Your Gym Bag Essentials

Telling yourself you are going to the gym is one thing, but actually going requires a lot more than just thinking about it and saying it. One thing that can really help motivate you to go to get that workout in is to pre-pack your gym bag!

Having all your exercise essentials ready in one place really helps when it comes to spontaneous decision making. Think about it: if you are thinking about the pros and cons of getting a workout in, a major factor is actually getting everything you need together. If you have everything all in one place already, half of the work is done and you will be more inclined to get up and go! 

As part of FIT MARCH 2013, I want to instill an idea of pre-organization in you all. I like to call it: thinking ahead. (My mom used to always tell my sisters and I to think ahead before asking questions/going to school because it would make us understand everything better).

Heres how to "think ahead" for the gym:

• Shorts/yoga pants/leggings. Whatever you feel comfortable in, put them in your gym bag. That way, you already have your favorite workout outfit waiting for you.
• T-shirt and sports bra. Do I need to explain?
• Socks. No one likes working out without socks on. Unless you're doing yoga.
• Sneakers. This one's self-explanatory, but put your sneakers by/into your gym bag. It'll get you even more motivated!
• Water Bottle. Whether your environmental or not, you need your water! If you're going to a hard workout, maybe coconut water is better!
• Makeup Remover wipes. Working out in makeup is just asking for breakouts, so take it off!
• Deodorant. And do not forget to reapply...
• Hairbrush and hair elastics. I have had my only hair tie break on my countless times during a workout. Bring extra and a hair brush so that your hair doesn't hinder your workout for the day.
• Tampons. If it's that time of the month, you want to make sure you have plenty to go around, just in case!
• Ipod/MP3 Player. And make sure it's charged...
• Towel. Because you know you are going as hard as you can, and you're going to need something to wipe the sweat away ;)

There you have it! Now, every night before you go to bed, make it a habit to pack your gym bag! Think ahead for the next day and make it that much easier on yourself to get a workout in!

Love you always!

Jo

How To Reward Yourself!

Hey guys! When Nemo hit Boston, I decided to film a video but I didn't get around to editing/uploading until today...haha so here it is!

Also, stay tuned because something really exciting is going to be announced Friday!

Love always,
Jo

5 Ways to Stay Motivated

During the middle of every month, I always lack motivation. I start the month with a bang, and end the month strutting, but midway I cannot find the willpower to workout sometimes.

Women's Health has a new issue out for March 2013 (Jessica Alba is on the cover), and they had an article about staying motivated. What I liked about this article was that it wasn't the cliches you hear everywhere: think of what your body will look like in 4 months, etc. These were about what would happen immediately after a workout, and it got me excited to workout again!

Here were the rewards they talked about:

1. Boost Brain Productivity
2. Make Healthy Friendships at the Gym
3. Get Glowing Skin
4. Have Hotter Sex
5. Sleep Better

If you want to know more about how exercise actually helps with these, please read the article! It was really inspiring and helpful! 

Now, I need to go do the fat burning body workout they had in this issue too!

Adios!

Jo

Winter Workouts: When it's too Cold to go to the Gym

This past week has shown all of the non-native New Englanders just how vicious the winter can be up here. The thought of setting foot in the cold is kind of unfathomable. I mean, I try to find every excuse in the book not to workout, and this weather makes it that much easier to throw in the towel.

Fortunately, you can workout in your own dorm room! Clear out your floor space, put on your workout clothes, and let’s get to it!

I always do cardio first, because it’s easier, more fun, and totally gets your heart pumping! The best way to get some cardio in while staying indoors is by just having a dance party. Nothing says college like having a dance party at 3 pm in you dorm room… But honestly, grab your roommate, friends or just yourself, put on your favorite dance playlist and get moving! Go for as long as you would in the gym. 20 minutes on the elliptical means 20 minutes dancing like no one is watching!  Dancing not only improves flexibility, strength, and endurance, but it also helps mentally. What’s not to like about it?!

After you have gotten all your stress out with 20 minutes of straight dance, it is time to tone and sculpt your body. There are TONS of exercises you can do without any equipment whatsoever. And the best part about being in a dorm room is that when you feel you need to add weight to an exercise, all you have to do is grab one of your ridiculously heavy textbooks and pretend it’s a dumbbell. If you aren’t privileged enough to own an eight-pound biology textbook, just double up with smaller textbooks until you get the weight you want! Here are some exercises you can do with or without your textbooks to still get a great workout in:

SQUATS

If you don’t do squats, you might as well just shoot yourself in the kneecaps. Okay, don’t do that, but start incorporating squats into your workouts. There are so many variations of squats you can do. Stand with the feet hip-width apart, make sure your knees don’t go over your toes, and pretend you are about to sit down in a really low chair (like toddler-sized chair). You can keep your arms out for balanced, or you can hold a textbook to add more difficulty! You can take that textbook and pretend it’s a kettle bell:  start swinging it over your head and back as you squat. There are so many different things you can do while squatting to get a full body workout in!

LUNGES

These make everyone and their moms cry because they are so painful, but they work just as great as those squats to make you feel like you just went to the gym. Again, there are so many variations to the lunge. You can do a side lunge, a reverse lunge, split squats, or leaps. You name an exercise, and somehow you can incorporate a lunge in there. Again, add a textbook for added difficulty. Hold it up above your head or do some bicep curls with it. Maybe learning through osmosis works when you’re burning calories (maybe not, but I’ll pretend to make myself feel better).

PLANKS

Eliminate the crunches and sit-ups from your workout, and start putting planks in there. The best part about a plank is that you can actually study while doing them. Read a paragraph while you are in plank position from your textbook, rest, and repeat. You will have rock-hard abs and straight A’s in no time! Again, there are many variations to the plank as well. You can do a standard plank in push-up position or you can go down to your forearms. You can do side planks, alternate lifting your legs, or start punching the air. Really, whatever you want to do, you can probably do while holding a plank.

PUSH-UPS

The best workout for your arms, core, back, really your entire body, is the push-up. There are so many variations to this too, depending on the distance between your hands. If you can’t do regular push-ups, do press-ups (aka girl push-ups) with your knees on the floor. Anyway you do it, you are getting a great full-body workout that is toning your body (and getting you ready for spring break!).

Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean you can’t workout. When the weather gets to the negatives, just remember that working out in your dorm can be as productive, effective, and fun as working out at FitRec!

The Best Nutrition & Fitness Apps

For someone new to a healthy lifestyle, the gym can be one of the most daunting places on campus. FitRec is often crawling with students who look like part-time bodybuilders, not to mention those workout machines that resemble ancient torture devices. So first I’d like to commend you for stepping out and heading to the gym! You are not alone in this new world of running shoes and broccoli (and adorable Lululemon yoga pants). And with the busy schedule and limited resources of a Collegiette™ like yourself, leading a healthy lifestyle can be pretty difficult. Here’s a list of the health and fitness apps that keep me on track.

NIKE+ Running
This is by far my favorite running app. It syncs with your iPod to give you the best running experience andtracker! Unfortunately, you need the Nike+ iPod
gadgets ($29.00 at Apple) to track everything, but if you are a Nike fanatic, you will love it. You can tell your iPod how long you want to run for (miles and time) and it does all the work for you, even alerting you how far you have gone periodically. Then, when it syncs with Nike+ Running, you can see how far you ran, your average mile time, and how many calories you burned. You can even rate how it felt so that you can compare runs and track your progress!

RunKeeper
This one is for you Asics lovers…RunKeeper gets more personal. They ask for your weight and height, skill level, and your running goals (lose weight, finish a race, etc). With all that information, they give you a goal to hit like running a 5k in 10 weeks. Then, it gives you different training schedules to choose from so you don’t even have to think about it! You just follow what it says and accomplish your lofty running goals!

Nike Training Club
Okay, you guessed it. I love Nike. This app works for everyone and absolutely no gadgets are needed! First, you choose what goal you wish to achieve (Get Lean, Get Toned, Get Strong, or Get Focused). Next, you put in your skill level and the app gives you a few workouts you can choose from that are hard enough to make you sweat but easy enough for your skill level. Also, every time you finish a certain amount of workouts, it rewards you with a new title (and getting rewards is everyone’s favorite thing).

Daily Workouts
This app is a bit more flexible than the others. Every day, you just pick what you want to work on, whether it’s abs, arms, butt, legs, cardio, or even full body. Then you pick how long you want to work out for (5-30 minutes) and it goes through each workout with you until the workout is complete. I love using this one when I don’t feel like leaving my room but I want a workout because no equipment is needed for any of the moves!

ShopWell

I have become obsessed with this one. It starts off by getting all your information, your nutritional goals, what you find important in your diet, what you want to minimize in your diet, and any allergies you may have. Next time you go shopping, you can scan in a barcode of a product you may want to buy and it will let you know if it is a strong match for you. Not only that, but it ranks it by percentage so you know how strong of a match it is. It also tells you what part of the nutrition facts label pertains to you, as well as what in the ingredient list works (and doesn’t work) for your specifications. If something is a poor match, it will tell you why, and then give you suggestions of similar products that better fit into your qualifications.

MyFitnessPal
Have you ever heard that journaling what you eat is the best way to lose weight? Well, it helps tremendously and this app makes it so much easier! Again, this app asks for the usual height, weight, and goals information. It then sets up how much calories you should eat in a day along with the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. All you do is type in what you ate for each meal and it calculates your daily caloric intake. Then, you can go back and see what you ate on the days you may have had too much sugar or sodium. Very useful for us non-math majors!

So, there you go! Download all or some of these (FREE) apps and kick your healthy butt into gear - soon that overwhelming feeling you’ve been experiencing at the gym will be a thing of the past!

Your Post-Holiday Workout!

We all party a bit too hard during the holidays.  I mean, it’s the one time of the year that it’s socially acceptable to dress however you want and do whatever you want, so why not?  Unfortunately, all that candy and alcohol takes a pretty big toll on our bodies.  It’s great to have an awesome night out with your friends, but now it’s time to put your butt back in gear and rejuvenate!

First, let’s talk about your diet.  For the next few days, hydration is key.  Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it increases urination.  You definitely need to be drinking at least 8-10 ounces of water for a few days to get your energy back up.

Don’t skip any meals.  Skipping meals will lower your caloric intake.  Calories = Energy.  Without sufficient calories, you won’t have the energy to do anything productive, so be sure to get all your meals in!  Also, now more than ever your body needs to be recharged with nutrients, considering how many you lost (especially the micronutrients) from consuming alcohol.

Choose the right foods.  Eating a bag of chips will probably make you feel better short-term, but it isn’t the best option.  Going for whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean cuts of protein will give your body the right nutrients it needs.  Plus, you’ll feel a lot better about yourself long-term because you chose to eat the right things!

Let’s move on to the workout I put together.  It’s only 16 minutes long, making it a perfect workout to do if you’re still a little hungover.  It incorporates cardio and strength, exhausting all the muscles in your body so that you get that perfect body you’ve been working on all semester back.  There are a total of 4 moves, so it’s easy to remember and easy to do!

1.   Push-ups.  The standard push-up is one of the best full-body exercises. Starting in plank position, lower your body by bending at your elbows until they are forming a right angle.  You can modify by putting your knees on the ground or putting your hands on a bench/chair for an incline.  Do a set for 30 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds before moving on to…

2.   Split Squat Jumps.  Think of these as just alternating lunge jumps.  Start in a lunge with your dominant foot in front.  Then, jump and switch so that you land in a lunge with your non-dominant foot in front.  Make sure your knee never goes in front of your foot; keep it aligned with your ankle.  These are great for tightening your core, butt and thighs. Again, do a set for 30 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds!

3.  Jump-in, Jump-outs.  Starting in a downward dog position, jump and move your legs in closer to your arms.  Then, jump back out into downward dog.  It’s really simple, but so effective!  Like the others, do this for 30 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds.

4.   Leg Scissors. Lying on your back with your hands under your butt, raise your legs about one foot off the ground. Lift your shoulders as you start to alternate one leg over the other.  This works your core and legs like no other!  Do a set for 30 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds before going to the last move.

Repeat this cycle a total of 6 times! In no time, you will have your pre-Holiday body back!

Are You Exercising Enough?

I see so many people ask this to fitness experts in every form possible. Now, there isn't a wrong amount or a right amount, but here is what you should know to tailor your exercise regimen so that you feel you are exercising enough.

• Every bit of exercise helps!

Even if it's just 10 minutes, any type of physical activity helps.

•  More is always better.

If you can put in 20 minutes one day instead of 10, then please do so! You'll feel better about yourself, and your helping your body feel great!

Moving just a little bit can cause some serious health boosts and help prevent many diseases, so if you can't commit to 2 hours a day for 6 days of the week, don't worry about it!

Get out there and move!

Pre/Post Workout Meals

As more people start getting interested in nutrition and fitness, more people get confused on what exactly they should be eating every meal. The talk about pre- and post-workout meals has become really confusing for some. So here it is, simplified:

Pre-workout Meal

This meal is the meal eaten BEFORE a workout. It supplies your body with the nutrition needed to ensure optimal performance during the workout. There are 3 things you need to do to ensure optimal performance. First, you need to reduce muscle glycogen depletion. Second, you need to reduce muscle protein breakdown. Thirdly, you need to post workout cortisol levels. You are probably thinking that is too much science for me. BUT it is really easy to do these three things. All you need to do is provide your body with two things:

1. Carbohydrates
2. Proteins

All you need in your pre-workout meal is that: carbs and proteins. As long as you provide your body with that, you are on the right track. If you want to get specific, you need approximately a quarter of your body weight in each IN GRAMS. You can either have it in solid form 60-90 minutes before your workout, or you can have it in liquid form (like a protein shake) 30 minutes before your workout.

Post-workout Meal

This is the meal eaten AFTER a workout. It supplies your body with the right nutrition to aid in repairing, rebuilding, and recovering. You need to accomplish a few more than 3 things with this meal. You need to:

• replenish the muscle glycogen that was lost
• reduce the muscle protein breakdown
• increase muscle protein synthesis
• reduce muscle soreness and fatigue
• greatly enhance overall recovery
• reduce cortisol levels

It is exactly the same, though. To provide all of this to your body you need to give it 2 things:

1. Carbohydrates
2. Proteins

It is that simple. This meal should be eaten within the hour after your workout to ensure proper nutrient intake. Again, if you want to be more specific you need about a quarter of your body weight in each but you can up the carbohydrates to about half of your body weight in grams.

More Detailed Information

Fitting Your Health into Your Busy Day

Days like today are when I realize why many people let go of their health. I was up at 6:30 just so I can start my workout before the busy day ahead of me (and it's summer vacation). If I was in school right now, I probably would have called today my day off and just watched what I ate. So how do most Americans deal with busy days? I think the problem is time management. People don't take the time to really plan everything out. Here are my tips to help you guys out!

1. Before you go to bed at night, make sure everything is ready for the next day including your outfit, your lunch, etc.
2. Make sure you plan your day out. Every Sunday, I plan out my next week minute to minute.
3. Give yourself time to relax. If you have some "me time," you are more likely to want to do more for yourself (like exercise)
4. MAKE LISTS. My laptop is filled with sticky notes that are filled with lists. I have lists for short-term goals, long-term goals, what I need to do today, and what I need to do by next month. 
5. Avoid procrastination by setting deadlines for yourself. Even if it is to go get contact solution, make a deadline so that you actually get some before you run out!

I hope these help you. These tips help me stay organized this summer and still get workouts in at least 5 times a week!

Do you need to see a doctor before starting an exercise program?

I see this question come up a lot with beginners who just want to start going for walks. They don't see the purpose in asking their physician if this exercise program is the right one for them. Maybe they feel as if they know their body well enough. Unfortunately, that usually isn't the case.

Your physicians know your medical history and can see if anything may happen if you start a certain kind of training. For example, I have juvenile arthritis in both knees. So, if I want to train for a 5K, I need to go see my doctor and ask if my knees can take that pressure. If he says yes, I also need to know if I can follow a certain x week plan or will that be too hard for my knees. Can I go faster than this plan entails? Should I go slower? He knows more than I do that my knees are very delicate and need proper care in order for me to run a 5K. 

Even though it is important to speak with your physician, there are 7 questions you can ask yourself before making the appointment. If you answer NO to every question, it is assumably safe to start the exercise program. If you answer YES to ANY question, it is advised to see a medical professional before beginning.

Here are the seven questions:

1. Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition AND that you should only do physical activity recommended by a doctor?
2. Do you feel pain in your chest when you do physical activity?
3. In the past month, have you had chest pain when you were not doing physical activity?
4. Do you lose your balance because of dizziness or do you ever lose consciousness?
5. Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity?
6. Is your doctor currently prescribing drugs for your blood pressure or a heart condition?
7. Do you know of any other reason why you should not do physical activity?

If you do answer each question with a "No" make sure you know the risks you are taking. It is really important to go speak with your doctor before starting an exercise regime. 

I'm Thirsty

The past few weeks, I have heard way too many people say it is too hot to exercise outside. Even if it is just a half hour walk, my mom is the first person to use the high heat and humidity that has been engulfing our summer air here in New Jersey to stay inside and watch Dr. Oz (we already know how I feel about that). My cousins and I are the first generation to be born here in America, so for my family (native to the scorching hot Dominican Republic) to say it is too hot to go outside is just ludicrous. So why the excuse? Why the sudden need to use bearable weather (at least for our family) as means to stay inside? Obviously a lot of factors go into this. Laziness is one of them, but again, I already wrote about that. Another factor is the sports drinks industry, and here's why.

For the past 20(ish?) years (I don't know exactly, I'm only 19), the sports drinks industry has been marketing that humans need to say "ahead of the thirst" to be properly hydrated during exercise. Really, they just want you to drink their product before, during, and after your exercise. You need to be putting electrolytes back in your body and giving yourself the proper hydration because you "lose" so much of it with sweat that it could be potentially dangerous! (Please reread that sentence with a bit of sarcastic humor in your voice.) I'm going to bring up a newly published article at bmj.com (literally published like, today). Written by the awesome Timothy David Noates, this article brings up how and why being overly hydrated is more dangerous than being dehydrated. I bet you didn't see that one coming.

Let's start with dehydration. When does dehydration become a serious health risk? Well, once the total body water content drops 15% or more is when. How much time does it take for your body to decrease in 15% of its total body water content? Well, it actually only takes 48 hours in a desert with absolutely no water! So now you might be asking why is it that many distance runners and athletes collapse when it is just "too hot" outside to be exercising? Here's the common misconception. Because of marketing of sports drinks, many think that dehydration is the cause of an athletes' collapse but, that usually isn't the case. Commonly, a collapse due to exercising in the heat is because of exercise-associated postural hypotension, or low blood pressure due to exercise. That, my friends, has very little or just about nothing to do with hydration.

Now we can go on to hyperhydration, or water intoxication. An increase in total body water by just 2% can lead to serious health risks like edema (when there's excess water in cavities and tissues of your body). A greater increase can cause hyponatremic encephalopathy, a really scientific way to say cerebral edema, or excess water in your brain. If untreated, this can cause death by respiratory arrest. Less severe (but still pretty severe) health conditions also caused by hyponatremic encephalopathy can be confusion, seizures, and coma. 

The truth is, humans have evolved to regulate their body temperatures during long bouts of exercise in dry heat (how do you think our ancestors hunted?). We don't need to replenish and regulate our fluid balances during exercise at all really. When you feel thirsty, it's because you probably broke a sweat (yay, you burned some calories! CONGRATULATIONS!) but it is no need to drink something. At least, not yet.

What I really wanted to say, was that when it is really hot outside, you can still go out and run/jog/walk/ whatever in this heat. You won't faint from dehydration. You might sweat a lot, but all of that water loss can be replenished at your next meal. Don't fear the heat, embrace it! And if you do feel dizzy or nauseous, lay on your back with your feet higher than your head!

T.D. Noakes Article

Americans Fight Against Laziness

I came across a video on YouTube recently in which Giavanni Ruffin is showcased. You can tell from the start that this man means business. He is ready to do whatever it takes to make his dreams a reality (his dream is to be drafted for the NFL). There is epic music (by Explosions in the Sky) and an inspirational speech (told with much emotion by Eric Thomas). This, my friends, was one of the most inspirational things I have ever encountered, but it got me thinking. Not only about me (and how I'm spending this summer cooped up in my parent's house), but this video made me realize that all my friends and family (except for my Dad) are lazy. A quote from the speech that stayed with me was, "when you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you'll be successful." My question is why are we, as a society, so lazy that success is something that seems unattainable to most?

Because we are lazy in our careers and everyday life, it affects our diet and exercise. Laziness, therefore, can have detrimental affects on your life. Even though it is okay to take a day off every once in a while, I think it is important for everyone to establish goals in every aspect of one's life. A promotion at your job is not just handed to you; you have to work harder than anyone else in that office to be able to secure that position. Losing a few pounds does not just happen overnight either. It takes work, perseverance, determination, and most importantly, PASSION. I think that is what Americans are lacking this day and age.

Passion is what makes someone go from good to excellent. Passion is why people work hard and achieve things never thought possible. Without the wanting and will to put everything in, no one would ever achieve anything. After watching the video, I took some time out to really think about what I want right now more than anything. I want to make a name for myself. I want to live a life filled with accomplishments only a select few see in their lives. I want to become the best at everything I set my mind to. In order to do those though, I cannot just sit on my butt and dream about it. I have to WORK at it. If that means losing sleep, then so be it. Laziness is NOT something I want to succumb to; I will not let it get in the way of my dreams. Will you let it get in the way of yours?

The Video