Archive for February, 2010

Pregnancy and Exercise a few basics!

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

A few reasons to exercise during your pregnancy:

No kankles for you! Exercise during pregnancy improves circulation which helps with constipation, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, leg cramps and ankle swelling. Exercise can alleviate back pain through strengthening the back.

 You’ll be able to tackle the day! Energy can be restored! Exercise can help some of the lethargy caused by pregnancy; baby-growing takes a lot of energy!

You better get some rest now before the baby comes! Exercise will tire you into a deeper more restful sleep.

Your husband will like you a little more! Mood swings no more! Exercise will help stabilize mood and self-image, helping you adjust to your new body!

You will thank yourself in the delivery room!  Shorter labor? Sign me up! Exercise will also give you more endurance for your labor, will decrease the time in delivery room, and the recovery will be much quicker!

Baby will thank you! Exercising during pregnancy will maintain your muscle strength and tone, making it a little easier to carry your baby in your arms post-pregnancy! And the weight will come off a little easier.

Om! Include relaxation and stretching before and after your exercise! Recovery is just as important as the workout itself!

Things to check after you find out you’re with child:

What’s up doc?  Make sure you are cleared to exercise. This shouldn’t be a problem if you are currently exercising, but its always good to check. If you are just starting an exercise program, start very slowly and try not to over exert yourself.

Tone down the intensity not your muscles! Keep exercise controlled, stay within your recommended heart rate level to ensure the baby is getting the oxygen needed. Do not exercise to exhaustion or breathlessness. When you exercise, the blood flow shifts away from your internal organs (including your uterus) to give your muscles, lungs and heart more oxygen. During the second and third, avoid exercises where you need to lie down on your back, this causes discomfort for you, and lack of blood for baby.

Watch your step! As the center of balance shifts forward, falls are much more likely! Joints also have more give during this time, as well. When exercising where comfortable clothing and footwear, make sure that your sneakers have good support in the ankle and arch! Avoid activities that put you at additional risk for slips and falls. And avoid contact sports! And stay within your comfort zone.

Don’t overheat! Avoid exercising in hot weather. Hot or not, take frequent breaks and HYDRATE!

Don’t over do it! Listen to your body; it will let you know when to reduce level of exercise. If you experience any of the following stop! And contact your doctor immediately! -unusual pain or shortness of breath, dizziness or lightheadness, racing heartbeat or chest pain, fluid or blood leaking from vagina, uterine contractions, muscle cramps

All this and more can be found at http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/

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Posted in energy, Fitness, Pregnancy, Strength Training | 2 Comments »

Facts on Fat!

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Trans fat, saturated fat, unsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat… we’ve all heard about them, but what do they mean and how can we avoid them,  and do we need to?

The four types have different chemical structures and physical properties.  The bad fats, saturated and trans fats, tend to be more solid at room temperature (like a stick of butter), while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats tend to be more liquid (like liquid vegetable oil).

Fats can also have different effects on the cholesterol levels in your body.  The bad fats, saturated fats and trans fats raise bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in your blood.  Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats can lower bad cholesterol levels and are beneficial when consumed in moderation.

Because fats are so energy-dense, consuming high levels of fat – regardless of the type – can lead to taking in too many calories.  That can lead to weight gain or being overweight.  Consuming high levels of saturated or trans fats can also lead to heart disease and stroke.  Health experts generally recommend replacing saturated fats and trans fats with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats – while still limiting the total amount of fat you consume.

Be watchful of foods labeled “0 trans fat” or cooked with “trans fat-free” oils may contain a lot of saturated fats, which raise your bad cholesterol levels.  “Trans fat-free” foods may also be unhealthy in terms of their general nutrient content.  For example, baked goods tend to be high in added sugars and low in nutrients.

Eating foods with a moderate amount of fat is definitely part of a healthy diet.  Just remember to balance the amount of calories you eat with the amount of calories you burn.  Aim to eat more vegetables, fruits, whole-grain/high-fiber foods, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, and fish (at least twice a week).  Doing so means that your diet will be low in both saturated fats and trans fats. Get healthy fats, from foods like avocados and almonds. The best way to avoid bad fats, stay away from fried foods and processed foods. Stick to CLEAN FOODS!

By avoiding these unhealthy fats, you will have more energy! All it takes is a little planning, and attention paid to what you are putting in your body. Look at the preparation of your foods and if they are higher in fat make sure to have a smaller portion of them!

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Persistence

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

I helped a women touch her toes for the first time maybe ever. After weeks of struggle and persistence, she finally did it! This was the most rewarding day this month. Working in this field, I am so fortunate to help people achieve small goals, and gain competency in their daily routine and an awareness and connection with their body they never thought possible. I love it!

I have always known that I would be helping people, I have tried many ways, but it always came back to health and fitness. At an early age, I realized that prevention was a very important concept. In high school, it really hit home. My family health history is like that of most families here in the Midwest. Diabetes (Type II) and Heart Disease have made an appearance in my family. The two leading causes of death AND are both extremely preventable.

8 of the 10 leading causes of death ARE preventable. Prevention is something most doctors don’t talk about very often to their patients. My grandparents are very active, but never took their doctors advice. I always remember them saying ‘so the dr said that I need to be doing this and that’ but I never saw them follow through fully.

I found my calling from my family. I do this for them. I want more than anything for them to call and ask me for advice or help. But I will never seek them out. They know what I do, and if they want help I hope they know that I am here for them. In the meantime, I help everyone I can! I can’t help it! I just think of all the family members I am helping, everyone I’m helping is a brother, sister, mom or dad to someone. I wish someone had looked out for my family, just like I’m looking out for their families.

The woman that finally reached her toes, a small accomplishment but she will go on with her day pushing herself just a little bit further. She will keep coming back seeing this small success that I told her would be achievable if she kept up her hard work, will have more faith in my words, and know they are not just words but love and care and honesty and she will pass on that extra helping because I told her to work forward this weekend quit catching up!

Sometimes focusing on the little things will all add up to the bigger things. When you have much to accomplish, you don’t have to see the top of the stairs, just the first step. It may not seem to be completely correlated, but it will all make sense in the end. Keep working forward, progress in a positive direction and everything around you will seem more achievable!

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Build more life tissue!

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

What is life tissue? Muscles. More muscles mean more blood, more blood means more circulation and …you get the idea. Muscles are important. The more life in our muscles, i.e. size, strength, density, stamina, the better we feel about ourselves.

Building muscles is very important to every aspect of life, for everything you do you need muscles. For everything you don’t do you need muscles too. Think about it, wouldn’t you like to burn more calories reading, or watching a movie? Having more muscle mass means you are burning more calories at rest! Having more lean muscle mass will increase your metabolism, and you will burn more calories at rest as well as daily activities.

Going for a walk with a friend, playing with the kids, taking the stairs, even putting the groceries away is easier with more muscle mass!  With age our metabolism slows and we lose muscle mass, you can reverse these affects by including more weight bearing exercise into your routine.

Building and maintaining muscles is important for various reasons, more muscle tissue increases the production and need for more blood, with more white blood cells you have a more antibodies and you will have a larger defense system and more resistance to viruses and bacteria.

Your kinesthetic awareness will also heighten. You will move more smoothly through your daily routine, your balance and coordination will improve drastically! By raising this awareness you will also be challenging your mind in ways it hasn’t been challenged recently or ever! Moving your body through the different exercises not only pushes your brain to think about and focus on the muscles but strengthens your mind to also think of where it should be in space, a concept often forgot when thinking of the importance of exercise. Yoga is a great example of this concept, and strength training will help you develop the muscles necessary!

Having more muscle mass will also help reduce the risk of injury, the muscles will do a better job of supporting the joints and the exercises that build the muscle, weight bearing, will also help increase bone density.  If you do unfortunately get injured, you will have a faster recovery time.

Your energy will increase with more lean muscle mass. You will be more productive at work, you will have less sick days, you can turn them into well days!  Your confidence will skyrocket, clothes will fit better, and posture will improve. Who wouldn’t want to build muscle mass and life tissue in their body? Want to workout? :)

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Feeling tired?

Monday, February 15th, 2010

So, you’re having trouble falling asleep, but you’re doing everything right! You exercise everyday, you’re not drinking caffeine after lunch, you’re not eating late or drinking alcohol. So why can’t you wind down and just relax? Many factors may be to blame…

Sleep regularity is very important in maintaining restful nights. For some six hours will work great, and others need eight or nine. The most crucial factor in this equation would have to be regularity and routine. Sleeping too much and not enough in the same week is also a very common habit. When you are going to bed and waking around the same time everyday do you notice that you are waking up before the alarm? This is a good indicator of adequate sleep and a good routine.

Another thing we do that can cause sleeplessness… working in bed. Beds and Bedrooms are for two things only! Sleeping and intimacy. By working from your bed you are changing that space from a sleep and relaxing place to a work place and you will end up taking work stresses to bed with you, leaving you with a less restful space.

Stress. We are always rushing, to the gym, to work, to take the kids to school, to get home, to make dinner, to do chores, to watch your shows. You name it and you’re probably rushing. You are having a hard time transitioning from day to night. To help make your transition easier look for an adjustment activity.

Just like before your workout, give yourself an adjustment activity, something that lets your body and mind now what’s coming next. For some it’s taking a calming shower, chamomile tea or light stretching. The only requirement for your activity is that you need to incorporate it into your routine.

Try to stay away from talking about your day and your worries while lying in bed, and even in your bedroom. This is your tranquil space.  A great activity to increase your rest and every other aspect of your life is to look at everything you are thankful for before you go to bed. This very positive activity will put you at ease by focusing on all the good in your life. Keep your bedroom very positive and all stresses out!

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