My Favorite Things This Summer

What I'm loving lately...

Fila Crosstrainers for Women at Kohl's

I got these shoes for only $12 because I had a $25 gift card and a coupon. Can't beat that!
What I love about them:

• Lightweight
• Minimalist feel, but still has some support and heel drop
• Memory foam (very comfy)
• Wider toebox
• Easy to jump, do kettlebells, weightlift, and even run in

Thirty-One Gifts Gym Tote

 

I love this All-Pro-Tote I ordered from my friend Christina who sells Thirty-One. Of course, now that I go to her website, I can't find them for sale on there, so don't hate me if they are sold out or hostess exclusive! 

What I love about this bag:

• Holds a yoga mat
• Separate compartment for your shoes or whatever you want to keep separate from other stuff
• Jewelry holder inside
• Waterbottle holder

Victoria's Secret Pink Racerback Sports Bra

This bra is one of many nice sports bras at Victoria's Secret. I like this one because of the fun honeycomb cutout on the straps.

What I like about this bra:

• Padding for us small-chested gals who don't want to look like a 10 year-old boy while exercising!
• Good quality, durable, washes well

TRX Home Suspension Kit

I tried a TRX class in Albuquerque and really liked it, but not enough to get a gym membership or pay for the classes specifically. So...when I saw the kit on Groupon I bought it. I hang from my front door OR we also hang it outside from our tree. 

What I like about TRX home kit:

• Easy to store, easy to set up
• Doesn't take up space like weights do
• Different type of workout to supplement other activities 
• Tons of free videos/tutorials on how to use it online
• Pretty much dummy-proof
• The husband likes it and uses it too!

Exercise DVD Review: Amy Dixon Raise Some Bell

I just started teaching kettlebell classes at the Dance Center and I am getting my certification next month, so I've been scowering the internet for Kettlebell workouts. One of the DVDs I ordered is Amy Dixon's Raise Some Bell.

From Amazon.com

I love Amy Dixon's Breathless Body workouts, so I thought I'd try her kettlebell dvd. One thing I love about Amy's workouts is that they are HARD. No joke. Her breathless body workouts made me want to puke. In a good way, of course. Not everyone likes HARD. If you don't - I don't suggest her videos unless you are ok with modifying and taking longer breaks, less reps, etc.

The DVD is a 40 minute total body cardio/toning workout with the kettlebell. There is a kettlebell 101 segment if you want to learn proper form/holds. There is also a 10 minute Core segment.

I have to admit, I couldn't really do the entire 40 minutes when I started. It is seriously hard. I used a 10lb bell at first and now I use a 15 for almost the entire thing. I do think it's a little more advanced, so if it's your first time using a kettlebell, I recommend Jillian Michael's Shred video instead. I think that is more do-able for a beginner or someone new to kettlebell. However, if you've been using your bell for awhile and are ready to take it to the next level, Amy's your girl.

One thing that made this video stand out was how high she gets your heartrate going with her moves. She incorporates a kettlebell burpee, lots of wood chops with the bell, and lots of great core work. I really enjoyed the high intensity of the video. Be ready to sweat and don't fret if you can't do the whole thing. The only move I really didn't like was the "around the world" type rotation where you are swinging the bell and doing a walking rotation at the same time. I feel like that move would invite injury and improper form for most kettlebell'ers/

Overall, I would give this workout a 5 out of 5 stars! Great for midlevel to advanced kettlebell'ers, but probably not for a beginner.

Activity Tracker Garmin Vivofit Review

 I bought a Garmin Vivofit last month as my activity tracker-of-choice and thought I'd give it a review for anyone thinking of getting an activity tracker or trying out the Garmin.

What I love about the Vivofit:

1. You don't have to charge it. Ever. Yep! It runs off a small watch battery that needs replacement every year or so. I really like this feature.
2. It measures your heart rate. I bought the version that came with a heart rate strap. This really comes in handy when running or biking and it also comes in handy when trying to accurately measure calorie burn.
3. The screen! I love that I can see at any point in time how many steps, distance, calories burned, heart rate, time, etc. I think this is a nice feature. 
4. It's waterproof. I don't worry about taking it off for baths or dishes.
5. It's comfy and durable. 

What is not so great about the Vivofit:

1. The app is OK. Since I have the screen showing me my data, I find I hardly go into the app. It doesn't sync with MyFitness Pal for calorie tracking either.
2. The screen does not light up in the dark. It does show up pretty well in bright sun, but it is not backlit (hence the reason it has a battery that only needs replacing every year). I didn't mind this too much because I rarely needed it in dimly lit situations unless I was running in the dark at 5 AM. then I found I had to shine my phone light on it to see it.
3. The band itself. It pops off when I'm holding my 2 year old on my hip and carrying her around. I should probably just switch it to the other hand and this would probably take care of that problem. Otherwise it's easy to snap on and off.
4. It overestimates steps/distance. For me, I would measure out a 3 or 4 mile run and I noticed my Vivofit would say I went 4.25 miles. 

Overall, I am really happy with this purchase. While I realize this band may not be the perfect option for everyone, I do recommend it for those fitness junkies who want something that will work while running, biking, or swimming and enjoy using a heart rate monitor for training. I also recommend it for someone who needs a screen with data and wants a "no-fuss" tracker. I don't recommend it for someone just wanting a simple pedometer (there are cheaper options for that!) or someone who is an app junkie and likes to utilize apps and sync with different apps.

What I learned about myself using this tracker:

1. I don't get enough steps in most days on my own. While I do workout (and sometimes twice a day) I don't get close to the 10,000 steps a day without some thought and motivation. I typically get 5-6,000 steps if I don't exercise at all. If I do a Barre or Bootcamp class I get about 7,000. So I figured out that I either need to run OR make sure I walk for 30 min to 1 hr per day to get to 10,000. If I run 3+ miles I typically get 10,000 steps. If I do long distance it's more like 15k or even 20k.
2. My job (hospital community relations/marketing) requires a few hours a day on the computer. I have tried standing at my bar counter to at least avoid "sitting" so much during that time. In my perfect world I would buy a treadmill desk, but I don't see that happening soon!
3. I like the little red bar that "taunts" you to get up and move if you've been sitting too long. It's nice to have a friendly nudge to get your ass off the couch or out of the desk chair!

Comes in Black, Blue, Purple, Teal, & Gray

My Vivofit showing almost 20,000 steps after a long day of double workouts and painting my den!

Vivofit in teal with two other trackers.

The Mommy Tummy - Healing Diastasis Recti

I have several post-partum and pregnant clients, so I thought addressing the topic of the "mommy pooch" aka "diastasis recti" would be very helpful for pretty much any woman who has ever given birth (or will be giving birth).

What is diastasis recti? It's basically a separation down the midline of your ab muscles (rectus abdominis). See the lovely figure below. (Don't you just love how the pregnant lady's boobs went to hell in the illustration?)

How do you know if you have a diastasis recti? 

STEP 1: Lie on your back with knees bent
STEP 2: Place two fingers in the center of your belly, just above the belly button, pointing towards your toes.
STEP 3: Try to relax your abs and lift your head off the floor. (keeping abs as relaxed as possible will give you a more accurate reading, while squeezing abs tight will make the gap seem smaller)

Source: Daily HIIT Blog

If you have a separation of 1 finger, you don't have an issue. If you have 2-2.5 or larger (some women have 3 finger and 4 finger separations), it's considered problematic.

Personally, after I had my babies, I had a separation of 2.5 fingers. I have gotten it down to 1.5 but would still like to close the gap further.

Women who haven't given birth in YEARS can still have a diastasis recti and it still can be healed years later!


If you have this condition - STOP crunching immediately!

Women with diastasis recti larger than 2 fingers should not crunch. It actually can make your gap worse. Other exercises to avoid: planks, pushups on the floor, burpees, yoga poses like "cow pose" that extend the abs.

I know what you're thinking - that sucks! But, don't despair, there are several modifications and exercise to help improve the diastsis recti. First off, several exercises we do in my classes help strengthen the core without aggravating this condition - think squats, wall sits, lunges, cardio intervals, arm sculpting with weights.


GOOD EXERCISES TO START HEALING (some can be done during pregnancy)

1. Tummy vaccum - laying on your back in crunch position, knees bent, suck your tummy in while taking a deep breath in and squeeze. Don't hold your breath but hold the squeeze for 5-10 seconds. Do 5 - 12 reps. Do these kneeling if pregnant past the first trimester.

2. Flat back holds - on all fours, completely flat back (no cat or cow) do the tummy vaccum exercises.

3. Elevators - in seated or standing position, breathe in and pull abs up and in like going up in an elevator.


EXERCISE MODIFICATIONS

1. Jumping - take extra care to make sure to squeeze the abs as you lift feet off the ground. Don't jump as high or alternate lifting only one leg off the ground instead of both.

2. Planks & Pushups - Instead of planking or pushups go on to all fours and focus on squeezing the core tight. To push up, either do on the wall or keep your butt up in the air as you push up. Never do a plank if you can't keep your core squeezed tight during the exercise.

3. Side plank - always keep one leg on the ground.

4. Mountain climbers - keep booty high in the air and slow down the leg motion.

5. Standing Oblique crunches - don't do them, just focus on squeezing the muscles while standing in place, doing forward standing crunches.

6. Regular crunches on floor - lift head off the ground only (not shoulders) and squeeze tight as you take a deep breath. OR do standing front crunches instead.

7. Leg lifts on the floor - keep knees bent and gently lift one knee at a time to the chest as you squeeze tummy in.

8. Lat pull downs or pullups - do not do. Do shoulder presses overhead instead.

9. Overhead tricep press while lying on back- do butterfly open/close instead.

10. Positions laying on stomach - don't push belly into the floor. Rocking horse movements instead of superman movements.

OTHER THINGS TO HELP HEAL

1. Focus, focus, focus on posture. Make a conscious effort to engage and squeeze the core when sitting, standing, etc.
2. Splint. There are several belly splints that pull the muscles in, especially useful during exercise.
3. Seeing a doctor. If you have any pain, tender bulges, issues holding urine, etc. you should see a physician. The diastasis could be a symptom of a hernia or prolapse and needs to be treated.

WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT:
Exercises: http://inspiredrd.com/2013/11/5-exercises-to-heal-diastasis.html
Explanation: http://bikinibodymommy.com/2013/04/28/diastasis-recti-101-why-some-moms-shouldnt-do-crunches/
Modifications: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmFfzHz5-Us
Exercises: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2FW0UhNAas

Dressing for outdoor workouts and Pearl Izumi Jacket Review

It's super important to have the right workout gear, especially when exercising outdoors. I recently bought a jacket to use on my runs and I love it! It's the Pearl Izumi Women's Select Thermal Barrier. I know weather is warming up, but now is the time to purchase a good quality jacket on sale to use next year!

Why do you need a decent jacket? It makes all the world of difference in how comfortable you are exercising in cold or windy conditions. I selected the Pearl Izumi jacket because it is lightweight, wind resistant, water resistant, and insulating. It was $120 normally, but on Amazon I got it on sale for $81. Now is the time to get online and buy a jacket for next winter because they will be on clearance!

I really notice a difference using this jacket versus a cheap-o brand (I swear!). The jacket almost seems too lightweight to keep you warm, but it is sooo insulating. It does a great job blocking the wind. It's very form fitting (to keep wind out and insulate, so if you have a bigger chest or stomach area size up).

DRESSING FOR COLD WEATHER RUNNING

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when exercising in cold weather is to dress too warmly. Hence the reason you need a very lightweight jacket (not a down ski jacket or 10 layers of turtlenecks and sweaters). Exercise generates a considerable amount of heat — enough to make you feel like it's much warmer than it really is (typically 20 degrees warmer). The evaporation of sweat, however, can make you lose heat from your body and feel chilled. The solution?

Dress in layers that you can remove as soon as you start to sweat and then put back on as needed. First, put on a thin layer of synthetic material, such as polypropylene, which draws sweat away from your body. Avoid cotton, which stays wet next to your skin.

Next, add a layer of fleece or wool for insulation. Top this with a waterproof, breathable outer layer.

For me, in cold temperatures (40 degrees and less) I run in: a sports bra, synthetic long sleeve top, and my running jacket. I usually wear running tights. I add gloves and hat if I need and warm socks. If I get hot, I take the jacket off and tie around my waist. Then I put it back on if I start running into the wind or if I start walking/cool down. 

Sitting is the new smoking

It's true! Scan health and fitness sites everywhere and you will find articles and findings that we are slowly killing ourselves by spending too much time sitting at our desks or on the couch. Our bodies are not meant to sit for hours at a time, but many of us do- in the car, at home, at work.

If you are like me, an active exerciser, you might think that "sitting" too much isn't an issue for you because you regularly exercise. Think again! Even if you exercise an hour everyday, if you still sit quite a bit, you are still at risk of suffering the negative consequences of a sedentary lifestyle. Read this article from Runner's World about the dangers of Sitting, even for active people!

Our bodies are designed to move. Sitting for an extended period of time causes your body to shut down at the metabolic level. When your muscles, especially certain leg muscles, are immobile, your circulation slows. So you use less of your blood sugar and you burn less fat, which increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes. 

Indeed, a study of 3,757 women found that for every two hours they sat in a given work day, their risk for developing diabetes went up seven percent, which means their risk is 56 percent higher on days they sit for eight hours. And a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology reports that a man who sits more than six hours a day has an 18 percent increased risk of dying from heart disease and a 7.8 percent increased chance of dying from diabetes compared with someone who sits for three hours or less a day. Although running does much good for you, if you spend the rest of your waking hours sitting, those health benefits depreciate. In a 12-year study of more than 17,000 Canadians, researchers found that the more time people spent sitting, the earlier they died—regardless of age, body weight, or how much they exercised. (Runner's World).

So what should we do? The answer is relatively simple. Take more breaks! Standing up and walking around or even stretching for just 1 minute can help. 

Here's some ideas to counteract sitting too much:

• Set an alarm on your phone or computer every hour to remind you to get up and walk for 1-5 minutes.
• Drink extra water, guaranteeing you'll have to get up and walk to the bathroom
• Stand up and pace the room during phone calls or meetings
• Stand at a kitchen counter or bar, while you browse you phone, ipad or laptop catching up on social media and emails
• Incorporate "walking meetings" at work, where you walk around the building 
• Stand or walk in place while watching your tv shows (or at least during commercials!)
• Park farthest away everywhere you go
• if you have a desk job, ask about buying a standing treadmill desk or exercise ball chair

Another helpful way to stay on top of the amount of time you "sit" is to invest in an activity tracker. These come as wristbands or clip on devices that look like a bracelet or watch. Even simple pedometers can help. 

Activity Trackers

I just ordered the new Garmin Vivofit activity band. I have been wanting a tracker for awhile now, but hadn't found one with all the features I wanted until now. I tried the Fitbit Flex, but I wasn't overly thrilled with it. It would not wirelessly sync with the iPhone 4, so I could only sync with it when I was near my computer. I also didn't like the fact that it had no display screen (which some people like, but I really wanted a quick way to look at my stats). You also have to charge the Fitbit every 5-7 days. It does not come with a heart rate monitor (all calorie burn estimates are based on your steps and what you manually enter in the app). So for me it felt like an expensive pedometer. I did like the vibrating alarm on it, but that was it.

Fitbit & Jawbone Up

My friend owns the Jawbone Up and really likes it. By far, it's the most attractive looking, very stylish, thin bracelet. But it does not have a display screen nor does it sync wirelessly. You have to plug it into your headphone jack to sync to your phone. Now I do like the fact that it syncs with MyFitness pal so it will input your calories burned in there. It also has the vibrating alarm. Again, no heart rate monitor, and you have to charge it once a week.

Enter the Garmin Vivofit. This device looks like a bracelet band, with a display screen. You can easily toggle between the time, the steps you've done, your calories burned, heart rate and more. I like that! It wirelessly syncs with the app on your phone so you don't have to worry about being within a certain distance of your computer or plugging in anything. The battery lasts one year. Yep! It operates on a small circle battery used in watches. It also syncs up to a Heart rate monitor strap. So for me, this fit the bill on my must-have list. I don't think it has a vibrating sleep alarm, it is not backlit, so it will be hard to see the screen in certain lighting, and I'm not sure if it syncs with myfitness pal or other apps, but those things weren't deal breakers for me personally. It costs $129 without heart rate strap or $169 with. Not a bad price! Comes in several colors- black, gray, blue, teal, purple.

Garmin Vivofit

I am looking forward to using it and I will make sure to post a full review once I have it in hand! What fitness trackers do you use? Do you feel like you sit too much? Let me know! 

My Weight Loss Journey, One Year Later

I started my fitness journey around New Year's last year and I am proud to say I met and exceeded my goals and have kept the weight off the entire year. It took me about 6 months to get where I wanted to be. The last 6 months has been just maintenance and focusing on building more muscle and increasing my endurance.

I only lost about 9-10 lbs. BUT it felt like a lot more. I think because I built a lot more muscle. I was at about 27% body fat when I started. I am down to 19% now. I was a size 8. Now I am a size 2. 

So I quit caring about the scale not moving after 6 months and started caring more about body fat %, inches lost, and overall how I looked and fit in my clothes! 

I know many of us are making resolutions to lose weight this year. There are tons and tons of blog posts and fitness pages offering very helpful advice for kicking off the New Year right. I won't rehash all of these tips, but I can share what worked for me over the course of the year.

What helped me personally:

1. Holding myself accountable for my weight loss by telling people about it. Facebook. Blog. Instagram. Communities online like Tone It Up and Blogilates. The more you post about trying to lose weight, the more accountable you will become for actually doing it.
2. Tracking what I ate in MyFitness Pal. It really gave me a better idea of how well I was doing at actually sticking to my calorie goal/fat vs carbs, etc. 
3. Completely re-vamping my diet/cooking/recipes/etc. I try my best to cook ONLY healthy meals at home and only have healthy snacks in the house. I try to save the naughty cheat meals and treats for eating out or going to other people's houses/events. 
4. Live by the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time you are eating right and exercising. 20% of the time you can indulge. I didn't skip Thanksgiving. I ate some Halloween Candy. I had dessert at parties. 
5. Trying to help others lose weight. I tried to inspire and motivate my friends to join me in my classes or fun runs and eventually got certified to teach bootcamp and barre so I can impact others lives even more.

That's what worked for me. I am in the best shape of my life since high school. AND after two kids. If I can do it, YOU can do it too! By no means do I have a Victoria's Secret model body (and I'm ok with that!). But I do feel strong, fit and healthy. I feel like my clothes fit. That's all that matters to me! I don't need washboard abs or a thigh gap to feel like I accomplished my goals. 

So with that said...This is YOUR year! Time to lace up the sneakers and get ready for a lifestyle CHANGE. Who's in?

We have exciting stuff going on over here with my business ;-) I have teamed up with The Dance Center and we are offering two sessions of Barre Fitness and two sessions of Bootcamp this January/February. I am so excited about the environment - women only, kids are welcome to come too. We are actually in the process of setting up a play area for the little people and if I'm lucky, an on-site babysitter. Fingers crossed!

If you live in the area, NOW is the time to sign up!