Do you even have a favorite cardio? I really used to pretty much hate all things cardio. I like the weight training and used to tolerate the cardio because I knew it needed to be done. Sometimes I can find one I tolerate more than others, sometimes it's just the specific results I like and deal with it. Recently I've found some I actually look forward to, but more on that in later issues. There are so many choices, and I think I've tried them all. Classes, dvd's, cycling, walking, stairs, ellipticals, and even running. They all have great benefits, some work parts of your body better than others. Some are easier on certain joints than others. Some you just hate less than others :)
Are you a class person? Most people either love classes or hate them. I don't love them, but if you do, there's a lot of energy and support there. There are so many options: from dance to spin, from body pump to yoga. Find your favorite instructor and type of class and jump right in. You'll have fun and might make a few new friends too!
Not a class person? Still like the energy of dance, step or other aerobics? If you prefer to go it alone, you can rent dvds, check them out at the local library, search youtube, check out donated ones at thrift stores, even borrow a friends to see if you like it. I prefer the try-before-you-buy option because you never know whether you're going to like it enough to stick with it. The benefit of this is you can do it in the privacy of your own home, any time of day or night that works for you.
Machines? Bikes, Ellipticals, Stairs and Treadmills oh my! Of course bikes will focus on your legs, stairs will focus on your legs and butt, ellipticals can be whole body trainers if you use the arms too, and treadmills give you the option of a walking or running program, flat ground or incline. Pick your focus and what works best for you and hit the machine of your choice. Switch them up, even split your time between 2 different machines for variety and maximum muscle confusion.
Take it outside! If you don't have a machine at home, or access to one at the gym, you can bike, walk or run outside. You can climb stairs anywhere they have them. I haven't seen elliptical options, but that's just about the only one that doesn't translate!
And can I suggest you check out HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training or sprint interval training) as part of your cardio protocol. 20 minutes max for an all day calorie after-burn. Can be done with any type of cardio, and there are different kinds. NOT to be done on weight-training days and generally not more than 3 times/week depending on the type you choose.
REST DAY! Take one! You will get better results if you do...
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Product Recommendations: Lose It App for iphone/ipod touch
I've reviewed several products lately, some free, some not, and thought I'd share my thoughts about some of them. We'll start with the totally free :)
The Lose It app for the iphone/ipod touch is a completely free program that helps you keep on track for weight loss or maintenance. I've spoken about food diaries before, they are one of the best tools for assessing and tracking your progress, and I've rarely seen any long-term success without them.
The Lose It app has a robust database of pre-programmed foods and the ability to add your own custom foods and recipes. There's also a database of exercises so that you can log in your activity level. You will enter in your current and goal weight and how fast you want to lose and it will give you a calorie budget for the day. Logging your food and exercise will automatically update your budget in real time and allow you to see how much more you can still eat that day and stay on track. There are daily and weekly reports, which can be emailed to you, with lots of pretty graphs if you like that sort of thing (I do, especially when they go the direction I want them to). A friend feature allows you to add friends to help with motivation and accountability.
The only downside I see to this program is that it does require an iphone or ipod touch as there's no current ability to use the web to enter the data. The web will allow you to view the reports and there's a forum group where you can connect with other users for motivation and support.
If you have an iphone or ipod touch, give this program a try...it's totally free and not a trial version either.
The Lose It app for the iphone/ipod touch is a completely free program that helps you keep on track for weight loss or maintenance. I've spoken about food diaries before, they are one of the best tools for assessing and tracking your progress, and I've rarely seen any long-term success without them.
The Lose It app has a robust database of pre-programmed foods and the ability to add your own custom foods and recipes. There's also a database of exercises so that you can log in your activity level. You will enter in your current and goal weight and how fast you want to lose and it will give you a calorie budget for the day. Logging your food and exercise will automatically update your budget in real time and allow you to see how much more you can still eat that day and stay on track. There are daily and weekly reports, which can be emailed to you, with lots of pretty graphs if you like that sort of thing (I do, especially when they go the direction I want them to). A friend feature allows you to add friends to help with motivation and accountability.
The only downside I see to this program is that it does require an iphone or ipod touch as there's no current ability to use the web to enter the data. The web will allow you to view the reports and there's a forum group where you can connect with other users for motivation and support.
If you have an iphone or ipod touch, give this program a try...it's totally free and not a trial version either.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Switch it up
Plateaus are no fun and maintaining continual progress is hard work. Doing this without additional calorie reduction is challenging, especially because our calorie needs keep declining proportionately with the scale. Now that's depressing! So, let's not cut calories just yet, since we all like to eat - well, at least I like to eat.
Exercise should be the cornerstone of any weight loss strategy, and fitness progression correlates quite nicely. Changing your exercise routine every 4 - 6 weeks will result in muscle confusion which will keep you progressing through those inevitable plateaus, and result in greater fitness gains. Switch from the treadmill to the bike, or the elliptical to the stairmaster, something different but still challenging. Also, make sure it' something you don't completely hate too, there are so many options that there's no sense at all in dreading this portion of your workout.
Now, cardio burns calories DURING exercise, but weight training continues to burn calories AFTER exercise, so make changes to your strength training routine as well. For this, you can increase weights or reps, or do something completely different. Anything that tells your body "oh...this is new".
Change is good, so keep moving and have fun!
Exercise should be the cornerstone of any weight loss strategy, and fitness progression correlates quite nicely. Changing your exercise routine every 4 - 6 weeks will result in muscle confusion which will keep you progressing through those inevitable plateaus, and result in greater fitness gains. Switch from the treadmill to the bike, or the elliptical to the stairmaster, something different but still challenging. Also, make sure it' something you don't completely hate too, there are so many options that there's no sense at all in dreading this portion of your workout.
Now, cardio burns calories DURING exercise, but weight training continues to burn calories AFTER exercise, so make changes to your strength training routine as well. For this, you can increase weights or reps, or do something completely different. Anything that tells your body "oh...this is new".
Change is good, so keep moving and have fun!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Holiday Strategies
The holidays are here, a time when good food and good company are the focus of so many events, we want to be able to enjoy both, and let's face it...we're not going to completely pass up on all the goodies that are available now, and sometimes only during this season. We should and we can enjoy both.
Here are a few simple strategies:
Exercise: Increase your regular exercise by 20 minutes a day. Yes, it's a VERY busy time and you're thinking "where in the world am I going to find another 20 minutes" especially if you're already in a routine. Well, it doesn't have to be 20 consecutive minutes, an extra 10 minutes twice a day will do just fine. And if you're not exercising in the morning...try and move some of those exercises to the morning as it will keep your metabolism up for the rest of the day.
Alcohol: Of course it's best to avoid it altogether - empty calories that also spike your appetite; but if you're going to indulge, avoid the sugary drinks and stick to wine or champagne - about 100 calories a glass and limit it to 2. Better yet, make it a wine spritzer, with 1/2 wine and 1/2 club soda you're down to 50 calories and maybe you can have that cookie you've had your eye on :)
Buffets, Dinners, and all special foods...mmmmm: Plan ahead. Keep a food journal, plan for parties by using calorie rotation. DO NOT starve yourself all day before a party to bank your calories, this will backfire and can cause you to eat more and definitely store more of what you do eat. DO keep track and cut back about 200-300 calories/day the day before and after a party. Make sure NOT to fall below 1200/day - trimming calories does not mean starvation, it does mean keeping your weekly calories within range. Start with the veggies and steer clear or limit dips and sauces. Don't hang out near the food, too much temptation there...take those veggies with you while you socialize.
Support: Enlist help,find an accountability partner, program, or friend to help keep you on track. Keeping your goals in mind but don't obsess, have fun and enjoy this very special time of year!
With effective strategies and accountability we can all make it through the holidays without any extra "baggage" to carry into the new year.
If we can help you succeed, please contact us, your long-term success is our true joy!
Here are a few simple strategies:
Exercise: Increase your regular exercise by 20 minutes a day. Yes, it's a VERY busy time and you're thinking "where in the world am I going to find another 20 minutes" especially if you're already in a routine. Well, it doesn't have to be 20 consecutive minutes, an extra 10 minutes twice a day will do just fine. And if you're not exercising in the morning...try and move some of those exercises to the morning as it will keep your metabolism up for the rest of the day.
Alcohol: Of course it's best to avoid it altogether - empty calories that also spike your appetite; but if you're going to indulge, avoid the sugary drinks and stick to wine or champagne - about 100 calories a glass and limit it to 2. Better yet, make it a wine spritzer, with 1/2 wine and 1/2 club soda you're down to 50 calories and maybe you can have that cookie you've had your eye on :)
Buffets, Dinners, and all special foods...mmmmm: Plan ahead. Keep a food journal, plan for parties by using calorie rotation. DO NOT starve yourself all day before a party to bank your calories, this will backfire and can cause you to eat more and definitely store more of what you do eat. DO keep track and cut back about 200-300 calories/day the day before and after a party. Make sure NOT to fall below 1200/day - trimming calories does not mean starvation, it does mean keeping your weekly calories within range. Start with the veggies and steer clear or limit dips and sauces. Don't hang out near the food, too much temptation there...take those veggies with you while you socialize.
Support: Enlist help,find an accountability partner, program, or friend to help keep you on track. Keeping your goals in mind but don't obsess, have fun and enjoy this very special time of year!
With effective strategies and accountability we can all make it through the holidays without any extra "baggage" to carry into the new year.
If we can help you succeed, please contact us, your long-term success is our true joy!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Partners in Success
When it comes to making healthy lifestyle and nutrition choices, most of us already know what to do. There is so much information available, on TV, the internet, newspapers, magazines, it’s just everywhere. Little of it, after filtering through it all, conflicts. We all know that fad diets are dangerous and don’t work over the long haul. We’ve all heard what we should be eating and how we should be exercising. With all this good information available, why is it then that obesity is increasing in this country?
Well, simple carbs and empty calories are cheap and the economy is in the tank, so we sometimes make poor nutrition choices for the sake of the economy; however, that’s likely less of an issue than the real problem - motivation and support.
It is difficult to get and maintain motivation and hard to find long-term support. If you have a lot of weight to lose, it is hard to sustain that motivation and to find support that will last until you reach your goal. And reaching your goal is only the first step, maintaining it for at least a year is what will solidify your success and provide the foundation for a healthy lifestyle that lasts.
Sometimes we can’t find that internal motivation and we just need to realize that we need the help and support of a program, group, or health professional to guide us and provide the accountability that we need to keep motivated until we reach and sustain our goal. Programs are good in the short term because they reduce our choices, but what we really need to be able to do is to integrate the principles into our life so that food can be what it always should be, something to be enjoyed and celebrated and not a chore, or worse, something to be afraid of or merely tolerated because “it’s good for you.”
If we can help you succeed, please contact us, your long-term success is our true joy!
Well, simple carbs and empty calories are cheap and the economy is in the tank, so we sometimes make poor nutrition choices for the sake of the economy; however, that’s likely less of an issue than the real problem - motivation and support.
It is difficult to get and maintain motivation and hard to find long-term support. If you have a lot of weight to lose, it is hard to sustain that motivation and to find support that will last until you reach your goal. And reaching your goal is only the first step, maintaining it for at least a year is what will solidify your success and provide the foundation for a healthy lifestyle that lasts.
Sometimes we can’t find that internal motivation and we just need to realize that we need the help and support of a program, group, or health professional to guide us and provide the accountability that we need to keep motivated until we reach and sustain our goal. Programs are good in the short term because they reduce our choices, but what we really need to be able to do is to integrate the principles into our life so that food can be what it always should be, something to be enjoyed and celebrated and not a chore, or worse, something to be afraid of or merely tolerated because “it’s good for you.”
If we can help you succeed, please contact us, your long-term success is our true joy!
Monday, September 21, 2009
On-site nutrition services
Partnership for Change is now providing on-site nutrition and weight loss consulting services at Wheenk! Physical Therapy in downtown Chula Vista, CA.
For more information, go to: http://nutrition.wheenk.com and call or email for more information.
Check back frequently for more tips and articles to help you succeed!
UPDATE: With the closure of the Chula Vista location these services are regrettably no longer available as an on-site program. However, individual and corporate wellness programs remain available.
Please contact us through our website at Partnership for Change for more information.
For more information, go to: http://nutrition.wheenk.com and call or email for more information.
Check back frequently for more tips and articles to help you succeed!
UPDATE: With the closure of the Chula Vista location these services are regrettably no longer available as an on-site program. However, individual and corporate wellness programs remain available.
Please contact us through our website at Partnership for Change for more information.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
What Happened?????
Ok, a long and unexplained absence begs the question: what happened to Partnership for Change? The short answer is: blog-slacker. The long answer is slightly less interesting and probably of little interest to most, so I'll leave it to your imagination.
Partnership for Change has gone through some changes in our organizational structure and focus. Our business and nonprofit consulting division is taking a back seat to our renewed focus on health, wellness and charitable giving. That said, we are actively recruiting for new consultants in all areas, so qualified applicants can still send their text-only resume to:
info@partnershipforchange.org.
Our blog posts have always been focused on health and wellness, so as a reader you aren't likely to notice any difference - good news for you!
Stay tuned for more articles on weight loss, health, wellness, and more...
Partnership for Change has gone through some changes in our organizational structure and focus. Our business and nonprofit consulting division is taking a back seat to our renewed focus on health, wellness and charitable giving. That said, we are actively recruiting for new consultants in all areas, so qualified applicants can still send their text-only resume to:
info@partnershipforchange.org.
Our blog posts have always been focused on health and wellness, so as a reader you aren't likely to notice any difference - good news for you!
Stay tuned for more articles on weight loss, health, wellness, and more...
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