Sometimes if you're an active person, you may tend to think walking is not enough of a challenge for your workout. Well, I have a challenge for you! I'd like to start by telling you I love to run. I am not a fast runner, but I do like to go out and do 3 to 6 leisurely miles, and I am also planning on doing the Rock n River half marathon in May (13.1 miles), and my second full marathon in October (26.2 miles). I swore I'd never do another full marathon, but it's been 10 years and I've forgotten how hard it was ~ sort of like child birth, doesn't seem as hard as it is until you're doing it! I am also addicted to bleachers! I love the burn and the cardio challenge of going up and down the bleachers... this topic will be in a blog dedicated to just doing bleachers sometime in the future probably when it warms up. Back to the challenge ~ treadmill ~ incline level 10 ~ speed 3.6 ~ duration 30 minutes. Sounds easy enough? Sure that's what I thought too! The original suggestion to me was actually to do 30 to 45 minutes at level 12 to 15 incline!! I said to myself, "piece of cake." Not so fast! If you want to feel the burn of your calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes (butt), AND sweat like a pig, do this workout!! I was definitely challenged. My goal is to get up to level 12 for 30 minutes then longer (then to continue to up the incline). First off let me say 3.6 may be too fast (or too slow) for you. On a flat treadmill, I typically walk at 4.0 speed, but I do have longer legs than someone who is only 5.2. So I would suggest taking your regular flat walking speed ~ your very brisk walking speed ~ and tone it down about 4 or 5 tenths. As I mentioned, I went from my 4.0 speed down 4 tenths to a 3.6 speed. So adjust according to your leg length and also your current fitness level. It may be necessary to start at incline level 6 or 8 rather than 10 as well (but do try to stay at 6 or above for incline). You DO WANT this workout to last for 30 minutes. Don't cheat on the duration ~ the key is making your cardiovascular system stronger and to burn fat!! I promise you, you will be challenged, and you will feel the burn in those beautiful toned legs of yours (envision your goal)!!
A few tips that help me get through a challenging cardio workout are: DO NOT WATCH YOUR TIME! I take my sweatshirt or towel and cover the display. If I can see that clock ticking, or I have glanced at the time on the wall before I start, I am toast mentally! For some reason, I get this anxiety thing going on that I won't be able to go the entire time. So avoid watching your clock/time. I also have to use my ipod to keep my mind on something besides how hot I am, how my legs burn, how hard I am breathing, I can't go on... etc., etc. Personally, I love listening to a book on my ipod (downloaded for free from the public library), or my favorite music play list. When all else is failing, and I am struggling to continue, I think of a flat tummy, or smooth thighs. Remember during your walk to keep your tummy and core tight; this will help you achieve your flatter tummy and also support your lower back.
Okay, so you don't have access to a treadmill. I still love to take outdoor walks, particularly with my doggies. But I find I struggle keeping up a good pace. I am naturally a brisk walker, but for some reason I do need to concentrate on pushing my speed to keep my heart really pumping. How do you fix this? Find the route with the most hills!! Even if there is only one hill, do it several times. Depending on the size of the hill and your fitness level, do it as many times as you can then set a goal to do it one more time. When I lived in San Diego there was a decent (but not too long) hill near my house. My girlfriend and I walked it five mornings a week, and we did that hill 4 or 5 times consecutively. Whew, it was quite a workout, and it helped me train for my marathon on my non running days. You will notice rather quickly, whether on the inclined treadmill or trekking up and down your neighborhood hill, your legs will soon be slimmed and toned. Throw this routine in your workout plans a few times a week. Remember to mix it up so your body is frequently surprised and not expecting the same old thing!
Happy walking!!
Shannon
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
It's just a number...
Confession: I have an overwhelming urge to weigh every morning. And truthfully it is a rare occasion that I do not weigh everyday.
Is this a good or bad thing? I believe it depends on how you choose to let that number affect your mood, outlook, happiness, selfworth and on and on it goes. Sometimes that number may keep you from taking that cookie in the lunchroom. But have you thought of this? Maybe that number is a little lower than you expected; does that mean you may say to yourself, "oh, now I CAN have that ice cream because I was down 3lbs!" Huh? Be honest. The number, whether higher or lower than you'd like, is really just a number after all. The focus in truth should be health, and health includes making good food choices in spite of the number. Do not let the scale take away from how hard you've worked and the progress you really are making whether or not the scale says so!! Additionally, as we begin to improve our eating habits, and (hopefully) begin to move and strengthen our bodies, sometimes that number takes a while to adjust. I find this can be very discouraging. I still get discouraged... that is a good reason why we shouldn't be stressing over that silly number on the scale!! Health, that is what it's about. The rest will follow. We didn't get unhealthy, overweight and sedentary in three weeks, so we probably aren't going to get to that healthy balance in only three weeks either. It is a life style choice, and it will take time to get there.
There is a number you should be thinking about. The circumference of your waist. This is not about how you look in a bikini. This really is about your health. As women, a waist size of over 35" can lead to weight related health issues. Another good rule to go by is to divide your height in inches in half. Your waist should not be larger than that number. I am 5'6" so my waist should be smaller than 33". So ladies, please get out your tape measure, measure above your belly button and just below your ribs, and let it hang out ~ no sucking in. Take note of that number and set your goal to decrease that figure. Then just forget that stupid scale, eat lots of lean protein, bright veggies, skip bad carbs (you know what they are), keep moving, get stronger, and watch your waist shrink away to a healthy place. Keep up the good work!
Shannon
Is this a good or bad thing? I believe it depends on how you choose to let that number affect your mood, outlook, happiness, selfworth and on and on it goes. Sometimes that number may keep you from taking that cookie in the lunchroom. But have you thought of this? Maybe that number is a little lower than you expected; does that mean you may say to yourself, "oh, now I CAN have that ice cream because I was down 3lbs!" Huh? Be honest. The number, whether higher or lower than you'd like, is really just a number after all. The focus in truth should be health, and health includes making good food choices in spite of the number. Do not let the scale take away from how hard you've worked and the progress you really are making whether or not the scale says so!! Additionally, as we begin to improve our eating habits, and (hopefully) begin to move and strengthen our bodies, sometimes that number takes a while to adjust. I find this can be very discouraging. I still get discouraged... that is a good reason why we shouldn't be stressing over that silly number on the scale!! Health, that is what it's about. The rest will follow. We didn't get unhealthy, overweight and sedentary in three weeks, so we probably aren't going to get to that healthy balance in only three weeks either. It is a life style choice, and it will take time to get there.
There is a number you should be thinking about. The circumference of your waist. This is not about how you look in a bikini. This really is about your health. As women, a waist size of over 35" can lead to weight related health issues. Another good rule to go by is to divide your height in inches in half. Your waist should not be larger than that number. I am 5'6" so my waist should be smaller than 33". So ladies, please get out your tape measure, measure above your belly button and just below your ribs, and let it hang out ~ no sucking in. Take note of that number and set your goal to decrease that figure. Then just forget that stupid scale, eat lots of lean protein, bright veggies, skip bad carbs (you know what they are), keep moving, get stronger, and watch your waist shrink away to a healthy place. Keep up the good work!
Shannon
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
To eat or Not to eat... that is the question!
We know we have to eat. For most of us that isn't the problem. I personally LOVE to eat. And I love to eat ALL kinds of food. This was never a problem for me personally until I turned 40. Then I vividly recall thinking my clothes were shrinking. I am not joking, I seriously thought my clothes were shrinking!! It took me a while to realize I was putting on weight. To keep from boring you, I ended up after about 18 months of back fat and a lard-er than usual booty realizing I had to lose about 15 pounds. I kept telling myself, "I can't lose weight, there is nothing I can change..." Well, let me just say that is a load of crap. I started attending a spinning class 4 days a week at 5:10am, and I cut out "bad" carbs and ate mainly protein and vegetables. In about 6 weeks, I had lost that 15lbs of weight that I had convinced myself I couldn't lose. If you have more than 15lbs you're concerned about, it's the same ~ well I know it may be more daunting, but don't get hung up on that. You just need to keep moving & keep away from those empty calories ~ they are not your friend.
Recently, just before Thanksgiving, my friend came by selling cookie dough for a fundraiser for her daughter's school. I wanted to be a good friend and support her daughter ~ and truth be told I LOVE COOKIE DOUGH! Thus began my spiral of weight gain for the holidays (I can eat a tub of cookie dough in about 3 days, and I don't like to share). It's only about 5lbs, but it is 5lbs that feels terrible in my jeans!! Truth is, if you are a carb lover like I am (flour tortillas, french bread, cookie dough, brownies, chips, oh how great is a bowl of chips with cheese and Tapatio melted over it...?) then you are just going to have to kick the habit. And a habit I do believe it is. They say it takes 21 days to make/break a habit. So you just have to say no and realize in another couple of weeks you won't have this urge to get up and eat needlessly. Have a healthy dinner and be done. No more snacking. If you find yourself going to the pantry ~ that is your habit walking you there. Have a glass of water or green tea and really think about how satisfied you already are. Think about that extra push you did in the gym, or that wonderful walk you took, or how lousy you already feel in those jeans! It will pass. Soon, you will be longing for the full satisfying feeling of eating some fresh fish, or a grilled chicken salad, or steamed veggies or some of those wonderful complex carbs like truly 100% whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal... you get the picture. As you continue to move your body and stay away from those empty calories/bad carbs, your body will crave and thank you for the good stuff that's out there and that you are choosing for yourself.
Take care of you ~ you have one body, one life, make it a healthy happy one!
Recently, just before Thanksgiving, my friend came by selling cookie dough for a fundraiser for her daughter's school. I wanted to be a good friend and support her daughter ~ and truth be told I LOVE COOKIE DOUGH! Thus began my spiral of weight gain for the holidays (I can eat a tub of cookie dough in about 3 days, and I don't like to share). It's only about 5lbs, but it is 5lbs that feels terrible in my jeans!! Truth is, if you are a carb lover like I am (flour tortillas, french bread, cookie dough, brownies, chips, oh how great is a bowl of chips with cheese and Tapatio melted over it...?) then you are just going to have to kick the habit. And a habit I do believe it is. They say it takes 21 days to make/break a habit. So you just have to say no and realize in another couple of weeks you won't have this urge to get up and eat needlessly. Have a healthy dinner and be done. No more snacking. If you find yourself going to the pantry ~ that is your habit walking you there. Have a glass of water or green tea and really think about how satisfied you already are. Think about that extra push you did in the gym, or that wonderful walk you took, or how lousy you already feel in those jeans! It will pass. Soon, you will be longing for the full satisfying feeling of eating some fresh fish, or a grilled chicken salad, or steamed veggies or some of those wonderful complex carbs like truly 100% whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal... you get the picture. As you continue to move your body and stay away from those empty calories/bad carbs, your body will crave and thank you for the good stuff that's out there and that you are choosing for yourself.
Take care of you ~ you have one body, one life, make it a healthy happy one!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
~sometimes you just need a break, so take one~
With all of my great intentions for a run in this BEAUTIFUL weather today (it's supposed to be cold again tomorrow), I didn't get to it. First, life happened and I had to go to the bank to deal with the theft of my debit card number :-/ That took about 45 minutes longer than I had anticipated. Then to be quite honest, the dead lifts I did yesterday (and probably the long walk as well) have left me quite sore. Dead lifts are a great exercise to really kick some booty. I highly recommend them for the backs of our legs, booty and even back. But be careful, you do not realize how hard you are working until you cannot move the next day. So a protein shake and a warm bath in place of my glorious run was what I opted for. I am also using my handy dandy roller stick to work out the lactic acid from my hamstrings. The soreness will still be with me tomorrow as frequently you are more sore the second day, but upper body it will be.
My hope is that one day I will see my progress instead of just feel it ~ do you ever feel that way too?
PS. it is 8:37 pm, so drink some water instead of heading for the fridge or pantry!!
On to watch The Biggest Loser!!!
My hope is that one day I will see my progress instead of just feel it ~ do you ever feel that way too?
PS. it is 8:37 pm, so drink some water instead of heading for the fridge or pantry!!
On to watch The Biggest Loser!!!
So sore!
I work with an adorable teacher who has been giving me tips on how to get more for my workout. Needless to say, thanks to her, I am SO sore today. Yesterday I not only did a good hour's worth of exercise in the gym, but I was motivated to walk the dogs because it was 66 degrees here in Sparks and absolutely gorgeous out. My leisurely walk turned into a 1 hour and 45 minute walk. Even my 18 year old son txtd me to make sure I hadn't fallen in a ditch or something! One of the things I have been trying at the gym with Karri's advice, is to not take so many rests. Have you ever noticed yourself taking your time between sets or between different types of exercise, or even stopping to chat with people you know? You will get a better fat burn if you keep that heart rate up ~ in other words, no rest! So, do your set of lunges, then go straight to the leg press, then to straight to leg extensions or dead lifts, THEN (and this is the challenge) go to the treadmill and push it for 5 minutes. For me, I jog at level 6 for one minute, then I bump it to level 7 for one minute, and then back down to level 6. This goes on for 5 minutes alternating levels (try to do the last 20 seconds at the faster speed). If you are not a jogger, then set it to 3.8 or 4 and increase the incline every 30 seconds. But really really push yourself! After your treadmill cardio bump, repeat your lunges, leg press, etc. Guess what then...? back to your 5 minutes on the treadmill. I would also suggest you do 5 minutes warm up on the treadmill before going to your weights. My goal is to get 3 of the treadmill cardio bumps during my weight routine. That usually means you end with one too. By the time you finish, you will be fatigued and sweaty ~ that is the goal!
Don't forget a protein smoothie after any weight routine to give your muscles some fuel to rebuild. I get the Whey protein at Walmart. It is only about $13 for a big container. My personal favorite smoothie is, 1 cup milk. I use 2% because I am lazy and don't want to buy 2 different kinds of milk, and my son needs the 2%. Non fat or 1% is a better choice. Sometimes if I think about it I will do 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 water (tastes just the same). One scoop protein powder (I ususally have the chocolate, but vanilla is good too. Haven't tried the other flavors), 1/3 or so of a frozen banana (I peel my yellow bananas and break them into thirds and freeze them in a ziplock. The frozen banana give the smoothie an ice cream texture. 1/4 cup organic frozen blueberries from Costco, and about a tbls of organic peanut butter (again Costco brand). Blend and enjoy. If you haven't used organic peanut butter before, let me know and I will give you a tip on how it is stored and easier to use. It can be a pain to open a new jar of organic peanut butter. Sounds silly, but it is true!
Hope this challenges you to work a little harder in the gym this week. I would love to hear from you if you try this!
Shannon
Don't forget a protein smoothie after any weight routine to give your muscles some fuel to rebuild. I get the Whey protein at Walmart. It is only about $13 for a big container. My personal favorite smoothie is, 1 cup milk. I use 2% because I am lazy and don't want to buy 2 different kinds of milk, and my son needs the 2%. Non fat or 1% is a better choice. Sometimes if I think about it I will do 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 water (tastes just the same). One scoop protein powder (I ususally have the chocolate, but vanilla is good too. Haven't tried the other flavors), 1/3 or so of a frozen banana (I peel my yellow bananas and break them into thirds and freeze them in a ziplock. The frozen banana give the smoothie an ice cream texture. 1/4 cup organic frozen blueberries from Costco, and about a tbls of organic peanut butter (again Costco brand). Blend and enjoy. If you haven't used organic peanut butter before, let me know and I will give you a tip on how it is stored and easier to use. It can be a pain to open a new jar of organic peanut butter. Sounds silly, but it is true!
Hope this challenges you to work a little harder in the gym this week. I would love to hear from you if you try this!
Shannon
Monday, January 17, 2011
My first blog~!
Hello!
A good friend of mine suggested I attempt a blog. So, here it goes. Not that I am easily persuaded or anything like that, it's just I enjoy writing and I also enjoy encouraging others to be the best they can be. So hopefully this blog will do just that.
This year I find myself 45 years old, married 25 years, mother of two adults (at least according to their age), and realizing how important fitness, moving our bodies and eating well really is to live a fulfilled, long life ~ providing we don't get run over by a bus first. My hope for this blog is to encourage you to get moving, learn to enjoy healthy eating and be the best that you can be. I hope that you will set a goal to do something you never thought you'd do this year ~ 2011 ~ fitness wise. Maybe it's to walk a 5k, or maybe it's to run a marathon. Both of these are obtainable if you really want to do it.
It is 2011 friends. Do you remember a blink ago everyone was freaking out over Y2K? That was 11 years ago. Now let's not put off another day the choice to be healthy and live well. You can do it! I would love to encourage you in anyway, and I will keep you posted on my progress as well. I have a ridiculous goal this year. A goal I think I may not be able to do. Do you feel that way about what you'd like to accomplish? Is it because we are afraid to fail? Afraid to succeed? Which is it? I think it's a combination of both. So let's not let those silly worries stop us from working toward our goal, because doing something toward the goal is success.
Good luck and Happy New Year!!
Shannon
A good friend of mine suggested I attempt a blog. So, here it goes. Not that I am easily persuaded or anything like that, it's just I enjoy writing and I also enjoy encouraging others to be the best they can be. So hopefully this blog will do just that.
This year I find myself 45 years old, married 25 years, mother of two adults (at least according to their age), and realizing how important fitness, moving our bodies and eating well really is to live a fulfilled, long life ~ providing we don't get run over by a bus first. My hope for this blog is to encourage you to get moving, learn to enjoy healthy eating and be the best that you can be. I hope that you will set a goal to do something you never thought you'd do this year ~ 2011 ~ fitness wise. Maybe it's to walk a 5k, or maybe it's to run a marathon. Both of these are obtainable if you really want to do it.
It is 2011 friends. Do you remember a blink ago everyone was freaking out over Y2K? That was 11 years ago. Now let's not put off another day the choice to be healthy and live well. You can do it! I would love to encourage you in anyway, and I will keep you posted on my progress as well. I have a ridiculous goal this year. A goal I think I may not be able to do. Do you feel that way about what you'd like to accomplish? Is it because we are afraid to fail? Afraid to succeed? Which is it? I think it's a combination of both. So let's not let those silly worries stop us from working toward our goal, because doing something toward the goal is success.
Good luck and Happy New Year!!
Shannon
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