Fasting

I just read in Prevention Magazine that "Mormons' superior heart health may stem from their traditional practice of fasting one day each month." Dr. Donald Lloyd Jones said, "If you have fasted for at least 12 hours, your liver handles a fatty meal much more efficiently-with less insulin and less elevation of blood pressure."
It's amazing to me how something that I've just thought of as a spiritual blessing (fasting and growing closer to the Lord) also gives us temporal blessings as well. Very cool.

9 Strange Things You Can't Do When You're Pregnant

My friend, Christine, shared the article, 9 Strange Things You Can't Do When You're Pregnant with me. I was aware of some on the list. I really liked #7 - Clean the inside of an oven. My husband gets assigned some fun cleaning responsibilities when I'm pregnant, the shower is my favorite to pass off.
I was a little embarrassed about #9 - Drink caffeine. I was so exhausted during my last pregnancy that I slipped in a few Diet Cokes. Don't tell little Phoenix that his mama was neglectful. Next time I'll do better!

Starting Over

Don't you love crisp autumn air? There's a feeling of starting fresh, becoming organized, finishing up those projects it was too hot to do all summer, eating homegrown produce, getting on a schedule, and hopefully fitting an exercise routine into that schedule.

As most of you know I had a baby last month. Being on a schedule is still a bit out of reach for me, but once I hit that six week postpartum mark it's time to at least attempt some semblance of organization, revisit my former life and hopefully someday fit in those old jeans (it is horrid to still be wearing maternity clothes after the baby is born).

But getting back into an exercise routine is not easy. I've been shocked by how painful it is. When you're in shape and exercise vigorously it hurts but it's a productive, feel-good kind of hurt. When you're out of shape and/or recovering from injury or pregnancy this exercise-induced hurt is a miserable, I want to sit down on the side of the road, have a good cry, then call my husband to come get me kind of hurt. I keep promising myself and I want to promise any of you who are just starting out that it will get easier. Someday it will feel good to push myself again. But how to get to that point?

Motivation - First of all we need the motivation. That part seems easy to me. I'm very motivated to lose the pregnancy weight, to fit into my clothes again, to feel good, to be healthy for myself and my children (most especially my baby who gets all his nutrients from Mom right now). There are plenty of reasons or motivators to get into shape and eat healthy, but if you're like me I'm gungho in the morning but by mid-afternoon I'm justifying why I need some ice cream or dark chocolate (dairy in the ice cream and mono-unsaturated fat in the dark chocolate, how can you turn down health food like that?). In my case the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41). So how do we keep that motivation strong in our minds and get through the tough times when exercise hurts or we don't have time to fit it in or we really, really need a slice of chocolate pound cake?

Day by day - take it one day at a time. Every morning I tell myself that this is a new start, a new chance to be healthy. Don't start telling yourself that you'll never eat chocolate again, the depression will overwhelm you and if you're like me you'll go on a chocolate binge. Focus on the healthy choices you're going to make today, worry about tomorrow later.

Promises - I make promises to myself. If I workout four days a week I get to sit down on Friday afternoon and read a good book (if I can talk the boys into it). If I hit my water goal every day I can get a specialty lemonade on my Saturday night date. If I eat five fruits and veggies each day I can have a treat (because if I say absolutely no treats the entire family suffers).

Deals - Another thing that really helps me is to make deals with other people. Promise your friend that you'll meet at the gym or go on a walk each morning, if one of you flakes you have to take your friend to lunch or she has to babysit your toddler for a few hours. Husbands work great for deals. When I hit my "normal" weight my husband has money set aside for me to go shopping for new clothes. (Now if I could just figure out where he hid it. )

Help - Turn to the source who cares about you in all aspects of your life. It's not wrong to pray for help and strength to be healthy. The Lord wants us to take care of ourselves and feel good, doing so means we can serve and love others more.

I hope we can all enjoy starting fresh this beautiful time of year and use some positive motivation to improve our health in some way.

Will this pregnancy ever end?

Sorry, friends. I've been neglectful with my blogging. I'm huge, miserable, and ornery. I've got a week and a half until my due date and we're doing everything to get this baby here. The other night I sat on an exercise ball to try and make the baby descend. When I got off my back seized up and I had to crawl to the bathtub!
But the baby's growing great, I love feeling her (or him) move, and we're thrilled to be almost there.
I hope you're all having a wonderful, healthy summer. Someday soon I'll have some brain power return, be able to write fitness articles, and get excited about being fit again.

Sleep Deprived?

Lately I consider sleep a luxury. I'm sure my sleep isn't going to improve when the bambino arrives. Sleep is too important to miss out on. Not enough sleep can effect your mental abilities, your mood, your ability to lose weight, and much more. I found a great article in Prevention Magazine on how to improve your sleep.

• Soak up the sun - an early morning walk will prevent low energy later in the day.
• Reenergize with exercise - It will help you sleep better and energize you.
• Take a nap - right after lunch is best, either less than twenty minutes or 60-90 minutes to avoid waking up from deep sleep.
• Work on something interesting - Guess I can't fold that pile of laundry, again.
• Eat for stamina - small meals or snacks with complex carbs, protein, and a small amount of healthy fat.
• When in dire need, reach for some caffeine. I'm not much of a caffeine fan, but a Diet Coke once in a while is truly a necessity!

I believe that a short yoga or stretching session right before bed really helps me sleep. I try to avoid working on my computer late at night as screen time too close to bedtime can make it hard to fall asleep. So read a good book instead or soak in a tub with some lavender oil. That sounds nice, maybe I'll soak in the tub and read a good book right now.

"5 Surprising Signs You're Sleep Deprived" by Kaitlin Bell, Prevention Magazine, March 2010

Health Tips for Moms

Frank Martin shared this great list with me - 100 Health Hacks Every Mother Should Know.

Some great stuff on the list.

Good Posture

My husband told me at Cross-Fit they had him doing hundreds of pushups. I screamed, "Don't do it! I don't care if you lose the competition."

Why is this so scary?

Pushups works the pectoralis major and minor (chest) and anterior deltoids (front of shoulders). Doing excessive pushups (or any chest exercise) will strengthen those muscles to the point that they will overpower the back muscles - which are usually weak because we spend so much of our day slouching over a computer, leaning over cleaning, or holding a cute little one.

If you want to have good posture you need to strengthen your core with a balanced approach. A little bit of work on the chest is okay, but make sure you offset it with upper back exercises. Also, make sure to stretch your chest whenever you have a chance.

My favorite chest stretch - go to a corner or a door frame, place hands a little more than shoulder-width apart, lean forward until you feel the stretch in your chest, hold for thirty seconds.

Another key of good posture is strong abs and lower back. Make sure you hold your abs in tight throughout the day and whenever you get the chance press your tongue in the spot where the back of your upper teeth and the roof of your mouth meet. If you press hard enough it will straighten you up every time.

So remember - strengthen back, stretch chest, especially if you are a mom or have issues with posture already.

My favorite back exercise you can do anywhere - stand up straight, extend arms out to the side, level with shoulders, fingers pointing towards ceiling, contract upper back muscles, slowly bring arms in front of you while keeping back contracted, as soon as you lose the contraction go back to start position. Repeat three-four times a day.

Good posture will make you look ten pounds lighter and much more confident.

Setting Achievable Goals

How are those New Year’s Resolutions treating you? Are you irritable without your chocolate? Or sick of getting out of bed early to drag yourself to the gym?

If you’re like me I’m on fire about my lengthy list of goals and then a couple of weeks into the year I realize something – my list is too long and I’m miserable. I’ve finally discovered that it doesn’t work for me to make too many goals at once. I get overwhelmed and frustrated. I now make goals that will be with me for a lifetime, not just a quick fix to get me through the first weeks of January.

One goal a month:

I decide on one goal each month and write it on the top of my calendar. Then if I need to I break it into manageable goals for each day. For example, my goal might be: incorporate more interval training into my workouts. I break it down into: do intervals for my cardio workouts on Monday and Thursday. Then I write on my calendar each Monday and Thursday so I won’t forget. Or my goal may be to drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. Again, I use my calendar, but this time I make a little slash mark for each eight ounce glass I drink. Another goal I’ve made is to play (and actually be fun) for at least an hour with my youngest son each day. Again, the goal is already spelled out for me I just make a check mark on the calendar when I accomplish it.

There’s something about writing that goal on the top of my calendar. I look at the calendar often so I can’t forget about or neglect my goal. If you’re not a calendar person, you could place your goal on the mirror or fridge or maybe put it as a reminder each day in your cell phone. Since my cell phone is often lost or dead, this wouldn’t work for me, but you need to find what is most effective for you.

A habit is formed in 21 days. That’s what makes a month-long goal so perfect. If you can make it a month, you will have turned your great goal into a fabulous habit. Then next month you can make a new goal and keep progressing. When I am feeling really ambitious I will set goals in a few different areas. A physical goal: more strength training or at least 5-6 veggies and fruits each day. A spiritual goal: study my scriptures each night or do one act of service each day. A mental goal: add 1000 words to my work in progress each weekday or update my blog three times each week. But this is only when I’m feeling really ambitious and the rest of my life is pretty settled (boys aren’t involved in too many activities, husband’s not ward mission leader, I’m not expecting a baby). Most of the time I am thrilled with one goal a month and that is plenty to work on.

Think about the type of goals you’re setting. As you’ve probably noticed from my examples, my goals are all things that I can accomplish. They are not something vague like: Hit the NYT bestseller list with my next novel or lose twenty pounds for my class reunion this summer. Those might seem like powerful and motivating goals, but they may be out of our control. All I can do is write the best novel I am capable of and work night and day to promote said novel. Even if I eat perfectly and exercise diligently, I may lose fifteen pounds but not twenty. Am I then a failure?

I get annoyed when women come to me wanting me to help them lose weight for an event. Weight is not a great indicator of health and quick weight loss rarely lasts. What I think most of us really want is: to look good, to feel healthy, to be strong and active and enjoy loved ones. Do people really walk up to you and ask how much you weigh? Can you imagine? People do notice how you look. But they really notice how you carry yourself with confidence, the smile on your face, and the spirit you have about you.

Set goals that will make be you your best you. Set goals that you can achieve. Here’s my latest: Smile all day long even when I feel like screaming. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Cami Checketts is an author and exercise scientist. She and her husband are expecting their fourth, he’s praying for another boy. Her latest book, The Sister Pact, is in stores now. www.camichecketts.com

Let's Start This Contest

First day of the big fitness contest. Are you all so excited you can hardly stand it? I'm snacking on grapes while I type this afternoon, rather than my usual bowl of cookie dough ice cream with homemade hot fudge (sorry about the sensory detail, that almost made me want to go make a bowl!).

I have to admit to being a bit depressed today. First day of the fitness contest and I'm so sick I can't workout. I don't understand why, but this also makes me want to sit around and eat. Thank heavens for the contest. I'm at least on track to get my four other points today, even if I can't exercise.

When you're sick, do you workout anyway or do you figure you'll recover quicker if you give your beat-up body a rest?

Have a healthy day,

Cami

Inspirational Quote

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."
Franklin D. Roosevelt

My sons learned this quote at karate class. When I asked them to explain it they said, "If you get mad you have to tie yourself up and not get mad." Cute.

I'm going to give you a different interpretation. As a lot of us are strength training to lose or maintain weight, it sometimes becomes frustrating because as you know muscle weighs more than fat and until your metabolism kicks in high gear and you start burning more fat you will probably not lose weight and may even gain.

So, when you get to the end of your rope (you feel like quitting because you're short on time, it's just too hard, or you're just plain sick of working so hard and not getting the results you want) tie a knot and hang on. I promise the results of being active and healthy will be worth it. This isn't a temporary fix. This is a lifestyle. If you keep working hard it will be a lifestyle that will benefit you physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I'm so proud of all of you. Keep up the good work,

Cami

Baby Steps

How many times have you decided you are going to change your life? Get organized, start exercising, drop the treats and add the fiber, etc. etc. I get on one of these rampages every few months (usually after we've been on vacation!). But I've found that it never works for me to tackle everything at once.

It’s smart to begin with one change at a time. Small differences can add up to big results. Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to rule or completely change your lifestyle. Baby steps are the key to making lifelong changes. Instead of losing weight with a crash diet – which always comes back on – or starting an ambitious exercise program and getting injured or burned out, take it slow and change one thing at a time.

One change a month is a great goal. In a month you can make something into a long-term habit and if you concentrate on one goal you won't be so overwhelmed.

For example:

• January - make a goal to eat five servings of fruits/veggies a day.

• February - outline a plan to lift weights twice a week.

• March – decide to use only child-sized plates and bowls to force yourself into eating smaller portions.

• April - convince your family to go for an after dinner bike ride or walk. We have a jar of healthy activities. We draw one every night (or that's the goal at least).

• May - trade white bread for high fiber bread.

Our main goal should be healthy and fit for life not just a desire to lose weight because we have a trip or class reunion coming. So go write on your calendar what your next month’s goal is going to be. I write my monthly goals on my desk calendar then I’m reminded of them many times a day. This month the goal is running. I've got a half-marathon on the 29th so I'm logging at least twenty-five miles a week. My poor legs are tired!

What's your latest fitness/health goal?

Genetics or Lifestyle?

What's more important? The genes your parents handed you or the foods they taught you to love?

I've been reading up on the debate about which factors are more influential - genetics or lifestyle - in maintaining a healthy weight. As you can imagine, it's pretty tough to prove either way. Maybe a person wasn't genetically predisposed to be obese, but their family's lifestyle factors influenced them in that direction. Or on the flipside - my father's family has been studied by the University of Utah because of the high incidence of obesity and yet not one of my siblings is overweight. I remember as a teenager my aunt telling me, "You're just a big-boned girl." (Loved that) Or the former Mr. Utah who taught me more about personal training than a university degree, "I love those thick Coats' legs." (As he grabbed my thigh during a lifting session.) Let's face it, because of genetics (and my ice cream addiction) I will never be a size two, but honestly, I'm okay with that. I just want to be fit and feel good.

I liked the four points that writer, William Saletan brings up in his article in The Dallas News, "Is genetics or lifestyle a bigger factor in obesity?"

"First, heritability by itself can't prove the limits of what environmental changes might produce. Environmental changes can significantly raise or lower average weight – as, in fact, they have – even if genes largely determine your weight relative to your peers.

 

Second, any environmental factor that affects the whole study population is too big to show up in the analysis. I'm not talking about things each family could do. I'm talking about things that affect nearly all families simultaneously: urbanization, pollution, the arrival of television and the proliferation of fast food.

 

Third, just because something is genetically caused doesn't mean it can't be behaviorally controlled.

 

Fourth, diet and lifestyle can themselves be genetic pathways. For example, fidgeting has been shown to burn lots of calories; it's highly plausible that fidgeting is genetically influenced and that it drives people to exercise. To the extent that genetics overlaps with fattening behavior, old dichotomies have to be chucked. You can't just blame fat people for eating too much. Nor can you assume that because fat is hereditary, there's nothing they or society can do about it." (i)

I think the bottom line is our propensity to be overweight or thin is definitely affected by our genetics but if we're one of those unlucky people who are more likely to be overweight we have to fight harder and employ all the tricks. It isn't fair, but hey, those skinny people have other challenges like, um, never being able to compete in sumo wrestling.

What do you think? Is lifestyle the determining factor or is it impossible to overcome your ancestry? 

 

(i) http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/points/stories/DN-saletan_30edi.ART.State.Edition1.46af628.html

Incidental Exercise

The amount of movement you accumulate in a day is a huge factor to being healthy and keeping the weight off. 

The best advice I can give - buy a pedometer. The average American walks 3000-5000 steps a day. Experts recommend at least 10,000. Where are you at? Wear a pedometer for a few days. It's amazing how mine motivates me to run down the stairs rather than yell over the banister.

I wrote an article once, "Why FedEx Drivers Don't Get Fat." The main reason? Those dudes move. Some of the men who wore pedometers for me logged almost 20,000 steps a day. Pretty hard to keep weight on when you're moving that much. 

This article on about.com has some good information about pedometers - http://walking.about.com/cs/measure/a/countsteps.htm

An article on incidental exercise by Ultimate Weight Loss explains why it's important to move more.

"Incidental exercise, or the exercise we get doing daily activities, can make a big difference between being overweight and losing or maintaining weight. 

Engaging in more incidental activity can help boost our daily calorie expenditure and keep our metabolism (fat burning engine) fired up through the day and in doing so help us reverse the trend and lose weight." 

http://www.weightloss.com.au/articles/exercise/incidental-exercise.htm

Here are some ideas to get you moving.

• Take the stairs whenever you can. 
  
• Park at the end of the parking lot instead of driving around to find a good spot. The other day I drove around the gym parking lot twice and had to laugh at what a loser I am!
  
• Go on a walk or bike ride with your family
  
• Put your weights and bands next to your t..v. couch and do a workout while you watch The Biggest Loser (If Jillian doesn't guilt you into moving nobody will!) 
  
• Dance around your kitchen
  
• Play tag, kickball, or any fun sport with your kids. 
  
• Jump on the trampoline (if your bladder can handle it, think I've had too many babies)
  
• Walk or do squats or calf raises while you talk on the phone
  
• Balance on one foot or do glute presses while you brush your teeth
  
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
  

Everything you do will make a difference in being more healthy and burning off those extra pounds. 

Cami Checketts

www.camichecketts.com