A red letter hangover

Hi.  It's Laura.

The problem with red letter days is that they make regular days seem, well, just regular.

So back to the grind:  up early, to the dog park (with the dog) to the gym (without the dog), fight with mother and feeling sleepy through it all.

This brings me to the gym. This week begins microcycle three in linear strength training. Woo Hoo! You say “what does that mean?? English please!”  or you say “sounds boring, I'm done”.

Ten weeks ago I introduced to you my strength training for Tri-training. I chose a linear progression to help me reach my goal. The microcycles I have chosen are pretty traditional (four weeks). So every four weeks I change my strength training to different exercises as well as increasing or decreasing the amount of set and the amount of reps. In this microcycle, I am increasing the amount of weight I am lifting and decreasing the amount reps, choosing exercises that will help me in all three disciplines of the triathlon (swim, bike & run).

·         single arm cable chest press

·         barbell row

·         lat pull down

·         dumbbell shoulder press

·         dumbbell lunges

·         bent knee calf raises

·         cable pull trough’s

·         Swiss ball roll out

·         weighted Russian twist and weighted decline sit-ups. 

I know it sound like a lot but it actually goes by pretty quickly when you pair a lower body exercise with an upper body exercise.

And this all brings us back to adaptation, by changing the intensity of the exercise every four weeks or so, I keep my muscles from adapting to the same old routine and get them to respond in a different way (growing).

Tonight I have an appointment with my massage therapist. I am suffering pain in my Piriformis and I know she can fix it.  I am trying to convince her to join Inspired! and begin adding massage therapy to the program.  I will let you know how it goes tonight.

Play hard & stay strong

Laura

Red-letter day

Hi! It's Laura

Happy Monday!

I hope you all had a good weekend. I had half a good weekend. Great Saturday: sugary snow conditions, beautiful blue sunny sky, and a great skiing companion (The Husband). Sunday, I suffered from some stomach “something” that made the ride home tentative. I was crossing my fingers that I had not contracted the same stomach thing my mother had a few weeks ago. She was sick for a week. It turns out, it was not. YAY

If you were not aware, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday I swim (or at least I try). I run into all kinds of issues in the pool, e.g. inconsiderate people, crowds, equipment and me. I have had a long string of unsuccessful swims and I mostly blame myself for getting in my way, self-sabotage if you will.

This happens because I am not good at swimming yet and I do not have the endurance for it that I have for running or cycling. So it is easier to find an excuse to let me get out of the pool than to stay and figure out it.  Then it happened! I would like to say that the beam of light shone upon me and singing from on high commenced but no, it did not. It just happened out of the blue (a drop in the bucket of the 10,000 hours?).

This morning instead of donning my running gear and hitting the treadmill, I put on my swim suit and hit the pool. Since the pool is more quiet than at 7:00 am, 5:30 am rocks. I managed to get in my entire swim workout today and boy, did it feel good. 

I love the rules that we create for ourselves ( mine: I can' t run on the treadmill wet from the pool). Why? ! have no idea. After a conversation with The Husband on the ski lift about the stupid rules we impose on ourselves, I decided to switch it up. So after the pool, I slipped sneakers on my feet, tied up my wet hair (sports bras + wet skin = difficult dressing, thank you lady in the locker room for helping me untwist the back of it) and hit the treadmill.

Well, can we say red- letter day? I started at my normal pace and could not get my heart rate up, I increased my pace, it jumped slightly but not what I had expected. Running today was easier than it has been all month.  Light bulb!  I may have broken through and made progress in my fitness.  This is great and what a morale booster.  There has been a lot of bitching and moaning getting to this point, and today it all feels worth it.  Noteworthy, The Husband also had fitness breakthrough this morning while running with The Dog. So it working out is looking up for everyone.

Now for the bad news, it is time to take it to the next level which means harder workouts as I progress toward my goal. So the bitching and complaining is not quite over yet.

I hope that you are sticking to your goals or setting new ones for yourself.

Play hard & stick with it!

Laura

Martini please!

It's Laura.

As I was walking down the escalator at the Duane Reade, I got it.

I think I finally understand why people turn to food for comfort. My belief is that the biting and chewing sensation for them is the same as having a drink for me (definitely not alone in this). I was clenching my fists waiting for the pharmacist to get off the phone and wondering how I am going to relieve the frustration that I am feeling today ( I was thinking skip the diet, get the Snickers)  The answer, at the end, is I have to tell the story (albeit backwards) first. Confused? You won’t be.

My adrenaline is being pushed by sheer frustration this morning and I am not at all happy about it. 

THE DOG

rain + dog= muddy mess (and I hate math). 

I know he is going to be disgusting after I take him to the dog run today and there is NO WAY he is getting in car, with us, for four plus hours, stinking like a mud bath.

THE STORE

The grocery store is always frustrating but rainy days are particularly obnoxious in the Fairway (not to mention the completely rearranged the store)! I have NOT A CLUE as to where anything is located. Then I find out it is only temporary.  If you have never been to the Fairway on UWS, you are not missing anything. First of all the store is two levels and the elevator is as old as dirt. So they moved the bread to the second floor.

second floor bread + self-absorbed New Yorkers = cranky pants. (I now hate math more)

Remember, I am working backwards here.

THE POOL (It’s not what you think)

I was having equipment issues this morning.  Foggy goggles (grrrrr)! My really awesome Christmas gift, the Speedo Aquabeat, worked for the first time (long story there) but now I could not figure out how to keep the headphones in my ears without hurting because of the swim cap (owie ow). The cap kept sliding back on my head and my swimsuit just did not fit right today (yes, i said swim cap, it’s the rule).

THE GYM

Before that, the gym was beautifully quiet this morning which should have made for a lovely run. Of course, three minutes into my treadmill run, I accidently pulled the emergency cord which stopped my machine. So I plugged it back in and got moving. Twenty minutes pass and then I have to pee.  I tell myself, ignore it. I tell myself “you'll sweat it out”. NOPE. Borderline emergency here. Off to pee (sorry if it’s too much information) and back on the machine to finish my run before I head to the pool.

THE BEASTS (today there are 2 of them)

Rainy morning, the husband and the dog slept in (if you call 5:15 sleeping in although the dog didn't get up until 5:30). I weigh in on Friday's (down only .2 pounds?! Grrrrr!). I grabbed for a band aid and the entire box fell out all over the floor (not to mention the unmentionables that also fell to floor and scattered everywhere).  That is soooooo frustrating. I had bad night sleep (coffee at 4:00pm yesterday).

It happens to all of us. As frustrating as it all was, the workout got done despite all the obstacles I put in my own way.

THE BLOG (yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it’s out of order. Did you think I would get better at math by the end of this?)

As of this writing, more frustration, I keep misplacing my hands on the keyboard and getting typos, driving me nuts. At the same time, the smelly beast keeps thinking he is a lap dog and climbing up to cuddle (the dog BTW is 55lbs). However, he did make me giggle as he thinks that he can cuddle like the cats (I guess I isn’t such a bad day after all).

Have a good weekend!

Play hard & keep on!

Laura

Top 10 Worst Super Market Foods

Hi! It's Laura.

We think that because we are cooking at home and shopping for ourselves that we are making great choices. Perhaps not.   I am a huge fan of David Zinczenko and his Eat This, Not That! I also like lists.

Check this one out:

The Top 10 Worst Super Market Foods.

Play Hard!
Laura

Shameless self promotion

Hi! It's Laura.

Have you ever watched the Biggest Loser?  I will happily admit that I do and enjoy it. It used to be the only reality television show that I watched but I no longer have those bragging rights.

So last night's episode's twist was the team that lost the challenge loses right to the gym for a week.

You would have thought the host of the show told them that they had to give up their legs for a week.  My goodness.

It did remind me of my original thoughts on starting Inspired!  In the real world there is no "super trainer" screaming in your face pushing you to work (and you probably don't want that either) If you do go to the gym, you do have to deal with the nonsense that goes on there which we have discussed at length here.

So, some people choose not to use a gym and they were my original target audience. Other people don't want the expense or can't get to gym because it doesn’t fit their commuting schedule (the instant gratification generation needs the “Super Convenient Gym”).

I get it. Been there, done that.  But does that mean you have to sacrifice your health & fitness goals? I think we all know the answer the questions already but just in case, “Fitness Goals do not require a Gym!”

The hardest part is where to begin.

Cardio is the most obvious and the easiest. Running is not for everyone but walking is great exercise. I think most people have sidewalks or walkways. How about stairs? Do you have them in your office building? I know at least one of my students runs stairs in her apartment building every day.  Do you own a bicycle?  I know it is cold outside now, but you have the desire, they sell a stand that allows you to turn your bike into a stationary bike in your own home (I used to have one it was great).  I was going to suggest things like Wii and the Xbox 360 but if you wanted to work out at home, you probably already have one.

On to strength.  The basics: pushup and sit-ups.  The pushup, in my opinion, is the single greatest exercise. It works your chest, back, arms, shoulders and core.  If you cannot do a standard pushup, start on your knees, there is NO SHAME in that. Every day try to do at least one more than you did the day before (if you are challenged with them, I can help you because, after all, that is my job) ACSM recommends for woman between the ages of 30-50 and average of 15 pushups for men in the same age groups an average of 18. Test yourself and see where you are.

The same stair running student of mine also does her pushups every day. She has the awesome arms to show for it (no bicep curls required).

As for core strength training, your basic sit-up will get the job done, just be careful. If you have any lower back issues, you may want to modify them just a bit with something like a Swiss ball. If you are reluctant to do sit-ups because of LBP, email me and I can set you up with some core exercises that should work your core and not hurt your back.

As for the rest of your body, I am keeping those exercises to myself for now in hopes that one of you wants me to train you. And if you are interested in being trained by me and you don't have a gym or a convenient location, I do.  I have a contract with a gym in NOHO that is specifically for personal trainers and their clients and I have Central Park (although the gym has showers). If you want to set up a session or have any questions, let me know.

Play hard & stay fit!

Laura

Bellyaching

What a difference a day makes! I am way less cranky today (it won’t sound like it in a minute, but I really am) and perhaps that has everything to do with the sunshine that is streaming through all of our windows.

 I don't know if you heard, New York has been voted the rudest city in America by Travel & Leisure magazine (I know I have done my part for this honor) knocking Los Angeles out of the top spot (I have never been to LA and I find it hard to imagine how all the pretty people can be rude to each other from inside their cars). I have a totally Hollywood idea of what LA is actually like.

It's bad enough that we have to deal with the subway and the pushing and shoving that goes on there (we did choose this) and the tourists that have no idea where they are going (kind of chose this too) so they walk slowly, four wide and oblivious. While we are at it, the side by side strollers on city streets (doublewide strollers? really?) make no sense either. But to have to deal with it daily in your health club, in your community, is just plain, well, rude.

A few weeks ago, I blogged about etiquette in the gym and much of that which should be common sense. But there is a whole level of rudeness that goes beyond just common courtesy in gym.

For example, The Husband this morning was working out on the mat where there was one other person. The first person, a man, took up the space of 5 with all the rollers, towels, balls and bands. Another woman joined who appeared to be suffering an ADHD bout but settled down in a perfect spot to have a loud conversation with “Space” man over top of The Husband. Turning up his music didn’t drown out the noise.

On a daily basis, I too find myself turning up the music on my iPod to drown out the shouting people.  Why shout? Can't you just have a normal volume conversation near one another? Which brings me to this morning, I was on the Livestrong bikes (very cool BTW, I rode for forty minutes in three different states and felt like I was outside) and two bikes over, the woman in jeans (yes, jeans) was having a full on conversation with another woman on a bike. If you can be heard over music, 2 bikes away, please keep it down.

There is the trainer that wear too much cologne, yes him again, it is an absolute assault on my sense of smell. We all come across these people occasionally because we are all out in public, but this guy is over the top (you may think it could be worse but obnoxious odor is obnoxious odor whether applied or secreted).

My favorite is the trainers and their students who gather in the doorway, sit on the stairs and stop in the elevator doors blocking the doors. Why the doorway? People use this to enter and exit. Either leave or come in. It isn’t a tough decision, just choose one.  Don't even get me started on the Pool (or read previously blogs, your choice).

I can hear my mother's voice in my head asking me,”'why do you let this stuff bother you"? The answer is: I believe in consideration! I guess because people are just not mindful of others around them and I try to be mindful to them, it frustrates me.

So spread the word. Being considerate is cool and appreciated. Narcissism is neither.

Play hard& be mindful.

Laura

Happy Monday- NOT

Hi! It's Laura.

Welcome to Blue Monday.  Blue Monday is allegedly the most depressing day of the year.

The holidays have passed, the bills are rolling in from those holidays and  we still have at least six more weeks of cold weather. Not to mention those pesky New Year's resolutions hanging over your head (if you weren't depressed before, that should do it).

Statistically, if  you have not broken your resolution yet, you are about to , as most don't last the month of January.

I did not know any of this when I woke up this morning.  I did know that it was Monday & raining which means a smelly dog (who will from now on be known as “The Smelly Beast”).

Again, without knowing this, my workout was hard (I did it anyway) or should I say harder than usual. And I sadly fell asleep before the end of the Giants game so that was not the problem. The Husband's workout was hard (he did it anyway). Even the dog went back to bed after his workout (and I know it was hard for him as he was sick over the weekend).

January has been tough: diet, no alcohol (Can't wait for February 1!) and generally no friends (I mostly eat & drink with my friends so most of them will wait until February to see me). But January has been productive with great sleep (no alcohol), diet (down xxxxlbs, we had this discussion) and improved swim and runs times.

However, it is hard to be upbeat on a rainy Monday in January that is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year. But try and look at the lighter side: the deepest darkest days of winter are behind us (more daylight every day), you are a solid month into your resolution (it only gets easier from here) and Spring really is just around the corner (but not until I get more ski days in).

Blue Monday, schmoo Monday.

Play hard & stay positive!

Laura

How do you measure success?

Hi! It's Laura.

I was very excited this morning to get on the scale and see that I lost 2.6 lbs (don’t hold your breath waiting for my weight loss goal or my current weight).

Intellectually and professionally, I know I should not be excited over 2.6 lbs. Success is never measured on the scale (so the experts say). I should be interested in what it has done for my blood pressure, cholesterol, stamina, waist to hip ratio, etc. But let's face it, there is no better feeling than getting on the scale and seeing it move down (unless of course you are the rare person who needs to gain weight and just know WE ALL HATE YOU).

There are so many ways to measure your body inside and out. Although a drop in the scale number is a huge morale booster, the other things that are happening are even more important to your physical wellbeing.

Your body is composed of relative portions of fat and fat-free tissue and knowing the ratios will help you define your overall health. You should know you numbers!

“Body Mass Index” (BMI) is the simplest measure using your height & weight. BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches.

Example: A female weight 150lbs who is 5'5" would have a BMI of 23.  Normal range for BMI is 18.5-24.9

And although BMI is the simplest measure, it also does not differentiate between fat weight from fat-free weight.

“Waist to Hip Ratio” is a comparison of the size of your waist to the size of your hips and is the best representation of the distribution of body weight. This is the bigger indicator of disease as individuals who carry more weight in their middle are more prone to heart disease and other health risks related to obesity.

Example: A male has a waist circumference of 32 inches and a hip circumference of 35 his WHR is .91.

Health risks are significantly higher for men when the WHR is over .95 and for women over .86.

“Skin Fold” is another way to measure body composition. This is usually done by a professional (your trainer or your doctor). While this is one way of identifying percent of body fat, it is still a guesstimate.

The list of tests, to measure your body, is endless. You can calculate how much  breath you take in, how much you exhale, blood pressure, cholesterol, stamina, stretch, step and/or cycle. But in the end when the scale moves in the desired direction, BMI’s, and WHR are the furthest thing from your mind!

With that said, you should know where you stand with your health and get a physical at least yearly. An ounce of prevention.... (damn, Ben Franklin again!).

Play hard & safe weekend!

Laura

The Smoking Ban

Hi! It's Laura.

I read this over last weekend and thought it very interesting.  I know there is probably alot of controversy over it as well. 
I can't say that I disagree.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/story/2012-01-03/health-care-jobs-no-smoking/52394782/1

Play hard !

Laura

The art of technique

Laura here.

I have been trying to write this entry since Friday of last week. It’s amazing the amount of stuff that needs to get done. Add one long weekend when The Husband is off and everything pretty much takes on a life of its own. But that's enough of my excuses.

Before we get started, I would like to mention that I got through a pool workout this morning with no incidents (there was an incident and it could have been mine but it was not). YAY!

I don't know if it’s my keen observation skills or that I am just plain nosey, but I like to watch people and what they are doing (mind out of the gutter please! This is not that kind of show). Some days this provides me great pleasure (I said out of the gutter) and other days, amazement or even disgust. On really good days, both!

Which brings me to my fellow gym goers. It pains me deeply (and I am sure them the next day) to watch bad technique. This is mostly during resistance training (I would like to mention how difficult life is without Wikipedia today). I rarely observe bad technique on cardio equipment other than holding onto the hand rails and I still need to look away.

Let me share some examples of what not to do:

1)    Don’t short change your muscle. You want to use the full range of motion and engage the entire muscle. There is a woman at NYSC that I used to see every day doing bicep curls on the cable machine, if she moved her arm 5 degrees I would be shocked. It’s a waste of time and she was accomplishing nothing.

2)    Don’t hold your breath! Inhale during the lift and exhale during the lowering.

 

3)    Don’t rush through the exercise.  If you are rushing through you are probably  not using proper technique and probably using too much or too little weight( how much to use? different blog on a different day)

Yesterday morning I got to observe "the trainer that wears too much cologne" at the JCC train a client and I was appalled.  Not only was the trainer carrying around a cup of coffee, every time the client did an exercise the trainer was off setting up the next one. I watched the client and he will be sore today but not for the right reasons. The last I knew, a session with a trainer is a business meeting but in shorts.

4)    Don't be afraid to ask.  If you do not know what a piece of equipment does, ask someone that works there. That is what they are there to do. Every gym ultimately has the same equipment but from different manufacturers so they can all look different. Some even have multiple uses and you may see someone doing some move you have never seen before. So ask and you might learn something.

This part is going to be a little creepy. During my primetime gym visit last week, I was struck by the bad technique that I was observing I recorded it with my phone. You don't want to be this woman:

So as Sensei Montes used to say “Perfect practice leads to perfect performance” or something really close to that.

Play hard & do it right!

Laura

Dear Abby,...

Yesterday I got the chance to be in the gym at “Prime Time” and was sorely reminded of why I do not go at “Prime Time”. OMG!  First the pool (yes, again). When the pool is crowded, please refrain from standing in the water, at the end of the lane while having a conversation with a person standing on deck.  Not only is this rude it is dangerous for the other swimmers. If you want to have a conversation, GET OUT OF THE POOL. I am new to swimming but I am pretty sure that is proper etiquette

Why is it so difficult to have manners in the gym?

I like to think that I walk fast enough on the streets and that when I do need to stop, I move to the side and out of the way. If I am "texting and driving" (not real driving, I am still talking about walking) I am aware that I walk slower, and move closer to the buildings looking up often.

When I wear earphones, I have not forgotten that I am wearing them and start singing like I am in the shower (I don't actually sing in the shower, even I don't want to hear me sing).

I also know that technology has improved greatly over the last 10 years that I do not need to scream into my cell phone for the other person to hear me.

So if all that is not bad enough, the gym seems to be worse. So here we go with “Gym Etiquette 101”.

·         Be Polite and Wipe - If you sweat on a machine, wipe it off.  If the person before you left it sweaty, you would be peeved. Don’t be that person.

·         Maintain Radio Silence - Don’t talk on the phone.  If you are talking on a phone, you’re not working hard enough (yeah, forget that “should be able to talk” line a few blogs ago. That was guideline not an order). No one wants to hear your conversation at the gym or anywhere else for that matter.

·         Less is More - Overstaying your welcome on a cardio machine can cause animosity. (I am so guilty of this but I don't training during “Prime Time”.)

·         Put’m Back Where You Found’m - Put your toys away.  My mom said you can't play with another until you put the others away first. I didn’t get this until I got older. Be considerate and put the weights and equipment back where they belong. Who knows, if everyone did this, you could find it the next time you wanted it.

·         No Loitering - Don't hover over the machine you want (How would like it? It’s like reading over someone’s shoulder).

·         Don’t Be Late for Class – This is my biggest pet peeve.  Since when does a 6:00 start time mean 6:05 or even 6:20? (Only in the movies does it start 20 minutes after the start time but at least I get previews.)

·         Cover Up - The locker room is not your bathroom (and I don’t care how good you think you look naked).

·         If it IS Broke… - Be a good gym citizen. If the treadmill or TV on the treadmill is not working, let the staff know.

·         Play Nice - When you share a machine with someone and another person was there first, but the weight back to their weight (even if they don’t because you are better than that!).

·         That Doesn’t Go There – Workout equipment and exercise pieces are not lockers nor are they coat hangers. Put your shit away and keep it out of other people's way.

·         It feels good but It Ain’t Sex - Keep your grunts groans and singing to yourself.  Lifting too much weight or setting the resistance too high on the elliptical is a private matter.

Etiquette sounds simple enough I know but it is so difficult for so many people to do.  Use this rule of thumb, if you don't want to hear it, smell it or sit in it, neither does anyone else.

Happy MLK weekend!

Play hard & be courteous!

Laura

A reprint of a great article

Over the weekend, I came across this article in the WSJ.  I laughed, I cried...

27 Rules of Conquering the Gym

My favorite is #4.

Play Hard!
Laura

Get used to it

Normally I share my experiences during training and the epiphanies that come along the way. But today I would like to share something that came along in a conversation.

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."-Albert Einstein.

More often than not, I hear people complaining that they go to the gym, they eat right but they still can't lose weight. More often than not, I see people at the gym running the same three miles on the tread mill, lifting the same amount of weight & doing the same exercise or doing the same 30 minutes on the elliptical. Continuing on that path will yield you the same results (bad technique is bad also but that is a different day’s entry).

The answer is yes; your body can get used to exercise.  As your fitness level increases, you need to; push harder or you can change things up, to achieve your goal (eliminating goals isn’t very helpful).

There are physiological adaptions your body performances in order to make you more efficient. Changing that is called overload.  In order to combat these adaptions we use frequency, intensity, time & type. Using the F.I.T.T. principal allows you to break the cycle and achieve the results you are looking to achieve.

If you find you are always on the tread mill, try a cycling class. If you are always doing the same strength moves, add additional reps or additional sets. ideally you want to change your workout routine every four weeks and not get stuck in a rut.

If you are not sure how to change up what you are currently doing in the gym, email me. I will happily help you get unused to it.

Play hard & be sane!

Laura

Be selfish

 It's Laura.

Sometimes it just hurts and not in a good way

This morning I got a little bit of a later start. Since the only morning nourishment had been GU and half a cup of coffee, I opted to run along the Hudson River in Riverside Park as opposed to my usual four mile jaunt in Central Park.

The thought process was that I wouldn't have to work as hard along the Hudson because its flat. LOL! I really need to check the weather before I leave the apartment. Two miles up- no problem, two miles back against an unrelenting 12MPH wind…STINKS! (I swear the gusts were at least 50 MPH.) I did check the weather when I got home (yeah yeah, but how else would I know what to write?). If there were leaves on the trees or a flag flying somewhere, I may have made a different choice. So much for getting off easy, I would have been better running the big hill.

The late start was so I could take the dog to the park and let The Husband go to the gym. Poor guy has not been there since we got the dog (so we know who is going to be sore tomorrow). So while I was running (only solving my own problems today) I thought about how selfish exercise really is. Or is it?

Exercise can change the way you look: tone arms, legs & abs. It builds your endurance: you can continue to do a thing for a longer period of time (work, exercise, sex). Exercise can help lower your blood pressure, boost your immune system, aide in lowering your cholesterol all while you improve your self-esteem & mood.

How dare you take an hour for yourself to reap all those benefits!  Oh wait I am forgetting the guilt.  You don't want to leave work early (or go in late), take time away from the family & friends or let the spouse forage for food on their own at dinner time. In one hour most days of the week you can make a huge difference in you. So I say, be selfish.

Who wants to hang around a person who is healthy, looks good and radiates confidence?

Play hard!

Laura

Eat, Papa, Eat

Welcome back everyone! The Husband, The Dog and I have returned from our "cross training" and ready to hit it.

Apparently everyone else is trying to stick to those New Year's resolutions too (that they won't keep). Most people won't keep their resolutions past the end of this month. Meanwhile they are just getting in my way at the gym and in the pool.

 I would love to waste your time complaining about how crowded the gym is this time of year, but what I really wanted to talk about is food (another obsessive topic of mine).

Since the day after Christmas, we have been assaulted with television commercials begging us to lose weight with “Jenny Craig” or “Jillian Michael’s” or “Nutrisystem” or “Weight Watchers” (you know my thoughts on that one!).

You can choose from diet drinking (Slim Fast), quick diet, slow diet, taking a magic pill (Hydroxycut), special plants (Hoodia) or the latest & greatest (LOOK LIKE THE PRINCESS) Dukan diet. The fact is all diets work. As for the special & magical, that is how the separate you from your money.

Any time you restrict your calories, whether you do it by eliminating carbs, eliminating protein or eliminating food all together (not recommended), you will lose weight. 

But the bottom line is: THERE IS NO MAGIC. The only true formula for sustained weight loss and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle is calories in versus calories out (dead horse? I hope so).

But where should you start?  First you need to know how many calories per day you need to function, your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). The formula can be found here: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/bmr-formula.php. There are plenty of BMR calculators out there that you can Google to help you get started. All of these calculators take into account you age and activity level so you can adjust them yourself as your needs and circumstances change.

Now, what do you do with it? If you are looking to lose weight, you want to cut  at least 500 calories a day for a 1- 2 lbs weight loss per week. If you are looking to gain add 500 calories (I know I know, but they are out there and you are allowed to hate them silently). You can do weight management with diet, exercise (I can help with this part) or a combination of the two (I can still help).

If you are going to embark on a diet plan, I do not recommend going below 1200 calories per day. Always seek advice of a medical professional before starting any diet or exercise activity.

Nutrition can get very complicated when you start boiling it down to proteins, carbs and fats  and, although I am not a nutritionist, I can provide some suggested guidelines.  

Your diet should be:

·         55-65% carbohydrate ( not all carbs are pasta & potatoes)

·         15% from protein ( most far exceed this guideline)

·         20% fat (the good kind like olive oil & avocados) .

Once you understand what all these do for your body, you will mostly likely eat carbs once again.

And now (to me) the most important point: Frequency of Meals.  Eating several small meals during the course of the day keeps you metabolism continuously burning. Eating regularly and the right amount of food allows your body to function and keeps it out of starvation mode (in starvation, your body stores the food you have eaten as fat). The body works with water the same way. If you don't drink water, your body holds on to it. Once you start drinking water on a regular basis retained water is released. Ideally you should eat six meals a day. I know this is not practical for everyone but you should consider a piece of fruit and one once of cheese a meal (there is a fruit stand on almost everyone corner and most bodegas carry string cheese). You can do it!

Most people don't eat enough food during the course of a day which is why normal looking people can't or don't lose weight. You would be surprised how much food (the right food) 1500 calories really is.

There are many naysayers out there about the frequency of meals.

Question: Whether you eat three meal or 6 meals, as long as you eat the same amount of calories, isn't it the same thing?

Answer: Yes & No

I am happy to discuss and open the blog to comments for further discussion.

Play hard & eat often!

Laura