By Sonja Boggs, M.S., Wellness Coach

The recommended guidelines for exercise frequency from the American College of Sports Medicine include 3-5 days of cardiovascular activity and 2-3 days of strength training per week.  Cardiovascular, or aerobic, activity such as walking, jogging, biking, or hiking improves cardiovascular endurance.  Strength training such as lifting weights or resisting your own body weight improves muscular strength and endurance and plays a role in preventing osteoporosis.  Both are essential components of an exercise program.  In order to fit it all in and reach your desired results, you may need to combine activities on some days.  On a day when you are doing both cardiovascular activity such as walking and strength training, which should you do first – the walk or the strength training?

A lot of your decision will depend on your goals.  For instance, if you want to increase your muscle size, exerting most of your energy on strength training first, or even separately, will likely yield the best results.  If, however, you are interested in burning a maximum amount of calories for weight loss, in addition to improving your cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength, going for the walk first is your best choice.  Aerobic activities burn lots of calories both during and after the exercise session and improve cardiovascular fitness.  Adding strength training to the end of an aerobic exercise session will contribute to a higher total calorie burn as well as strengthen your muscles.  And more muscle mass has the additional benefit of increasing the calories you burn even at rest.

Your preferences matter most, though.  If you prefer to do strength training first, for example, then lift some weights before your walk.  It is more beneficial for your body and your overall health to do physical activities consistently than to worry too much about the order in which you do them.  The key is to exercise and the more you do, the better it is for you.  If you are flexible with the order of your physical activity and want to maximize calorie burn, then choose cardiovascular activity first, followed by strength training.  Opt for at least two days per week of strength training to get the best results.  And walk, swim, bike, dance, jump, or hike for cardiovascular endurance the other days of the week for a minimum of 3-5 days.  And, most of all, have fun doing activity you enjoy!

For more information on exercise guidelines visit www.acsm.org.

By Sonja Boggs, M.S.

Do you ever feel pulled in so many directions at once that you might actually split in half?  Life’s endless events and to-do lists can zap your energy and leave you yearning for some much needed down time.  And while you might like to stay on an exercise plan, especially during this time of year just after New Year’s resolutions, you may wonder how you can possibly fit it in.  The good news is that adding as little as 15 minutes of exercise to your daily routine can lead to weight loss and other health benefits.

How can only 15 minutes of exercise help you lose weight?  The key is to include high-intensity speed intervals.  Whether you are on an exercise machine such as an elliptical or treadmill or in your basement doing push-ups and squats, alternating between high and low-intensity timed intervals of 30-90 seconds can yield big results such as improved cardiovascular function and increased metabolism.  While longer bouts of exercise increase the benefits you’ll experience, 15-minute interval training sessions are an ideal solution for busy days.

An interval training program can be as simple as doing a variety of strength training exercises such as squats, lunges, push-ups, dips, and crunches in timed intervals, alternating between high-intensity and low-intensity exercises.  Start with high-intensity exercises such as squats and push-ups, going for 30-90 seconds, and alternate with low-intensity exercises such as crunches and low back extensions for 60-90 seconds to catch your breath and recuperate.  Continue to repeat this pattern of alternating between high and low-intensity exercises for a total of 15 minutes.  Rest or slow down as you need to and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

It is always a good idea to talk with your doctor before beginning a new exercise program, especially if you have prior injuries or special conditions.  And it is important to go at your own pace, listening to your body and stopping or slowing down as needed.  While vigorous exercise is safe for many, it is certainly not for everyone.  Take it slow and be careful as you push yourself in your intensity level.  It is better to slowly progress in health and fitness than to fall backwards with an injury or illness.

By Sonja Boggs, M.S.

1. Have a Vision

With only a vague idea of what you’d like to improve, your resolutions become fuzzy and unclear, making it more likely that you’ll steer off course.  Before you start setting resolutions, take a little time to picture what you really want in your life.  This is the time to build enthusiasm about what you’re seeking.  How do you want your life to look?  How will it be different once you achieve your resolutions? How will you look and feel?  What will you spend most of your time doing and with whom?

To get inspiration for your vision, look through magazines and books or rummage through old photo albums.  Is there a picture of yourself five years ago when you were at your goal weight or doing activities you truly enjoyed?  Is there a picture of a dress you’d love to see yourself in?  Keep these pictures out where you can see them and remind yourself frequently of your vision.

2. Think Outside the Box

Think beyond the common and basic New Year’s resolutions.  Instead of saying you want to lose weight, for example, think about how your life might be different if you were at a lighter weight.  See if there are other areas of your life you can change instead of or in addition to weight loss.  Is there an art class you’ve wanted to sign up for to let your creative side run wild?  Would you like to have a more active social life?  Do you want to date again?  What are you waiting for?  Live your life how you want to live it now instead of waiting until you lose those 10 pounds!  When you are happy and inspired, weight loss becomes a lot easier.

3. Set SMART Goals

Write down your goals and make them SMART – specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and time-based.  Instead of using general terms such as, “I want to lose weight,” try, “I want to lose five pounds by exercising four days per week and decreasing the sugar in my diet by April 30^th.”  The more detailed you can be about your goals, the better your chances of success.

4. Create Your Action Plan

Setting goals is an essential step on the path to life improvement, but even more important are the actions you take each day to get you there.  Put together a plan of exactly what you will do each week and every day to achieve your goals.  How many days per week will you exercise and for how long?  Where will you exercise?  What types of foods will you buy or not buy?  What activities or classes will you sign up for and when?  What time will you go to bed and wake up?  Decide in advance what is most important for you to focus on to reach your goals and write it up in a personal action plan.

5. Identify Your Barriers

Lapses in goal progress, especially around the end of February, are very common.  Most people enthusiastically strive for their New Year’s resolutions following the drop of the Time Square apple and then notice their efforts dwindle as time goes by.  Membership usage in most fitness centers drops dramatically after February, falling off the wayside along with a multitude of diets.  Why do these lapses happen year after year?  Because things come up in life that make it harder to maintain consistent effort.  And the best way to overcome these stumbling blocks, or barriers, is not necessarily to change the events that come up, but to set a plan for how you will handle them.  Identify the barriers you predict will crop up as you work to achieve your goals and come up with strategies, or solutions, to overcome them in advance.

Common barriers include lack of time or energy, limited finances, family conflicts, and boredom.  While it may seem like these barriers are insurmountable, you can be creative in your problem solving.  An effective strategy for overcoming the barrier of time, for example, is to wake up 15 minutes earlier.  A strategy for overcoming limited finances is to work out at home.  Brainstorm some strategies you think might work for you and with a little practice, you will begin to see what works best for your lifestyle.

The process of achieving your New Year’s resolutions and improving your life is not easy.  It takes work.  In the end, though, the reward is well worth the effort.  Sometimes a little help along the journey can go a long way so consider your resources.  Include your family and friends in the process or consider the help of a wellness coach for additional support and encouragement.  Good luck as you strive towards your goals and Happy New Year!

A local gym or community recreation center often has a variety of choices for working up a sweat including cardio and strength machines, free weights, and group exercise classes.  If you want a smaller, more personal space to stay in shape, a yoga or Pilates studio may meet your needs.  What about more personal help, though, for reaching your goals?  Someone who can motivate you to take action and whom you can turn to when you have doubts about your ability to stick with your plan?

You’ve probably heard of personal trainers, often available in fitness centers and small studios.  They can get you started with a personal fitness plan and motivate you to maintain that plan throughout your time with them.  Wellness coaches, however, may be the best option for achieving long-term results.  What are wellness coaches and how are they different from personal trainers?

Wellness coaches go beyond personal training to address the whole person, incorporating both the body and the mind in the process of your health improvement.  Having a fitness plan that meets your needs is one important piece of the puzzle to change.  The other piece, which is often more influential in creating lasting change, is the thinking pattern behind your behavior.  Habitual thoughts that we think every day and even minute-to-minute motivate our daily action, or lack of action, and often affect us in subtle ways beyond our awareness.  Many times you will do things, for example, that don’t serve your best interest in reaching your goals without a clear understanding of why you might sabotage your efforts.  Say your goal is to lose 20 pounds.  After a couple of weeks of earnest effort, even though you know you shouldn’t, you may find yourself eating cookies one night and skipping your workout the next.  Sometimes our behaviors just don’t make sense.  Wellness coaches help you weed through and identify the hidden thoughts that often keep you stuck.  As you’ve probably heard before, awareness is the first step to lasting change.

Once your coach has helped you through that essential step of identifying your self-sabotaging thoughts, you then learn to manage and replace them with more productive thoughts.  Using the aforementioned weight loss example, you may discover that some of your thoughts are screaming that this whole eating less and exercising more routine is boring!  As a result, you sneak a few cookies and skip your workout to do something more fun.  Your coach would work with you so that you can introduce more supportive, productive thoughts and behaviors.  For example, when you hear the thought, “This is so boring!” you learn to implement strategies such as distracting yourself with a new activity or focusing on your breathing.  You also learn to replace the thought with a new one such as, “Once I get through these last fifteen minutes of my workout I will reward myself with a warm bubble bath,” or, “I enjoy the invigorated feeling I get after a brisk walk.”  And, finally, you would work with your coach to explore different types of workouts that are more enjoyable or meals that are more satisfying so it doesn’t seem like losing weight is only hard work.

The new thoughts and behaviors may not stick at first, but with practice you learn new approaches that work for you to successfully reach your goals, for good.  A wellness coach will hold your hand through the process, teaching you strategies for lasting lifestyle change, and then let you live the changes on your own, well after your sessions have run out.  Wellness coaching is not a process of “on the wagon; off the wagon.”  It is about lasting change.  And you deserve it.

Step One:  Breathe Deeply

Whether you’re in your car, at the store, in your office, or at home take a moment to pay attention to your breath.  Often when under stress you will take shallow breaths, which has the effect of continuing your anxiety instead of releasing it.  Instead, breathe deeply into your abdomen, feeling your stomach and diaphragm rise as you inhale and lower as you exhale.  Take about five deep breaths and notice the calming effect it has on your body and state of mind.

Step Two:  Take a Warm Shower or Bath

The heat of the water soothes tense muscles and the act of doing something good for yourself has a calming effect.  Don’t rush it and keep your mind focused on the soothing sensations of the water instead of your to-do list.  You deserve a few minutes of peace.

Step Three:  Stretch

A lot of tension gets stored in your body, leading to tight, aching muscles.  Take a few minutes to stretch key areas including your lower and upper back, hips, and neck.  An easy stretch for your neck is to look from side to side, pausing for 5-10 seconds on each side followed by dropping your ear towards your shoulder on each side, holding for 5-10 seconds each.

The holidays don’t have to be filled with anxiety from moment to moment.  Slow down, breathe, take a little time for yourself, and release the knots in your muscles with some gentle stretching.  The more you can allow yourself to relax, the more you can take in the beauty and kindness this time of the year offers.  Happy Holidays!

By Sonja Boggs, M.S.

With all the hype about the health benefits of drinking, it’s no wonder that alcohol is such a part of today’s lifestyle, often woven into many social gatherings and celebrations. Information abounds regarding alcohol’s benefits for the heart.  Alcohol may improve cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation in the arteries, both strong risk factors for a heart attack.  Alcohol may not, however, be the panacea we’ve made it out to be.  It is a toxin after all, affecting your organs, blood pressure, triglycerides, hormones, and, for those of you concerned about your weight, waist size.

Weeding through all the data can get confusing and at the end of the day you want to know “is it okay to reach for that soothing glass of Cabernet, or beer or mixed beverage?”  Well, the answer is, debatable.  Research continues to show mixed results on how alcohol can benefit or harm your lifestyle and the exact type and amount that is best.  The do’s and don’t of alcohol covered below can help you get to the bottom of all the latest information and get you through this holiday season with your health and figure intact.

DO:

• Be a light drinker if you choose to drink.

The most crucial element to your health and waistline is the amount your drink.  Heavy drinkers who consume more than three drinks regularly are at greatest risk for increased body weight, particularly around the waist, while light drinkers who enjoy the occasional glass of wine fare best.  Some studies have even shown that light drinkers gain less weight over time, possibly because they eat fewer carbohydrates as a result.  The bottom line – if you choose to drink, keep your intake light.  For those who drink daily that means up to two drinks for a man and one drink for a woman.

• Choose wine over spirits.

When it comes to managing your weight, research is now leaning in favor of wine consumption.  When compared with consumers of beer and distilled spirits, wine drinkers have been shown to maintain a healthier waist size.  Moderation, however, is critical since alcohol in any form has the potential to lead to weight gain.

• Just add water.

An easy way to cut back on calories from alcohol is to opt for spritzers, which are a combination of wine and soda water or sparkling water.  You’ll have the same amount in your glass with just half the calories.  Save calories and your judgment at the next holiday gathering by adding a little sparkle of water to your drinks.

DON’T:

• Eat high fat meals with a drink.

A major factor involved in weight gain from alcohol is the tendency to choose fatty foods when drinking.  As your inhibitions diminish it becomes easier to consume meals high in saturated fat and calories such as fried foods and fast food.  Another consideration is that it is common to drink in the evening, which is also the most likely time for snacking.  When drinking, keep lean proteins such as almonds and high fiber carbohydrates such as vegetables on hand to cut back on junk food nibbling.

• Replace meals with alcohol.

Alcohol does not provide a feeling of fullness like a meal can, which is why it is easy to reach for another glass and yet another.  The calories can quickly add up to the same amount as a full meal though.  Each gram of alcohol carries 7 calories, with the average drink containing approximately 100 to 150 calories.  Add mixers such as soda, juice, or flavored liquors and you increase the calorie count up to another 500 calories per drink.  If your goal is to lose weight, eat regular healthy meals for essential nutrients and a feeling of fullness and recognize that any extra calories provided by alcohol can add up fast.

• Drink late in the evening.

Whether it is due to the effect of sleep on hormones or simply that when you are tired you crave high sugar foods, chronic sleep deprivation often leads to weight gain.  Alcohol can disrupt your sleep cycle, leading to disturbances in the deep stages of sleep and a less restful night overall.  If you choose to drink, keep it to the early evening.

While alcohol is in some ways beneficial to the heart, it can also be detrimental to your health and your weight.  A variety of factors including heredity, gender, health status, and body weight can all affect the consequences of alcohol intake on your lifestyle.  The choice to drink alcohol is a personal decision and one that should be weighed carefully with your health history and personal risk factors for chronic disease and addiction.  Including your healthcare provider in your decision is a wise choice.

Following the tips above can help in the process of making the right decision for you. Most importantly, be safe this holiday season and have a designated driver or other means of transportation if you do choose to drink when out and about enjoying the festivities.

References

Flechtner-Mors, M., Biesalski, H.K., Jenkinson, C.P., Adler, G. & Ditschuneit, H.H.  (2004).  Effects of moderate consumption of white wine on weight loss in overweight and obese subjects.  International Journal of Obesity, 28, 1420-1426.

Foster, R.K. & Marriott, H.E.  (2006).  Alcohol consumption in the new millennium – weighing up the risks and benefits for our health.  British Nutrition Foundation:  Nutrition Bulletin, 31, 286-331.

Suter, P.M.  (2005).  Is alcohol consumption a risk factor for weight gain and obesity? Critical Reviews in Clinical Labaratory Sciences, 42(3), 197-227.

Suter, P.M. & Schutz, Y.  (2008).  The effect of exercise, alcohol or both combined on health and physical performance.  International Journal of Obesity, 32, 548-552.

Schutze, M., Schulz, M., Steffen, A., Bergmann, M.M., Kroke, A., Lissner, L. & Boeing, H. (2009).  Beer consumption and the ‘beer belly’: scientific basis or common belief?  European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 63, 1143-1149.

Vadstrup, E.S., Petersen, L., Sorensen, T.I.A. & Gronbaek, M.  (2003).  Waist circumference in relation to history of amount and type of alcohol:  results from the Copenhagen City Heart Study.  International Journal of Obesity, 27, 238-246.

Wang, L., MD, PhD, Lee, I-Min, MBBS, ScD, Manson, J.E., MD, DrPH, Buring, J.E., Scd, Sesso, Howard D., ScD, MPH.  (2010).  Alcohol Consumption, Weight Gain, and Risk of Becoming Overweight in Middle-aged and Older Women.  Archives of Internal Medicine, 170 (5), 453-461.

Drinking Water Before Meals Aids Weight Loss

The many benefits of exercise are well established including reduced risk of chronic disease such as heart disease and diabetes and improved mood and energy.  What role does exercise play in weight loss though?  The National Weight Control Registry was established to identify what lifestyle characteristics are associated with successful long-term weight loss.  Of the 5,000 people who have joined the registry since the early 1990s, 85% of men and 90% of women report regular exercise as part of their weight loss maintenance plan.  They have successfully maintained an average weight loss of 66 pounds for 5 1/2 years.  It appears that exercise does, in fact, play a rather substantial role.

How much and what type of exercise is best?  Multiple forms of exercise were reported for weight loss maintenance including resistance training, cycling, aerobics, running, and cardio machines.  Walking topped the list with 80% of participants reporting its use.  Participants averaged 2,600 calories of energy expenditure per week, which was about 60 or more minutes of daily moderate activity such as walking or 30 minutes or more of daily vigorous exercise such as aerobics or running.

A combination of healthy eating choices and regular exercise contributes most to successful weight loss maintenance.  This Thanksgiving invite your friends and family along for a walk and share the many benefits it provides.

For more information on this report, visit www.acsm-healthfitness.org.