Sets, Reps....what to do??

Strength Training- Also known as resistance training, is muscular contraction to increase strength.
Reps- Short for repetitions, is one complete movement through an exercise.
Set- Is a group of reps.

A lot of people get all "bent out of shape" over how many sets and reps to do, but don't waste too much time or energy on this, spend that on lifting!  For weight-loss and general health I usually recommend 8-12 reps and sets of 2-3. Giving yourself a range of 8-12 will help determine what is the best weight to use. If you are unable to do at least 8 reps WITH GOOD FORM, the weight is too heavy. If you can do more than 12 reps WITH GOOD FORM, the weight is too light.

This means you may be changing your weights before the next set or depending on how you feel for a particular day. For example, if you have a lot of energy one day, you will be able to lift more and should to get the benefit. If you feel tired/weak one day you will need to lower the weight in order to keep proper form.  Keep in mind the immediate goal of strength training is to fatigue your muscles, NOT do the most reps or sets of an exercise. This means you don't want to "save" yourself to do extra sets. Challenge yourself with the set you are currently doing, if your muscles are okay to do another set after then great, if not then even better, that is the point!

REMEMBER- FORM IS KEY!

Mindful Eating

Not only are the types of food eaten important for weight-loss, stress, and overall health, but the way you eat is just as important. Often times we rush through the day barley making time to eat and definitely not making any time to relax and enjoy meals. When food is eaten mindfully, we tend to eat healthier and less throughout the day. Mindful eating is easier said than done and often takes a lot of practice.   Don't get frustrated and try these easy tips to get started.

Easy Mindful Eating Tips:

• Plan meals and snacks ahead of time(this way your are not impulse eating when hungry or in a rush)
• Take a deep breath before serving your food (this way you are in charge of what foods you are picking, versus the foods picking you!)
• Turn on the lights (so you can see what and how much you are eating)
• Turn off the electronics when possible (to make you aware of what you are doing at the moment...eating)
• Take another deep breath before eating (this helps to relax you and put YOU in control)
• Put utensil or finger food down in-between bites until each bite is swallowed
• Listen to your body (this one takes the most practice, try to stop when your body tells you that you are full)
• Food is nourishing, so try to take your time and enjoy your meal, smell the aromas and TASTE the food you are putting into your body!

Little Bites Add Up...

Often times we forget to add up the little extra calories we consume throughout the day. However, these can really add up and prevent weight-loss.

Bite 1-
1/4 cup apple juice remains in the bottle, might as well finish it right? 30 calories

Bite 2-
2 Tablespoons of cereal are left in the box after your normal pour. No sense putting this little away, top off the rest in your bowl. 20 calories

Bite 3-
The coffee at work was extra strong today, add some extra cream. 20 calories

Bite 4-
Your co-worker made pastry and insists you try even though you already ate breakfast, you just try a very small piece. 70 calories

Bite 5-
Didn't plan on getting a bag of chips, but they were only 50 cents with the sandwich. 130 calories

Bite 6-
You forgot to ask for "no cheese" on your sandwich at lunch, oh well. 100 calories

Bite 7-
Wow there was a lot of garlic on that sandwich, eat 2 mints. 15 calories

Bite 8-
Grab a small chocolate from a co-workers desk, you need energy to deal with your next customer. 20 calories

Bite 9-
Small sample of chicken at the grocery store, it's free...you have to try it! 30 calories

Bite 10-
Two tablespoons of sauce while you are making it, it is a new recipe you have to try it out. 30 calories


Bite 11-
There is only 1/4 cup of pasta left, not worth putting it away, it was good so you just finish it. 45 calories


Grand Total: 510 Extra Calories
 
Just think of the weight that could be lost if you avoided just half of these!

Skip the Soda!

So everyone knows soda is not exactly a health food, but how bad is it? 

Well, the average can of soda contains 120-150 calories (ALL FROM SUGAR) which means there are about 10 teaspoons of sugar in every 12 oz. can of soda. So YES, that makes it is LIQUID CANDY! Eliminating only 1 can a day of regular soda from your diet ALONE can lead to a 12-15 pound weight loss over a years time. 

So switch to diet, right? Well not exactly. Diet, just like regular, contains unnecessary food dyes, but also has aspartame. Aspartame is the non-caloric sweetener used in the majority of diet sodas. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar and conditions the pallet to crave sweeter foods and drinks throughout the day. The body is not getting the carbohydrates from the sweetness of the diet soda, and this lead to the craving of carbs. Aspartame causes headaches in many people and studies have proven it causes tumors in rats. Recent research has showed those consuming diet soda are 61% more likely of a cardiovascular event than those who don't drink soda. Does that "diet" soda still sound so appetizing?

Try some refreshing alternatives to soda:

• Flavored Water
•  Avoid purchasing flavored water since many of these contain sugar, sweeteners, and other chemicals; instead make your own...add slices of lemon, lime, orange, or cucumber for flavor and freshness!
• Seltzer Water
• Many times people crave carbonation in the soda, not really the soda itself. Seltzer water is completely harmless and is just water with carbon dioxide in it. Make sure to avoid sparkling waters if they have added sugar or sweeteners, always safe with seltzer though!
• Herbal Tea
• There are so many different flavors, many even helping certain ailments. Find a flavor that you like the best and try without adding a sweetener(herbal tea has much more flavor than regular black tea), my favorites are ones with licorice and ginger root. For a cool treat, pour over ice or make and put it into fridge until chilled.

If you do decide to still keep soda a part of your diet, do so wisely:

• Cut back, and try to limit intake to no more than 1 can a day, this may take weeks or even months to get down to this, but cut back slowly and you really can do it.
• Save soda for snack-time instead of with all the flavors of a meal.
• Account for soda calories as part of daily caloric intake.

Realistic Weight-loss Goals

Many people sabotage their weight-loss efforts with unrealistic expectations. When deciding to lose weight, often times people expect to only LOSE weight during this process. Contrary to some popular television shows and commercials, this is not only unrealistic, but unsafe and harder to keep the weight off in the end.

 

Truthfully when losing weight, there are going to be times of plateaus and even small gains. This is perfectly normal, and it is important to note overall weight loss rather than dwelling on weight gain for one week. For example, if you are down 10 lbs. from the start and then gain 2 lbs. one week, you are still down 8 lbs.!! Think of the BIG picture. If you get upset and dwell on small weight gains, you will have a very difficult time accomplishing your weight-loss goal.

Plateaus and small gains happen for a number of reasons, it is important to be aware of these, but not use them as excuses. Sometimes the body just needs time to "catch up" with weight-loss to stay at bodily homeostasis. The time the last meal and/or drinks were the consumed along with the time of day the weight was taken play a major role. Underestimating caloric intake or overestimating exercise from the previous week or even the week before that is often times why weight was gained. Muscle is more dense than fat, and when a person is lower in weight, this can also make a difference.

Tips:
-Aim for 1-2 lbs. of weight-loss a week
-Don't compare your weight-loss with others (especially other genders or those with starting weights different than yours)
-Keep in mind the major goal is to be fit and healthy, not to have the lowest number on the scale, right?
-Don't get discouraged with plateaus or small gains

Kale Chips

Kale is a great source of fiber, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K. Make these super easy Kale Chips as a healthier alternative to fried potao chips:

Ingredients:
-Kale
-Olive Oil
-Salt

Recipe:
-Rinse, pat dry, and rip stems off kale, making them into "bite-size" pieces
-Lightly coat olive oil on bottom of pan
-Add kale, and drizzle or spray olive oil over
-Top with salt
-Bake at 350° F for 15 minutes (or until crispy)
-Let cool and enjoy!

Tip:
-Save the stems for a stir fry

The elevator to success is broken...TAKE THE STAIRS

There are many was to burn calories during the day, even when you are unable to get your workout in. Doing little things throughout the day can really add up to a significant calorie burn. An extra 20-30 minutes of movement spread-out each day can lead to a 10 lb. weight-loss over a year! You may be familiar with some of these tips, but in order for them to be beneficial, you have to do them!!!

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator (if you need to go to a very high floor, get off the elevator 4-5 flights early and walk the rest)
• Park further away in parking lots (bonus, easier to find parking and it will probably be quicker!)
• Sit on a stability ball while watching tv or working at a desk (recent studies have shown you can burn up to 4 times more than sitting on a chair)
• Allow short breaks from the desk to walk around (bonus this will get you more focused and redirected)
• Walk to co-worker's desks instead of phone calls or e-mails
• Stand up and if possible walk around while on the phone
• Have "walking meetings" with co-workers or friends instead of just sitting down and talking
• Push mower instead of rider when possible
• Stretch or do calf raises while standing in line at the store
• Do jumping jacks or side steps during commercial breaks
• Do squats while waiting for something to heat up on the stove or in the microwave

Make some or all of these a part of your daily routine, and make up some of your own ideas to increase physical activity. Have fun!