Nutrient Timing | Blog | TRX

Nutrient Timing | Blog | TRX

Good Glutes

Now that we're all rocking summer skirts, shorts, and (eek!) bathing suits, our glutes are certainly a focus during a workout. 

Try positioning your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and point toes out about 45 degrees.  This targets your inner thighs.

To hit those outer thighs harder, stand with feet almost touching, toes forward.

Don't forget to make the most of your strength training by activating the glute muscles by stretching and squeezing them; focus on the move, repeat conscientiously, and picture the muscles working!

Great Idea!

Freeze a bottle of water and take it as an "extra" on your next gym session.
While resting in between strength training sets, hold the frozen bottle in each hand for several seconds.  According to Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise,  cooling your palms makes you feel more energized and prepares you to bust out more reps.  AND, you'll have a super cold drink awaiting you upon completion of training!

Fit Tip

This week, add a Burpee to your regular workout routine.  Lower into a squat then put your hands down in front of you; kick both feet back to get into push-up position, then jump feet back in and return to squat.  Jump up as high as you can from that squat position.

Shoot for three sets of 15 reps daily!

Fit Tip

Weather gettting you down?  Too hot to motivate?

Set your cell phone to text you a reminder to workout on training days.  For even more encouragement, change your screen's background to an inspiring image (an athlete you admire, a pic from a snow skiing trip, you on the beach).

Stay Motivated

Put a handful of change or a couple of dollars in a jar each time you hit the gym (treadmill, elliptical, free weights, etc.)  After a few months of regular workouts, you'll have enough money to splurge on a reward for all of your hard work!  Think of the new bathing suit, skinny jeans, tank top, fitted T you've been eying.

Never forget the true reward is how great you look and feel!

Don't forget the carbs!

Yep, its summer and we're all concerned with looking our best in few clothes.  Carbohydrates are our main source of energy and are going to help you work harder to look stronger and leaner this summer.  The American Dietetic Association recommends 45-65% of our diet be carbohydrate!  Look for non-processed, high fiber carbs to add a nutritive punch to your diet.  Some good choices include:
Whole Fruits: (not fruit juice):  apple, apricots, avocado, banana, berries, citrus fruits, canaloupe, peaches
Vegetable:  asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, snow peas, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes
Legumes:  peas, beans, lentils
Nuts and seeds:  almonds, sunflower, flaxseeds
Whole grains:  brown rice, whole oats and breads, cereal or crackers made from whole grain

Control the mid-day/late evening nosh

Feel as if you can't get a grip on your appetite?  Try eating an apple 30 minutes prior to meals.  The fiber will fill you up and the nutrition will enhance your mind and body performance.
Start out by snacking on half of the apple for a week and increase to the whole apple if you don't feel satiated when meal time rolls around.  Experiment!  Shop the apple aisle and pick up a variety of flavors. Still hungry at meal time?  Add a one ounce bite of low-fat cheddar cheese or 1 tablespoon nut butter (without additives!)

Don't forget to log the calories in your food journal!  Healthy snacks count, too.

Fit Tip

Don't do anything else once you've convinced yourself  to go to the gym (the class, the park, the trail,  the street...). 

Go!  

You'll feel better!

Fit Tip

Now that its gettin' hot out here, are you avoiding the outdoors?  About 75% of adults are deficient in Vitamin D and avoiding the sun's rays might not help.  The minimum number of International Units of Vitamin D recommended by doctors is 400; many doctors recommend as many as 1,000 units daily. 
Yes, slather on the SPF 30+ and grab a liter of water and enjoy a 15 minute walk outside but don't forget to eat plenty of Vitamin D rich foods! 
1 cup vitamin D fortified cereal = 4- IU  (Wheaties, Multi-grain Cheerios...)
1 cup vitamin D fortified milk = 115-124 IU
3.5 ounces fresh salmon = 360 IU
1 whole egg = 25 IU

One month LATER

So I needed a little more recovery time than I originally bargained for; it happens right?! 

The good news is that I'm back and working on being better than ever!  I hope you, too, are taking steps to maintain, regain, renew your fitness.

I am working diligently and oh, so very carefully, and recovering my fitness; I haven't been so sore in years!  The pain and tenderness is pretty awesome though and I'm digging the great feeling of accomplishment the end of each workout brings.

As you're journeying through, keep in mind that everyone slips back on occasion; the step up is where it's at!  As always, my mantra is think specific, write it down, look at it often and document failures and accomplishments!

For the month of May, I'm working on bathing suit season!    My goal is to loose 1% body fat:  small, specific, documented and obtainable in a short period of time.

Ready, set, GO

Welcome back, Me!

As you might have noticed, I've been AWOL for a month.  I'm feeling much better four weeks into my six week post-op and beginning to refocus on my fitness.

As I've been home, I have absolutely noticed that fitness doesn't necessarily equate to a  big sweat; it's more about lifestyle and choice.  Nope, a nice stroll around the block is all I'm up for, but I assure you, my health is still on!

Nutrition, sleep and exercise all add up to stellar fitness.  Leaving out even one of those components is not an option.

You can't expect me to not fall back to my usual harping:  journal, journal, journal! 
The scale might not budge simply because of an easy to correct mistake (or indulgence) that you hadn't realized.
Need something different?  Try out a different gym; go outside instead of hitting the treadmill.  Try out a new class or same class/new teacher.  Get a new workout outfit and admire fab you in the new look.

And last but not least, help from a friend is priority number 1.  A personal trainer is the best option to helping re-establish programs and goals.  Call me!  We're in this one together!

Agree to think positively in regard to progress and headway; as my father always told me, the only thing holding you back from success is YOU! 

Music makes you move

Studies have shown that listening to music that syncs with your movements provides a better workout than exercising without tunes. See how to match your grooves to your moves below.

Beats per minute    Perfect for
160 and up               Running, jumping rope
140 to 160               Jogging, Spinning
125 to 140               Power walking, stair-climbing, elliptical
105 to 125               Walking, toning
60 to 115                 Stretching, yoga, warming up

Go ahead!  Get your groove on!

Cold Weather Training Tips

When exercising in a cold environment, our goal is to conserve heat to some extent and avoid hypothermia.  Just like exercising in the heat, our bodies need several weeks to adjust to training in cold temps and make it easier for us to conserve heat.  Blood not only carries large amounts of oxygen, but also heat!

1. Dress appropriately.  Layering works best as it traps air and insulates the body.  30% of the body's heat is lost from the surface area of the head, so a warm hat or face mask works great.  A wool blend fabric is recommended.
2. Don't expect yourself to have the same stamina!  We don't have temps cold enough/long enough here to be able to acclimate to the weather.  Imagine starting to run in Houston in late July at 2:00 pm....
3. Be aware of the wind chill factor!
4. Drink plenty of fluids during cold weather training, but avoid alcohol.  Avoid excessive sweating; if you are sweating a lot, you are overdressed.
5. Keep moving.  Muscle contractions generate heat.
6. Cover all exposed skin.
7. If you have cardiovascular disease, do not perform vigorous cold weather activity!

It's getting cold again

Winter Woe: You're too comfy on the couch to break a sweat.

Fix-it trick: Don't settle on your sofa until you've completed your workout for the day. "It's a motivation killer," Baumgartner says. Change from your work clothes directly into workout wear -- skip the pj's! -- when you get home. Still can't peel yourself off the cushions? Stash resistance bands under the seat to remind yourself to get moving during commercial breaks. Or try the at-home, no-equipment routine that follows, from Mike Donavanik, a celebrity trainer in Beverly Hills. Do these moves during commercials rather than fast-forwarding and repeat the circuit until your show starts up again.

-- 15 squats

-- 15 push-ups

-- 15 crunches

-- 15 seconds of high knees

No excuses, please!

*copied from Mind, Body, Spirit, Fitness Magazine

Check your score

Yesterday I posted a self-check for evaluating your readiness to make a healthy (diet) lifestyle change.  I have your scoring guide today:  Numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 9-give yourself one point if you answered "true" and zero points if you answered "false."  Numbers 3, 6, 8, 10, and 11-score zero for each "true" and one for each "false."

There are no right or wrong answers, but the higher your total score, the more likely you'll be successful.  If you scored 5-7 points, you may need to reevaluate your reasons for wanting to lose weight and how you anticipate doing so.
If you scored 4 or less, now is probably not the right time for you to take on a weight loss regime.  You might be successful initially, but will have difficulties working past the plateaus.

Find a source for new motivation:  get a subscription to a (reputable) health magazine, partner with a friend to help motivate each of you and share ups/downs of the process, take a step toward planning your calendar including exercise, get a three month gym membership, or hire a trainer to prescribe a training program to help you push through.

There is no time like the present to make something happen!  You've waited long enough!

Fit Tip

Take this Weight Loss Readiness Quiz to see if you are truly ready to make a change.  Answer true or false, and be honest!

1. I have thought a lot about my eating habits and physical activities, and I know what I might change.
2. I know hat I need to make permanent, not temporary, changes in my eating a activity patterns.
3. I will feel successful only if I lose a lot of weight.
4. I know that it's best if I lose weight slowly.
5. I'm thinking about losing weight now because I really want to, not becasue someone else thinks I should.
6. I think losing weight would solve other problems in my life.
7. I am willing and able to increase my regular physical activity.
8. I can lose weight successfully if I have no slip-ups.
9. I am willing to commit time and effort each week to organize and plan my food and activity choices.
10. Once I lose a few pounds, but reach a plateau, I usually lose the motivation to keep going toward my weight goal.
11. I want to start a weight loss program, even though my life is unusually stressful right now.

I'll post the scoring guide tomorrow so be sure and check back.

 

*Taken from American Dietetic Association, Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, 3rd edition

Delicious "cheat day" recipe

There's nothing better on a cold evening than enjoying a dinner of "comfort food."  We all have turned down such meals because of the high calorie, high fat content usually present.  Check out this "Eating Well" lighter version of fried chicken on your next splurge night and enjoy some comfort food with fewer calories to have to work off!

Servings: 4 servings

Prep: 20 mins

Total: 1 hr 35 mins

Ingredients

1/2 cup  nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)

1 tablespoon  Dijon mustard

2 cloves  garlic, minced

1 teaspoon  hot sauce

2 1/2-3 pounds  whole chicken legs, skin removed, trimmed and cut into thighs and drumsticks

1/2 cup  whole-wheat flour

2 tablespoons  sesame seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons  paprika

1 teaspoon  dried thyme

1 teaspoon  baking powder

1/8 teaspoon  salt

  Freshly ground pepper, to taste

  Olive oil cooking spray

Directions

1. Whisk buttermilk, mustard, garlic and hot sauce in a shallow glass dish until well blended. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or for up to 8 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.

3. Whisk flour, sesame seeds, paprika, thyme, baking powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place the flour mixture in a paper bag or large sealable plastic bag. Shaking off excess marinade, place one or two pieces of chicken at a time in the bag and shake to coat. Shake off excess flour and place the chicken on the prepared rack. (Discard any leftover flour mixture and marinade.) Spray the chicken pieces with cooking spray.

4. Bake the chicken until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. 

 

Tips:
Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make "sour milk": mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Marinate the chicken for up to 8 hours. 

 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 226, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 130 mg, Sodium 258 mg, Carbohydrate 5 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 34 g, Potassium 400 mg. Exchanges: Starch 0.33,Lean Meat 4,Fat 1.5
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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3 Weeks

It has been shown that people give up on their goals three weeks in.  Don't let this week be your breaking point!  Bounce back with a new move, diet focus, reflection on the original goals set, or a quick peek at the measuring tape or scale. 

Be not afraid of going slowly; be afraid only of standing still.  ~Chinese Proverb

Fit Tip

Everyone knows I'm all about strength training and using free weights. 

This week I'm reminding you not to forget the beauty of using machines to do your strength training.  When lifting free weights, we use our core and other muscles to help us manipulate the additional weights; when using machines, we are able to stress the particular muscle group designed for that machine's use. 

For example, the leg press machine, we are positioned in a manner that allows just our hams, glutes, and quads (we're not "holding" ourselves up and stable) to work against the added weight.  During a squat, we're using many more muscle groups to move the weight.

If, like me, you've practically disregarded all machine work, make it your goal this month to hit the machines at least once a week (per muscle group).

Keep it up!

We're already one week in to the New Year and I'm sure you are all keeping up your fitness goals.  I was having a conversion with a client this week about "eating in."  K had resolved to start eating at home more and cooking with her own recipes, ingredients, and add-ins to insure she was in control of exactly what she was consuming.  Awesome! 

Don't be afraid to remake your favs.  I really enjoy finding a recipe and deconstructing it to make it a healthier version of a tasty dish.  Just a few easy substitutions can really make any dish amazingly lighter and healthier.  Don't be shy about using whole wheat flour, adding flax or wheat germ, substituting apple sauce for oil, using Stivia instead of sugar, and sprinkling in any other spice than salt.

Absolutely ditch those creamy, buttery sauces and the salt!  You'll be pleasantly surprised at how delicious your foods are without all that gunk.

Fit Tip

Yes!  It's a new year, and a new you!  I've said it before, and I'll say it again- plan small goals to insuresuccess in your long term plans.  Review your resolutions; you're only three days in so surely you haven't misplaced them yet :)  Specify, in writing, what you would like to happen in one week, one month, three months, six, etc. 

For example, originally you resolved to "lose weight."  Be exact (but practical) "lose one pound a week for four weeks."  "Get in shape" might become "walk for 20 minutes, 6 days a week."

It's not too late to resolve, refocus, reinforce great habits for 2011.  Much success-I'll check back with you soon!