New Self Renewal

Rotator What???

2012-02-24T15:15:00.001-06:00

People workout for a variety of reasons: weight loss, feeling good and being fit among many. But let’s face it, vanity is also a popular reason people choose to begin, and continue to work out. We all like to work out the muscles that help us look good.

Depending on our gender, our focus many be different. Men often train the pecs, biceps and shoulders while women often prefer to train the butt muscles like the glutes and legs.

But what about the muscles that are essential for us to perform daily activities, stabilize our shoulders, hips and spine and assist in sports? These are the muscles that also HELP those big muscles like the pecs, glutes and legs! I’m not saying you shouldn’t be working these ‘common’ muscle groups. However, there are some smaller muscle groups that are arguably more important.

Most people don’t even know about these muscles until they suddenly have an injury. I can assure you that if you haven’t experienced this, these muscles will not allow you to ignore them for too much longer.
There are many little stabilizer muscles that need to be kept strong in the body, many that I have found to be weak on most people. The rotator cuff group, the scapular muscles, the gluteus medius, transversus abdominis and the multifidi muscles.

The rotator cuff consists of four muscles that are located in the back of the shoulder and are crucial at maintaining shoulder stability. Many people suffer from a weak rotator cuff which can lead to shoulder weakness and poor posture. Severe weakness of the rotator cuff can lead to a rotator cuff tear. This is actually a tear of the rotator cuff tendon. The rotator cuff muscles can be strengthened to prevent injury to the rotator cuff.

The scapular musculature is often overlooked but plays a pivotal role in shoulder function, shoulder injuries and shoulder rehabilitation. The scapula (shoulder blade) not only articulates with the upper arm and collarbone, it is also the attachment site for many muscles in the shoulder itself, as well as the back, the chest, the arm, and even the neck. Therefore it is easy to comprehend how a weakness in this area could affect many others in the body.

I know what you’re thinking – you barely have time to do the workouts you are currently doing! Why should you add to the overwhelming list of exercises? When you work these muscles, you are protecting the larger muscles and helping them maintain their function. By not working these muscles you are definitely more at risk for injury!

I will blog more next week about the other ‘ignored’ muscles that are key to injury prevention.

Pushing Through the Pain?

2012-02-17T14:12:00.000-06:00

This is yet another of my ‘soapbox’ topics! Many individuals associate exercise with pain and are under the impression that an exercise isn’t doing anything if it doesn’t hurt. As with any sport or activity, when the intensity of training goes up, unfortunately so does the chance of injury. This is why it's important to know what kind of pain you are dealing with when exercising.

Keep in mind that muscle fatigue is not the same as pain. There is a certain degree of discomfort within an exercise, but that discomfort should not feel like a sharp or shooting pain. If you do feel this type of pain with a movement or exercise, you should stop immediately and evaluate where the pain is coming from and what is causing it. Be sure to contact a doctor if the pain is persistent or if it worsens.

Some discomfort is part of athletic activities and is necessary for the improvement of performance. For muscle strength to increase, the muscle must see some increase in stress over what it is used to seeing, and this stress is usually perceived as the "burn" in muscle during activity. This mild "burn" is what we call "good pain" and is probably what people are referring to when they say, "No Pain, No Gain." This pain should be short-lived and during the activity only.

The post-workout pain that creeps up a day or two after a heavy workout is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Sitting hurts, climbing stairs hurts, walking hurts, etc. You may wonder at times if it is normal to feel so much pain and if you should work out when you feel like that. I usually tell people to come in and do something light to allow the soreness to dissipate more quickly. Most of the time, post-workout pain is nothing to worry about, but sometimes it can be a sign of injury.

There are many exercises designed to offer strengthening benefits without the mild “burn” being produced at all (e.g., opposite arm and leg on your stomach, bridges). So if you are an individual using the burn as the gauge to whether your program is effective you may be missing a very important component to your training program.

There Is a Way to Burn Calories Doing NOTHING!

2012-02-10T14:03:00.002-06:00

(I got your attention, didn’t I?)

Weight training is a great form of exercise for a variety of reasons. It increases your strength, tightens your muscles and gives your body a more toned appearance.

Here’s a secret that many people do not realize with regard to weight training: intense workouts such as those often performed with weights can definitely help to increase your metabolic rate (the rate at which your body burns calories). Not only do they help you to burn calories, they also create what is known as an “after-burn effect.” This can continue for as long as 24 hours after a fitness program and it enables your body to burn calories and fat while at rest. Isn’t that wonderful!?

Training with weights that are heavier than what you typically utilize will help to expend more energy and lead to after-burn. Why? Because muscles need time to repair and the body needs energy to make repairs to the muscle tissues. Sometimes I hesitate giving this information as I know many individuals will interpret this as me suggesting you use heavy weights. ABSOLUTELY NOT! This does NOT mean you should lift weights that are far too heavy for you, but you SHOULD lift weights that push you just slightly out of your comfort zone.

Be mindful about the amount of protein you’re consuming as you begin to train with weights. Protein is CRITICAL to muscle building. You do burn almost twice as many calories while digesting foods that are high in protein than food that is high in fat.

Also keep in mind that these benefits will NOT come with just one weight session. Once you make a commitment to a healthier lifestyle and combine it with the appropriate amount of exercise your body will eventually follow!

Melissa’s Journey to a New Self – February 2012, Entry #3: Battling the Mom Guilt

2012-02-08T11:45:00.000-06:00

In talking to moms, I realize that we all struggle with feelings of guilt from time to time. Although it’s a positive sign that we’re trying to do our best, we need to learn to let it go so that we can be our best! As a mom, Melissa is no different:

"The concept seems so easy: Eat right, burn calories and loss weight. Why in reality is it so hard? Well, I really hate to admit this but I am human and I am not perfect (shhh…don’t tell my husband). I also have emotions that sometimes get in the way of my goals. I also have a hard time to sticking with a plan.

"Now this being said, my emotions have gotten in the way of my goals. It really comes down to feeling like I have other things I should be doing besides exercising. I feel like I should be cleaning or spending time with my children. I actually feel a bit selfish if I take the time to go exercise. I know I should not feel this way, that I am a happier person when I exercise because I took an hour for myself. Also, I know my kids will be happier because I will have more energy. I just need to take 3 hours a week for myself. It really is better all around.

"Eating seems to go alright during the day for me but once the kids go to bed I feel like I deserve a treat. My goal is finding another treat besides food. Too bad I can’t get excited about stickers like my two-year-old! I have been struggling to figure out something to keep my mind off of food late at night.

"The plan this month is too make it easy so I can stick with it. I know once I am at the gym I have more motivation. I just plan to go three times a week every week in February and run/walk a mile. It’s simple, it’s easy, and I can build on it each week."

Spot Reduction

2012-02-03T11:59:00.003-06:00

Following my blog about proper abdominal strengthening, I thought this would be a good time to discuss a common myth about your midsection. SPOT REDUCTION. Spot reduction refers the belief that you can burn fat in only certain areas …the problem is that this cannot be done.

Why doesn’t spot reduction work? The easiest way to explain why it doesn’t work is by telling you that the only thing exercises target is muscles – not the fat surrounding these muscles.

So how do you lose the fat in the areas you want? It’s actually very simple but unfortunately doesn’t happen quickly. You need to take in less calories than you burn. This creates a deficit of calories, and that causes your body to burn your own stored body fat for energy. You can do this through either a proper diet, exercise, or a combination of both.

I’ve been working out for a long time and the area I want to lose fat looks the same! Why? The order in which specific body parts begin to lose fat is predetermined by your genetics and is impossible to change. This means most men will typically lose fat from their lower abs last (and gain it there first) just like most women will typically lose fat from their thighs and hips last (and gain it there first). Nothing you do can change the way your body stores and loses fat.

Does this mean that I’m not losing fat? No. As long as you have a proper diet and/or workout routine that causes a caloric deficit to exist, then fat will ALWAYS be lost. And at some point it will eventually start to come off from the specific body part you were hoping.

So the bottom line is this: Only performing leg exercises will NOT help you lose fat from your legs. Only doing ab exercises will NOT get rid of your belly fat. The fact remains the same for every other muscle group and body part you can think of. Does this mean you shouldn’t do these exercises? Of course not. Weight training is a great addition to your exercise program and I will blog about that next week!

Are You Really Strengthening Your Abs?

2012-01-26T13:58:00.003-06:00

As a follow-up to my previous blog regarding Core, I would like to spend a little time on correct pelvic placement during abdominal strengthening.

Last week when I blogged about what defines the muscles of the core, I was not insinuating that abdominal strengthening is not important. It was simply to inform you on how much more goes into the definition of core.

That being said, abdominal strengthening is a popular request at the gym. Unfortunately, because body fat tends to accumulate around the stomach, it can also be one of the more difficult areas to tone. Often times, many individuals utilize improper form while performing abdominal exercises and end up disappointed when they fail to see results. Appropriate strengthening isn’t just about DOING the movement. It involves proper breathing and postural alignment, keeping the back and neck muscles relaxed and actually contracting your abdominal muscles.

Whether you are an avid athlete or a desk sitter, it is common for many individuals to be tight in the neck, lower back and hip flexors. That being said, tight muscles can also be excessively strong. This affects proper technique for abdominal strengthening because the stronger muscles might try to take over the movement. I cannot tell you how frequently I see abdominal exercises improperly performed in a gym.

So what does correct form look like? If your feet are on the ground, there might be a very small curve in your lower back. This is called neutral spine, and it is perfectly acceptable. However, once your legs are in the air, your spine needs to stay pressed into the mat. If this is not possible, raise your legs higher, or perform the exercise while keeping your knees bent.

Quality is better than quantity. Starting out with exercises that are too difficult (for your current level of fitness) or doing too many can cause back pain. If you begin to feel back or neck strain you need to stop the exercise. This indicates that these muscles have begun to take over the movement, and the abdominals are no longer working. If you continue, you are actually training your back and neck to be even stronger than your abdominal muscles.

I hope to see you at a CORE class soon! See the Winter Fitness Schedule for details.

My Thoughts on Core

2012-01-20T14:41:00.000-06:00

Core seems to be a buzzword in the fitness world today. There are many opinions on what defines the muscles of the core. I find many people think it is synonymous with abdominals. This is but one piece of the muscles that comprise your core. There are many more.

Your core consists of the muscles of the abdomen, back, pelvis and hips. Core strengthening provides the foundation to build upper/lower body strength, whether your primary goal is increasing your running endurance or preventing low back pain. Strengthening these parts of your body will help to provide proper balance and posture and prevent injury down the road and I am ALL ABOUT PREVENTION!

Those that have taken my CORE I class know that I feel as though EVERYONE should take CORE I for general injury prevention as well as for progressive strengthening into any training program. There isn’t a single person that wants to age and be sidelined with injuries. But yet it seems people don’t think about appropriate strengthening UNTIL they are injured. And then they want to be fixed – quickly. Often times the individual seeks rehabilitation and does get ‘fixed’ only to discontinue the exercises they were shown and eventually be sidelined again.

Here’s a secret: If more people performed preventative exercises, the amount of surgeries would decrease, painkillers and drug dispersion from pharmaceutical companies would decrease and the overall health of our population would get better. So why aren’t more people doing it?!

Consider this: Two common seasons for rotator cuff and/low back injuries are autumn and winter. Why? Raking and shoveling. It makes complete sense. If your core is not strong enough to handle the increased workload coming from your arms and/or your legs, you are certainly more at risk for injury. The same can be said for sport-specific training.

Let’s take running as an example. We sit with forward posture. We walk with forward posture. Now add running to that…more forward posture. What are you doing to counterbalance all of that forward posture? Specifically, back strengthening. And if this makes sense…do you really know WHAT to do?

I have had many individuals come in and out of my CORE I class. I still receive strange looks when I tell an individual to swap their 8 lb dumbbells for some 3 lb ones. This usually comes from people that consider him or herself strong or have a history of working out, attending classes, etc. I’m certainly not trying to insult them. I am just very aware that the muscle groups we work are usually NOT STRONG in the majority of people. I will admit I receive a great amount of JOY watching the core strength of consistent class participant’s increase. Nothing makes me happier as I know they have created a foundation of strength that will prevent injuries and allow them to perform a variety of activities they otherwise wouldn’t be able to perform.

I would love to write about all of the exercises I consider to be essential to core strengthening but I would rather you come to a CORE I class and see for yourself!

Melissa’s Journey to a New Self – January 2012, Entry #2: Getting Back on Track

2012-01-18T14:00:00.000-06:00

Are you feeling lousy about yourself following your regrettable holiday splurge(s)? And perhaps you’re thinking that beating yourself up for overindulging is part of the cure? It does seem as though our culture has a knack for fueling our thoughts with negative affirmations as a tactic to rein in our poor eating choices or habits. In fact, I think many ‘dieters’ do believe this – but it is incredibly backwards. All of that self-criticism – calling yourself fat and other mean, nasty names – is really setting you up for emotional eating. Whereas positive affirmations can help create self-compassion and can be utilized as strategy for decreasing emotional eating and helping to prevent a downward eating spiral.

Melissa provides an excellent example for moving forward after the holidays and looking not at what she’s DONE but what she is GOING TO DO:

“I have decided the holidays are evil. I know that’s a strong statement but think about it for a second. It’s all about people getting together and indulging in foods that you don’t normally make or eat but that are very YUMMY. Then you tell yourself, “Oh, I’ll just have one.” Does anyone just have one cookie? Or one bite of those delicious dips? I sure don’t! The yummier foods are the more I tend to eat. That’s why I know I have to limit the availability of those foods in my house. During the holidays, it’s very hard to avoid those foods when visiting family and friends. Plus, you are so busy visiting, it’s hard to fit in exercise. This is why I consider them wicked, at least to some one that is trying to lead a healthier lifestyle.

“By now you realize the holiday’s did not go well for my healthier routine. But, I am now trying to get back on the right track. My goal is to exercise at least three times a week. Last week I exercised only once. It’s been hard to get back into the routine. I keep telling myself “just do it.” (I am not trying to advertise for sneakers.) I plan to do Core twice this week and a 5k on the treadmill once. Now it’s out there – I have no choice but to just do it!

“As for eating it’s a similar situation. I am educated on what I should eat and I know the foods I like that are healthier. So really, I have to just do it. Why does it sound so easy when in fact it is not easy at all? I guess if I was robot it would be easy – there would be no emotional eating, no eating when I am bored or tired, I would just eat to sustain life. Although, robots don’t eat do they? Well, maybe oil? Okay my imagination is getting the best of me. Anyway, I just have to eat healthier and not overeat.

“Okay I am off to the store to pack my fridge full of healthy foods! I really am going to just do it this week! Who’s with me?”

Fitness Following Festivities

2012-01-13T10:43:00.001-06:00

Post holiday fitness is a necessity because of all the heavy eating that is generally done over Christmas and New Year's. Working off those aggravating winter pounds is also made difficult because of the bad weather. The weather tends to keep you indoors, where the exercise options are limited. Being indoors during the winter does not need to be counterproductive to your post holiday exercise goals. Winter activities such as cross country skiing and snow shoeing allow you to remain outdoors to work off those pounds. The biggest challenge to post holiday fitness will come from the mind. You have to motivate yourself to get back in shape after weeks of binging on calorie-loaded festive food.

Winter temperatures and snow shouldn’t prevent you from working to shed those excess pounds. You can still get an effective workout indoors. If you live in a house or an apartment building, you can run the stairs, though even walking them will provide a good workout. With the physical intensity involved with running the stairs, you are sure to burn off a sizable amount of calories. This kind of exercise provides you with an effective cardio workout that is good for your goal of shedding pounds. Try the new “72” class at New Self if you question whether this is a workout!

Knowing that holiday weight gain is a common problem should help you to feel a little bit better about your predicament. But you need to make a specific plan! If you are not a regular gym attender, making a plan to go to the gym seven days a week may not be reasonable. Make a plan that is realistic so that you aren’t setting yourself up for failure.

Because you’re not alone in this desire to work off holiday pounds, it might be easier to find a workout buddy during this time. Reach out to a friend, relative or co-worker to see if he or she would like to exercise with you several times a week. This helps with accountability. It’s much more difficult to skip a workout when you know you are supposed to meet someone. Post holiday workout buddies are especially helpful because they are usually motivated by the same goals.

To break out of an exercise rut or to spice up your post holiday workout, try a new exercise activity. Take a Zumba or Piyo class, plan a spring race, go hiking in a scenic location, or invest in a personal trainer to create a home exercise program. Adding variety to your workout routine will help take your mind off of the weight gain, but still keep you motivated to work out on a regular basis.

Melissa’s Journey to a New Self – January 2012, Entry #1

2012-01-10T12:16:00.000-06:00

You may have already heard about the New Self team's success in the Madison's Biggest Loser contest this past fall, but in case you haven’t, let me fill you in. During the course of the 12 weeks, our five contestants lost a total of 235.75 pounds and placed fourth in the overall contest. I’m so proud of all of our Biggest Losers and enjoyed working with such a wonderful, motivated group of people. You can see everyone's results here.

As she continues her weight loss journey into a new year, one of our team members has agreed to share her story with us over the course of the next few months. Melissa is a 33-year-old, stay-at-home mother of two who is on a mission to make serious changes in her life, not only for her own health and well-being, but also to set a good example for her kids. We hope her story inspires you, as it has us:

“I have been overweight my whole adult life, and have been on many diets and tried different fads to lose weight. In recent years, I realized I need to change my eating and exercise habits to lose weight. I am a stay-at-home mom of a one-year-old girl and a two-year-old boy, who keep me very busy. I know getting in better shape will help me to keep up with them. I also want to be healthier so I can live longer and be around for my family for a very long time.

“Last summer, I began to attend a group to help me with those goals. I started to exercise and lost about ten pounds. Then I decided to sign up for the Madison’s Biggest Loser competition at New Self last fall. I was one of the lucky people that got picked. In the three months of the competition I lost another 53 pounds. I did not win the Biggest Loser competition, but the weight I lost, the confidence I gained and the insight it gave me into my eating habits made it a win for me.

“My hope is to lose at least a hundred more pounds. I am taking it one day and one work out at a time. I am so happy to be a part of New Self and to share this journey with all of you. Sharing my story helps make me accountable to my goals. Each week I hope to share my struggles and triumphs with the hope that it inspires someone else to make a difficult change in his or her life. I invite you to join me in my journey to a new self and I hope it inspires your own journey.”

As you can see, Melissa’s story is about more than the same annual New Year’s resolution so many make on January 1. She has embarked on a full-blown lifestyle change and it’s been exciting to be a part of her journey. Check back weekly for more insight from Melissa as she presses on into a new year.

If you are ready to embark on a life-changing journey of your own, don’t hesitate to contact me. I would love to hear your story, too.

The Story Behind Wellness Coaching at New Self

2012-01-04T10:23:00.001-06:00

Through the years I have worked with a variety of people on a variety of goals. Whether the goals were weight loss, rehabilitation or trying to understand a pattern of emotional eating – all brought me to the same conclusion: our wellness involves far more than our satisfaction with the physical self. All of us carry special “baggage” and our own personal history. It is impossible to have a “cookie cutter” program for individuals when it comes to helping someone balance the facets of life. Different individuals have different needs.

Wellness coaching involves working as a team to explore your satisfaction within the realms of wellness and work to balance various areas of your life. The designation of Certified Wellness Practitioner allows me to combine my education and experience to provide ongoing support and guidance as we set goals and make sustainable changes that improve your health and happiness. I hope you will consider scheduling an initial consultation with me and make 2012 a year of wellness!

Battle of the New Year’s Resolution

2011-12-23T12:00:00.000-06:00

Are you among millions who will be creating a New Year’s resolution this year? Are you also among the millions that will break your New Year’s resolution? Every year resolutions are made and either forgotten or broken before the year is half over. What do you think the number one resolution is? You got it! Weight loss and/or exercise.

Health club memberships increase dramatically in January, but the majority of these people will not keep their resolution. Often guilt ensues when someone realizes that their resolutions have not been met and maybe never will be. This completely defeats the purpose since making resolutions is to change a person positively and feeling guilt is not a positive feeling.

Let New Self give you some guidelines on making and KEEPING a resolution!

Ways to Keep Your New Year’s Resolution:

Find a friend that would be interested in having the same resolution. You can get together to compare results, exercise and rely on each other for motivation. It is much more difficult to disappoint a friend than yourself! Join one of the New Self Fitness classes – you may end up with many friends with the same resolution!
Write your goals down. If you just make mental notes about your goals you are much more likely to modify them (for the worse) if your initial goals were unreasonable. If you write them down, there’s no turning back. Keeping a journal is also a good way to track your progress.
Make the goal specific. When you write down your resolution, be as specific as you can. Writing a goal of weight loss or getting into shape is vague. Going to the gym three times per week or losing 10 pounds in two months is more specific.
Make the goal realistic. Many people set an unrealistic goal and wonder why it failed. Saying that you are going to the gym five days per week when you have never been to a gym in your life may be a bit unreasonable. If you really want to go five times per week, give yourself time to work up to that. In the first month, go three times per week, then four times, etc…
A goal without a time frame is a WISH! Attach a sensible time frame to your goal and adhere to it. Don’t delay and don’t give yourself less time than is necessary to complete your goal.
Reward yourself. Give yourself permission to take a day off or cheat on your diet. However, try to time this reward when you reach a milestone such as losing your first 5 pounds. Rewarding yourself should motivate you, so if you do it too often, it will not have the same effect.
Acknowledge that everyone has a bad day. We can’t feel wonderful all of the time so don’t give up when you experience a bad day! A resolution is basically making the decision to change something about yourself. The reality is that you can make the decision to change, but you cannot actually make the change that quickly. If you mess up one day, it is not cause to quit! NO amount of mistakes should ever discourage you from improving your life! If you miss a day (or two) at the gym that doesn’t mean you should have to miss the rest of the year at the gym! We should learn from our mistakes … not quit, right?

Holiday Merriment

2011-12-16T15:11:00.000-06:00

Tips for Sensible Eating & Drinking During the Holiday Season

What To Do:
• Prepare for the onslaught of holiday busyness. Keep healthy meals on-hand, be it pre-prepared meals or low-fat frozen dinners. This will decrease the temptation to order takeout during this hectic time.
• Stay focused on the meaning of the “season.” Oftentimes, the focus of our gatherings is food-related. Try to center the entertainment in other ways: watch a holiday movie, view old photo albums or just take time to reflect on the blessings of the past year.
• If you’re attending a holiday party, take the time to eat a light, healthy snack so you aren’t starving when you arrive, which usually leads to poor food choices and overindulging.
• Keep moving! If you’re hanging with family, try a walk and talk! There’s nothing better than a good conversation AND burning some calories! If it’s cold … bundle up!
• Drink water! If you’re enjoying alcoholic beverages, try to drink water in between glasses. This will not only help you stay hydrated, you may even eat and drink less because you feel fuller.
• Bring a sensible dish to the party. That way there will be at least one food item for which you are aware of the nutritional information.
• Try some healthier food substitutions in traditional recipes. Everyone likes to eat the same goodies year after year, but cutting down on the calories can help keep off the holiday weight.

What NOT To Do:
• “Save” your calories for a party. This usually leads to overindulging and the result is you take in far more calories than you should.
• Try to be on a diet during the holidays. Maintaining your weight through the season is a far more realistic goal.
• Don’t drink on an empty stomach! The effects of the alcohol will be greater and this can lead to overeating and overdrinking.
• Eat quickly. Slow down when you’re having a snack or a meal. It does take approximately 20 minutes from the time you eat until your body registers that it is full. If you eat too quickly, you’re likely to overeat.
• Don’t stand next to the buffet table and visit with friends. Grab a small plate, choose your snacks and mingle toward the other side of the room. If you become engaged in a conversation next to the treats, this may lead to continued grazing.

Making It Through the Holidays

2011-12-08T14:50:00.001-06:00

Enjoy the upcoming festivities without losing your fitness gains—or your mind!

Let’s be honest: The next few weeks can feel like anything but a celebration—especially when holiday planning and some hefty holiday meals threaten to undo months’ worth of sweat and healthy choices. According to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, the average American gains around one pound each holiday season. The problem is we don’t always take that pound off!

Don’t panic! You can get through this! Let’s visit some of the top excuses women give for losing sight of their fitness goals along with some solutions of how to handle them!

The Excuse
With all the holiday distractions, I’m not motivated to exercise.

The Solution
Make a realistic plan and be consistent. “We women lose focus on ourselves while we are trying to make everyone else happy,” says running coach Jenny Hadfield, co-author of Running for Mortals. Take time to set some concrete fitness goals for yourself during the holidays and share them with your family. Your best bet to stay motivated: Commit to a goal! Giving an hour to a fitness class with friends twice a week can be a great form of stress relief. It is also a great way to be held accountable and have fun in the process! Your goal could also be signing up for a Turkey Trot or Jingle Bell Jog. Holiday races have a fun vibe and are often family friendly. In addition, registration fees often benefit charities which can help you feel better about plunking down all those dollars shopping at the mall. In addition to working on your goal, give yourself some variety. Variety gives you motivation! Take a new class just to mix it up a bit!

The Excuse
I can’t stick to an exercise routine because of all my holiday travel.

The Solution
Be flexible and think ahead. That could be as easy as committing to sightseeing on a walk where you are visiting, finding a fitness program you can take on your travels or hiring a trainer to design a home/travel program to fit your personal needs and goals!

The Excuse
I can’t resist huge holiday meals.

The Solution
Cut yourself some slack, but be smart. The Holidays are about maintaining weight, not losing! You work hard, so allow yourself to enjoy some holiday meals. “A handful of days won’t set you back. It is continuously snacking on cookies that’s a problem,” says triathlon and running coach Matt Fitzgerald. If you are watching your calories, have a plan before you indulge. “Pick what foods you want to splurge on ahead of time,” Fitzgerald says. In other words, don’t waste your time on the green bean casserole if what you really want is the mashed potatoes with gravy. Or take a different approach and have a small bite of everything.

The Excuse
I can’t find the time to exercise.

The Solution
Get up early and/or enlist group support. Set your alarm early enough to get in some exercise and have a nutritious breakfast before everyone else is up and about. Of course there will be times when the best plan doesn’t pan out. In those cases, just keep moving! Even if it is 20 or 30 minutes compared to the hour you could have had if your plan had been implemented. That way you won’t be too far behind when you get back to your regular schedule! Having a pal or a couple of friends to workout with gives you the accountability you may need to stay on track. You are less likely to over sleep an early morning workout if you have someone to meet!

The Excuse
With all these treats and goodies around, I’m constantly snacking.

The Solution
Control your inner cookie monster. While a few holiday meals won’t set you back, constant snacking can be dangerous. “Budgeting your calories is no different than budgeting your money for the holidays,” Hadfield says. This is when a food journal can be handy. There are several free online journals that allow you to track your daily physical activity and calories. Examples include: myfitnesspal.com and fatsecret.com. It can also be as easy as keeping your own notebook. Sometimes just knowing that you are recording your daily food intake helps you make better choices!

We are all familiar with the excuses listed! Hopefully the above strategies will help you enter the next few weeks with a proactive mindset that will put you in the festive holiday mood all the way through! I know you can do it!

A Wise Person Once Said...

2011-11-28T13:30:00.000-06:00

“To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.” —Robert Louis Stevenson

Welcome to New Self Renewal Center’s blog. It’s my pleasure to begin this endeavor with a couple of quotes that work well to explain both why New Self exists and why our staff felt now was a good time to start this blog.

For those of you who are already part of this community or have had the opportunity to visit, you know that we are big proponents of helping people determine and achieve their goals, to help them be what they are capable of becoming. This occurs in a variety of ways. Some join us for obvious reasons: to exercise and take better care of themselves in a positive, caring environment with others who have the same goal. Others join us looking for the inspiration they need to begin a journey of wellness. Those of us who have children learn to let go of the guilt we might experience in being away from them in order to take the time to become better people, and therefore, better parents. Whatever the reason, those who have found their way to New Self are all on a path toward becoming just that: new (and better) selves. Stevenson would be so proud of us.

“Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.” —Og Mandino

As the community continues to grow and we learn about and from each other, it has become clear to us that the culture at New Self is very much one of learning. I know that I have learned things that have benefitted me both professionally and as a human being trying to be the best wife, mother and friend I can be. In the weeks and months ahead, you will find a variety of topics among our blog entries, from fitness and nutrition to parenting tips to general observations about life. Oh, and there will be more quotes, too. We know you wouldn’t expect anything less! On behalf of our staff, I hope you enjoy the blog. Please let us know if you have a topic you would like to see covered. As always, we love to get your feedback.