Monthly Archive: December 2012

Setting Goals and the New Year

It’s that time of the year again – the time where we set a New Years Resolution and hope to god that it doesn’t fail this year. This year will be different, right? This year we’ll lose 20 pounds and get a 4.0 GPA and our bed will be made EVERY morning the minute we hop out. We’ll never skip a 5am gym session and we’ll finally conquer that elusive marathon.

The truth of the matter is that most people give up their resolutions by January 10th, and more than 90% of people don’t ever see their resolution all the way through. How can you avoid being one of those people?

In the next 5 days I’ll give you a step-by-step approach to setting reasonable, working goals for the new year. These don’t have to be fitness goals, they can be goals about saving money, doing better in school, or simply having less clutter in your life. Most people fail because they lack planning, or because they set unrealistic goals, or just because they don’t know what they want.

Check here every day for the next 5 days to set your goals and go into the new year with all the tools necessary to better yourself and your life!

December 26, 2012 Uncategorized Read more >

Balancing the Holidays: To Eat or Not To Eat?

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we’ve all been mentally prepping for it. There’s the presents to be wrapped, the grandparents and aunts and uncles to visit…and the food. Oh goodness the food! The food has become such a center piece for discussion around the holidays that it’s spawned entire magazines specific to its impending doom.

When it comes to eating during the holidays you can break it down into two distinct categories – to eat or not to eat. One camp says “One day won’t destroy your goals! Go for it!” another says “Small indulgences can add up faster than you know – go light!” Both seem like solid pieces of advice, but who’s right?

Honestly, neither are right, and both are right. By using these two statements independent of any and all personal reflection is going about it the wrong way. You’re asking someone else for permission to put (or not put!) things in yourbody. You’re the one that sweats on the treadmill or deadlifts small children, you’re the one that counts calories or macros or only eats when you’re hungry and drinks liters of water a day and cut out coke for diet coke or diet coke for water…what do they know about you? What do they know about YOUR personal journey?

That’s the problem with these ways of thinking: it’s a one size fits all plan. The truth of the matter is that one size does NOT fit all. Let’s look at some different ways that these plans can backfire.

1. Cut all the desserts in half and only eat half of it

I’ve heard this advice before and I’m sure you have too. The problem with this statement is that it won’t satisfy everyone. There are people who say, “Oh, I’ll just have half…” then there’s another half, and another half, and another half…and before you know it they’ve eaten 3 slices of pie instead of just one.Some people fall into the endless spiral of “I’ve already messed up, I might as well keep going.” Others have the ability to eat that half a piece of dessert and be satisfied. If you’re one of those people – go for it! If not, you know your body.

2. It’s just one day, what can it hurt?

To some people this is 100% true. You normally eat “well,” exercise often and enjoy little breaks in routine here and there. Maybe you “planned a cheat” for today, or maybe you’re in the mindset that one day a week is specific for throwing the plan out the window. These are personal choices and are all acceptable. It’s important to remember that not everyone falls into these same categories. Sure, they eat whatever they want on Christmas Eve…then there’s the leftovers. Or maybe Christmas Eve passes and now it’s Christmas Day and another feast. Then New Years and its drinking and parties. Before you know it that “one day” has become a 5 day all out eat fest where you’re too tired to exercise and find yourself woefully far from your usually eating and exercising schedule.

Again, this does not happen to everyone. Some people only celebrate Christmas Eve, or only Christmas, and plan their holiday meals accordingly and have no problem with any of these scenarios. But by looking to a magazine or an internet guru to give you permission to eat whatever you want, you’re ignoring yourself. You know if you fit into these categories and can plan accordingly.

Trust yourself, listen to yourself, don’t ask for permission!

The best way to avoid the holiday eating trap is to find what balance means to YOU. Will eating one dessert throw you into overdrive? Don’t do it. Will not eating to your hearts content lead to an epic binge the next day because you feel deprived? Don’t suffer! Reflect on your history with eating, the holidays and diets and find the best middle ground for YOU.

By finding a balance that works for you and your personal goals you’ll find yourself emerging from the holidays with significantly less stress. The holidays are supposed to be a time of great joy that is spent with the people that matter the most to you. Don’t forget that the most important person in your life is YOU.

December 23, 2012 Fat Loss, Nutrition Read more >

Are stress and a lack of sleep sabotaging your weight loss goals?

A lack of sleep and an excess of stress could be contributing to the stall in your weight loss or fitness goals. Studies have shown that an increase in stress actually increases your blood pressure, which in turn prompts some people to retain a small McDonalds fry worth of salt. Additionally, a lack of sleep has been linked to an increase in the amount of appetite regulating hormones.

We all know that sleep is important. When we don’t get enough of it we’re groggy, unable to concentrate and quick to anger. It turns out that the effects of sleep loss doesn’t stop there. It’s been reported that a lack of sleep also increases the “hunger hormones” in your body, such as ghrelin. Because of this, your body is stimulated to feel hungry more times during the day than someone who received a full nights sleep.

So how much sleep do you need? 

Like everything else, the amount of sleep you need is an individual experience. Experimenting with your body is the only way to determine how many hours of sleep you need to feel your best.

It’s also important to note that the study didn’t just talk about the amount of sleep, but the quality of sleep. Even if you sleep 12+ hours a day, if you’re constantly being woken by other distractions then the quality of sleep is to blame, not just the quantity.

What about stress? Stress can release cortisol, a hormone that has a pretty bad rep because of its role in weight gain. Inappropriate cortisol release caused by stress can cause a gain of visceral body fat, particularly in your abdomen, and cause a decrease in leptin (the “I’m full” hormone). The study mentioned above also points to the possibility of retaining salt because of high blood pressure if you have a certain genetic factor. The combined effect of stress plus high blood pressure lead to retention of up to 1,500 mg of salt a day, which in turn kept blood pressure high even during sleep.

Stress plus a lack of sleep can definitely contribute to obesity, increased appetite, high blood pressure and a general loss of interest in reaching your goals.

What are some ways to get more sleep?

  1. Turn your bedroom or bed into a “sleep cave.” The only time you should be in bed is to sleep. Your bedroom should be free of external stimuli, such as computers or televisions. The room should be dark, not too hot and not too cold, and your bed itself should be comfortable enough to allow for uninterrupted sleep.
  2. Eliminate nighttime distractions. Always use the restroom before bed, put in ear plugs if others are on a different sleep schedule, use blackout curtains to prevent early more sunlight, and other small tweaks to assure your sleeping area is always sleep friendly.
  3. Meditate, do yoga, take a warm bath, drink warm tea, etc. before going to bed to calm your mind.
  4. Avoid caffeine, exercise, or any other stimulatory activity before bed (unless you find these things help you to sleep).
  5. Some people find soothing music to help them fall asleep, others find it a distraction. Find what works for you and stick with it!

Ways to eliminate stress

  1. Identify your stress and try to eliminate or minimize it. Some stress is unavoidable, some of it is unnecessary. Find what you can fix and focus on that.
  2. Surround yourself with supportive people and supportive thoughts.
  3. Enlist the help of others. We often rely on ourselves for everything (If you want something done right, do it yourself, right?) and by allowing others to help us we can truly minimize our stress.
  4. Meditation, yoga, exercise, long baths, and other activities that allow “you time” can help reduce stress.

December 19, 2012 Fat Loss, Science Read more >