Your Secret Weapon For Weight Loss
March 26, 2009
Welcome guest blogger Jena La Flamme!
About Jena
Jena la Flamme is a Weight Loss Coach and the director of the Jena Wellness Center in Manhattan. She coaches clients to fit into their favorite clothes and never feel overweight again. Jena is also a professional speaker and workshop leader, a published columnist and can be seen on her own wellness show on the GoWellness channel of www.podcastgo.com. Having transformed her own body and her relationship with food, weight loss Jena-style encompasses a fun, easy and pleasurable approach to nutrition and lifestyle choices. Download your free copy of her report: “Fit Into Your Favorite Clothes and Never Feel Fat Again, Without Dieting, Pills, Calorie-Counting or Deprivation, and With Joy, Pleasure and Fun” at www.jenawellness.com
by Jena la Flamme
In our rush to embrace anything and everything that might get us down to our ideal weight, we often overlook one factor that—in my seven years coaching clients to lose weight —I have come to believe plays an enormous part in how easily and quickly we are able to slim down.
When we think about food affecting weight gain or influencing energy levels, we tend to think in a reductionist manner, breaking food down to scientifically quantifiable components. The angle that often gets overlooked is the quality of how we eat: do we eat slowly, savoring each bite, or do we shovel the food down our throats? Are we harried and rushed, or do we take the time to enjoy our meals?
Why does this effect weight loss? Because the stress response—the famous “fight or flight” response involving adrenaline and cortisol—that gets activated when we are in a rush, or thinking anxiously about all the difficulties and stresses in our lives, is about as helpful to your digestive system as a big tub of Ben & Jerry’s is to your thighs.
When we are in the stress response, all our body’s resources go into preparing us for immediate action. Digesting food properly and absorbing the nutrients as efficiently as possible are among the lowest priorities when your body thinks there might be a saber-toothed tiger around the corner. Studies have show that you absorb a significant degree less of the nutrition in your food when your stress levels are activated while eating, therefore craving more food, and eating more.
In contrast, when you sit down in a relaxed manner, with even an extra fifteen minutes allotted for eating, your body can relax into the experience. Stress can wait until after the meal as you savor your food, and enjoy company in a cozy social atmosphere.
Now, all of your body’s attention can go where it is supposed to while you are eating. You take in more of the life-giving nutrition of the food.
And what does that translate into? More satisfaction from fewer mindless calories. It’s not about deprivation, it’s about enjoying what you actually eat so much that you don’t need to shovel your face with more of it after you’ve had a decent serving.
Over many years, I have found that my clients who take the time to relax and enjoy their meals, and savor each bite, achieve amazing weight loss results, without feelings of deprivation or self-restraint common to so many diet approaches.
Jena la Flamme is the founder and owner of the Jena Wellness Center, www.jenawellness.com. For readers of Natasha Linton, she is offering a “Lose Weight Without Self-Deprivation” Coaching Session for $97 (normally $197). Call 212-260-6064 and mention the Park Slope Hip Mama offer.
Thanks Jena!
Natasha Linton
NYC Personal Trainer
Sweating with Your Honey
March 23, 2009
As written for This Marriage Thing Blog
One of the best ways to keep motivated for a little exercise is to grab a partner and exercise together. If you are married or in some other type of relationship; why not workout together? Why would one want to do that you ask? Here’s why:
- If you have children you’d want to make sure your whole family stays fit and healthy. Childhood obesity is a serious condition in the country. Parents you can help to fight this by making exercise a family activity.
- Obesity in adults is no joke either. Want your spouse to lose weight? Why not join him/her and workout together?
- Too busy for even each other at times? Squeeze some body weight exercise in at home. Pushups, crunches, walk around the block.
Remember, a family that sweats together stays together.
Natasha Linton
NYC Personal Trainer
Making Time for Exercise Is Easy
March 19, 2009
Here is more on finding time to exercise.
This one is from Ace Fitness.
Also, read interview with Fitness Expert Steve Jordan HERE
By now you know that exercise is good for you, and that you should do something on a regular basis. What’s the best time for you to exercise? Any time. Honestly.
For example, when you’re sitting and watching TV, stretch your muscles. Never stretch so hard it hurts. Instead, stretch to the point of mild tension and hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
A healthy exercise program includes three kinds of exercise: aerobic activity, muscular conditioning and flexibility exercise. You can start your exercise program without investing in any elaborate equipment. For example, you can do simple body-weight exercises at home or at your desk at work, including sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups.
For basic strength-training exercises, expensive weight-lifting equipment isn’t required. Instead, head for the kitchen and pick up the soup cans you have in the cupboard or the gallon milk jug from the fridge.
Aerobic Activity Can Be Fun
Aerobic activity is defined as prolonged continuous movement of large muscle groups. Translated, that means “do something that keeps you moving.” Ideally, do it for 30 minutes straight. If you don’t have that much time, three 10-minute aerobic activity sessions will benefit you almost as much.
The good thing about aerobic activity is that it includes many of the sports you probably already enjoy. Walking, biking, hiking, dancing, swimming and even basketball are all examples of aerobic exercise.
Another good thing is that you can easily accomplish those three 10-minute sessions with things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking around the neighborhood after work or parking your car farther away from your destination.
You could even turn shopping into an aerobic activity. Shopping involves walking, so don’t stop for 10 minutes straight and you’ve worked in one of your daily sessions! Check with your local mall for mall walker programs and you’ll have company.
Aerobic exercise is definitely good for cardiovascular health and fitness. And here’s something else you’ll like: Aerobic activity can help you lose weight.
Plenty of Good Exercise All Around the House
If you do housework or yard work, you’re doing yourself a favor. The stretching and lifting that housework entails is good exercise. So is work you do outside. Yard work uses many muscle groups, especially activities like planting and working in the garden.
Raking uses your arm and back muscles. Digging gives your arms and legs a workout. And gardening provides a bonus: You’ll have more fresh vegetables and fruits to add to your diet.
Is one time better than another to exercise?
It’s really up to you. You can exercise in the morning, afternoon or evening. Lunch breaks offer an excellent opportunity to get out of the office and exercise. Use your coffee break to take a short walk around the office. Get rid of the day’s stress by fitting in an exercise session after work.
Whatever time you choose, make sure you stick with it, as establishing a routine will help you adhere to the program. For some people, it’s easier to stay with an exercise program when you do it with a friend or coworker.
Make Time to Stay Healthy
Exercise is one of the best things you can do for yourself. If you’re basically healthy, get going right now. If you’re a man 45 or older, or a woman 55 or older, or have any health problems, consult your physician first.
Additional Resource
American Academy of Family Physicians—The Exercise Habit: www.familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/physical/basics/059.printerview.html
Natasha Linton
NYC Personal Trainer
Need motivation?
March 16, 2009
A Walk a Day
March 12, 2009
from acefitness.org
The popularity of walking as a fitness activity is growing by leaps and bounds. Low risk and easy to start, walking has proved its health benefits in numerous studies. A classic eight-year study of 13,000 people conducted at the Institute for Aerobics Research under the direction of Dr. Steven Blair found that those who walked the equivalent of
30 minutes a day had a significantly lower risk of premature death than those who rarely exercised.
A regular walking program can help:
- Reduce blood cholesterol
- Lower blood pressure
- Increase cardiovascular endurance
- Boost bone strength
- Burn calories and keep weight down
Get Ready
A walking program is simple to start. All you need are comfortable clothes and shoes. It is a good idea to layer loose clothing, keeping in mind that exercise elevates the body’s temperature. Shoes specifically designed for walking are your best option.
Every workout should begin with a brief warm-up and a few simple stretches. Walk around the house or in place for a few minutes to get the blood flowing to the muscles before you attempt to stretch them. Although walking primarily works the major muscles of the legs, don’t forget to stretch your back, shoulders and arms. This will help to loosen up any tension you may be carrying and make your walk more enjoyable, as well as more effective.
Get Moving
Beginning walkers can make their workouts less strenuous by limiting how fast and far they walk. Keep the following in mind:
- Walk short distances—Begin with a five-minute stroll and gradually increase your distance.
- Forget about speed—Walk at a comfortable pace. Focus on good posture, keeping your head lifted and shoulders relaxed.
- Swing your arms naturally—Breathe deeply. If you can’t catch your breath, slow down or avoid hills.
- Be sure that you can talk while walking—If you can’t converse, you are walking too fast.
Get Fit!
Walking is one fitness activity that allows you numerous options. Once you have reached a point where you can walk a few miles with relative ease, you can start to vary the intensity.
Walking hills, in addition to increasing your cardiovascular endurance, is a great way to tone the legs. Concentrate on lengthening your stride or increasing your speed. And don’t forget to reward yourself after each workout with a few minutes of relaxing stretches to help prevent sore muscles.
Listening to lively music while you walk is also a great way to energize your workout. But if you wear headphones, keep the volume down and watch out for traffic that you may not hear.
Keep track of your progress. Many experts recommend that you walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day, but there are no hard and fast rules. Fit walking into your schedule whenever you can. That may mean three 10-minute walks each day, or even hour-long walks two to three times a week. The best schedule is one that keeps you walking and keeps you fit!
Additional Resources
American Heart Association:
www.americanheart.org
WebMD—The Basics: Walking for Fitness and Fun: www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/walking-for-exercise
Mayo Clinic—Walking for Fitness: www.mayo
clinic.com/health/walking/HQ01612
Natasha Linton
NYC Personal Trainer
10 Tricks for Sticking to It
March 11, 2009
From IDEA Health & Fitness
Now you’re exercising again, and it feels great. Of course, it felt great last year, too, when you went to the gym every morning for almost the entire winter! If it feels so great, why do you keep quitting? You may be able to make your physical activity more consistent by using some of these tricks.
1. Start Looking at Exercise Differently. This is the big one, from my perspective, says James Gavin, PhD, sport psychologist and professor at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. All movement is exercise. People need to give themselves more options. Take the dog for a walk, bike to the store, take five-minute stretch breaks. If you don’t count something as exercise unless it happens in the gym, goes on for 40 minutes or requires a shower afterward, you’re missing some of your best opportunities to stay active.
2. Think Small. This advice can be hardest for people who expect the most from themselves. Why bother walking around the block when you should be running your usual four miles? Because when you don’t have time to do all four miles, a brisk hike can keep you from feeling that you’ve failed.
3. Set an Agenda. It helps to challenge yourself with a learning or performance agenda, says Gavin. Set a goal, such as increasing the speed, frequency or duration of your activity. Maybe it’s time to train for a marathon–or take a walk up the hill in the backyard without getting winded. (It’s perfectly fine to think small for your performance agenda, too). Your trainer can help you determine appropriate goals.
4. Get off the Beaten Path. Have you ever tried snowboarding? Bowling? Swing dancing? Body surfing? Chi kung? How about reversing your power walk route? Exercising at a different time of day? Physical activity isn’t boring, but how you participate in it can be.
5. Use Your Brain. The active mind needs to be engaged, says Gavin. If you’re new to exercise, dissociate tactics, such as listening to music, watching TV or playing computer games may help you stick with it–but stay aware of sensations that could signal injury or overdoing it. As you become more experienced, associative strategies, such as focusing on your breath or concentrating on the movement of your body, can help you enjoy exercise more.
6. Get an Accountability Partner. Minneapolis lifestyle coach Kate Larsen suggests finding a friend, mentor or coach to keep you honest. You can either exercise with your partner, or simply check in with him or her to report your progress.
7. Plan to Stay Active. Don’t decide in the moment if you can make the choice beforehand, says Larsen. Plan to park farther from the office and put your walking shoes in the car the night before. Plan to take that new yoga class next week, and call the babysitter now.
8. Face Your Fitness Foes. Does vacation throw your exercising schedule out of whack? Do projects at work overtake your activity time? Do injuries sideline you? Boredom? Fear of success? Fitness foes can be beaten once they’ve been identified. You can change your vacation style, set work limits, get guidance for injury-free activity, find new challenges, or face your fears with counseling and support.
9. Go Tribal. Even if you are introverted, the presence of others in your exercise environment can be motivating. We pick up on other people’s energy, Gavin points out. We get into the tribal rhythms of being fully alive. Choose places and times to exercise where there will be other people who are actively involved in exercise.
10. Use a Script. We tell ourselves things like, Skipping this one little walk won’t matter all that much, according to Larsen. Next time, be prepared with an answer for this excuse. Use images of past successful experiences to remind yourself of how good exercise makes you feel. Or repeat a simple phrase to yourself, such as, Every little bit makes a big difference. If you use planning, flexibility and imagination, you won’t ever need to feel like a dropout again.
Natasha Linton
NYC Personal Trainer
Great Upper Body Exercise II
March 10, 2009
Here is another great upper body exercise. This one works the chest and arms all at once. Again, this is great for weight loss.
Dumbbell Chest Press (chest, and arms)
· Lie on back on a flat bench or on a mat with feet planted firmly on the floor
· Keep a natural arch in back
· Grab the dumbbells with palms facing away from the body
· Hold the dumbbells to the outside of chest in the air
· Slowly lower the weight down
· Press the dumbbells back up to starting position
Click here for Great Upper Body Exerise I
Natasha Linton
NYC Personal Trainer
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Get into Something
March 9, 2009
As written for Run4ChangeWhen your goal is weight loss it is important that you keep active and move often on a daily basis. You have so many options of activities to get into out there even if you are not a gym member. Also whether or not you live in the hot or cold climate there is something for you.
Not sure what to do?
- Think about activities you’ve always enjoyed or enjoyed once before
- Think about something you’ve always wanted to try out
It doesn’t matter what you choose. Again, whether you choose basketball, skiing, jogging, hiking, a new workout DVD, a new gym class, moving is important.
Commit to doing this activity more than once a week. Once a week won’t cut it especially if that is all you are engaging in.
Natasha Linton
NYC Personal Trainer
