you want to make a change, you are more likely to stick with it.
If you have not yet done so, write your goals down and state your reasons why this is so important to you and post your goal sheet in a place where you can see it often.
2. Create a schedule
What time will you have available that can be spent on taking care of you?
Your workouts are just as important as the daily tasks that wind up in a slot on your schedule. When you write down your intentions, you are more likely to follow through.
3. Give Your Kitchen a Once Over
Your workouts are only half the fat loss battle. What you are eating is the other. It will be extremely difficult to stay on track and see results if your kitchen is filled with junk. Toss the chips, cookies, candy, ready to eat boxed meals, sugar laden cereals, etc.
4. Do Something Different
Summer schedules tend to create habits that get in the way of out fitness goals….from sleeping in, to skipping a workout, to indulging in one too may summer treats. If you just begin by identifying one habit you created this summer and replace it with a habit that brings with it positive results, then you are moving in the right direction.
So instead of talking yourself into sleeping in again tomorrow, just think of how much more you can accomplish by waking up 10 minutes earlier – having that time just for you.
5. Create Good Habits Now Before the Holidays Start
Don’t wait until January to start “New Year’s resolutions.” August and September are perfect months to start a new diet, a new workout routine, or just set your mind to get in shape. Since the seasons are changing now, why not get a fresh start with your health? Why wait three more months to get started on working on a better body when you can do so now and create good eating and exercise habits long before the temptation and craziness of the holiday season?
6. Get Back to the Gym
Most of us have put off our regular exercise regimens due to the summer heat and vacations, but as the seasons change why not ease back into your routine? It takes just 30 days to truly get into the fitness habit once more. Just remember not to overdo it. If you haven’t been to the gym in a month or two, you’ll need to take it slow. That means you won’t be able to lift as much as you did previously and may not be able to spend as much time on the exercise bike. Slowly work your way back into your old routine, and by Thanksgiving, you should be in much better shape.
7. Up the Cardio Intensity
Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by doing cardio only in the low-intensity “fat-burn” zone. Although, the body does burn a higher percentage of fat than sugar at low intensities, the total number of calories expended is still very low, which will limit results. For best results alternate between “fat-burn” and “HIIT”/ higher intensity interval workouts.
8. Go on a Sensible Diet
Since beach season is almost over and the holidays are a few months away, now is the perfect time to learn new eating habits and change your diet. Instead of going on some crazy crash diet, learn to eat five to six smaller meals instead of three large ones. Load up on lean sources of protein (chicken and fish), complex carbohydrates (rice, oats, and potatoes), fresh fruit and vegetables and avoid sugary sweets, high-fat fast food, and anything with processed sugar.
9. Drink Water
Water is essential for many biological functions including fat-mobilization. Drink ½ your body weight in fluid ounces per day! For some of you that may be MORE than 8-8 ounce servings…the bigger you are the more water you need to drink!
10. Take Up a New Activity
Fall is a great time to start a new activity you’ve never pursued before. Once the kids are back in school, you may have more time to learn kickboxing, martial arts, aerobics or some other healthy activity you’ve often thought about trying. If you start learning a new sport or activity now, you can spend all fall and winter doing it, and will be in much better shape by next spring.
Put these tips into action and you will kick start your Back to School Fitness plan – Making it all about getting Back to YOU!
Deb
Weight Loss Secrets Revealed!
July 15, 2009 by Deb · Leave a Comment
Before you can read this article about weight loss secrets, I first need you to perform a few very simple tasks. First, look to your left and your right. Then, turn around and look behind you. After that, slowly bend down and look under your desk. Did you do it all? Ok… now… was anyone there? Did you see someone? Was anyone watching you? If not, and you’re 100% sure of it, feel free to continue reading this article to see the weight loss secrets. But, if there was, close your web browser immediately and don’t mention to anyone that you were ever here!!!
The Unbelievably True List of Weight Loss Secrets:
- Junk food is bad. Shhhhhh! Don’t tell anyone I told you this… but you know all of those really bad junk foods that are high in sugar and/or saturated fat? Well… they are really bad for you to eat! If your goal is losing weight, you should try to avoid eating junk food. But… let’s just keep this between you and me.
- You know how when you eat a lot of food on a regular basis, much more than you should be eating… you know how you sort of gain weight and become fat? Well… I heard from this guy who told somebody… eating less food instead of more food is a good thing to do when trying to lose weight! Seriously… I swear this is true! But again… DO NOT tell anyone. These are weight loss secrets, remember? Let’s keep it on the down low.
- Shhhhhhhhh! Come close… closer… closerrr… closerrrrrrrr… working out burns calories and builds muscle, so if you want to lose weight… you should create a proper workout routine and stick to it. You didn’t hear this from me though.
- If you have a choice between eating a McDonald’s cheese burger with a side of fries, or eating a grilled chicken breast with a side of vegetables… go with the chicken and vegetables. This comes directly from a top secret document labeled “weight loss secrets” that was found in a locked vault at the Diet and Fitness Institute of The World. If anyone asks you about it, you know nothing!
- You better make sure you keep quiet about this next one, because it’s one of the weight loss secrets that virtually nobody knows about. The next time you eat or buy food that comes in some type of box, jar, can, bag or container of some kind… flip it over! There is this secretly hidden listing of how many calories, carbs, fat and protein that food contains. I know, I know. You think I’m making this up. I would have thought the same thing if I didn’t see it for myself. But it’s for real! Most people only look at the front of the package. Well… SURPRISE! There’s a secret on the back! Now you’ll know more about the food you are eating, and this is vital for achieving your weight loss goals.
- Go into your kitchen. Make sure you’re not being followed. See that thing in the middle? It’s kind of like a big square hole in your kitchen counter. See it? There may be some type of knob or handle at the top of it. Got it? Now… if you turn that knob or lift that handle… something comes out. It’s like a clear liquid of some kind. Now here’s the real kicker… go get some type of container (for example, a cup) and gather some inside it. Then… get this… you’re going to drink it! Yes… really! Not just once, but many times throughout the day… every day! You’re not going to believe this, but they even sell it in stores in what’s called a “bottle.” Seriously! You can actually go into a store and buy a “bottle” of this clear liquid. Drinking a lot of this stuff is good for you… just make sure you keep your mouth shut about it, ok?
- Pssst! Hey you! Yeah, you over there…..Interested in weight loss secrets? Well then hang on to your seat. This one is going to blow you away! There is a difference between the fat in potato chips and the fat in nuts and fish. Don’t mention this to anyone… but the fat that’s in nuts and fish (and fish oil supplements)… its way better for you than the fat that’s in potato chips!
- Can I trust you? I mean seriously… can I? You sure? Ok then… get this… you know high protein foods? Yeah well, high protein foods are actually higher in protein than low protein foods. I know… I didn’t believe it either. But that does NOT leave this room!! You got that?!?!
- I promised myself I wasn’t going to do this. I swore on the holy book of weight loss secrets that I would never reveal this next one. It may be the biggest secret of all. Ya know what? I can’t contain it any longer. I have to give it up. Are you sitting down? Ok, here goes. Once you actually lose the weight… wow I can’t believe I’m really going to give it away… ok… once you actually lose all of the weight you wanted to lose, you have to continue eating right and working out in order to stay at this weight and not gain it all back. I know, it sounds almost impossible to believe. Take a second and let it sink it. I too always thought I could lose it all and then just stop working out and go back to my old eating habits and everything would stay the same. But no! It’s actually the complete opposite! You actually have to stick to the diet and the workout afterwards!
Now, if I find out you told anyone about any of these secrets… consider yourself in HUGE trouble.
Important note:
Since I don’t know the intelligence level of everyone who will be reading this article, and you may not know my SICK sense of humor, I figured I should mention that what you just read is 100% parody. The “secrets” are all real and true, but the rest was a joke. You see, every time I see a news report or magazine/newspaper article claiming to reveal weight loss secrets, I laugh. I mean come on… secrets… about weight loss? It’s just so stupid and hilarious at the same time.
It’s stup-arious!
They really truly want you to believe that what they are about to tell you is something no one else knows. Some type of magic diet or workout tip that nobody has every heard of because it’s top secret and has never been told to anyone before. If they just said they were going to tell you to “eat right and workout correctly” they wouldn’t get ratings or sell magazines. So instead they turn simple obvious well known (and sometimes very useless) facts into these mysterious, confidential weight loss secrets that nobody is allowed to talk about. So, what you just read was me making fun of that.
If there is however any actual point to what you just read, it’s that if anything claims to reveal weight loss secrets, don’t even bother with it. It will likely be useless bits of obvious diet and workout information that will do nothing but waste your time and possibly money. Stop looking for other ways around losing weight. There are no secrets.
There, I said it. There is no little tip or secret piece of information that will change the fact that weight loss occurs solely when you burn more calories than you consume (through diet and/or workout). If you want to lose weight, everything you actually need to know is here on this very site just for you and most of it you probably learned in kindergarten!! Wanna hear the real secret? If you read it all and do it, you will actually get results!
Okay, I know I may have went a little over the top today with making fun of the way things are “marketed” to get our attention, but the real truth is we do seek for an easy answer or an easy way out, and IF we could we’d all take the easy way to lose weight and stay there. I’d be the first to tell you if there really was some huge secret that could make us all easily thin and fit…..and IF there really was something that worked, there would not be any more people who continued to struggle with being over weight.
It is hard to lose weight and it’s even harder to maintain a weight loss so please know it will take hard work and perseverance to overcome and have success, but if you stick with it and use the support system and tools that we provide we hope to make this task easier and a little bit more fun. Laughing is good therapy and it works your abs at the same time!! Hope you are having a great day.
Until next time, LOL
Deb
Water can boost your metabolism and help you shed pounds
May 14, 2009 by Deb · Leave a Comment
I consider water to be the greatest weight-loss drink in the world. Why? Much of what we perceive as hunger, driving us to overeat, is actually thirst. So for over a decade now I’ve been recommending that clients calculate the number of ounces of water they should drink daily by taking their weight and dividing by 2.
But I confess there wasn’t a lot of research to back up what most of us trainers knew intuitively. Now we have some!
In two studies published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, researchers found that within 10 minutes of drinking about a pint of water, metabolic rates in both men and women begin to increase by as much as 24 to 30 percent. Other drinks tested didn’t have the same effect. Based on these study results, drinking this much water every day could burn 17,400 calories a year, for a loss of five pounds. Now granted, that’s not a lot of weight, but added to all the other benefits of water, the little bit of weight loss is a bonus!!
Remember start drinking your water first thing in the morning and continue drinking all day long. If you are not drinking 1/2 your body weight in ounces, start slowly and increase amount drinking until your body gets used it and you reach that desired amount. Your body will adjust and get used to drinking that much water and you will feel great! Drink up!
Deb
