My Fitness Journey (Virginia)
Greetings Classika folks,
My name is Virginia and I am on a fitness journey. I will be blogging about ups and downs of health and fitness as well as writing about my progress with my trainer Tara from Classika Sport and Fitness.
You can find my previous blogs and discussion of my weight issues here:
http://lonelydolldaisy.blogspot.com/?zx=b296dd189df29190
Here is the short version: I gained a lot of weight. In April of last year I was weighing in at 200+ pounds. I am only 5 ft 2 inches tall. I started training with Tara at Classika in April 2009. I lost close to 80 pounds. It was amazing. I got married, had beautiful pictures, and thought that I could handle my exercise and weight control on my own. I was wrong. Here it is April of 2010 and I am back up to 170 pounds. I have gained about half of the weight back. I am back at Classika with a focus on the importance of training and the hope of eating healthier.
Two weeks have passed, and I am 100% positive that returning to Classika was the best thing I could have done for myself. I am enjoying working with Tara, being held accountable for exercise is something that I definitely need. So in terms of exercise, I am pleased with my progress.
However, exercise is not the only component to being healthy. That is where diet enters the scene.
In terms of eating, I am pretty disappointed in myself. I play the rationalization game, I am sure that many of you are familiar with the game. I can rationalize my way into eating just about anything. The past two weeks have been full of rationalizations that revolve around the notion “I am exercising again; therefore it is OK if I eat more food”. On some level, this logic makes sense, right? I am expending more energy therefore my body needs more energy; therefore I should give my body what it wants. My other favorite rationalization is “I am not 200 pounds anymore” or “Since I am not as big as I used to be, it is OK for me to indulge”. I use my past weight loss success as a rationalization to eat more. Clearly I am not thinking about the fact that it was all my “magic” rationalizations that got me all the way up to over 200 pounds in the first place.
In a lot of ways I have come extremely far from where I was a year ago. For example, I can actually walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded, I can fasten my own bra behind my back (for a while there I needed someone to help me because I could not reach behind my back), I can cross my legs, and there are many other little milestones that I am still proud of. However, I think I got a little “big for my britches” so to speak. I was high on the weight loss and I started eating again. I started rationalizing again. Just recently I noticed that it is a bit of a challenge to cross my legs, and walking across campus is starting to wind me again. The little things that I was so proud of are starting to creep up on me again.
So it is Monday, and I am finally ready to take on my rationalizations and really take charge of my eating and my rationalizations. Hopefully this week will go better than the last two…..
Taqueria Style Tacos
Here's a good recipe for tacos. I would think it might be a good one to try for an informal party or movie night. You might experiment with cooking the meat in your crockpot. The recipe as shown is pretty healthy. The only caveat might be the 1/2 cup of soy sauce. There's a lot of sodium in soy sauce and this can cause bloating. Not the worst thing in the world, but it is something to watch out for.
Results of volleyball group
A quick note on four high school volleyball players who went through an eight-week training protocol recently here:
- Player 1 attended 15 of 17 workouts and improved her vertical 6 percent.
- Player 2 attended 13 of 17 workouts and improved her vertical 21 percent(!).
- Player 3 attended 10 of 17 workouts and improved her vertical 4.4 percent.
- Player 4 attended 13 of 17 workouts and improved her vertical 9.5 percent.
For safety reasons we did not attempt a pre-test 1-rep max deadlift, so we can't compare before-and-after progress, however, all girls could DL between 115-137 percent of their bodyweight in the final testing session. I'm quite pleased with these results, especially for being a relatively small number of sessions. Should they come in again in the summer, we will then judge progress against these numbers.
Jumping higher is due to a number of factors. Strength (as represented by the ability to deadlift) can be thought of as the raw material for a good jump. We use squats, deadlifts, get-ups, and lunges to build strength. Power is the ability to use that strength quickly, and we use a combination of explosive lifting (cleans, snatches), jump rope, plyometric training, and good old jump training to improve the quickness of the muscles firing. Finally, we work on the basic form of jumping. This might seem superfluous -- can't everyone jump? -- but form often needs to be fixed, and it involves working on engrained bad habits, so it is a longer-term process. All these together help to improve one's vertical jump.
We will form at least one or two small groups this summer to improve vertical jumping ability. If you or your child are interested, please call us at 455-4788. These groups will likely begin in early June, to conclude before tryouts begin in early August.
Grilled Chicken Marsala
Here's a good recipe from Clean Eating Magazine. For cooking novices, the only semi-tough part might be the marsala sauce, but it really wouldn't be so difficult. This is a good one to practice on! And if you don't have a grill, you could use an indoor grill (aka Foreman grill). Or, you could bake or pan fry the chicken.
Runners’ group starting soon!
Something interesting bubbling up in the research over the past few years is the role of strength training in improving running times (running economy, in the parlance of researchers). Here is what one summary (Feb. 2007, Strength and Conditioning Journal) had to say:
In recent years strong evidence has emerged as to the positive effects of strength training (in particular explosive strength and plyometric training) on distance-running performance (RE and 3-to 10-km time trials) in trained distance runners (V˙O2max >50 ml·kg–1·min–1). Althoughthe exact mechanisms remain unclear, it is believed that enhanced storage and release of elastic energy during ground contact is one such mechanism. The resistance training should follow a traditional periodization model, coinciding with the emphasis of the running program at that point in the cycle to avoid interference. Resistance and endurance sessions should be performed on separate days or should at least be separated by 8 hours, with the priority session performed first, to again avoid interference effects.
Many runners avoid resistance training because of the perception of what strength training is: large guys doing multiple sets of bench presses, with maybe some biceps curls added here and there. This is not the model the runners want, and they would be correct in avoiding that bodybuilder-ish approach. However, a more athletic style of strength training would very much downplay bodybuilding in favor of building explosiveness and full-body strength. So, our training style for runners would likely incorporate some basic, full-body exercises in the beginning to build a base level of strength. Then we would transition into plyometrics and Olympic lifting (snatches, cleans, and pulls) to increase explosiveness. This should improve runners' speed, especially on hills and sprints. The literature suggests an improvement of 2-4% in running economy. So if a runner normally runs a 5K in 30 minutes, she could theoretically cut that time down to 28:50 or so with the addition of some athletic strength and conditioning in addition to her usual endurance running. She could possibly cut her running down a little bit as well without losing any endurance, which would help avoid overuse injuries -- another plus.
All that is to say that Classika is hosting a runners' group to work on just this sort of stuff. Just four runners in the group! The class would go for eight weeks, lifting Mondays and Wednesday evenings and going for a group jog once a week. Any skill level is welcome. The cost will be $115 per person per month for the two months. That's a great price for the training expertise of Robyn Burgess, an ultra-distance runner and certified personal trainer. You also get the accountability and camaraderie of the group. It will be a lot of fun, and a lot of hard work. But we are keenly interested in seeing results. Give us a call at 455-4788 if you are interested.
Find Us on Facebook
Just a quick note: Classika does have a Facebook page! You can find it here. We'll be posting all sorts of happenings and Facebooky stuff. Come check us out and if you really want to go whole-hog, become a fan!
A quick way to make pizza healthier
Pizza can be a mixed bag when it comes to nutrition. On the positive side, it can have some healthy toppings and provide a concentrated source of lycopene. On the negative side, it will usually be a dense source of calories and have fairly high levels of saturated fat and sodium. All that said, it isn't the worst thing out there, that's for sure.
University of Maryland researchers have found a way to make pizza a little healthier still: make the dough out of whole wheat flour, let it sit for a day, and then bake the pizza at a fairly high temperature (~500 degrees). This combination tends to bring out more antioxidants than regular dough. Antioxidants help cells recover from damage. (Although, as with many things, virtue is found in moderation. Too many antioxidants can reduce blood flow and inhibit muscular function.)
Wendy
Periodically, we'll feature a client and find out what benefit they've gotten from coming to Classika and any advice they might have for getting in better shape generally. First up: Wendy!
Mark: How long have you been coming to Classika?
Wendy: I've been coming two years this month.
Mark: Two years this month; and what benefits do you get from coming here?
Wendy: There are a lot of them. My overall strength is better. My core strength is stronger, my balance is better. When I first came here I had significant knee and shoulder issues. By working here, I've strengthened the muscles in my legs and shoulders, so those issues are about gone. Another thing for a person my age is bone density -- that's very important, and I feel that the combination of walking and coming here and doing strength training has kept my bone density strong. I've gotten good bone density reports.
Mark: So, better joints, better balance, better bone density?
Wendy: Yes.
Mark: What advice would you give someone thinking about training?
Wendy: I think they'd get a lot of benefit from it. I think it's really great because it's a combination of training -- it's cardio, it's strength training, it's not the same every time so you don't get bored with the workout. It's just an overall good training program here.
Mark: Thanks, Wendy.
Can resistance training help runners?
Looking out our window here at Classika, I see quite a few runners traveling the streets around Rivermont and Bedford Avenues. I'm always happy to see people taking charge of their health. But if running is all they do to improve their health, they might be unwittingly passing up the benefits of resistance training. Resistance training can offer health benefits that aerobic exercise can't (and vice versa) and it can also actually help improve running performance as well as reduce some of the overuse injuries that many runners suffer.
There's an interesting article on it here. Just FYI, we are in the process of setting up a gym-based resistance training class geared toward benefiting runners and endurance athletes. If you would be interested in a class like that, give us a call. Times and prices aren't set yet but it would likely be twice a week in the evenings, with a max size of 4. It would be led by Robyn Burgess, herself an endurance athlete.
Reminder: speaking today to the Young Professionals in downtown
Just a reminder that I (Mark) will be speaking to the Young Professionals of Central Virginia at noon today at Terrace on the James restaurant, in the Bank of the James building. My talk, which will only last about 15 minutes, will be on making those New Year's resolutions last. What does it take to make a healthier lifestyle stick? I'll give some hints about what our successful clients have done to get in better shape.
UPDATE: Here's the text to the flyer I distributed:
How to Make a Lasting Change Toward Good Health
Getting healthier is usually not a matter of knowledge, but of changing bad habits.
USE PAPER POWER
- Realize how you got out of shape: write down why you have gotten out of shape.
- It won’t always be fun! Determine to do what is necessary to get fit; you may have to grind your way through sometimes, although once you see results you usually want to keep it going.
- Write down realistic goals and give them deadlines.
- Continually seek progress (while also accepting setbacks); change what isn’t working.
BE ACCOUNTABLE
- Tell friends, coworkers, and whoever will help you stay accountable to your stated goals; make sure your spouse/significant other is on board with your goal.
- Find someone to be your main support/accountability partner.
WORK OUT
- Our clients do best when they are active 3-5 hours per week. “Active” can include something as simple as walking.
- Workouts should be a “doable challenge.”
- Workouts are generally better when they are shorter and relatively intense.
- Keep a workout log and make your workouts progressively harder.
- Develop a habit of “ambient activity.” Walk a lot. Don’t sit for long periods of time if possible.
EAT HEALTHIER
- Find 8-10 recipes that you know you will eat and stock your pantry; you should make most of your own food.
- Eat breakfast.
- Keep an eating checklist.
- Many clients do well when aiming for about 1400-1600 calories per day.
GET REST
- Lack of sleep is strongly correlated with weight gain.
- Friends are important to your health! Make sure your family and friends are adding to your health, not detracting from it.
- Try to find an hour per day in which you have no responsibilities. Read for pleasure, go for a walk.
Eat a lot, lose weight
OK, that's oversimplifying. But I do want to draw attention to this article explaining that a very low carbohydrate diet often creates major, uncontrollable cravings and weight gain comes back. The study in the article advocates a manner of eating sometimes expressed by the saying: "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper." The basic idea is:
- Eat a big breakfast. Even on a 1200-calorie per day diet, subjects had a breakfast of about 600 calories. Breakfast was carb-heavy.
- Make lunch and dinner subsequently smaller. Carbs are progressively removed from meals as the day goes on.
Subjects in the study who ate a low-carb diet lost a little more weight over four months than did those who were on the "big breakfast" plan: 28 to 23 pounds. However, over the next four months, the low-carb dieters gained most of the weight back; the big breakfasters lost even more pounds.
The bottom line is, your body needs a certain amount of healthy carbs, and it will get them eventually if you deprive it long enough. The key is to load them toward the beginning of the day.
Tuesday/Thursday class
It looks like we have room for one more person for a new small group that is forming for Tuesday/Thursday nights at 5:30. If you'd like to join, please give us a call at 455-4788 or email at info@classikafitness.com and we'll see if we can get you in!
Yahoo Fitness and Weight Loss
- The pill equally effective in obese, thin women
(Reuters)Reuters - Despite studies suggesting that birth control pills might not work as well in obese women, a new study suggests that they prevent pregnancy the same no matter what a woman weighs. […]
- Knee, Hip Replacements May Aid Weight Loss: Study
(HealthDay)HealthDay - THURSDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Weight loss has been noted among patients who've had a knee or hip replacement, a new study says. […]
- Obese patients lose weight on new Orexigen drug
(Reuters)Reuters - Overweight volunteers who took Orexigen's experimental drug Contrave, designed to reduce cravings, lost about 13 pounds (6 kg) over a year, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday. […]
- In Young Girls, Obesity Linked to Early Puberty, Analysis
Reveals
(HealthDay)HealthDay - WEDNESDAY, July 28 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity is associated with early puberty in young girls, according to a researcher who analyzed more than 100 reports on the issue. […]
Science Daily: Fitness
- Many knee and hip replacement patients experience weight decrease after surgeryPatients often exhibit a significant decrease in weight and body mass index (BMI) after undergoing knee or hip replacement surgery (arthroplasty). […]
- Adherence to recommended exercise improves physical function, reduces pain for osteoarthritis patientsPatients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee or hip who adhere to the recommended home physical therapy exercises and physically active lifestyle experience more improvement in pain, physical function, and self-perceived effect according to a study from researchers in The Netherlands. Research also shows that maintenance of exercise behavior and physically […]
- The more frequently you log on, the more weight you can keep off, study findsThe more people used an interactive weight management website, the more weight loss they maintained, according to a new study. […]
- Early predictors of metabolic syndrome in healthy 7-9 year-olds identifiedNew research finds evidence supporting relationships seen in adolescents between insulin sensitivity and fatty liver, belly fat, and total body fat and identifies additional potential early markers of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in healthy 7-9 year-olds, including fat in muscle cells, blood pressure, physical activity, and birth weight. […]
