Road Trips

This week I went on a short trip to Indiana with my sister. And though it was only two days, I still found it hard not to eat the ENTIRE time. It reminded me how important it is to plan ahead to avoid a non-stop feeding frenzy. So I thought I would offer a couple of suggestions to help those when you hit the road.

1. Take snacks in small containers/amounts—this could be 100 calorie packs or snacks that you have distributed in snack baggies. This helps limit your portions and also will save you some money in the long run.
2. Pack your lunch—again, this will not only help save your money, it will also limit calorie intake. Considering most fast food lunches can be over 500 calories, this is a fantastic way to save up some calories so you can have a nice dinner out.
3. Water, water, water—I know this make potty stops more frequent, but the benefits of water don’t stop when you go on vacation. Water will help you feel full, keep you regular (gross, but true), and keep your skin from drying out.
4. Beware of continental breakfast—yes it is great that you get a free breakfast at your hotel, but that doesn’t mean you have to try every pastry, bagel, donut or fresh baked waffle they offer. Try to find a breakfast that is close to what you would eat at home. Most hotels offer cereal, oatmeal, and fruit. Sugary baked goods are just going to make you hungry in less than an hour anyway.

Hopefully these tips can help you not totally blow it while exploring the country. And if you are wondering why Indiana, think covered bridges…23 covered bridges.

The Importance of Stretching

We have heard the lectures about the benefits of stretching from doctors, physical therapists, and even yoga instructors. Most of us, just ignored the lectures, research and testimonials. I was the biggest skeptic. I thought yoga was just a bunch of lazy people who wanted to say they worked out when all they really did was lay around on their backs and moan.

My dismissal of stretching came to a screeching halt a little over a year ago. I have battled chronic back pain since high school. Once a year, almost like clockwork, I would “throw out” my back and be couch-bound for 3-4 days. Doctors would recommend heat therapy, muscle relaxers and stretching. I would take the photo copies of stretches home with me and watch them collect desk on the kitchen table.

That all ended when I finally “slipped” a disc in my back forcing me to endure unrelenting pain for 8 weeks. During this time I attended my bridal shower, wedding and went on a honeymoon. I also said goodbye to my husband and sent him to the US Navy’s Boot Camp where I couldn’t see or speak to him for two months. This should have been the most important and memorable time of my life. But I don’t have any real memories from these milestones. All I really remember was the pain, trying to survive the pain. I went to doctors and therapists for help, but got no relief. It wasn’t until I went to a back specialist was I told that back surgery was my only hope. The idea of back surgery scared the living hell out of me. I cringed at the idea of letting someone cut on my back. But I had endured such pain for so long, I went for it. It was a success.

I had a laminectomy of the lumbar spine. Which means a laser cut the part of my disc that was impinging on my spine. It was outpatient and I walked to the car less than three hours after the surgery. The pain was gone and I was ecstatic. I diligently attended physical therapy and was thrilled to run into my husband’s arms at his boot camp graduation, pain free.

I thought the worst was over. I thought I was “cured” and would just need to be careful when lifting or twisting. I was wrong. About four months after my surgery I found myself back on the couch, heating pad in tow. I was crushed.

Ironically, this was the same time I was studying to become a certified personal trainer. And it was in my education materials I found an old theme resonating: the importance of stretching. I learned about two muscles, the hamstrings and hip flexors (front of the hip joint), which tend to be overworked and under stretched. This imbalance in the muscles can cause your spine to be misaligned. This made sense to me, so I began stretching these muscles everyday after I worked out, even after I showered (when the muscles are warm). I saw a difference overnight.

Since I began making stretching a priority, my back has been 100 percent better. And so I have been diligent…until recently. And this morning I was reminded once again about the importance of stretching. I was making my bed and there was that familiar pain in my back. So I am writing this from my couch, heating pad in place, urging everyone to take a few minutes to stretch after your shower tomorrow morning.

Not sure what stretches to do? Drop me an email at laurashell1999@gmail.com and I can send you some.

To Lift or Not To Lift

Many people, women especially, don’t understand the importance of lifting weights as it relates to health AND weight loss. Some women even fear that building muscle will make them look “bulky” or big. So let me just break it down for you.

Why is building muscle important to you?

1. Building muscle not only strengthens your muscles, it strengthens your bones! We all know women are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis, but strength training can help prevent bone density loss!
2. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Let me say that one more time…the more muscle you have the more calories you burn. That means the more food you can eat. Gotta love that!
3. Last, but not least….you look better with a little muscle tone. It is amazing how gaining a little bit of muscle can make you look fantastic!

Weight lifting myths

1. You will look big and bulky, like a bodybuilder. WRONG! A moderate program isn't going to make your biceps bulge. It would take a lot of strength training (and testosterone for that matter) for a woman to start busting out of her clothes like the Incredible Hulk.
2. Strength training is only for the young. WRONG! Older people need it even more than the young, in order to counteract the decline in muscle strength that usually comes with aging, due to decreasing activity. If you're over 50, strength training can be your new best friend.
3. Strength training takes a lot of time to get results. WRONG! Strength training can be one of the fastest workouts—less time-consuming than cardio exercise like running or walking. Three 20-minute sessions a week (preferably not on consecutive days) can make a big difference.
   
   Now that I have you convinced, you may wonder where to start. Well, if haven’t done weight training before, it is best to have someone instruct you in the beginning. I can help! As a “traveling trainer”, I can come to your home, show you the proper way to do the most important moves, and give you a simple plan to follow. Drop me an email me at laurashell1999@gmail.com if you’re interested!

Where Do I Start?

When I sat down to write this blog, all I could think of was, "Where do I start?" How do I effectively offer advice, motivation, and ideas on getting healthy and fit? But then I thought that many people probably ask themselves that very same question: Where do I start to make the changes to transform my body? So I guess that is the best place for me to start.

The idea of changing your lifestyle, diet, etc. can be overwhelming, even daunting. That is because most people think of all the things they have to do or stop doing. They focus on all the food they will miss and how out of shape they feel. And that is when they begin to fail...before they even start.

The best way to begin any kind of change is with small steps. Believe it or not, there are little things you can start doing today that will help you feel better tomorrow.

What Can I Do Today?
Eat Breakfast- Cliché or not, it is the most important meal of the day. While you sleep your metabolism slows to a crawl. So when you get up in the morning, you metabolism needs a jump start. Consider breakfast your jumper cables.
Multivitamin- No matter how diligent you think you are when it comes to nutrition, you are not giving your body all the vitamins and minerals it needs to run at its peak. And that is where a daily multivitamin comes in. At the very least it is insurance for those days you don’t eat the best things for your body.
Write down what you eat- Even for someone who has watched what she has eaten for the past five years, I continually underestimate the amount of calories I eat in a day. When you see it in black and white it helps you to see where all your calories are going and where the pounds are coming from.
WATER! WATER! You have been bombarded with the importance of drinking water and keeping hydrated. But it isn’t all hype. There are many times you many feel as though your body is craving food, when it is actually craving water. A recent study by UNC suggests that people who drink an average of 6.5 cups of water during the day consume close to 200 fewer calories per day.
Increase your activity- I am not talking about going out a running a marathon, or even going for a 2-mile hike. Increasing your activity can mean taking a walk around the block or choosing the steps at work. A little can go a long way or as I like to say “any movement is good movement.”

I hope I didn’t overwhelm or discourage you; I hope I gave you somewhere to begin. Try these 5 things for awhile and when you are ready to take on something else, come back and visit.