by kelsey | Aug 1, 2018 | Exercise, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Activity in the summer has challenges just like winter– we often use excuses like “we’re too busy, it’s too hot out, it’s raining, etc” to not stay active. Check out the ideas below to help you stay active in the summer and make the most of the nice weather while we have it! These ideas will help you get your 30 minutes of exercise in/day.
- Swimming lessons or sports clubs are a great way for kids to get regular, scheduled physical activity.
- Take in the zoo! You’ll get to explore and check out the animals, but also enjoy a nice walk. My son Corbin loves the zoo–the picture above is of him checking out the tiger. We get great activity in at the zoo!
- Take a walk through the park! Many towns have bike trails or hiking trails that will keep you off the couch. Watertown has an awesome trail system–get out and use it!
- Most yard work is great exercise that will burn tons of calories. Try using a push mower over a riding one for exercise!
- Are you competitive? Join a softball team or go golfing. If it’s rainy outside, bowling is also a fun activity for indoors.
- Sign up for a 5k race! If running isn’t your thing, you can always grab a friend and walk together. Tonight is the Hump Day 5k at the zoo! Join in the fun!
- If you don’t belong to a gym, try exercise videos at home when the weather is acting up.
- Work your muscles if you’re on the lake or river! Waterskiing and tubing are great workouts.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jul 31, 2018 | Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Many of us enjoy one or more cups of coffee each morning and although the caffeine and wake-up call it provides may be the motivating factor, perhaps some of the drink’s other benefits can play a role in your continued enjoyment of it!
Coffee has been shown to help with brain function, perhaps prevent some diseases, and increase calcium intake when milk is added. Coffee also contains antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties as well. Important vitamins and minerals such as potassium, niacin, vitamin E and magnesium are also present in coffee.
One thing to keep in mind about your morning pick-me-up may be to choose wisely. Some of the fancy coffee drinks found at popular coffee shops can also contain loads of sugar and fat, which may contribute empty calories to your daily intake. When choosing a coffee drink, choose low or non-fat drinks or plain coffee, or plain coffee with milk to ensure the most benefit from your coffee.
During the hot summer months, enjoy cold-brew coffee or iced coffee as a seasonal way to reap these benefits!
-Kelsey
Reference: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/wellness/preventing-illness/benefits-of-java
by Dan | Jul 29, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
It takes a lot of work, and continued determination to get out there every day, or at least most days of the week, and exercise. There are definitely some days that are easier than others, and then other days, you wonder how you ever got it done. Thankfully, those really tough days are less than the good days. The same goes for the weather conditions. Some days are good, some days are bad! You need to pick and choose, and may need to alter what your initial plan was, or where you were planning to exercise, but it does not need to be avoided. Just altered!
Some days start out sunny, and then we get caught in the rain. Or even other days, it is raining from the start. I don’t mind a light rain, but not heavy rain. We certainly should not be outside exercising if it is lightening out. You make the best of it, and try to keep smiling. Think of it as a new adventure. Most people are not going to be tough enough to go exercise under adverse conditions. These moments only strengthen your drive, your determination…your passion!
There is always a bright side. Is it always easy to see? No! Do you have to work at trying to find it sometimes? Yes! It is there…just keep looking.
Your attitude is the driving force. This picture is a good example. We are outside running, and some of us had gotten done already, and waiting for the rest of our group to get in. Here comes Jill, Patricia, and Amanda, running together in the rain, smiling and laughing! They were making the most of that particular situation. Either find the good in it, and enjoy, and be continuously miserable, and wallow in our own self pity. You decide. Your attitude decides!
Here we were out running on of our Wednesday evening runs, and the rain quit, and out came the rainbow. Talk about a boost of motivation with this. We were following the rainbow, and looking to have a good run. Look for the good in everything. I know, there are days when you wonder how. We all have stress in our lives, deadlines, pressures, stress…but again, our attitude decides on how we will handle it. Will we handle it, or will it handle us? Some days it can go both ways. We are still human. We make mistakes. We get angry, frustrated, and depressed. You keep pushing. You keep working. You keep striving. Never give up! There will be good days and bad days, but we decide which days are what.
Sometimes the calm after a storm allows us to reflect on this. We then can see better with those reflections on how things really are. Yes, there are demands, but if you concentrate, take it on full force, you can get through them. Just like exercise. Take if on full force, and you will get through them, and you will be able to reap the rewards that come with it. Confidence! Stamina! Stress Relief! Courage! Fortitude! All of these then can contribute to our passion in life. We need to find our passion, and to live our life. By finding our passion we can then feel good at the end of the day, and also look forward to the next day.
You need to work at it. You need to want it. You have to earn it! It is there just waiting for us to take on. Be determined! What is your purpose in this life? What are your desires? Only you can answer that. We all have a passion. Now go get it! Take it on, and don’t hold back. And remember, there will be good days, and bad days…but the good days will far outweigh the bad! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3945
by kelsey | Jul 26, 2018 | Diet, Exercise, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Exercise is an integral piece to the weight-loss puzzle, but it certainly doesn’t stand alone. Eating right is just as important for weight loss as exercise alone. The best weight-loss prescription, of course, is to do both—watch what you eat and exercise regularly. These tips can help you get maximum results from your hard work and diligence.
Level of exertion
Make sure that your exercise gets results by working at your ideal level of exertion. The best way to do this is to check your pulse against your maximum heart rate. You can calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. You should have the ability to speak without gasping for air, but should work hard enough that you don’t really want to have to talk much. You will need to take in 500–1000 calories/day less than what you expend in order to lose 1–2 pounds/week.
Extra food
Avoid the tendency to eat extra food on days that you’ve exercised. Remember that all of those extra bites and spoonfuls can really add up.
Exercise routine
Doing the same exercise routine every day can lead to less energy expenditure over time, because you burn more calories when you’re first learning a routine. Interval training, such as walking fast for 2 minutes and then jogging or running for 30 seconds, is recommended to increase the number of calories burnt.
Sports drinks and supplements
Many sports drinks and bars contain nearly a meal’s worth of calories. They are more appropriate for a person who is running a marathon than for a person who is taking an aerobics class or going for a brisk walk.
Time vs intensity of workout
Rather than increasing the length of time that you spend exercising, most experts agree that it can be more beneficial to increase the intensity of your workout to promote weight loss, while keeping the time spent the same or decreasing it.
If you are struggling with weight loss and need some extra help, please send me an email or call! I would love to work with you and help you improve your health and wellness!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jul 25, 2018 | Diet, Goals, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
There are no doubts about it….weight loss is tough….but even tougher is maintaining that weight loss. Many people who lose weight slip back into their old ways and gain weight back. This yo-yo dieting or weight cycling results in a variety of issues including poor self esteem, lack of motivation, binge eating, etc. I like to compare this cycle to being stuck in a revolving door like you’d find at a hotel…you just keep going around and around and can’t seem to get out! To help you put a stop to weight cycling, follow these tips:
•Change your mindset: No one ever wants to go on a “diet” and being a diet is never any fun, so ditch the word. Diet usually has a time period to it, so instead think of this has a lifestyle improvement. Think of healthy eating as a lifelong commitment, not a short period of time. Fad diets never work as you can’t live that way forever, so instead focus on a well-balanced nutrition plan that incorporates whole foods and portion control.
•Get adequate sleep: sleep is often overlooked in the equation to success as we tend to put a large amount of focus on food and activity….but in reality, getting adequate sleep is just as important as your exercise and nutrition. You need to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep/night to allow your body to reset and repair itself. Lack of sleep or poor sleep habits typically result in poor eating habits, increasing cravings for junk foods, and a higher BMI.
•Destress: stress can cause an increase in the hormone cortisol and when this hormone is increased, you may experience a greater desire for junk foods or unhealthy foods. Examine your stress levels and think critically about ways you could improve the stress in your life. You may consider journaling, yoga, or meditation to help you. Engaging in regular activity also helps reduce stress as it gives your body natural endorphins that aid in mood boosting.
•Practice mindful eating: Slow the eating process down and think critically about your hunger and fullness factors. Think of food as fuel and you want to choose healthy foods to provide your body with the appropriate nutrients and energy. When we think of food as “good” or “bad” it tends to make us want those bad foods even more, so instead change your mindset about food and work on portion control and feeling confident about your decisions.
I don’t expect these tips to happen overnight, but I do encourage you to examine your life and look at each part of the equation to help you stop the weight cycling and get on a path of healthy living for the long run! If you want help getting on track with a plan that fits you and your lifestyle that you can stick with long-term, please contact me and/or consider signing up for our STRIVE 2 Survive wellness program this fall!
-Kelsey
