Last week, I volunteered in my daughter's class for the day. Everytime I do this, I leave feeling disappointed, disturbed, sad, helpless, frustrated and ready to home school! The number one reason for my dismay, in a nutshell, is nutrition. The lack thereof, I should say.
I have to sit there and watch my daughter look like some kind of freak because she is expected to eat her protein and veggies for lunch! A few months ago she started pleading with me to pack her something - anything - that came in a package, like all the other kids' snacks and lunches. What's wrong with that picture?! Poor kid - her mom is SO mean! Can you believe I would have the audacity to pack lunches and snacks that don't have a shelf life, and actually contribute to lifelong health? What nerve I have! Honestly, I thought I'd have a few more years before she'd start caring so much about what her friends were doing... and eating. Geez Louise, you'd think I was trying to kill the poor girl!
The one thing that really surprised me last week was the lack of water these kids drink throughout the day. They have a pure water dispenser right in their classroom, yet I didn't see one child drink a glass of water all day long. Sure, maybe I caught them on an 'off' day. The problem is, when it comes to drinking water, there shouldn't be 'off' days! Kids cannot be healthy without water.
From a teacher's perspective, I can understand how drinking water throughout the day could lead to some challenges, like more frequent trips to the bathroom or shenanigans at the water fountain. BUT, on the other hand, I would think that teachers might enjoy the countless benefits that drinking sufficient, pure water would provide for the kids: better energy levels, better able to focus, clearer thinking, happier, stronger immune systems, more stable moods... the list is incredibly lengthy.
I think it would be simple to implement 'mandatory/extremely-highly-recommended' water breaks 2-4 times per day, as well as providing the kids a glass of water with their lunch and snack. Again, even if it is a slight inconvenience, isn't the health of the kids worth it? Can you even imagine how much better they'd function if they were properly hydrated?
Perhaps I'm naive, or missing some major detail that would prevent this from happening. For example, maybe several kids are highly allergic to pure water! Ha! My point is, it's fabulously good for everyone... it absolutely cannot hurt.
I so strongly feel that schools should not be the creative force in a foundation for lifetime sickness. Our kids should be 'safe' there. Yes, I do believe that poor nutritional habits, and the reinforcement of these poor choices in a powerfully influential social setting such as school, is highly dangerous to the health of our children. There are simple things that can be implemented throughout the day in a school setting that could drastically improve the current and future health of our kids. Water is one of those simple things.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
The Most Common Workout Mistakes Women Make (Part 4)
Mistake #4: Wimpy Workouts!
This mistake is somewhat similar to being resistant to resistance training. When I talk about “wimpy” workouts, I’m essentially talking about the mundane routines many people get into in their fitness routines… how we end up just going through the motions during workouts.
The biggest, wimpiest mistake I see women making in their resistance training is using only traditional machines to train. If you’re not careful, this can quickly and easily get you into a workout rut, leaving you bored and frustrated with your lack of results.
Machines make it very difficult to workout with the same level of intensity you could achieve with free weights, bands, medicine balls and other ‘unanchored’ training devices. Machines provide anchored stability, which is fine for a temporary change or if you’re working your way through an injury.
Otherwise, you want your muscles to act as the stabilizers as well as the weight lifters and movers. This creates a greater workload, forcing your muscles to not only move the weight, but also to stabilize you as you work. This type of workout is also significantly more effective for training your core. When your muscles are working harder and smarter with free weights and other resistance tools, you boost your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). As a result of a higher RMR, you’ll burn more fat and become leaner.
Machines also tend to limit and alter your natural range of motion. All up-to-date fitness and exercise experts agree that the optimal exercises are performed with full range of motion and the natural arcs and positioning unique to each individual. Machines are essentially one-size-fits-all. Again, a decreased and ‘contained’ range of motion may be exactly what you need if you’re looking to change up your routine for a short time or if you’re injured. If not, think of imitating movements of real life, like pull-starting a lawn mower, washing windows, lifting groceries, carrying kids, etc.
Traditional machines also tend to focus on isolated muscle groups and isolated movements. They’re not representative of real life movements and positions. Global or functional exercises incorporate large groups of muscle to perform a movement that is similar to real life movements. How often do we find ourselves needing to mimic the movement of the seated quadriceps extension, hamstring curl or triceps extension? I’m not sure I’ve ever done any of those isolated movements outside of a gym! Much more useful and practical exercises would be squats, lunges, deadlifts, rowing and push-ups – these prepare us for the type of lifting, stability, balance and power that’s required of us to live our everyday lives.
So, YES it’s more difficult to train with free weights than to use the machines… that’s the whole point! If your goal is to shed fat and inches as well as becoming lean and toned then you want to create more work for your body. It’s a good thing! Remember, you don’t have to workout any longer… just smarter. The good news is that even though your workout needs to become more challenging, it should become a shorter workout too! Whew!
Finally, keep moving during your workout. This is not social hour… unless that’s your primary goal. You want short bursts of intensity. Get in, get to it, and get out! Either take the extra time you’ve saved by doing efficient workouts and have your social time after your workout, or find a workout friend that shares your goals of fat loss and getting toned. That way you can have fun and a social life while you’re working hard and getting results.
This mistake is somewhat similar to being resistant to resistance training. When I talk about “wimpy” workouts, I’m essentially talking about the mundane routines many people get into in their fitness routines… how we end up just going through the motions during workouts.
The biggest, wimpiest mistake I see women making in their resistance training is using only traditional machines to train. If you’re not careful, this can quickly and easily get you into a workout rut, leaving you bored and frustrated with your lack of results.
Machines make it very difficult to workout with the same level of intensity you could achieve with free weights, bands, medicine balls and other ‘unanchored’ training devices. Machines provide anchored stability, which is fine for a temporary change or if you’re working your way through an injury.
Otherwise, you want your muscles to act as the stabilizers as well as the weight lifters and movers. This creates a greater workload, forcing your muscles to not only move the weight, but also to stabilize you as you work. This type of workout is also significantly more effective for training your core. When your muscles are working harder and smarter with free weights and other resistance tools, you boost your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). As a result of a higher RMR, you’ll burn more fat and become leaner.
Machines also tend to limit and alter your natural range of motion. All up-to-date fitness and exercise experts agree that the optimal exercises are performed with full range of motion and the natural arcs and positioning unique to each individual. Machines are essentially one-size-fits-all. Again, a decreased and ‘contained’ range of motion may be exactly what you need if you’re looking to change up your routine for a short time or if you’re injured. If not, think of imitating movements of real life, like pull-starting a lawn mower, washing windows, lifting groceries, carrying kids, etc.
Traditional machines also tend to focus on isolated muscle groups and isolated movements. They’re not representative of real life movements and positions. Global or functional exercises incorporate large groups of muscle to perform a movement that is similar to real life movements. How often do we find ourselves needing to mimic the movement of the seated quadriceps extension, hamstring curl or triceps extension? I’m not sure I’ve ever done any of those isolated movements outside of a gym! Much more useful and practical exercises would be squats, lunges, deadlifts, rowing and push-ups – these prepare us for the type of lifting, stability, balance and power that’s required of us to live our everyday lives.
So, YES it’s more difficult to train with free weights than to use the machines… that’s the whole point! If your goal is to shed fat and inches as well as becoming lean and toned then you want to create more work for your body. It’s a good thing! Remember, you don’t have to workout any longer… just smarter. The good news is that even though your workout needs to become more challenging, it should become a shorter workout too! Whew!
Finally, keep moving during your workout. This is not social hour… unless that’s your primary goal. You want short bursts of intensity. Get in, get to it, and get out! Either take the extra time you’ve saved by doing efficient workouts and have your social time after your workout, or find a workout friend that shares your goals of fat loss and getting toned. That way you can have fun and a social life while you’re working hard and getting results.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
The Most Common Workout Mistakes Women Make (Part 3)
Mistake #3: Being Resistant to Resistance Training!
I hear lots of women tell me that they don’t want to use weights or resistance training because they “don’t want to bulk up”… they only want to “get toned”.
I completely understand. I mean, who wants to be mistaken for a man! But let’s think about what we’re saying here. If you don’t see your muscle definition, it’s because you have a layer(s) of fat covering up those beauties. “Toned” simply means that you have shed enough fat to see your muscle definition. It’s muscle that gives your body a lean, tight, firm shape.
As far as bulking up like a man goes, it ain’t happenin’ sister! Women simply do not have enough testosterone, or spend enough time with massive weights, to get “bulky”. Those images of large-muscled women you have in your brain right now are women who trained, ate and supplemented in a specific way to intentionally look like that. Fear not – once you add the proper, smart resistance training to your workouts, you’ll only look lean, toned and firm!
If you’re not intentionally training to bulk up, the only reason why you would feel or look “bulky” is because you’re still carrying excess body fat while you’re building muscle, Chances are that you may not be working out and/or eating in a way that promotes fat loss. The resistance training is still beneficial, of course, but it won’t get you the results you want if you don’t lose the fat and correct your diet.
Remember, the key in all workouts (including resistance training) is high intensity, variety and short bursts of activity. This challenges your body- your muscles - in such a way to drastically increase your Resting Metabolic Rate for great lengths of time following your workouts. This way, your muscles become the furnace that burns fat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
Bonus: muscle takes up less space than fat! The quickest, surefire way to drop a jean size is to incorporate this short burst resistance training into your fitness routine.
Aside from the fabulous improvements you’ll see on the outside of your body when you add proper resistance training, there’s also a tremendous life-giving benefit, especially for women. Resistance training is one of the single most important things you can do to drastically improve the strength and integrity of your bones. The stronger your muscles, the stronger your bones. This gives you lifelong protection against diseases like osteoporosis and serious, debilitating injuries like hip fractures.
But, if you still don’t like the idea of all that beautiful, toned, lean muscle on your body, then you had better get used to a soft and flabby body! Lean, toned, healthy and fit bodies have a low body fat percentage and a lot of lean muscle.
It’s time to step off the treadmill and into the free weights and bands for some beauty building from the inside out!
I hear lots of women tell me that they don’t want to use weights or resistance training because they “don’t want to bulk up”… they only want to “get toned”.
I completely understand. I mean, who wants to be mistaken for a man! But let’s think about what we’re saying here. If you don’t see your muscle definition, it’s because you have a layer(s) of fat covering up those beauties. “Toned” simply means that you have shed enough fat to see your muscle definition. It’s muscle that gives your body a lean, tight, firm shape.
As far as bulking up like a man goes, it ain’t happenin’ sister! Women simply do not have enough testosterone, or spend enough time with massive weights, to get “bulky”. Those images of large-muscled women you have in your brain right now are women who trained, ate and supplemented in a specific way to intentionally look like that. Fear not – once you add the proper, smart resistance training to your workouts, you’ll only look lean, toned and firm!
If you’re not intentionally training to bulk up, the only reason why you would feel or look “bulky” is because you’re still carrying excess body fat while you’re building muscle, Chances are that you may not be working out and/or eating in a way that promotes fat loss. The resistance training is still beneficial, of course, but it won’t get you the results you want if you don’t lose the fat and correct your diet.
Remember, the key in all workouts (including resistance training) is high intensity, variety and short bursts of activity. This challenges your body- your muscles - in such a way to drastically increase your Resting Metabolic Rate for great lengths of time following your workouts. This way, your muscles become the furnace that burns fat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
Bonus: muscle takes up less space than fat! The quickest, surefire way to drop a jean size is to incorporate this short burst resistance training into your fitness routine.
Aside from the fabulous improvements you’ll see on the outside of your body when you add proper resistance training, there’s also a tremendous life-giving benefit, especially for women. Resistance training is one of the single most important things you can do to drastically improve the strength and integrity of your bones. The stronger your muscles, the stronger your bones. This gives you lifelong protection against diseases like osteoporosis and serious, debilitating injuries like hip fractures.
But, if you still don’t like the idea of all that beautiful, toned, lean muscle on your body, then you had better get used to a soft and flabby body! Lean, toned, healthy and fit bodies have a low body fat percentage and a lot of lean muscle.
It’s time to step off the treadmill and into the free weights and bands for some beauty building from the inside out!
Friday, January 25, 2008
The Most Common Workout Mistakes Women Make (Part 2)
Mistake #2
Target Training for your “Trouble Spots”.
I respectfully admire the sculpted, toned arms of celebrities like Madonna, Kelly Ripa and Jennifer Garner… and the chiseled abs of Fergie, Gwen Stefani and all those fitness magazine cover models. But I don’t for a second think that these ladies have discovered some “magic” exercise that mysteriously melts fat off of particular areas of the body on demand!
It’s time to let go of the urban legend of “spot reduction” and move on to reality!
There’s simply no single exercise that can work like a magic eraser, ridding your least favorite body parts of unsightly fat. That’s just not how the body works. (Darnit!) I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but to lose fat you need to challenge ALL the muscles in your body in order to boost your metabolism (increase your Resting Metabolic Rate – “RMR”). This results in you losing fat throughout your entire body. Your body functions as a lean, mean fat-burning machine 24-7 when you power-up your RMR!
If your goal is fat loss and becoming lean and toned, then those isolated, shaping exercises are a waste of your time. Just because some of these exercises may make you “feel the burn” certainly doesn’t mean you actually are burning the fat.
One of the most effective ways to maximize your inherent fat burning potential and increase your RMR is through full body, short burst resistance training. In this type of focused, intense workout you’re working several muscle groups at once and creating a major workload for your body. Short burst resistance training saves you precious time, skyrockets your energy levels and incinerates fat and calories.
Give it a try for a few weeks… you’ll love the results you see!
Target Training for your “Trouble Spots”.
I respectfully admire the sculpted, toned arms of celebrities like Madonna, Kelly Ripa and Jennifer Garner… and the chiseled abs of Fergie, Gwen Stefani and all those fitness magazine cover models. But I don’t for a second think that these ladies have discovered some “magic” exercise that mysteriously melts fat off of particular areas of the body on demand!
It’s time to let go of the urban legend of “spot reduction” and move on to reality!
There’s simply no single exercise that can work like a magic eraser, ridding your least favorite body parts of unsightly fat. That’s just not how the body works. (Darnit!) I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but to lose fat you need to challenge ALL the muscles in your body in order to boost your metabolism (increase your Resting Metabolic Rate – “RMR”). This results in you losing fat throughout your entire body. Your body functions as a lean, mean fat-burning machine 24-7 when you power-up your RMR!
If your goal is fat loss and becoming lean and toned, then those isolated, shaping exercises are a waste of your time. Just because some of these exercises may make you “feel the burn” certainly doesn’t mean you actually are burning the fat.
One of the most effective ways to maximize your inherent fat burning potential and increase your RMR is through full body, short burst resistance training. In this type of focused, intense workout you’re working several muscle groups at once and creating a major workload for your body. Short burst resistance training saves you precious time, skyrockets your energy levels and incinerates fat and calories.
Give it a try for a few weeks… you’ll love the results you see!
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