My Fitness Coach Blog

Hi,

Starting on Monday, September 8, I will be teaching a weekly Pilates class at Sun and Moon Yoga Studio on Lee Highway in Arlington (next door to Cherrydale Hardware). It will go from 6:30 PM until 7:45 PM.
For more details, see the Sun and Moon website (above). It costs less per class if you sign up for several, and a little more per class if you drop in.

Pilates is great for people who…
–have weak abdominals and low back muscles
–who need a low impact method of exercise
–who enjoy challenging themselves and learning how to move better
–who enjoy mind-body forms of exercise
–who like to work in a group setting

What is Pilates?
Pilates is an exercise form used to strengthen the core muscles (abdominals, back, obliques, glutes, hamstrings). It was named after Joseph Pilates, a German born in 1880. He was sickly as a child, but taught himself how to strengthen his body by studying anatomy and learning how to move each and every muscle. During WWI, he was interned with other German nationals in a camp for enemy aliens. There, he devised his system of exercises, originally called “Contrology”, and taught them to other internees. Soon, Pilates began to devise equipment (i.e. old bed springs and barrells) to help rehabilitate injured patients. After the war, he and his wife Clara moved to New York where they taught dancers this method of body strengthening and rehab work. It became quite popular and his reputation grew. After his death in 1967, his wife and others continued his work.

There are several forms of “Pilates”, some of which follow Joseph Pilates’ teachings more closely than others. Because there have been arguments about what is considered “classic Pilates”, the Pilates Method Alliance was formed. This group helps establish standards for certification and continuing education, and is closely affiliated with Joseph’s direct students (”The Pilates Elders”).

My certification is through Power Pilates, a member of the Pilates Method Alliance and which teaches a classical, systematic integrative approach to Pilates training. This form of classical Pilates is designed to give the student a great workout. It is slightly faster than other forms, and in many cases, your heart rate will increase and you will sweat. However, all exercises are done on a mat and involve little to no impact. People who have injuries should let me know and I will give information about exercise modifications.

Hope to see you there!

Danielle

The state of California recently passed a law to ban the use of trans fats in restaurants (1). This is a huge step toward eliminating the unhealthy fat from the American diet. Previously, cities including New York City, Philadelphia, Stamford, and Montgomery County, Maryland have also taken the initiative.

Trans fat is the result of partial hydrogenation of oils. It’s a very shelf-stable fat that gives food a creamy or oily taste, and also helps preserve the appearance and condition of food. Trans fat is in many snack foods, baked goods and restaurant foods. It is very positively linked to heart disease (the leading cause of death in the U.S.) as well as obesity.

The best way to tell whether a food item has trans fat is to check the label. If the nutrion panel includes “partially hydrogenated vegetable/soybean/cottonseed oil”, then it has trans fat. In many cases, a package may claim that there is “No Trans Fat”. However, you still need to check the ingredients because the law allows a manufacturer to state this if there is less than 1 gram of trans fat per serving. Depending on how many servings you eat, you may be getting too high of a dose. Otherwise, it may be impossible to tell whether there is trans fat in your restaurant meal, or anything else without a label. The best thing to do is to avoid baked, fried, and snack foods as much as possible, and to eat fresh fruits, vegetables, lowfat dairy, lean meats and fish, nuts and whole grains.

For more information on trans fat, visit the following sites and enter in a search for “trans fat”:
American Heart Association
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Food and Drug Administration

(1) STEINHAUER, J. “California Bars Restaurant Use of Trans Fats.” New York Times, July 26, 2008.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recently did a study to measure the state of health and fitness at the community level in 15 major metropolitan areas. The winner? San Francisco. However, the perhaps surprising finding is that the Washington, D.C. metro area came in 4th place, just after Seattle and Boston.

According to an article in USA Today by Nancy Hellmich (May 29, 2008), the ACSM “took into consideration a number of health indicators, including the percentage of people who exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, eat the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables, have access to health care, have health insurance and don’t smoke. They also looked at the environment, including the availability of parks, walking/bike trails and public transportation.”

The Washington D.C. area’s greatest strengths include many recreational opportunities, such as trails, ballparks and fields, farmer’s markets, rec centers, and high use of public transportation. The obesity rate is slighty lower than average; however, the number of people with diabetes is currently a challenge.

Check out the full report here: ACSM American Fitness Index Project

In the meantime, get out and take advantage of the many fitness opportunities that Washington D.C. has to offer!

Danielle

Summer has a way of making us relax the more conservative aspects of our personalities. We wear less clothing, shed some winter routines and inhibitions, search for ways to get away from the grind. In our search for ultimate relaxation, some of us will also increase alcohol consumption.

Drinking a margarita poolside can feel like the essence of summer. And it’s not a bad thing to occasionally indulge in something icy, sweet and alcoholic. But be careful about how much you drink for two main reasons–overall health and excessive calorie consumption.

What is an acceptable amount of alcohol? The American Heart Association defines it as an “average of one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. (A drink is one 12 oz. beer, 4 oz. of wine, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits, or 1 oz. of 100-proof spirits.)”

According to the American Heart Association, “Drinking too much alcohol can raise the levels of some fats in the blood (triglycerides). It can also lead to high blood pressure, heart failure and an increased calorie intake. (Consuming too many calories can lead to obesity and a higher risk of developing diabetes.) Excessive drinking and binge drinking can lead to stroke. Other serious problems include fetal alcohol syndrome, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death.”

If the health issues aren’t enough to slow you down, here are the caloric facts:

Protein and carbohydrate have 4 calories per gram.
Fats have 9 calories per gram.
Alcohol (the least satiating) has 7 calories per gram.

A regular bottle of beer has 125-150 calories.
A bottle of light beer, 100 calories.
A 5 oz. glass of wine, 120 calories.
A frozen margarita, pina colada or daquiri, about 250-500 calories (or more depending on the size)

How many do you have when you go out? If you are exercising and eating well otherwise but not losing weight, you may want to lower your alcohol consumption.

Danielle

Yikes! It’s been a while since I posted. Since I last posted, I completed a move and major job change. So needless to say, I’ve been slightly overwhelmed!

I’m sure you’ve felt similarly at some point, whether it’s a change in relationship status, a job change, a loss (or gain) of something or someone, or just a very busy time in your life. How do you handle it? Do you go with the flow, resist, a little of both? How do you ensure the appropriate amount of self-care?

I know from personal experience it can be difficult to keep your regular fitness and eating routine when life is turned upside down. But I also know that self-care is the most important thing to focus on, thanks to my guided imagery therapist and wellness coach! Yes, even I have my own advisors. There’s no way we can do it all by ourselves! In fact, a large part of my therapist’s work is to work with other therapists. She travels to places like New Orleans and war-torn countries to help care workers there.

But I digress…what is self-care? It is continuing proper nutrition and exercise, even if on a smaller level. It is knowing when it is time to act and time to rest. Mostly, it is knowing how to deal with your anxiety, energy and emotions in a healthy way.

Do you eat, smoke or drink in response to stress? If so, perhaps you should try a guided imagery meditation. Even if you’ve never meditated, guided meditations are just that–soothing voices that put you in a relaxed state. No experience necessary. They replace cravings for unhealthy things (assuming you use the meditations on a near-daily basis).

I have several recommendations:

Belleruth Naparstek: Great for weight loss, and body acceptance.
Martin Rossman
Susie Mantell–Your Present, A Half Hour of Peace (available on Amazon).

Let me know how you like them.

Danielle

In honor of the 11th CSC Invitational Bike Race yesterday in Clarendon, I wanted to provide a few local resources for biking.

BikeWashington.org
This site contains detailed information about biking routes in the Washington/Baltimore area. It has links to maps, descriptions of terrain and scenery, and information on paved/unpaved routes.

Bike Arlington
A site maintained by Arlington County. It offers resources to help encourage people to ride more often.

Bike the Sites
Company which offers bike tours of Washington D.C.

Washington Area Bicylist Association
WABA’s mission is to “create a healthy, more livable region by promoting bicycling for fun, fitness, and affordable transportation; advocating for better bicycling conditions and transportation choices for a healthier environment, and educating children, adults, and motorists about safe bicycling.”

Greetings,

I went outdoors with a client today. The weather was great and so the basement fitness room just didn’t hold as much appeal. We headed over to a nearby park which also has a playground. As my client did the exercises I gave her, the toddlers stared intently at us–probably the most focus they would have all week! It was nice to get out and find our own “inner child”.

Should you want to add a twist to your routine, check out some of the exercises we did:

1. Pushups on a park bench (hands on front edge of seat): wide arms and then close grip
2. Squat to standing back row with resistance tube placed around a pipe from the playground equipment
3. Step ups onto platform (platform should be flat and about 1 foot off the ground)
4. Hanging abs from monkey bars: 10 with knees straight in to chest—rest—and 10 with knees twisting each side to chest (getting obliques)
5. Backward lunge to front kick (same leg 10 times, then switch)
6. Tricep bench dips on park bench
7. Pull ups: Find a sturdy bar about chest level, grab on with an underhand grip, heels on ground, feet flexed, body in plank position and pull body toward bar (squeezing shoulder blades together to ensure back is being worked) and release until arms are straight.
8. For a challenge—find two swings next to each other. Place one hand in middle of each swing, extend legs and body behind you in plank position, and do pushups. The instability of the swings will give you a great chest workout!

Have fun, and let me know if you try it!
Danielle

My apologies for not being more regular with posts as of late. I’ve been trying to keep everything up in the air, and it certainly is not easy in a time of distress. But I have been keeping my head up by thinking about how grateful I am for the wonderful things in my life.

One path to higher levels of health and happiness is to keep a gratitude journal, a diary wherein you record the things for which you are grateful. According to Robert Emmons, a leading expert in positive psychology, “health improves, relationships get better, people are more active and enthusiastic. There are benefits for others, too, as happier people are more creative, productive and easier to be around.” (“Let Us Give Thanks. In Writing.” Fountain, H. New York Times, Nov. 22, 2007). Also, lonely and sad people can usually become less so once they choose to see the brighter side of life.

I admit I have not been writing in it every day, but I do make mental lists. Sometimes, I can only think of the big things: my health, having a roof over my head with heat and light, living in the U.S., etc. But it does not always have to be the big things. It can also be the small, everyday things that we don’t always notice: the sun peeping in through the blinds, the sound of Whisper breathing, the taste of fresh tomatoes from a farmer’s market.

I challenge you to try it for a week. It may be difficult to start a journal if you are not used to writing daily. You might start by simply taking an extra moment to acknowledge a good feeling—a compliment, a job well done, a sweet-smelling flower, etc. Then say to yourself, “I am thankful for…”. You can also write a letter of gratitude to someone who has been very helpful or influential in your life. Sharing thanks is a way to quickly increase positive energy.

Leave a comment here and let me know how it works!

Other resources:
Book: The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want, by Sonja Lyubomirsky
Website: The Happiness Project

Danielle

Wanted to share my jewelry! Well, it can be related in that it’s a stress reliever for me. Anyway, click here to see samples.

As I discussed in my previous post, this past week has been particularly difficult because of the unexpected dissolution of my love relationship. After receiving the news, I cried very powerful tears for three days straight. My body refused food and I could barely focus on anything other than my sadness and disappointment.

Of course, I didn’t want to feel this way. Who does? I’m rather independent, and wanted to get over it, move on, rebuild my life, get myself together. Of course, that attitude is necessary for logistical reasons as well as emotional stability.

But amazingly, after five days the hurt is not as severe. I’m feeling hopeful again, and even smiled at strangers today. I believe that by accepting the pain into my life and experiencing it in its entirety, I provided the necessary outlet for the emotions that almost swept me under. It was a great amount of energy released; now my body is tired, and even relieved. This is what is allowing the healing process to begin.

Many of us immediately want to push pain aside, whether it is pain from lost love, death, disappointment in life, or a terrible event or tragedy. However, allowing pain to remain in the body and mind causes more harm than it does to face it. The more you resist something, the longer it persists. Pain can teach us about ourselves, and also creates a richer life experience.

Of course, we do not want to go out looking for pain just to create that richer experience. But whenever any unwanted emotion comes into our lives—anger, sadness, disappointment, frustration, fear—we need to allow ourselves to experience it fully instead of burying it. It is not necessary to dwell on it, however. This would be contrary to the point. Instead, when we have fully acknowledged the emotion, we could then identify one or two positive aspects of the situation in order to move forward.

I know that my pain is not over. There are still many days ahead when I will sorely miss the companionship we had. When those times do come, I will acknowledge and honor them. I will be grateful for the time I did enjoy and I will try to focus on the best memories.

Namaste.
Danielle