Category: Weight Loss and Exercise

The Benefits of Outdoor Exercise

You’re going to say “no way!”

Years ago I switched from being a “gym rat” to an outdoor exerciser. I remember it well.  I looked around at the flourescent lighting and the hamster wheels (“cardio” equipment) and said to myself “I’m done!”.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re a personal trainer. That’s not possible!

Please don’t get me wrong. Gyms are a great place to exercise and I am a huge fan of indoor cardio equipment — especially when it is raining! I just realized that I live in California. The weather is great most of the time. And, what the heck was I doing inside exercising?

My dogs led the way!

At the time, I had overworked and over-trained myself and was dealing with low energy as well as depression.  I wasn’t up for super intense workouts so I left the gym and started walking my dogs every night.

The transformation was amazing! I got my energy back — and my enthusiasm. I also realized that you do not have to beat your body to a pulp in a gym to be fit.

I realize that not everyone is where I was at. However, sooner or later everyone deals with stress in their life.

Research Confirms it!

A recent review of studies published in Environmental Science & Technology that focused on “outdoor exercise” discovered that physical activity in natural areas decreases the risk of mental illness and improves one’s sense of well-being.

Here’s what the researchers found:

  • Two out of three participants said they had improved self-esteem.
  • Two out of three people had improved mood.
  • Three out of four people felt less depressed, tense and angry.

It gets better! The study found that just five minutes a day does the trick!

Here’s what else they said:

Exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy and positive engagement, as well as decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression.

Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and stated that they were more likely to repeat the activity at a later date.

This may explain why walking is still the number one exercise of choice for Americans. We like to be active and outdoors. Even more important, we tend to exercise more consistently when it is outdoors!

Here’s how to get started:

So what does this mean for you? If you already exercise outdoors, you are benefiting in multiple ways. If you are just getting started, start with five minutes of outdoor exercise to improve psychological well-being. Work up to twenty minutes and you have now started an exercise routine!

You will get more value from consistent shorter bouts than inconsistent hour-long workouts.

Here’s some ways to get started:

  • Walk at lunch
  • Walk after dinner
  • Play in the park
  • Take a hike
  • Walk on the beach
  • Try light jogging
  • Play a sport
  • Swim
  • Walk your dog

If you really like the gym, do not stop! Consider cross training with some outdoor activities. It doesn’t have to be formal exercise. Just being outdoors is what matters!

With summer here and so much positive research behind outdoor activity, I encourage you to get creative this summer. Try new activities. Visit new beaches and parks. Turn off the screens and get outside!

Let me know what you come up with. I love to hear from you!

Blessings!

Jennifer


 

 

Meal Planning Helps You Lose Weight

Taking just thirty minutes a week to do one simple thing can help you lose a lot more weight.  You will be surprised at how easy it is! Done right it will eliminate stress, save you time, and even save you money!

Want to lose 12 pounds in two months like Carvel did? He only exercised three or four times a week, plus did this one simple thing.

Imagine if you did the same, but added extra workouts! Interested?

If you have this one habit, it will help you lose weight!

Do you like to eat out? I enjoy going out to eat about once a week.  I encourage you to go out and enjoy yourself as well. However, the average American eats out four to five times a week. Be encouraged if that’s you! What I have to tell you will have a huge impact in your weight loss!

See, every time you go out to eat you will most likely be consuming an unknown amount of calories and portion sizes. That can sabotage your weight loss goals. Want to know how to change that? The tips I’m giving you today are so easy you’ll wonder why no one ever told you!

Look, I totally get why people eat out often. After a long day at work, cooking dinner can sound daunting. It’s tempting to swing by your favorite take out joint or restaurant. Packing a lunch takes planning, so it seems much easier to hit the food court.

Why didn’t anyone tell me I could lose weight AND save money!

Would you believe me if I told you that meal planning can do that? Well, I wouldn’t lie to you. Not only that, but it helps you keep it off, and it eliminates stress!

The truth is meal planning is one of the key ingredients to weight loss without dieting. It’s how my household is able to enjoy eating the foods we like without gaining weight.

Does meal planning mean that you need to go to culinary school and become a chef?  No!

It does mean that you need to spend a little time up front before your week begins. By meal planning you actually save time and money. Eating out less and taking less trips to the store or restaurants cuts calories and grows your bank account.

Ready to get started? Here are 9 tips!

1)  Make a quick plan. Decide what you want to eat. Make a list of what you want to eat for dinner and lunch for the next seven days. Look at your calendar to see if you have any planned dinners, parties, or lunches when you will be eating out.

2) Get inspired! If you like to cook, try using light recipes from the web, cookbooks or magazines to inspire you. Cooking Light is my favorite. EatingWell is another option.  If cooking is new for you, pick the 20 minute recipes to start.

3) Make quick and delicious no cook meals! Rather not cook? Assemble prepared food that is fresh. Try things like a roasted chicken, pre-cooked rice and pre-washed lettuce for a salad. Add some frozen organic vegetables on the side.

4) Go frozen! Try frozen organic pizza with a salad. Be sure to pay attention to serving sizes. A healthy frozen pizza has fewer calories than restaurant pizzas.

5) Use leftovers for lunches, or make sandwiches and bring fruit. If you have freezer space, try cooking enough for four meals and freezing three of them for later in the month. You can literally do all of your cooking in one to three afternoons per week with this method.

6) Write it down! Once you’ve decided what you will eat for the week, make a shopping list and write everything down before you go to the store.

7) Plan party dishes in advance. If you need to bring a food dish to a party, decide ahead of time what you will bring. Choose a “light” version if you are cooking. The guests will love you for it. Add the ingredients to your list to save a trip to the store.

8)  Go ahead! Outsource!  You may discover that cooking every night is a challenge. If so, consider these great ideas:

  • Order meals from a company like MagicKitchen.com. The food is made fresh and delivered to your doorstep. Voila! Still saving time, calories, and money.
  • An in-house personal chef! If you think that is too expensive, do a little calculating. You may find it a lot less expensive than eating out. Imagine being able to order exactly what you want and have someone cook it in your home and freeze your meals for two to four weeks in advance? Of course you can search on Google, but the two best places to search are: USPCA and APPCA.

9)  Stay consistent!  Pick a day and time that works best for you to meal plan and do your shopping, ordering, etc. Put it on your calendar and treat it like any other important appointment.

Have you tried any of these tips? Please tell me about that, or share any other meal planning tips. I really love hearing from you!

Blessings,

Jennifer

 

 

 

 

 

Obesity. How to Stop It!

 

You’ve probably heard obesity is on the rise again!  The Center for Disease Control is predicting an American obesity rate of 42% by 2030.  That’s close to half the population!

So, how do you avoid becoming part of these statistics?  Or, maybe you have quite a bit of weight to lose and realize you need to take action.  Read on my friend!

Studies are showing that 97% of the overweight population is overweight due to lifestyle.  The remaining 3% have been diagnosed with a medical issue that causes weight gain.  If exercise and healthy eating have not moved the scale I suggest you talk to your doctor.

For the majority, poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyles, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, lack of time, automation, and chemicals in our food are all some of the things that contribute to being overweight.

I’ve been a personal trainer for over 20 years.  I have seen many successful weight loss stories.  My own thirty pounds of weight loss included!

I can tell you the success was not due to any government initiated program by itself. Information like www.myplate.org is a good resource.  However, you cannot lose weight without action.

Successful long term weight loss occurs when an individual makes a decision to lose weight.  Followed by consistent repetitive behavior.  That change must come from within!

The tips below will help you lose and/or maintain your weight.  They have helped me and my family stay slim for years!

1) Knowledge is key!  Tap into health and fitness professionals that are results oriented and not selling you a bunch of hype.

Learn about healthy eating habits rather than the latest fad diet.

Learn portion sizes and how to read labels.  See my article Portion Control vs. Elimination Diets for some easy tips to follow.

2)  Eat Fresh!  Do the majority of your grocery shopping around the perimeter of the store.  Fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, dairy, and whole grains are all good choices.

Avoid the processed foods with high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils.

Tip:  If you can’t pronounce the ingredients you may not want to eat it!

3)  Exercise!  Push the stroller, walk the dog, walk to work, walk to the bus stop, take the stairs.  Just start moving.

It hasn’t been until recently (right around the 1950’s) that planned exercise even became necessary.  Up until then, people were pretty active in their every day lives and/or jobs burning calories throughout the day.  “Working out” just for the sake of it was not the norm.

Every day tasks have been automated.  Removing the need to use the calories and muscle power.  While I have no plans of getting rid of my dishwasher, it helps us understand the need for intentional exercise.

Most of us stay more consistent when we have a purpose to exercise.  “It’s good for you” is generally not enough unless you’ve had a life threatening visit to the emergency room.

Choose things like hiking a beautiful trail, walking your dog, doing errands on foot, or train for an event.  These types of activities give you a reason to exercise which helps you stay on track.

4)  Avoid a common trap!  One of our relatives stopped eating fast food and lost 20 pounds!  She didn’t even exercise!

You may not be a fast food person,  However, the average American eats out 4-5 times per week.  By cutting this in half you can seriously cut back on calories.

I hope this is helpful for you!  Care to share a success story or have a question?  Please comment below!

Blessings to you and yours!

Jennifer