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July 26, 2010
I’ve recently come to the conclusion that motivation is the make-or-break factor in a client’s success (or lack thereof). I’m not talking about those initial goals or even making the commitment. Most of us can get there on our own. And for the most part, we all know what to do to achieve our goals. Granted, you might not know why you need to eat more fiber or more vegetables, or why it’s important to strength train as well as run. But you still know you need to do it. And so you set goals for yourself and what you want to accomplish with your body, and you go about achieving them.
Nope, I’m talking about that moment – it could be two weeks into your new fitness plan or two months but either way, it will happen. That moment when you make the choice to stray from your plan and give into temptation. What exactly do I mean? How about those five seconds after your alarm goes off and you decide to press snooze or shut it off rather than get your butt out of bed for a morning run. Or on your way home from work after a long day when you know a workout will help alleviate some of that stress but you still drive past the gym exit anyway. And inevitably that downfall leads to another, then another… and pretty soon you’re off the wagon entirely.
Yes, my friends, we’ve all been there and it won’t be the last time. It’s the nature of the beast, I suppose – some days it’s simply easier to give into those urges, sleep in late, or eat half of the brownies you just baked. The real challenge is motivating yourself beyond it. Don’t let that one slip up affect the rest of your day, your week, or your entire goal. Don’t let those excuses take over in that crucial moment! You know the ones I mean… all the excuses for hitting that snooze button or eating that cake. The irrational, over-the-top reasons your brain has invented to keep you from doing what you’ve set out to do. That logic you listen to even though you know it makes no sense and you will regret it later. So how do you ignore it?
Finding the inner strength to shake off those excuses and just do what it is you’ve set your mind to do isn’t easy – but it is the difference between your current self and the “you” you’ve set out to become by setting those goals in the first place. You set those goals with a purpose in mind, some initial motivation that got you off the couch and into the gym. What was it? An event, a frustration, an outfit, a new diagnosis, a desire to be healthier?
Whatever motivated you to set those goals and demand more of yourself, grab hold of it. Write it down and visualize yourself achieving your goal. As simple as this exercise is, it is an extemely powerful method of motivating yourself. It’s one thing to have a personal trainer to push you through those last few reps or to call you when you start blowing off appointments. But it’s another thing entirely when you tap into that inner desire to be better, stronger, and healthier than you currently are. Motivation like that is unstoppable!
Of course, the right workout plan and a healthy diet are important. But if you’re having trouble reaching your goals, it’s time to haul out that inner cheerleader of yours and put those excuses to shame. Find out what really motivated you in the beginning and tap into that source. Visualize your success and know that one slip-up doesn’t matter. You can still reach those goals as long as you don’t let negative thoughts cause a downhill spiral of excuses. You can do it! Rah, rah, rah!!
July 8, 2010
Q: Nicole, you talk about consuming protein every time you eat… but how do you eat that much meat? And what do you eat for breakfast or snacks when you’re running out the door?
A: Great question! I sit down with clients and gym members throughout the week to discuss nutrition and this is the most frequent question I get. As soon as I mention increasing protein intake, I’m met with raised eyebrows and questioning looks. “What exactly are healthy protein options?” they ask. Believe it or not, there are a lot of protein choices beyond the usual chicken, steak, and eggs – many of which are conducive to that “on-the-go” lifestyle.
Proteins are required by your body for just about everything you do: movement, immune protection, growth, digestion, blood sugar regulation, and transportation. Protein consumption is a vital component of a regular exercise program because it helps rebuild muscles after a grueling workout. Strong, healthy muscles equal a higher metabolism, which means you can burn more calories during the day just sitting at your desk!
Despite these important functions, many Americans take in less than adequate amounts of healthy protein (rather than the saturated-fat laden entries served by many restaurants and fast food establishments). Ideally, you should look to consume lean protein every time you eat – that means snacks too! Look for items that contain at least 7g protein per serving, or combine a low-protein food with a high-protein item like those listed below.
Lean Protein Choices (7 grams each):
- 1 Egg (or 2 egg whites)
- 1/4 cup egg substitute
- 1 oz. chicken or turkey
- 1.5 oz. fish
- 1 oz. lean red meat (90% or higher)
- 1 oz. low-fat cheese or soy cheese
- 1/4 cup low-fat shredded cheese or shredded soy cheese
- 1/8 can tunafish (no mayo!)
- 1 low-carb soy protein burger
- 1/3 scoop sugar-free protein powder (whey, soy, or egg)
- 1/2 low-carb protein bar
- 1 cup light, plain soy milk
- 4 oz. low-fat or non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup beans or chickpeas
This is not an exhaustive list of healthy protein sources, but it will get you started. Think about choices beyond the usual “meat equals protein”. Soy products, Greek yogurt, dried chickpeas, and cottage cheese are my favorite go-to protein sources.
For breakfast, I’ll often make a batch of mini crustless quiches that I bring to work throughout the week. They are simple to make, quick to grab, easy to reheat, and extremely nutritious. Just grab a 12-cup muffin tin, throw in whatever vegetables and light cheese you want, and top with egg beaters to fill the tins 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 or so minutes. Voila!
I’d love to hear what creative ideas you use for healthy protein-packed meals and snacks. Leave a comment below with your favorite products and recipes!
May 11, 2010
Losing weight is as much about what you eat as it is about exercising. The most significant step you can take towards a healthy lifestyle change is to educate yourself about the foods you eat and what you feed your family.
We are fortunate enough to live in a country where every food manufacturer is required to disclose the ingredients and nutritional information of their products to us, the general public. This very fact gives us power! As long as we know what to look for, we can steer clear of toxic ingredients and feed our bodies real, nutritious food. To start, begin looking at the nutrition facts of the foods you buy – paying special attention to the items listed below. You’ll be a nutrition expert in no time!
Total Calories: Take note of exactly how many calories you are consuming because when you’re trying to lose weight, every calorie counts!
Total Fat: Don’t be scared of this number! You should consume fat in your diet; in fact, you need it! The important thing is to choose the right types of fat. You will usually find these broken down underneath Total Fat on the label. Here is what you should look at:
Saturated Fat: You want as little of this as possible! Look for 5g or less on packaged foods. Also, compare this number to Total Fat. If the numbers are close in value, then the food item contains mostly saturated fat and you should put it back on the shelf!
Trans Fat: Trans fats are toxic to the body – even worse than saturated fats! This value should be zero in ALL cases.
Unsaturated Fats: These are the healthiest fats, so don’t worry about the amounts. They provide many essential fatty acids to our diets.
Total Carbohydrates: The carbohydrate group includes both sugars and fiber, which are always broken down underneath Carbohydrates on the nutrition label. You should pay special attention to each of these, but for different reasons…
Fiber: The daily recommendation for fiber is 25g (for everyone!), yet most of us barely make it to 10g each day. Fiber helps maintain a healthy digestive tract while slowing down the digestive process. That means you’ll stay fuller for longer! You want this number to be as high as possible – anything over 5g per serving would be admirable.
Sugar: Your worst enemy. Period! Eating foods high in sugar will not only put you on the fast track to diabetes, but you will have a significantly harder time losing weight and keeping it off. With this in mind, keep your sugar content as low as possible. On packaged goods, aim for 10g or less.
Total Protein: Protein is just as important to your diet as carbohydrates and fat, yet it often gets overlooked. Protein consumption is a vital component of a regular exercise program because it helps rebuild muscles after a grueling workout. This means that as you lose weight, you can be sure you are losing 100% body fat – not lean muscle. Look for items that contain at least 7g protein per serving; or combine a low-protein food with a high-protein item such as low-fat cheese, chicken, turkey, or eggs.
March 19, 2010
 Tomorrow is the first day of spring… which of course leads to thoughts of sunshine and summertime! As soon as the weather warms up I start thinking about new ways to create cool, refreshing post-workout snacks. And my favorite of these is my Piña Colada “Frosty.”
This drink/frozen yogurt has existed in several incarnations over the last several years as I play around with various fruit and yogurt combinations. I’ve experimented with fresh fruit and frozen fruit, berries versus tropical fruit, different flavored yogurts, and assorted additives. Although they all turn out delicious (you just can’t go wrong with fruit and yogurt in my opinion!), my pineapple and coconut rendition has far surpassed the others in refreshing taste and dessert-like consistency. It is slightly higher in sugar than the berry versions, but I have balanced that sugar with ground flaxseeds and high-protein cottage cheese. The final ingredient is a few drops of coconut flavoring, which adds the essence of coconut without all the fat and calories. I hope you enjoy!
Piña Colada “Frosty”
Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh or frozen chunk pineapple, unsweetened (I like frozen because it makes the frosty even thicker, but if you can’t find frozen simply use fresh and add a few slices of frozen peaches instead for consistency.)
3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup (4 oz) low-sugar vanilla yogurt (I like Dannon Light & Fit Carb Control)
3 tbsp. ground flaxseeds
4 drops coconut flavoring (You can find artificial flavorings in the spice aisle of the supermarket.)
- Begin by setting up a standard blender or food processor. Add the fruit first, then layer the yogurt, cottage cheese, and flaxseed on top. Add the coconut flavoring last.
- Blend, slowly at first, until the pineapple seems to be broken up a bit. Then progress to higher speeds until your yogurt reaches a thick, frothy consistency.
- Pour and enjoy! If you used frozen fruit, you might have to eat the frosty with a spoon instead of a straw.
- Makes 1 serving… or split into 3 servings for quick snacks!
 Calories 330
Total Fat 10.5g (Sat Fat 1.75g)
Cholesterol 25mg
Sodium 596mg
Potassium 422mg
Total Carbohydrates 39g
Fiber 7g
Sugar 24.5g
Protein 28g
March 15, 2010
Is your workout (and your body) stuck in a rut?
When life gets busy and we over-schedule ourselves, we’re happy to find just a few minutes for exercise. Walk around the block, lift a few weights, pop in an old aerobics tape standby… enough to make us feel like we aren’t completely neglecting our bodies and our health amidst the chaos of our lives. And as time goes on, we fall comfortably into a familiar pattern of exercise that works within our schedules.
Who has time to add more or learn something new?
We figure that as long as we’re doing something, it counts. Exercise can get crossed off the list for today and we can move on towards the twenty other tasks we expect of ourselves.
Today I want you to stop and think about this all-too-familiar pattern of short-changing your health and putting your goals for a stronger, leaner body on the back shelf. By simply taking a few minutes to run through the motions of exercise without any preparation or planning (or enjoyment!), you are doing your body and your goals a disservice.
Take a minute to remember (or re-formulate) what your goals are for your health and your body. How long have those goals been the same? Are you any closer to achieving those goals than you were 6 months ago? A year ago? Five years ago? Often we find that our personal goals get pushed aside by routine tasks.
 Now take a look at your to-do list… how many of those chores would be easier to accomplish if you were stronger and had more energy? You’d likely accomplish them quicker and still have more energy by the end of day. This is attainable – you just need to make your health a priority.
To start, take a look at your current exercise routine. How long have you been doing the same thing? When was the last time you felt like you really got something out of your workout?
The surprising fact is that our bodies get used to movements extremely quickly. Exercise routines must be constantly changed in order to challenge our muscles and see continuous results. The same old routine and the same exercises just won’t cut it if you’re looking for results. And let’s face it, if you’re taking the time to exercise, then you want to make it count, right?!?
Exercise possibilities are truly endless, so you should never feel limited by your workout routine or your schedule. You can ensure great results and prevent boredom simply by manipulating different exercise variables and combinations, many of which take no time at all to learn!
Listed below are just a few of these variables to get you started. Because this website is structured around working out at home, I focused the list on alterations requiring minimal equipment. Mix & match to refresh and revitalize your workouts, start seeing results, and finally reach your goals for a strong, healthy body!
What will your next workout look like?
Surface & Stability
1. Kneeling
2. Sitting
- Floor
- Chair
- Stability ball
3. Standing
- Feet together
- Feet wide but parallel to each other
- Staggered stance (one foot in front of the other, like a lunge)
- 1-leg Balance
Body Parts
1. Isolated (one muscle group)
2. Integrated (more than one muscle group)
- Example: Bicep Curl to Press
3. Total Body Combination Move
Movement Direction
1. Forward/Reverse
2. Side-to-Side
3. Rotation
- Example: Transverse Lunge
Resistance Type
1. Bodyweight/Gravity
2. Free Weights
3. Tubing
4. Medicine Ball
5. Bodybar
6. Kettlebell
Exercise Combinations
1. Superset (two exercises for the same muscle group, performed back-to-back)
- Example: Bicep Curl & Hammer Curl
2. Opposition Supersets (two exercises for opposite muscle groups, performed back-to-back)
- Example: Bicep Curl & Triceps Dips
3. Total Body Strength (each strength training workout includes all muscle groups)
4. Split Strength (Muscle groups are split between 2 or 3 weekly workouts)
5. Strength/Cardio Intervals (Strength training interspersed by short bursts of cardio)
Movement Speed
1. Slow (half-time)
2. Tempo
3. Fast
4. Explosive
Any one of these variables can be added to your current routine to encourage results. For example, instead of a regular squat, try a one-legged squat. Or instead of a regular biceps curl, play with the count of your repetitions – lift the weight up on one count and then take three counts to lower the weight. When you challenge your muscles to work beyond the particular motions they’ve adapted to, you’ll see (and feel!) the difference immediately. And who doesn’t have time for that?
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