You don’t need a gym

I watched this week’s episode of The Biggest Loser where one team was “locked out” of the gym.  I was annoyed when Jillian Michaels whined and complained about this twist.  She kept saying how much of a disadvantage it is not to have a gym.  Meanwhile, her team [spoiler alert] smoked the other team in the weigh-in.

I know a lot of the histrionics are for television, but I would prefer the message being that you don’t need a gym or gym equipment to get in a good workout.  Why do you need a treadmill when you have beautiful weather outside?  Why do you need weights when you have your own body weight and resistance bands?  Gyms and weights make working out more convenient, but it doesn’t define what you can accomplish.

I attended training last weekend to become certified in a program called   Body Back.  It is a results-based “bootcamp” style class that uses high intensity interval training (HIIT).  The instructor basically killed us all day long and we didn’t use a single exercise machine.  The only equipment we used were resistance bands, ten pound dumbbells, and bosu balls.  Our first workout was done outside and was the hardest workout I have ever done.  We did sprinting and plyometrics for cardio, including a killer sprint up a steep hill.  We did pullups, pushups, one-legged deep dips, and arm exercises using resistance bands.

The second workout of the day involved rounds of alternating cardio, strength and core exercises.  The only equipment we used was a set of resistance bands.  I was pushed so hard I was actually brought to tears.  The tears were not tears of pain or frustration, but a spontaneous cathartic release.  I know it sounds super corny, but the emotional release was very intense and surprising.  Heck, I didn’t even cry when I finished my first marathon.  This physical and emotional breakthrough was done without a gym.

The last workout was a circuit.  It included things like bicep curls, mountain climbers, oblique crunches, ladder sprints, squats, burpies on a bosu ball, chest flies, skull crushers, and jumping jacks.  By the end of the last station, my tank was empty. I was sore for several days and never stepped inside a traditional gym.

I am always inspired by The Biggest Loser and admire how they can change lives with a gym or without.  I am hoping that this class will allow me to change lives in my own small way.  My friend, Heather, has participated in the program in San Diego and has lost over 20 pounds!  This woman ran five half marathons over two years and couldn’t lose those last few pounds of baby weight and was able to do it with an eight week fitness and nutrition program.  I am looking forward to my own clients’ success stories.

Between coaching runners and fitness training, I think I am well on my way to a new career in helping women reach their fitness and weight-loss goals.

Holidays and fitness

We are smack dab in the middle of "the holidays.*"   This is the biggest time for excuses when it comes to exercising.   I was talking to a friend a couple of weeks ago who is on a weight loss journey who said that her goal is to maintain or only gain a pound or two during the holidays.  I told her that she is setting her sights too low and that she shouldn't expect to fail.

There are a few tips to keeping on track during this busy time.

1) Have a Goal-
It needs to be a specific goal.  Stating that you will exercise during the holidays probably won't get you up in the dark or during a storm.  A race goal in January or February is a great way to get motivated during the holidays. Two years ago, I had thought about running my first half marathon in January.  I printed out a Higdon training plan and half-heartedly started training.  Excuse after excuse kept me from running.  I didn't even sign up for the race and so it was easy to let it go.  Last year and this year I signed up for my January races to keep myself on track.  Even simple goals like "run 20 miles per week" or "go to Pilates every Wednesday" is better than no goal at all.

2) Have a Plan-
A schedule is my way of making sure I get my mileage in.  The best way to get your exercise in during busy time is to make it a planned part of the day.  I know that right now if I ran when I felt like it or had time, I wouldn't do it at all.  I have to get up early to do it before my kids get up and my husband goes to work.

My plan is not set in stone, however.  I overslept a day last week and didn't have the time to get in a run before the activities of the day had to begin.  If my schedule didn't have wiggle room, it would have sent me into a tailspin of stress.  Instead I told myself I would just have to run another day.  If that didn't work out, I knew that it would all work out in the end.  If an exercise schedule causes stress, it is not doing the job it is meant to do.

3) Watch the Treats-
Duh, right?  This seems pretty obvious.  However, this time of year, holiday treats are EVERYWHERE.  When you have plates of Christmas cookies from the neighbors staring you in the face and you have five million things to do, it is so easy to have a lunch of shortbread and brownies instead of a salad or a pita.  Try to keep some easy meals on hand.  Even a Lean Cuisine or pre-made salad** will work for a quick grab during this chaotic week.

The good news is that the more you are exercising, the more you want the healthier food (most of the time), although this time of year that gets harder and harder.  I think that many diets have it backwards.  They start with the food and calorie counting and add the exercise as almost an afterthought.  If you focus on the exercise, you will find that you can't do it well if you are eating nothing but junk.  My friend Kelly had a pretty rough run on Saturday.  She realized that it was due to eating crappy all week and having several meals consisting of holiday treats.  She was really bummed because that long run is the only time all week she gets to herself and she ruined it by failing to fuel properly.  This week she is thinking about everything she eats and how it affects her long run, one of her favorite parts of the week.

But what about the parties?  The best way to keep from pigging out at a party is to eat a small, healthy meal before going.  One of the mistakes I make is not eating all day before some sort of event (because I am usually running around like a crazy person trying to find something to wear or cooking something to bring to the party).   If you aren't starving, you can pick and choose what you want to eat instead of shoving anything into your face.  It is ok to indulge a little.  I mean, what is the point of running hundreds of miles if you can't enjoy good food?  The key is moderation.

I hope that you all enjoy the next week or so.  I hope you are able to spend it with friends and family.  In all the chaos of the next couple of weeks, I hope you are able to squeeze in a little time for yourself to run, swim, ride, do some yoga etc.

Happy Running...


*I actually meant to write this post before Thanksgiving, but have barely had time to keep up on regular posting. Sorry these tips are so late in the season.
**Careful... some of those pre-made salads are loaded with fat and calories.

Feelin' FIT!

All this running and cross-training has helped me reach some personal fitness goals. At my Stroller Strides class last week, we had a fitness assessment. It reminded me of the Presidential Fitness Challenge we did in grade school. Remember the test of how many sit-ups you could do or how fast you could climb the rope? This was a personal assessment, not a competition, although I do admit, my competitive juices flowed a little, especially during the timed run *wink*

I am probably in the best shape I have ever been in. About ten years ago, I got into working out quite a bit. I lifted weights five or six days a week, but my cardio was usually limited to around 30 minutes or so. Now, I feel like my fitness is at an even higher level. I not only have the muscle tone, but the cardio fitness as well.

During the assessment last week, I was able to do a 90 degree wall squat for four minutes!! I might have been able to do a little longer, but I didn't want to kill my legs for the rest of the week (I had a race to run!). The muscles in my legs were quivering by the time I quit.

I was also able to do 26 pushups in a minute! These were no girly pushups either! I was also able to do crunches for seven minutes straight. My ab muscles hurt more than anything else the next day. There were a bunch of other exercises (calf raises, leg extensions, lat pull-downs) and I am excited to see if I can improve these during the next few months' assessments.

So a simple decision to run a marathon has brought my fitness to a level I haven't experienced before. I am actually thinking about trying to become a personal trainer. This is a tough decision, however. While I know I would love it, and I think I would be pretty good at it, it doesn't bring in the kind of income that I was bringing in prior to quitting to stay home with the kids. However, it does offer a lot of flexibility that my previous career never did. When I am ready to go back (once both kids are in school), I am not so sure I want to work the kind of insane hours I used to work. It would be nice to be home when the kids get home and be a room mother etc.

I hope this post doesn't see too boastful. I just wanted to write about the fortunate outcome becoming a runner. A friend of mine today, who I haven't seen for a while, commented on my fitness and asked how I feel. "I feel GREAT," I replied. And I do.