Trying to discern what is fact and what is fiction when it comes to exercise can be
overwhelming. Infomercials, magazine articles, advertisements...they can lead
you to believe something is factual when research has proven it to be false.
Here are a few misconceptions vs the facts we get from exercise science:

 MYTH: Women need different strength training exercises so their muscles don’t bulk
up.
 
FACT: The same exercises that strengthen and tone muscles are used to increase muscle size. The bodybuilder next to you at the gym might be doing the same bicep curl exercise,
but the bodybuilder will use a really heavy weight. Most women will not bulk up, because they lack enough testosterone, even when they lift a heavier weight. Heavier weight 
builds muscular strength (which elicits size increases, mostly in men), and lower weight performed with more repetitions builds muscular endurance. So essentially, the exercises are the same. Women in most cases will just lift lighter weights. Lastly, exercising
using a heavier weight can help bulk up our bones, and this is a good thing! 

MYTH: The right exercise will get rid of my belly, or remove the floppy fat on the back of our arms.

FACT: The right exercise will spot strengthen/shape a body area, but it will not
spot-reduce overlying fat. Unless you combine enough additional aerobic
exercise and eat to lose weight, specifically fat weight, then your newly toned
abs and arms will not show definition. This is especially important for women to understand, since there really is no such thing as spot reducing. What you will generally see as a result of weight loss and toning, is a leaner look  in our leaner areas first, not the place we want it off the most! We all have areas of body fat that are higher than others. For some it’s in the hips/tush/thighs and others it is abs or back fat. Unfortunately since you have more fat to lose there, it takes longer to see the results. And typically these “pocket areas of fat” are partially genetically determined (sorry!).


MYTH: Different exercises shorten or elongate muscles.

FACT:  Our muscle length is genetically determined. All exercises contract muscles which briefly shorten them. What might tighten or shorten over time and with age are actually your tendons and connective tissues & joints. So, classes such as Yoga, ilates and even heavy weight lifting can keep your tendons more elastic, relax your muscles (which mentally  feel good) and help keep your joints and muscles from stiffening. They will not however “lengthen/elongate” your muscles. Muscle length is genetically determined
and you are born with that!

These are just a few of the many "Fitness Myths" out there. If you are confused on a topic and want the facts, ask me and I'll do my best to give you the real FitnessTruth!

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Summer is upon us and for many, that means vacation! There are also other social obligations that might keep you out of the gym more than you would like to be. So how do you  keep yourself fit when you miss your regular fitness routine? Use some of these tips:
 
1.  Stairwells –  If you are on vacation look for stairs with 5 or more steps (mutliple stories work best!). They can  be in the hotel or at a park. Pull out  your mp3 player for some extra motivation and start climbing! You can walk, run, take stairs two at a time, walk/run up sideways to add  variety. It’s a great cardio workout –  no gym needed.

2.  Park benches and boardwalk walls – Vacation areas typically have  parks nearby or a boardwalk if you are at the beach. When I see a ‘park bench” or concrete wall, I don’t see a  place to sit. I see it as a great exercise tool! Step up and down on the bench/wall, do tricep dips on the bench/wall. If someone looks at you funny – smile & wave. They are 
probably are only feeling a bit guilty themselves!

3.  Beach walks – Your muscles have to work harder when they push off a  soft surface.

4.  Push-ups/sit-ups/lunges/squats –  Make a deal with yourself before heading out for your day of activity  (or lounging)……
do 3 sets of 10 push-ups, a round of abdominal crunches, 20 lunges on each leg and 20 squats. You’ll feel pumped up and ready for your day!

5.  Multi-task – If you have to take your children to practice (swim, soccer, lacrosse, etc), get in a power walk (or run!). Walk/run around the school or playing field. Get some of the other parents to join you.

6.  Jump ropes and tubing – Bring along a jump rope and an exercise tube while you are away. They are easy to pack, easy to use and will keep you in shape until you make it
back to the gym on a regular basis.

Use some of these suggestions when you find yourself out of town or at the gym. You might find that getting out of your regular routine might be a good "reboot" to your current routine!
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Ask yourself this question..."What's stopping you from being your best, healthiest, fittest self?" Is your answer fear of failure, loss of control or not knowing how to do everything correctly? Can it be that you are a perfectionist and you don't want to start something you are not confident you can be 100 percent successful? Maybe it is time to think differently.

I heard this quote from a client of mine today, "Don't let perfect get in the way of better". That quote spoke volumes to me. Each week I come in contact with people that are over achievers in their business life, family life and social life, but lead a physical life that is  unfit and unhealthy. They struggle with their weight, high blood pressure, stress and there is not much thought to what and how they are eating. Its not that these people aren't capable of learning the rules of the road to health & fitness, but that they don't want to engage in something that they can't get the A+, the 100%, the Blue Ribbon or whatever that they perceive to be "perfection". When it comes to health, wellness & fitness the journey is not about perfection, but simply about being better. Better at the journey that doesn't necessarily have a finish line, as it is more of a way of life. And life, simply isn't perfect for anyone, but it can be better! So don't let those "perfection" ideas get in your way of being better. Think differently.

The second thing I learned about this week was how control plays a role in holding you back. Sometimes it is fear of losing control that keeps someone from being their "healthiest, fitness, best self".
This quote is from Dr. Jade Teta: "Control is a symptom of fear and  insecurity. It can push goals further away making change harder not easier to  achieve. The idea that we "know better" can lead to blindness by ignorance. A  better approach is to put aside control and become the student not the teacher.  Don't force or try to control change, but instead immerse yourself in the  process learning as you go." 
As a fitness professional, I see this in my clients, but I can also see this in myself. I truly  relate to this as I like being in control...but I also know that because of that, there have been times when I didn't grow physically, emotionally or spiritually because I thought "I knew better". Sometimes, I need to "Think Differently".

So as I ask you "What's stopping you?...Think Differently", I will do also. I will begin to let go of fear of not being "perfect"  and try to live my life to be "better". And as for control, I will embrace the positive changes that can happen through the learning process as I set aside control.
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Do you ever have one of those days when you planned to workout, but you just weren’t “feeling it”? Instead of turning your car in the direction of home or staying inside cozy on the couch, I say go to the gym or lace up your shoes and get out the door! All you have to do is 15 minutes. If at the end of 15 minutes you still want to stop, then give yourself permission to do so. However you will find that 9 times out of 10 you will continue your workout and finish the time you set aside that day for your fitness.

Why is this? Well, the hardest part of any workout is actually getting started. Even if your workout is not taking place at a fitness center, maybe it’s a walk or run in your neighborhood, the hardest part is putting on the shoes and getting out the door.

If getting started is the hardest part, the second hardest part is having the nagging feeling of “still not wanting” to it. That’s where the 15 Minute Permission Rule comes into play. Some days our mental state just isn’t there to allow us to proceed with the physical work. If you get into the workout, 15 minutes is the make or break point. It takes a good 15 minutes for you to get into the “flow’ of your workout. Your muscles are warm, your breathing is rhythmic and you begin to feel the sense of good self esteem around the 15 minute mark. In most cases your “mental state” begins to align itself with the physical work. But if you get to the 15 minute mark and you still want to stop – permission is granted! The great part about this is that you stop without guilt. Today just was not your day mentally. But at least you gave yourself the opportunity to get over that mental hurdle – and you got in15 minutes of exercise rather than 0 minutes of exercise!

Trust me this works. I don’t always have the luxury of not working out when I’m not mentally into it because teaching exercise is my profession. But I have not always been a fitness professional. When I was working in a corporate setting, I would either swim or run daily. I honestly can say that 3 days out of 5 I didn’t want to get started. I knew however that once I started, I almost always felt better. I would visualize before my workout how I would feel at the end. And then, I gave myself permission to stop. If I had trouble visualizing, I knew that the 15 minutes could be a struggle. But I made the deal with myself that I could stop at the 15 minute mark if I wanted. Wouldn’t it be great if this story ended with me telling you I never stopped? But I think it’s a better story that I can tell you that I did take advantage of my “personal permission slip”. I have stopped running or swimming. No guilt.

So the next time you are struggling with do I go/no go, I say go…visualize the end and how you will feel. Then take the 15 minute personal permission slip along. I think you will surprise yourself…that workout that you may have skipped might just be the best workout you ever had!
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Gobble Gobble! The Thanksgiving Holiday is right around the corner. And it is at Thanksgiving that people think about their lives and tend to articulate what it is that they are thankful. Instead, don't wait until Thursday, November 25. I encourage you to take time daily during the month of November to think about the things you have in your life to be thankful. With so much negativity in the world and every day stresses, it can be overwhelming and easy to get caught up and forget about all the good in our lives. So think of it as an exercise that is “Fitness for the Soul.” Pull out a calendar and each day write down one thing that makes you feel thankful. At the end of the month you will have 30 things to reflect upon that are “good” in your life. I believe that if you begin this exercise, and you find a moment each day to associate with the good, you’ll find a positive strength within to handle the hurdles that may come your way.

“All that is best and highest in me greets/salutes all that is best and highest in you." - Namaste

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I did not wrtie this blog...It was written by Jade Teta ND, CSCS. But I think it is a great blog to read regarding the one "best exercise move" and the reason behind it. Check on the link to see what it has to say!
http://metaboliceffect.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/one-exercise-to-rule-them-all/
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Post Title. 09/18/2010
 
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FAT vs MUSCLE
Have you ever heard "Muscle weighs more than fat"?  Well, its not true. 5 lbs of feathers weighs 5 lbs. A 5 lb weight weight s 5 lbs. A 5 lb bag of sugar weighs...you guessed it - 5 lbs!  So at any given weight, fat and muscle weigh the same amount. The issue is size and density of the weight. A 5 lb bag of feathers might be able to fill a 30 gallon trash bag and a 5 lb bag of sugar might fit in a 1/2 gallon bag.  So, what should be stated is this: Fat takes up twice as much room as muscle. AND....for another blog....muscle can not turn into fat....more on that later!

Although the scale is an important tool for monitoring weight, so is monitoring your clothes and how they fit! If you have  been working out, doing weight training, eating clean....but the scale hasn't budged but your clothes are obviously more loose, you may have lost fat and replaced that fat weight loss with muscle gain. It is subtle on the scale, but obvious in how you feel.

So keep this in mind with eating and exercising. Keep this "visual" in your head. And think....eat clean/great for 6 days, cheat one. Go hard & tough 5/6 days on your exercise...active/light exercise 2 /1 days.


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I admit it. Ask anyone who has worked with me, takes my classes or who knows me socially, I am addicted to sugar. Yeah, I used to make excuse, “Well I teach 2 hours a day or more! My body can handle it”. “I deserve it because it keeps me going throughout the day”. But these excuses were hiding the truth. The truth was I didn’t like how I was fitting in my clothes (and excusing this because I am now over 40). I was also tired, cranky, moody and sleeping poorly. And I simply wasn’t being the “best me”.

So I decided that it was time to get real about what I was fueling my body with every day. After all, my job is physically active and people oriented. I need to be able to go hard and moodiness isn’t tolerated particularly well in the people business!

Most people would take a look at what I ate and would likely consider 70% of it was pretty good. However, the 30% of your diet coming from sugar (and I’m not talking about fresh fruit here!) is damaging in so many ways. So, I decided to read up on “eating clean” and eliminating the sugar.

Eating clean essentially means not eating processed foods or anything that has sugar (real or fake) in it. Take a look at the cereal box, jar of salsa, ketchup, peanut butter, yogurt...these items all have sugar.
And alcohol, my friends, is fermented fruit, which is all sugar. So for 12 days my intake was primarily fish, vegetables and low sugar fruits (apples, berries and plums were in – the tropical fruits and melons are out!). The first few days I was CRAVING things I don’t even normally eat – pudding, peanut butter, donuts – but I persevered. I began learning to feed my hunger and not suppress it with a handful of candy. My coworkers went into my candy drawer only to find blueberries, tuna packets, chicken strips, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, oatmeal and plums. Instead of popping a handful of jelly beans or gummy bears into my mouth, I ate one of my healthy snacks instead.

What I was doing by changing my sugar habit was balancing out my blood sugar and insulin levels. By eating a combination of fiber-rich carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fats, I felt full longer and was no longer craving the sugary sweet stuff! I also was no longer sabotaging my diet with extra needless calories that was only a quick fix to my growling stomach. 

Well, my 12 days ended. I am in a better mood at work, I have high energy while teaching classes, I don’t find myself in a “sleepy afternoon funk,” I’m not “sweating the small stuff;” I sleep better and my skin looks more youthful! And the added bonus…my skinny jeans fit! Although I am allowing sugar back into my daily food intake, I am making smarter and healthier choices when doing so. And candy is a treat for me – no longer a meal replacement. Moderation is key. I did say I’m an “addict.” There is a chance of me falling off the wagon from time to time. But I really don’t want to lose this “feel good feeling”. 

So I challenge you to take a look at the labels of the products you buy. Be honest with yourself about how much sugar you are putting in your body. Can you cut back on that to be a better, healthier you? It
doesn’t even have to be 12 days! Pick 2 days out of the week that you will eat “cleaner” and sugarless. You are going to love how you feel!
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