Update, Housekeeping, and Challenge:
Hey guys! I have SO much to blog about that I very nearly don’t know where to start, You can expect a lot of blog posts coming out of me in the next few weeks/months regarding some of what I learned at the 2015 Women’s Fitness Summit, my subsequent thoughts/opinions, and what’s coming up as a result. In short: it was amazing and I am very invigorated by my experience there. Continue reading
What the heck do you eat?
Some of the questions I get asked a lot are:
“What do you eat?” or “What should I eat?” The answer is “It depends”. I know that if I write a blog on that though, you all would kill me – in fact, you’re probably already rolling your eyes… I know it can be tough to even find a place to start, SO here is a day of my life/food to give you some ideas*:
4:30am: Wake up and get ready to teach group class
5:15 – 7:15am: Teach group class at Tysons Playground. I bring a bottle of water with me and sip on it during class. I am usually not hungry when I first wake up and don’t like to eat until I am. This differs for everybody. Do what feels best and provides the best performance to you.
7:30am: Meal #1 (varies some). Recently, I’ve been doing omelets with 1-2 whole eggs + 1 egg white, turkey breast deli meat, and a slice of cheese. I’ll add berries, half a banana or nectarine, or a piece of toast. I usually have about 12 oz of water with breakfast. Sometimes I’ll change it up and eat leftovers from the night before. I’m not picky about needing ‘breakfast’ foods.
7:45 – 8:15am: Shower, pack food for day, and go to work
8:15 – 10:30am: Work while drinking two cups of coffee (with stevia) and about 25 oz water
10:30 – 10:45am: Eat a snack or small meal. Today, this was turkey pepperoni (17 slices!), low fat mozzarella string cheese, and sliced bell pepper dipped in ranch dressing
10:45am – 12:15pm: Work while drinking another 25 oz of water
12:15pm – 12:45pm: Lunch! Today I had chicken fajitas that I had prepped in bulk earlier this week. Grilled bell peppers, onions, eggplant, and chicken with lime juice and spices. I usually have a diet soda or flavored soda water with lunch.
12:45pm – 2:45pm: Work while drinking 25 oz water
2:45 – 3:00pm: Eat a snack or small meal. Today this was 3 oz of boneless, skinless chicken breast seasoned with salt and pepper and a serving of steamed edamame
3:00pm – 4:30pm: Work
4:30pm – 4:45pm: Eat a snack or small meal. Today it was cucumber salad (1/2 cucumber sliced and soaked overnight in pickle juice) coupled with 1 serving of Syntrax Nectar protein (fuzzy navel flavored-not pictured)
4:45pm – 5:15pm: Work
5:15pm – 6:30pm: Head home, change and pack for the gym, go to the gym
6:30pm – 8pm: Complete my workout or train clients then head home
8pm – 8:30pm: Dinner! By the time I get home from the gym I am usually starving. Tonight I had Korean bulgogi (beef) with peppers and onions cooked with some soy sauce and garlic. About 1x/week I’ll stop at chipotle and get a steak salad instead (with hot salsa, sometimes black beans, and cheese).
8:30-9:30pm: Unwind, watch a little tv or catch up on emails/FB, plan clients’ workouts
9:30pm-10:30pm: Eat my bedtime snack. This varies and is often a combination of random foods that makes up whatever macronutrients I still need to hit my daily goals. Tonight it was ½ cup of 4% cottage cheese with fresh ground pepper, 1 TB of crunchy almond butter, and ½ serving of Quaker ‘quakes’ mini rice cakes (chocolate flavored). Shower and hit the sack.
So there you have it: what I eat in a day. All of my food is typically prepped in bulk 1-3x/week. I keep a large bag/container of protein in the fridge to divvy out (or pre-divide into lunch containers depending on how busy I know my week will be). Of note, my nutrition has been MUCH lower carb than it is typically (so don’t allow that to trip you up). I would usually eat the same things but add brown rice, a tortilla, or wheat bread to them. This is a short term change for a side goal/bet against my coach.
*My nutrition changes based on my goals and circumstances. I continually assess and re-adjust based on the results I’m getting, the amount of training I’m doing, and how I feel, my overall energy level, etc.
SO: what do you eat? what did you think? what do you want to hear about next?
So in my last post I talked about common reasons I see that we fail to lose weight (and have experienced myself). This post is to give you some tips and tricks I use to help get me moving towards my overall goals of: being fit and active, achieving/maintaining a healthy percentage of body fat, and developing/sustaining a healthy relationship with food. While writing I realized I’m going to need to break this down into a series of posts so don’t worry, there will be more to come.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard all of these before in some fashion. That makes it very important that you read (and apply) the principles/truths mentioned in the previous post.
-Start small
-Something > nothing
-You are what you repeatedly do
-Everyone stumbles: get up as quickly as you can
(I take no credit for the tips in this post other than compiling the ones that work best for me)
Protein!!!!
Almost everyone (myself included) struggles to get enough protein to meet their goals. Whether your goals include increasing lean muscle mass, ‘toning’, losing fat, losing weight, getting stronger, or allowing your muscles, bones, and cartilage to be their best; you need protein to make it happen and one Asian stir fry lean cuisine isn’t going to cut it. Here are my favorite ways to pack more protein in my day:
• Add a protein shake to my morning commute. It’s fast, it’s easy, it’s convenient. Sometimes I even make it the night before and leave it in the fridge so all I have to do is grab it and go. I found a coffee flavored protein powder I really like that helps it feel like ‘normal’ and starts my day off on the right foot. Add a half a banana or some berries and you’re all set.
• Keep protein rich snacks available. So you’re slogging through a 10 hour work day and realize you’re starving but already had lunch (or it isn’t even lunch time yet): this is when the lunchroom ‘crap’ starts to look really good…if you’ve got some quick, protein rich snacks at your desk or the office fridge, it can make a big difference. Here are some of my favorites:
-turkey pepperoni and string cheese
-protein pudding (google it)
-deli turkey and pretzel crisps
-edamame (the microwaveable bags)
-Greek or skyr yogurt (sprinkle in some cinnamon, stevia, or berries to make it sweeter if you prefer)
• Prep protein in bulk once a week so you have some to add in to your other meals. Throw chicken breasts into a slow cooker on Sunday, cover with water, and cook on high for 4 hours. Then place one breast into its own ziplock or Tupperware container. Instantly available protein you can add to your lunch or dinner. You can do the same by browning a lb of lean ground turkey or beef (or really any lean protein meat).
• Eat protein at every meal. Once you get into the habit of thinking of it as a necessity, it becomes much easier to get more of it in your day.
Water!!!
Do I even have to say it? We all know water is essential for us to look good, feel good, and operate efficiently. Here are my tricks for drinking more.
• The bedside table trick. Every night I go to bed, I bring (or more often, my husband does because I forgot) a tall glass of water. I drink half of it before I go to sleep and the other half right as a wake up. Boom: an extra 8-16 oz right there.
• Add some flavor! Mio, crystal light, thinly sliced fruit, herbs (think basil and peppermint), and vegetables (think cucumber or bell peppers). It definitely helps make it more appealing. We try to keep a pitcher or two of infused water in the fridge to reach for when we’re at home. The Mio and crystal light make drinking while at work and during travel much easier.
• Bring a container with you and do the math. Whether it’s your coffee mug you rinse out and use the rest of the day, a fancy water bottle, or the tiny paper cups next to the fountain…figure out how much water each container holds. For instance, my water bottle holds about 24oz. I know I need to drink 4-5 of them per day. If I’m eating lunch and am still on my first, I know I need to step up my game.
• Get into a rhythm. I am a creature of habit and habits make it so I don’t have to think (i.e. Stress) about “Am I doing this right?” I drink about 6-8 oz first thing when I wake up. I drink one 24 oz container during my am workout or before I leave for work. I drink one 24 oz container at work before lunch. I drink one with my lunch and moving into the afternoon. I drink my last one on the way home and after dinner. All the other water I drink is ‘bonus’ for that day.
So those are my ‘tricks’ for protein and water. I hope you find them helpful! If you have a tip or trick not mentioned for upping your protein or getting enough water, please share it in the comments!
I’ll tackle eating out and alcohol in the next post. If there’s something you’d like to hear my thoughts on, let me know in the comments below.
Take care of yourselves!
As I am continually reminded, we as Americans (and women in particular) often subscribe to an all or nothing mindset. Many of us as teenagers tried desperately to became the honor roll student, well rounded athlete, symphony musician, and employee of the month at our part-time jobs (or we envied those that did).
This mindset continued through our college careers and I now frequently see grown women strive to ‘have it all’. The good job, the great kids, the perfect marriage, the clean house, and who find time to volunteer to not only coach their kids’ field hockey team but also to bake cupcakes and peel clementines for practice.
Many of us feel intense pressure to be model women in every aspect of our lives (this certainly can hold true for men as well). It can be pretty stressful trying to be perfect all the time and when something throws a monkey wrench our way, we sometimes lose our minds, have a mini breakdown, and resign ourselves to failure.
Nowhere do I see this more than in the realm of fitness and dieting.
So many times I’ve heard, “I can’t eat that, I’m on a diet”, or “I’m off my diet for the weekend, pass the wine and funnel cake”, or “I missed my gym class last night, I’ll just start over next week”. These are all ‘all or nothing’ examples.
Too often we expect too much of ourselves. It is not realistic to think that we can be perfect in any arena (and besides, what is perfect anyway). Part of us knows this.
-I don’t think anyone with children views themself as making perfect choices 100% of the time with child rearing decisions.
-None of you expect perfection from your coworkers at the office.
-Nobody’s house is perfectly spotless all of the time.
-Nobody treats their significant other perfectly all the time.
In all of these arenas we’ve learned to prioritize what’s important, to learn from our mistakes, to try and continually improve our performance, and to give ourselves a bit of grace and compassion when doing so.
We would never tell a child who made a mistake that ‘you’re a failure and you should just quit’. Why do we so often tell ourselves that in the realm of fitness and nutrition?
Now that we have that out in the open, here are 3 of the most common problems I encounter with people (and sometimes myself) and my suggestions for moving towards your goals despite them:
Problem #1:
-Trying a complete overhaul.
Many folks make a resolution or start getting in gear for beach season or a special event but they go whole hog. From 0 workouts/week to 6 days/week. From 0 strength training to all max effort lifts. From an erratic, unbalanced diet to an incredibly strict one with no room for error. From a 10 year smoker to cutting cold turkey. This is a recipe for failure. It’s highly unlikely you can change multiple, major habits in your life all at the same time (or even one big one all at once).
Suggestion:
-Start small.
Pick one thing nutrition wise and one thing fitness wise (such as eating one extra serving of protein each day and taking one 15 minute walk each day at lunch). These things should be easy. They should take minimal effort and you should prioritize them (set a calendar reminder, etc) in order to ensure you successfully complete them EVERY day for a period of weeks (think 4-6 weeks). Once you have successfully engrained this new habit into your life, only then is it ok to add another change.
By limiting the number of changes, it limits the amount of stress you place on yourself. By setting an easily attainable goal, you are less likely to quit and more likely to experience success which helps keep you motivated.
Problem #2:
-Giving up when you experience a hiccup.
Sometimes things happen. This does not make you a bad person or a failure so there’s no reason to act like one. Just think: if you were 15 minutes late to work one day – would you just say ‘Forget it’, turn the car around and blow off the rest of the week? Of course not. Same with your health.
Suggestion:
-Get back in the saddle as quickly as you can. One happy hour or ice cream splurge or missed workout isn’t what keeps you from your goals (and for a balanced, fulfilling life- you probably want to include these from time to time). It’s the decision at that point to say, “Forget it” and blow off the whole rest of the day, weekend, month, or season that follows.
If you make a decision that takes you away from your goals, follow it with a decision that brings you back towards them (even if it’s just drinking an extra glass of water or protein shake before bed that day, or sneaking in 15 minutes of sit-ups, push-ups, and squats at home if you miss the gym).
Problem #3:
-Focusing on the ‘can’ts’
Limited time, no spare cash, injuries, allergies, dislike of cooking, age, etc. These are all reasons people use to justify why they can’t change. I need you to pick just one thing you can. Realize that you have control to change something and you become powerful enough to change anything.
Suggestion:
-Focus on what you can do today. Right now. With what you have.
This comes back to #1. It doesn’t need to be a big thing (and shouldn’t be). It can be something as simple as getting an extra 15 minutes of sleep each night or meditating in your car for 5 minutes before you come back home for the night. The more positive changes you decide to make and can control, the more you feel you are capable of changing and controlling.
I’ve seen 70 year old, chronically ill, severely obese people slowly take back control of their lives one decision at a time. You can too.
For the record, I am guilty of having all of these problems at various points. I am also persevering and continuing in my journey. I learn about myself and my body as often as I can and I have begun respecting it (and myself) a lot more than I used to. I believe I am just beginning to learn all of the wonderful things it (and I) are capable of doing after years of trying (and failing) to get to my ‘goal weight’. It’s all a result of recognizing a few truths:
There is no magical place of fitness ‘success’. No final destination you can actually arrive at. Being healthy, fit, and satisfied with yourself is kind of like being an adult. There is no single ‘moment’ where you become one…it’s a gradual process that occurs over time. There are occasional moments where you feel like an absolute failure and others where you think ‘I’ve got this’, but they’re always followed by another day. Another opportunity to become fitter, leaner, stronger, more flexible, or more balanced.
When you embrace the journey, you’ll eventually wake up one day and find you are ‘there’ – it’s just ‘there’ is different than you think it is now.
Work on changing your mindset along with your body and health. In part 2, I’ll discuss some tips I used to get started or to reinvigorate healthier choices when I’ve accidentally veered a little off track (or purposefully gone exploring in uncharted territory).
I hope you enjoyed this post and I would love to hear your comments (below, on FB, or in a msg or email).
My first strongman contest….sort of….and what I’ve learned and remembered
So as many of you know, I have been training in the evenings at my gym. This happens to be the same time most of our Strongman contingent trains. As I am a curious creature and always looking to experience new things, I (of course), have begun experimenting with some of the Strongman implements. The athletes have been extraordinarily kind, helpful, patient, and giving of their time and expertise to help me learn some of the basics. This occurred while their own training reached a fevered pitch as they prepared for the 5th annual Capital Classic Strongman contest held on June 6th, 2015.
This was slated to be a ‘heavy’ contest as far as local Strongman contests go. I assumed they were all heavy….and they are…but everything is relative and in their world, this one was going to be ‘heavier’ than many. I was very excited to watch the events and to help out where I could. I also agreed to compete in 2 of the ‘side’ events going on that day: a deadlift competition and a fitness medley consisting of 5 tire flips, a farmer’s carry for 50’, and a sled push for 50’ all for the best time.
I got there early that day and helped with the final setup. As the deadlift contest approached (it was held first), I began my warmup, finalized my opening lift selection, and became incredibly distracted trying to continue helping set things up (moving the plates into place, moving tables, and running around gathering things needed). This is where I remembered my first lesson of the day:
Focus.
While it is great to want to help out and to be part of the team, it was not appropriate for me to do so the morning of my contests. Maximum effort lifts and heavy, medleys take a LOT out of you. I should have been focusing on visualizing my lifts, timing my nutrition and hydration, and expending as little energy as possible. I believe I will naturally do this when my competitions are held elsewhere, but I should have done so then. Fortunately my coach caught me at one point and told me quite firmly to ‘Stop! And go sit your ass down somewhere and rest’.
The deadlift contest started and I easily pulled my opening attempt of 255 lbs (which was my PR at the April 2015 TSC). I then wanted a new PR for my 2nd pull and selected 270 lbs. I pulled it successfully and now had a 15 lb PR. I now had to select a 3rd pull weight and immediately went into panic mode. This is when I learned my next lesson:
Go for it.
One of the Strongmen (a former collegiate strength and conditioning coach as well as a former National champion Powerlifter) had watched my lifts and told me I should go 300-315. My immediate reaction was, “you’re crazy”. 300 lbs has been my DL goal since my last TSC contest but I had figured it would take months and potentially years to get there. He told me that I needed to go for it. I already had a new PR so anything above it would just be icing and that 3rd pulls were the time to push yourself. My coach agreed with a head nod and scrunched forehead as though saying ‘Of course you can pull 300’. So I gave my 3rd attempt weight and went essentially blank.
I approached the bar and remembered the words of the show host: “Don’t think, just do it”. I took a deep breath, braced my core and tightened my back, hinged down, quickly set my hands, and began pulling. It was heavy and didn’t seem to move but I kept pulling and slowly it began to break off the floor. I knew once I had it off the floor, I would pull it all the way as I am much stronger at lock out than I am off the floor (something I’ll be working on for the next several months). I locked out, lowered the bar back to the ground, and grinned – I had a new PR.
In hindsight, I’ve probably been a much stronger puller than I thought and I most likely just never taxed myself to the point of finding a true max (and still haven’t since I successfully pulled the 300). While I’m all for sensible and progressive training to help minimize the chance of injury, sometimes we need to stop selling ourselves short and push the envelope on occasion to make mental gains that will keep us moving in concert with our physical gains.
I had some time to rest before the fitness medley and I did. When the medley began, I performed well. There were definite movements and elements I can improve upon (and I will) but I was pleased overall with my performance in my first ‘strongman like’ mini contest. I also got to meet THE Brian Shaw (3x World’s Strongest Man). He is a genuine, patient, and caring person who was a pleasure to have at the event.
After that, it was time to relax and enjoy the contest. I got to see a number of amazingly strong competitors lifting VERY heavy objects. There’s something very primal and satisfying about it and I encourage you all to check one out if you get the opportunity. While watching I learned/remembered 2 important lessons:
Be precise
Don’t quit
There were a number of events where an improved ‘pick’ of an object or adjustment would have resulted in better results for the competitor. There were dozens of times when a competitor was inches from getting a stone onto the platform but made their final push and fell a bit short. As a result, they had spent the majority of their energy resources and now had to start from scratch again. This is where being precise in training and competition and being very aware of your surroundings seemingly makes a big difference. That being said, all of them lifted heavy, awkward objects that most of the population would struggle with.
Lastly, I was impressed by the number of competitors who did not quit and kept working for the entire time period even if they struggled time and again with the same stone or implement. I’m a firm believer in giving it all you have so there are no regrets. Even if they were unsuccessful with an event at this competition, I believe all of them will go back to their gyms and keep training to be more successful next time.
In fitness and in life, there is no ‘destination’. There is no final ‘arrival’ when you can now slack off and quit or rest on your laurels. The journey is all there is. Make it a good one.
So today I awoke to a beautiful Saturday: warm and sunny with the birds chirping outside my window. Then I remembered I had to work today. Bummer. And that meant I had to miss my Saturday morning workout (which is one of my favorites because it’s more laid back and I get to workout with a bunch of people I don’t see regularly during the week). Double bummer. Alas, the bills need to be paid so I made the best of it and headed to work (with my awesome Java Pro frozen Mocha and banana drink).
We had a ‘Home Loans Day’ going on to promote mortgage offering awareness for our customers which meant I stayed busy and the day went by quickly. At the end of the day, I started putting away my laptop and putting away the marketing materials. I folded up the tablecloth and asked where the table went. The on site manager told me not to worry about it as ‘they’ would get it. ‘They’ consisted of the manager: a slim woman I would guess to be in her 30’s and a slim male in what I would guess is his late 20’s.
Knowing that they had plenty of work still to do before they could leave and begin to enjoy their weekends, I simply put the table on its side, broke it down, and carried it to the wall next to the storage closet. When I walked back to grab my bags to leave, the two stared at me a bit incredulously and the manager asked the other, “Did you see how she just man handled that table like it was nothing!?”
I was very confused for a few seconds before realizing that they were seemingly impressed by my feat of strength. I laughed and told them the table was light and folded up easily. We said our goodbyes and I left. As I drove home, the shock slowly set in.
This folding table we’re talking about is one of the plastic ones with a built in carrying handle that weighs (and I’m a terrible judge) approximately 25 lbs. It’s perhaps slightly awkward to walk around with if you’re on the shorter side since the handle sits a few feet above the ground so you need a bit of clearance to easily lift and walk it. I became increasingly flabbergasted that:
1) there was anyone who would be impressed by my ability to tear it down and carry it easily and
2) that consequently it means there must be a percentage of the population who cannot.
This made me sad, angry, and thankful. Sad and angry that people have forgotten how to, decided not to, or are unable to utilize their bodies for simple tasks of labor requiring mobility and strength. It made me thankful that I know many people who consistently work to maintain or gain functional strength and that I am one of them.
Thinking of all the things in life that require these skills just helped make me even more passionate about helping others discover (or rediscover) their own strength and abilities.
Folding up a table, carrying/playing with a child, changing a tire, taking the stairs in case of an emergency evacuation, hauling luggage, or leisure activities like hiking, paddle boarding, kayaking, skiing, etc. We’re talking about life here. I’m so thankful for those who have supported and helped me become stronger and more able in life. I hope I can help others in their journey to be stronger and more capable as well.
For anyone who is afraid: afraid strength training will make them look bulky, afraid of looking inept at the gym, afraid of injury, etc – you’ve got way more to lose by not strength training. If you don’t know where to start: send me a message. I’m also going to create a list of my personal favorite resources to help you get started or to get you to the next level. Look for that blog post soon!
I haven’t written much lately and figured it was high time I pulled together another post. This one has been on my mind for weeks now and I think the best way to try and move past it is to write about my feelings. I HATE the spring. Really and truly. Here’s why:
So I’ve been busy and stressed from juggling a lot of different things at once. I was excited to go to workout last night because lifting heavy things usually makes me feel strong and accomplished and helps me de-stress.
smrtraining 