Friday, July 16, 2010
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
7 Natural Tricks to a Better Night Sleep
Instead of reaching for sleeping pills try some of these natural tricks!
1) Block out artificial light. Try turning off TVs and computers 30mins before going to bed, to allow your natural sleep rhythms to produce melatonin to put you to sleep. Also try covering digital clocks, smoke-alarm lights, and close the blinds to keep out other artificial lights. Once you start feeling tired make sure you go to bed immediately without turning on any lights to reset your rhythms.
2) Don't eat before bed. Most of all sugar. Try to finish eating at least 1 hour before you plan on going to bed.
3) Limit alcohol consumption. Although many people feel that alcohol helps put them to sleep, it actually does the opposite (unless you are blackout drunk...but we don't want that!). Alcohol can upset your natural sleep rhythms and make it difficult to achieve REM sleep. Try only drinking on weekends, and see if you sleep better during the week.
4) Keep your bedroom cool. Keep your bedroom on the cooler side, but have plenty of blankets to keep you warm. Try starting out the night with your legs outside of the blankets, once you start feeling a little chilly snuggle up with your blankets, and the warm sensation will help relax you and put you to sleep.
5) Ambient noise. Try adding some ambient noise to your bedroom. A fan works great for this purpose, and also assists in #4! The ambient noise will help to block out any starting noises that may occur in or around the house helping to keep you asleep.
6) Aromatherapy. Try keeping some lavender oil, smelling salts, or pillow sprays in your bedroom to help relax you before bed. Also try a nice hot, sugar free cup of relaxing tea before bed.
7) Clear your mind. About 30mins before going to bed try to clear your mind of anything stressful in your life. Instead of thinking about everything you have to do tomorrow, think about a fun experience you had recently and allow your mind to wonder in that moment.
1) Block out artificial light. Try turning off TVs and computers 30mins before going to bed, to allow your natural sleep rhythms to produce melatonin to put you to sleep. Also try covering digital clocks, smoke-alarm lights, and close the blinds to keep out other artificial lights. Once you start feeling tired make sure you go to bed immediately without turning on any lights to reset your rhythms.
2) Don't eat before bed. Most of all sugar. Try to finish eating at least 1 hour before you plan on going to bed.
3) Limit alcohol consumption. Although many people feel that alcohol helps put them to sleep, it actually does the opposite (unless you are blackout drunk...but we don't want that!). Alcohol can upset your natural sleep rhythms and make it difficult to achieve REM sleep. Try only drinking on weekends, and see if you sleep better during the week.
4) Keep your bedroom cool. Keep your bedroom on the cooler side, but have plenty of blankets to keep you warm. Try starting out the night with your legs outside of the blankets, once you start feeling a little chilly snuggle up with your blankets, and the warm sensation will help relax you and put you to sleep.
5) Ambient noise. Try adding some ambient noise to your bedroom. A fan works great for this purpose, and also assists in #4! The ambient noise will help to block out any starting noises that may occur in or around the house helping to keep you asleep.
6) Aromatherapy. Try keeping some lavender oil, smelling salts, or pillow sprays in your bedroom to help relax you before bed. Also try a nice hot, sugar free cup of relaxing tea before bed.
7) Clear your mind. About 30mins before going to bed try to clear your mind of anything stressful in your life. Instead of thinking about everything you have to do tomorrow, think about a fun experience you had recently and allow your mind to wonder in that moment.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Tips on Preparing for Race Day!!!
We have all been training for several months getting ready for the big race, whether it be a half-marathon or the full-marathon here are some things to keep in mind:
1. Don't buy new shoes just for the race, you do not know how they will fit and how comfortable they will be half way through. Take them out on several long runs before race day.
2. Don't try a new pre-run meal on the day of the race. Make sure you have eaten this meal before several runs, you want to insure that it will not cause gastrointestinal problems, or weigh you down. (I prefer 2 pieces of wheat toast with almond butter!)
3. Don't try a new form of electrolyte replacement on the day of the race. Many times electrolyte replacement companies will sponsor the race, offering their product before, during and after. Again, you don't know how it will affect your stomach, so I suggest sticking with methods you are familiar with. (I use Clif Shot Blocks)
4. "Carbo-load" the day before, but not RIGHT before! Yes, having a high carbohydrate meal for dinner the evening before the race is a good idea (but avoid things that are high in garlic, you will be burping it up the next day yuck!). But, do not have simple carbohydrates (pasta, white bread, white rice, processed) right before the race! Instead reach for something that is a low-glycemic index food. A good rule of thumb to remember is: Low-Glycemic index before cardio (running, biking, swimming etc), high-glycemic index before weight lifting, and high-glycemic index after both!
5. Wear your race outfit before the race. Give your race clothes a few trial runs before race day. You need to make sure that it doesn't constrict your movement, or cause chaffing.
6. Get plenty of sleep. Sounds obvious, but make sure you get plenty of sleep the day before the race. Most races start fairly early (7am or so) which means you need to be down there a good 30mins before that, which can be pretty early on a weekend. Go to bed early, well hydrated, and sober!
1. Don't buy new shoes just for the race, you do not know how they will fit and how comfortable they will be half way through. Take them out on several long runs before race day.
2. Don't try a new pre-run meal on the day of the race. Make sure you have eaten this meal before several runs, you want to insure that it will not cause gastrointestinal problems, or weigh you down. (I prefer 2 pieces of wheat toast with almond butter!)
3. Don't try a new form of electrolyte replacement on the day of the race. Many times electrolyte replacement companies will sponsor the race, offering their product before, during and after. Again, you don't know how it will affect your stomach, so I suggest sticking with methods you are familiar with. (I use Clif Shot Blocks)
4. "Carbo-load" the day before, but not RIGHT before! Yes, having a high carbohydrate meal for dinner the evening before the race is a good idea (but avoid things that are high in garlic, you will be burping it up the next day yuck!). But, do not have simple carbohydrates (pasta, white bread, white rice, processed) right before the race! Instead reach for something that is a low-glycemic index food. A good rule of thumb to remember is: Low-Glycemic index before cardio (running, biking, swimming etc), high-glycemic index before weight lifting, and high-glycemic index after both!
5. Wear your race outfit before the race. Give your race clothes a few trial runs before race day. You need to make sure that it doesn't constrict your movement, or cause chaffing.
6. Get plenty of sleep. Sounds obvious, but make sure you get plenty of sleep the day before the race. Most races start fairly early (7am or so) which means you need to be down there a good 30mins before that, which can be pretty early on a weekend. Go to bed early, well hydrated, and sober!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Diet AND Exercise?
I have had several people inquire about the correlation between diet and exercise. So the question is....is it all or nothing? If you want to see positive changes in your body can you change just your eating habits, or just your exercise habits? Or do you need to change both?
Answer: If you want to see positive changes in your body (ie. loss of body fat, gain muscle), you need to change both your diet and exercise. Obviously there are exceptions to every rule...and I am sure you know of one, the "string bean" that eats whatever they want. But generally speaking to see changes relatively quickly...change both.
Why is this?
3500 calories = 1 lb fat
In our bodies we use calories for energy. Calories are needed to perform basic functions such as breathing, pumping our heart, fueling our brain etc, as well as energy for our daily activies. But when we intake more calories than our body needs for these different functions, our body stores them in the form of fat. As stated above, 3500 excess calories = 1 lb. of fat.
You need to intake fewer calories than you are expending in order to lose weight.
By exercising regularly (and thus expending calories), and eating healthy (and thus intaking fewer calories) we will create the deficit required to lose fat. Visit My Pyramid to get an estimate of how many calories you should be taking in each day, it will also break down where your calories should be coming from (meats, fruits, dairy etc.). I suggest keeping a daily food journal with what you are eating as well as calorie count. This isn't something you need to keep up forever, but it will help you get a sense of how many calories you are taking in, compared to how many you should be taking in. When you start exercising more, you will find yourself more hungry, so by keeping a food journal you will avoid the mistake of taking in more calories to compensate for the calories burned during exercise.
So, you take my advice, a couple months go by and you jump on the scale.....no weight loss! Ahhh, Alison lied! Nope! This is a common situation that causes discouragement in people new to fitness. When you start an exercise plan (especially if it involves lifting weights) you are also gaining muscle, which will give you that lean "in-shape" look that everyone wants. But, NEWS FLASH, muscle weighs more than fat! So at this point...the scale is no longer useful. Visit your local gym, or give me a call (206-229-7134) to get your body fat tested and measurements taken, these will tell us whether you have been successful in your fat loss goals.
I hope this has helped everyone understand this topic more completely. Feel free to comment or e-mail me if you have any topics you have been curious about! alison.strong.fitness@gmail.com
Answer: If you want to see positive changes in your body (ie. loss of body fat, gain muscle), you need to change both your diet and exercise. Obviously there are exceptions to every rule...and I am sure you know of one, the "string bean" that eats whatever they want. But generally speaking to see changes relatively quickly...change both.
Why is this?
3500 calories = 1 lb fat
In our bodies we use calories for energy. Calories are needed to perform basic functions such as breathing, pumping our heart, fueling our brain etc, as well as energy for our daily activies. But when we intake more calories than our body needs for these different functions, our body stores them in the form of fat. As stated above, 3500 excess calories = 1 lb. of fat.
You need to intake fewer calories than you are expending in order to lose weight.
By exercising regularly (and thus expending calories), and eating healthy (and thus intaking fewer calories) we will create the deficit required to lose fat. Visit My Pyramid to get an estimate of how many calories you should be taking in each day, it will also break down where your calories should be coming from (meats, fruits, dairy etc.). I suggest keeping a daily food journal with what you are eating as well as calorie count. This isn't something you need to keep up forever, but it will help you get a sense of how many calories you are taking in, compared to how many you should be taking in. When you start exercising more, you will find yourself more hungry, so by keeping a food journal you will avoid the mistake of taking in more calories to compensate for the calories burned during exercise.
So, you take my advice, a couple months go by and you jump on the scale.....no weight loss! Ahhh, Alison lied! Nope! This is a common situation that causes discouragement in people new to fitness. When you start an exercise plan (especially if it involves lifting weights) you are also gaining muscle, which will give you that lean "in-shape" look that everyone wants. But, NEWS FLASH, muscle weighs more than fat! So at this point...the scale is no longer useful. Visit your local gym, or give me a call (206-229-7134) to get your body fat tested and measurements taken, these will tell us whether you have been successful in your fat loss goals.
I hope this has helped everyone understand this topic more completely. Feel free to comment or e-mail me if you have any topics you have been curious about! alison.strong.fitness@gmail.com
Friday, June 11, 2010
6 Safe Exercises During Pregnancy
Starting an exercise program during the hustle and bustle of life can be intimidating alone, try adding in a pregnancy! Even thought this can seem daunting, keep in mind you can help control how you feel during and after your pregnancy by staying active and eating healthy. If you exercise during your pregnancy it will be much easier to lose the pregnancy weight after.
Here are some safe exercises you can participate in:
- Swimming
- Yoga
- Stationary Bicycle
- Walking
- Jogging
- Stair Climber
While exercising during your pregnancy here are some things to avoid:
- overheating
- high impact
- tight or restricting clothing
- any risk of falling (horseback riding, skiing etc.)
- exercising while lying on your back-weight bearing exercises that take the weights over your body (bench press, shoulder press etc.)
- dehydration
*talk to your doctor before starting an exercise plan
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
5 Common Gym Mistakes
1. Eating the wrong foods before and after
Become familiar with the Glycemic Index. 30mins before and within 30mins after weight training consume high glycemic index foods. 30mins before cardio consume low glycemic index foods, and within 30mins after consume high glycemic index foods.
2. Skipping Warm-up and Cool-Down
Both are important to a safe and effecient work out. Include stretching in both!
3. Poor Technique
Make sure you have someone show you the proper way to use weights, wouldn't want to injure yourself. Be aware of your breathing, exhaling during the most difficult part of weight lifting.
4. Skipping Muscles
Many times we concentrate mainly on the muscles we can see in the front of our body, and forget about the muscles in the back. It is important to keep everything in balance by training both sides of our bodies. It is also important to work all the muscles in our body, not just the ones we want to look nice!
5. Ignoring Heart Rate
Keeping track of your heart rate while exercising is a great way to see exactly how hard your body is working. When you are trying to lose fat, you want to participate in cardiovascular exercise for more than 40mins keeping your heart rate within your fat burning range (being able to have a conversation is a good test).
Monday, May 17, 2010
Increase your Protein to Increase your Energy - 5 Ideas!
I attended a Personal Training Conference a few months ago. While at this conference a nutritionist gave a presentation on protein intake. The take home message of her whole presentation was that eating protein 3 times a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) is not enough protein. Not only is it not enough protein, but by increasing your protein intake throughout the day, it will also help to increase your energy levels! Here are some tips to increase your protein intake:
1.) MRM Whey Protein Powder- 100% All Natural, No artificial sweeteners or flavors. Not all whey protein powders are created equal, as women we don't want all the extra crap that men use to bulk up, this powder is the answer. With 18g of protein and only 87kcals and less than 1g of natural occurring sugar per serving this stuff is awesome! Try mixing it with milk or oatmeal in the morning, or keep a pre-portioned baggy in your car for mixing with fruit juice for a snack.
2.) Soy Milk- Silk Light Original Soy Milk has 6g of protein, 70kcals, and 6g sugar per serving. Drink a glass in between breakfast and lunch for a punch of protein.
3.) Edamame- also known as soy beans (1/2 C = 11g protein). You can buy these at Trader Joe's or Costco in the frozen veggies section. Try eating these with a little soy sauce, and pop them out of the shells into your mouth. Or prepare them ahead of time by removing them from the shells and mixing them with some corn and tomatoes with a little Italian dressing for a protein packed salad.
4.) Cottage cheese- (1C = 28g of protein) Try mixing some chopped green peppper, scallions, tomato, salt, pepper and lemon zest into it, eat by itself or dip your favorite veggies in it!
5.) Canned Tuna- Stick it in a whole wheat tortilla with hummus and your favorite veggies to get 39.3g of protein per cup!
1.) MRM Whey Protein Powder- 100% All Natural, No artificial sweeteners or flavors. Not all whey protein powders are created equal, as women we don't want all the extra crap that men use to bulk up, this powder is the answer. With 18g of protein and only 87kcals and less than 1g of natural occurring sugar per serving this stuff is awesome! Try mixing it with milk or oatmeal in the morning, or keep a pre-portioned baggy in your car for mixing with fruit juice for a snack.
2.) Soy Milk- Silk Light Original Soy Milk has 6g of protein, 70kcals, and 6g sugar per serving. Drink a glass in between breakfast and lunch for a punch of protein.
3.) Edamame- also known as soy beans (1/2 C = 11g protein). You can buy these at Trader Joe's or Costco in the frozen veggies section. Try eating these with a little soy sauce, and pop them out of the shells into your mouth. Or prepare them ahead of time by removing them from the shells and mixing them with some corn and tomatoes with a little Italian dressing for a protein packed salad.
4.) Cottage cheese- (1C = 28g of protein) Try mixing some chopped green peppper, scallions, tomato, salt, pepper and lemon zest into it, eat by itself or dip your favorite veggies in it!
5.) Canned Tuna- Stick it in a whole wheat tortilla with hummus and your favorite veggies to get 39.3g of protein per cup!
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