Sometimes we need to give ourselves a dose of tough love. It’s like a reality check slap in the face, and it hurts. As human beings we prefer the easier route. It is easier to tell ourselves that there are no consequences to eating unhealthy foods or that we will workout tomorrow because today the bed is extra comfortable. This comfortable living only hurts you in the long run, and it’s time to push past your comfort zone to make positive lifestyle changes. I’m not saying you have to push yourself to exhaustion with every single workout, but getting out of bed is half the battle. Preparing snacks ahead of time allows you to walk past the processed junk snacks at the office. It’s time to be your own mother. Our parents put the kabosh on immediate gradification because they look at the long run for us. So let’s get real about unhealthy habits. If you need a dose or two of tough love, it’s a good thing. Each day just try a little bit more to be healthier and in turn you will be happier.
Creamy Avocado Salad Dressing
Want to add more flavor to your salad with a delicious dressing that is all-natural and healthy? Try this simple recipe:
– 1 Small Apple
– 1/4 Lemon
– 1/2 Avocado
– 1/4 Peeled Cucumber
– 1 tsp of Mustard (add to taste)
Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix or blender and enjoy with your greens!
Workout with 3 Machines
Cross-training plays an important role in improving your overall fitness. You allow time for muscle recovery while strengthening underused muscle groups and connective tissue. This prevents injuries. The Elliptical will maintain muscle adaptations, while resting the calf muscles, which do most of the work. The Rowing machine is an excellent way to condition the entire body by strengthening your legs, glutes, arms, back, and shoulders. The Bike works your quads (as well as the hamstrings and glutes if you stand while pedaling). Spinning at a high cadence of 90+ RPM (revolutions per minute) will increase your cardio endurance. Try these workouts with an elliptical, rowing machine and stationary bike.
Easy: Warm up, then hop on the elliptical, spin or row at a very easy pace or resistance for two minutes. Increase the intensity or resistance for one minute. Repeat 5-6 times and then cool down.
Moderate: Complete two rounds of the Easy workout, then hop on the elliptical, row or spin easy for three minutes. Increase the intensity or resistance for two minutes. Repeat 3-4 times and then cool down.
Advanced: Complete one Moderate workout. Then hop on the elliptical, row or spin easy for one minute. Do three minutes at moderate pace, then two minutes hard. Repeat 2-3 times and cool down.
Exercise with Your Kids
We all know that childhood obesity is on a rise, and that efforts have been made at a national level to encourage children to be more active. This can be a challenge since more and more schools have cut physical education and recess time. A friend of mine, Dr. David Katz, at the Yale Prevention Research Center, has created a program for elementary schools to restructure physical activity into the classroom. It’s called ABC for Fitness (Activity Bursts in the Classroom). Students participate in brief exercise bursts at the beginning of each class. Teachers create a classroom environment that nurtures the students to focus with this incorporation of physical activity throughout the day.
As a mother, it is an amazing feeling and huge responsibility to know that I am a role model of healthy living to my family. Get involved with your children’s health. Talk to their school and get teachers to offer the ABC for Fitness program. Remember that you are their biggest teacher with your example. Exercise with them after school and on the weekends. Make healthy living a fun family affair, and you will all benefit from it.
ABC for Fitness:
Exercise Intensity
Ever wonder what the heart rate numbers mean on your treadmill, bicycle or elliptical machine? They are there to gauge what intensity you are exercising in order to reach your goals. It is important to know how hard your heart is beating during cardiovascular activity. When you hold onto the heart rate handles of the machine you want to make sure that you are within your target heart rate zone, or THRZ. To do this, you will first need to calculate your maximum heart. Maximum heart rate, or MHR, is the number of times your heart should beat per minute at the higher limit of what your cardiovascular system can handle. It is calculated by subtracting your age from 220. For example, if you are 50 years old: 220 – 50 = 170 MHR.
Once you know you MHR, you can calculate your THRZ. This is the range at which your heart is being exercised and conditioned but not overwork. This range gives you the best results for burning fat, weight loss, and cardiovascular endurance. If your heart rate is below that zone you significantly reduce your exercise intensity.
There are 3 levels of exercise intensity and here is how your heart rate matches up to the levels:
– Light exercise intensity: 40 – 50% of your MHR
– Moderate exercise intensity: 50 – 70% of your MHR
– Vigorous exercise intensity: 70 – 85% of you MHR
Now calculate what target heart rate zone you wish to exercise. For the 50 year old with the MHR of 170, the levels would be:
– Light intensity: 68 – 85 Heart Rate.
– Moderate intensity: 85 – 119 Heart Rate.
– Vigorous intensity: 119 – 145 Heart Rate.
You always want to start with light exercise and gradually build up to a higher intensity. The goal is to perform 30-minutes at a moderate to vigorous intensity most days of the week. This would be mean aiming to work out within the THRZ of 119 – 145. Now you know what the heart rate numbers mean and how they help keep your cardiovascular system in shape.