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Monthly Archives: October 2015

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How to Be Fit & Happier When You’re Sick

Yup, I’m sick.  So this week’s post is partially self-serving.  It’s a reminder to me – from researching the advice of the experts – to get more rest and sleep, consume the nutrients my body needs and chill out from my workout routine.  Here’s a little Common Cold 101 for the fitness-minded.

How Sick Are You?

The guidelines in this post are for the common cold.  If you have a persistent fever, chances are you have something more than a cold virus – such as the flu or a bacterial infection.  In that case, a call to the doctor is warranted.  She will determine, based on your symptoms, whether or not you need to nurse the illness at home or go to her office to run tests for a bacterial infection.  In either case, illnesses with fever require additional solid foods (unless you have gastrointestinal issues) and hydration, lots of rest and sleep and a complete ban from any type of exercise until the fever breaks and you’re beginning to feel better.

But, more often than not, we suffer from the common cold virus and the protocol for dealing with it is slightly different.

The Good News About Fitness and Colds

The truth is, if you are eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, plenty of proteins and whole grains you are already consuming lots of the nutrients that boost your immunity.  Additionally, if you also are exercising regularly and getting enough sleep, you can realize even more protection from common viruses.

But even those of us following all the fitness dos and don’ts will, at times, get colds too.  The good news is, you really don’t have to do many things different to assist your body in fighting the virus to get you back to normal again.

Fueling Your Recovery

The nutrients that boost our immunities that help us get fewer colds also help us fight off the virus once we have it, allowing us to recover more quickly.  Namely, beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, bioflavonoids, glutathiones, phytochemicals, zinc, good bacteria and proteins (and some specific foods like broth-based soups and teas) all have a role in boosting our immunities.

Important to remember that, while running a fever will burn more calories, there is no evidence that fighting a cold without the presence of fever burns any more calories compared to when we’re healthy.  So, be careful not to overdo it on total calories in the process of increasing your consumption of these particular nutrients.

While you could get supplements that have some of these nutrients in them, Mother Nature has a way of combining them naturally in the foods we eat.  Take a look at the list of foods associated with each immunity-boosting nutrient and you’ll notice a lot of repetition:

  • Beta-carotene: This nutrient is most often associated with the tell-tale yellow-orange hue in carrots, cantaloupe, apricots, corn, mangoes, yellow beets, nectarines, pumpkin, peaches, yellow and butternut squash, sweet potato and nectarines.  But it’s also found in green veggies like spinach, kale, asparagus and broccoli.
  • Vitamin C: Not only in oranges, this vitamin can also be found in cantaloupe, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, kiwi, papaya, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, strawberries and tomatoes.
  • Vitamin E: Plentiful in almonds, cod liver oil, hazelnuts, lobster, peanut butter, salmon steak and sunflower seeds.
  • Bioflavonoids: In a class of more recently discovered micronutrients, these are found in the same foods where vitamin C is found (see above) and the two appear to uniquely work together to boost immunity.
  • Glutathiones: Found in spinach and cruciferous vegetables.
  • Phytochemicals: These are another nutrient powerhouse packed in apples, apricots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, garlic, legumes, onions, sweet potatoes and tomatoes.
  • Zinc: Helps with infection resistance, spurs on tissue repair and is an immune system stimulator.  It can be found in eggs, meats, nuts, seafood, seeds, wheat germ and whole grains.
  • Good Dietary Bacteria: Found in cultured yogurts, studies have shown that certain common bacteria assist the immune system.
  • Protein: Antibodies and immune system cells rely on proteins to survive and thrive. Not enough can lead to weakness and fatigue.  Complete proteins are found in meats, seafood, dairy, eggs and soybeans.  Some plant-based foods like nuts and legumes contain partial proteins.
  • Broth-Based Soups: Broth-based soups contain a nice combination of many of the foods containing immunity-boosting nutrients listed above.  But, the fascinating thing is that broth soups, chicken in particular, have shown an alleviation in cold symptoms in many studies.  Scientists believe the hot broth clears nasal congestion and thins mucus.  In addition, broth soups are a form of hydration, which is also important when fighting a cold.
  • Teas: Hot tea has the same affect as the hot broth in soups in thinning mucus and soothing the sinuses as well as provide hydration.  Black and green teas also contain flavonoids.

Exercising When You’re Sick

For those trying to establish new exercise habits for better health and/or weight loss: The common cold and other illnesses are one of the big pitfalls for those who are already struggling to establish a regular exercise routine.  As long as you’re not feverish, try to at least walk a little while you’re battling a cold.  Even a leisurely stroll for 20-30 minutes a day can go a long way in keeping you attached to a routine.  Some fresh air coupled with light to moderate exercise can also help to alleviate some of your symptoms.  Once you are feeling better, it’s important to get that first, real workout in as soon as possible to avoid the spiraling feelings of guilt and negativity that settle in when you’re away from exercise too long.

For those who are exercise junkies or are training for an endurance event: You are not invincible and even the common cold forces you to pull back.  Believe me, I’ve made this mistake before.  When you’re sick, even with a mild cold, you should not do a vigorous workout.  Moderate, relatively short workouts are best.  Listen to your body, if you’re feeling depleted even before you get into the meat of it, your body is telling you to back off.  Taking it easy early on will help you to get back at it sooner.  If you try to plow through it when your body isn’t ready, you’ll end up having to take more days off in the long run.

Sleep and Rest

These are the days to go to bed early and sleep late, if you can.  Not all of us can swing a nap during the day.  Do it if you are able.  If not, then rest when you can.  The more down time you can give your body, the faster it can fight those nasty germs.

Alright, it’s time for some hot tea, warm jammies and then to bed.  Here’s hoping your cold and flu season is an uneventful one.  But, if need be, use my tips here to get you on your feet and back at it in no time at all.

 

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What’s In My Travel Workout Bag?

This week’s post is a knock-off on the popular fitness blog and magazine question posed to professional athletes and trainers – “What’s in your gym bag?”  The professional being interviewed then ticks off a list of what one might find if we took a peek in her gym bag.

My regular readers know I train my in-person clients in my home and my own exercise regimen consists of a mix of in-home and outdoor workouts.  I can occasionally be found sampling classes in studio settings but rarely do I utilize a traditional health club or gym.  No gym bag necessary for my daily workouts.

Still, I do need to plan for exercise when I travel.  So here is a list of my must-have workout items when I’m away from home:Workout Gear

  • Athleta Workout Gear: Capris with a handy hidden pocket in the waistband for my room key and a feminine but functional tank. Both are made of moisture-wicking fabric to keep me cool and dry.
  • Contigo Leak Proof Water Bottle: This bottle is with me all the time, every day.  It has a nifty button that, when pressed, opens the drinking spout.  So, I can drink from it one-handed – no fiddling with covers or pop-up spouts.  It’s dishwasher safe and very durable.
  • Exhale Spa Core Fusion Workouts: I’ve had these DVDs for several years.  Recently, Exhale Spa began offering digital versions of their popular workouts which I’ve added to my Amazon Prime Video Library.  Which means they’re all available to me anywhere I am as long as I have a Wifi connection and a device to stream it on, no packing necessary.  My favorite for travel is the yoga-inspired Energy Flow which requires no equipment, even sneakers are optional.
  • Trader Joe’s Spearmint Lip Balm

So, what’s in your workout bag?

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October Workout of the Month: Outdoor Cardio-Strength Combo

Autumn is my favorite season.  No other even comes close for me.  In the northeast, it’s the perfect combination of mild temperatures and low humidity that lends itself to crisp, fresh, comfortable air.  And that doesn’t even take into consideration the pop of golds, reds, oranges and ambers nature provides this time of year.  All this adds up to the ideal time to try my Outdoor Cardio-Strength Combo workout.

Autumn TrailThis is a fantastically efficient workout that counts toward almost one-third of the recommended cardio activity as well as one half of what is recommended in terms of strength and flexibility training per week for general fitness.*  And all in only 30 minutes!

The Concept: This workout alternates between vigorous cardio and basic strength training and concludes with flexibility training.  By the end of the workout, you will have racked up 20 minutes of vigorous cardio and two sets each of two upper body, two core and two lower body strength training exercises capped off with a full-body stretching routine.

Autumn Bench

Location and Equipment: An ideal spot would be a park or athletic field that includes a track, stairs and benches or bleachers.  But this can easily be adapted to a foot path or trail using grassy areas, tree stumps or benches for the strength training exercises.  If you need to stick to the 30 minute time limit, I recommend having a watch or smartphone with a timer or stopwatch app.  Otherwise, it isn’t necessary to stick to the time suggestions in the workout.

Outdoor Cardio-Strength Combo

Select Your Cardio Speed: In order to qualify as a vigorous workout, you’ll need to do your cardio at a pace that is slightly faster than your usual steady-state pace.  Don’t worry, the cardio bouts are only one minute at a time and you’re selecting a pace relative to your level and conditioning.  If you can walk at a moderate pace for 30 minutes or more, you can power walk (walk as fast as you can) for one minute at a time; power walkers can bring it up to a slow jog; joggers can run for a minute at a time; and runners can find a sprint-pace that can be maintained for a minute without being too spent to perform strength exercises.

Warm-Up: 2-5 minutes; begin at a moderate pace and slowly bring it up to your vigorous cardio speed.

Vigorous Cardio: 1 minute

1st Set of Arm/Shoulder & Ab Exercises:

  • Triceps Dips: 10-20 reps. Sit at the edge of a step or bench; place each hand, with fingers facing forward, on the bench against your hips. Palms of hands should lay flat against the top of the seat up to the first knuckles; bend fingers to grasp the seat. With feet flat on ground, lift torso with the strength of your arms (don’t use legs to support your weight) so that hips are directly in front of seat – this is the start position; as you inhale, bend at the elbows to lower hips a few inches; exhale as you straighten the arms to lift hips back to start position.
  • Ab Crunches: 20-40 reps. Perform on a flat bench or bleachers or in a grassy area.

Vigorous Cardio: 1 minute

1st Set of Lower Leg & Chest/Back Exercises:

  • Calf Raises: 20-40 reps. Can be done on a flat surface but you’ll get better results if your perform these with the balls of your feet on a step with heels hanging off.  Lower the heels below the step on the down phase.
  • Push-Ups: 10-20 reps. These can be performed a number of different ways: on the ground or on a bleacher seat on either your knees or toes or with hands either on the back or seat of a park bench.

Vigorous Cardio: 1 minute

1st Set of Upper Leg/Hip & Core Combo Exercise:

Vigorous Cardio: 1 minute

2nd Set of Arm/Shoulder & Ab Exercises:

  • Triceps Dips: 10-20 reps
  • Ab Crunches: 20-40 reps

Vigorous Cardio: 1 minute

2nd Set of Lower Leg & Chest/Back Exercises:

  • Calf Raises: 20-40 reps
  • Push-Ups: 10-20 reps

Vigorous Cardio: 1 minute

2nd Set of Upper Leg/Hip & Core Combo Exercise:

  • Walking Lunge with Twists: 10-30 reps each side

Vigorous Cardio: 1 minute

Cool Down: 1 -3 minutes – gradually decrease pace to a slow walk

Stretches: Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds

Happy fall!

*The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate cardio exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous cardio exercise and full-body strength training 2 times per week for all apparently healthy adults for the purposes of general fitness.

Author’s note: Always consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program.

Fit&Happier Workout of the Month defined:  These are 30 minute general fitness workouts designed to offer a complete and balanced approach to strength and cardiovascular training in the most efficient way possible.  Strength training workouts will each feature a different form of resistance, or load, so that you can choose the type of resistance based on equipment availability and your preference.  These will offer full-body strength training and muscle toning with base exercises appropriate for beginners and progressions for those more experienced in strength training.  Cardio workouts are designed to get the most calorie burn possible in the time allotted.  Combo workouts combine strength and cardio training into one, efficient, full-body, calorie-burning workout.  All workouts conclude with flexibility training as no workout is complete without it.  Click on the exercises to link to step-by-step written and video instructions provided by ACE Fitness.

Previous Fit&Happier Workouts of the Month – January: Body Weight Strength Training; February: Resistance Band Strength Training; March: Free Weight Strength Training; April: Medicine Ball Strength Training; May: Strength Training with Stability Ball; June: Strength & Balance Training; July: Functional Training; August: Interval Training; September: Playground Combo Workout

Check back for these upcoming Fit&Happier Workouts of the Month – November: Timed Circuit (Combo); December: HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training-Cardio)

Click on the link to view previous Activity-Specific Workouts of the Month: Hockey & Cross-Country Skiing, Snowboarding & Figure Skating, Golf & Softball, Distance Running, Racquet Sports, Swimming, Waterskiing & Surfing, Cycling, Rowing & Desk Jockeys, Track, Field & Court Sports, Throwing & Pitching, Dancing, Downhill Skiing

 

 

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October’s Small Step: Be Flexible

The Small Steps series is heading into the home stretch and the last two months of the year are the most difficult for most of us to stay on track with healthy eating and exercise.  So I’ve chosen a less taxing goal for this month’s small step.  However, it is no less vital in the series.

Flexibility training and its sister component, balance training, are often overlooked in the realm of fitness.  But, they are just as important as cardio and strength training and eating healthy if the goal is a fit life.

Stretching

Incorporate Flexibility Training Into Your Established Routines

If you aren’t doing any stretching on a regular basis, then your assignment this month is to finish every exercise routine you do – at the gym, walk in the neighborhood, ride on the bike path, strength training routine – with stretches.

Don’t stretch cold muscles before your workout.  Stretch only at the conclusion of workouts when muscles are warmed up.  Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds and stretch especially tight muscles a second time.  At minimum, stretch all the muscles that were the primary workers during your exercise.  But, if you have the time, it’s even better to stretch all the major muscle groups.

Here are some examples of static stretches for each of the major muscle groups, courtesy of acefitness.org:

Add More Flexibility and Balance Training To Your Routine

If you already stretch after working out, consider incorporating one yoga or mat Pilates routine weekly.  This can be accomplished at your health club, at a yoga or Pilates studio, by DVD, through a fitness app, or via online video.  The last two options, app and online video, can often be accessed for free.

Yoga BalanceThe disciplines of yoga and Pilates have the added benefit of training balance along with flexibility.  Balance training is often over-looked in the average workout but is so beneficial as a functional training tool.

These disciplines also run the gamut of intensities and forms.  So, if you’re thinking that you just don’t have the time in your week to add one more fitness routine, consider replacing one of your usual cardio or strength routines with a yoga or Pilates routine that incorporates cardio or strength.  Or perhaps time isn’t the issue but, rather, you’re wanting a break from the intensity of the traditional modes of exercise.  In that case, find a gentle or relaxation yoga class or video.

Because flexibility and balance training rely on a practice of proper breathing and mental focus, they are proven to help relieve stress and promote overall feelings of well being.  Meaning, what you’ll find is not only are flexibility and balance training good for the body but the mind and soul as well.  What a perfect thing to practice before heading into the hectic holiday season.

~To learn more about the benefits of flexibility and balance training and the different types of stretches, read my previous post Rubber Bands & Bungee Cords.~

If you’re new to the Small Steps series, you can read about the philosophy and strategies of the series here.  Know the Small Steps strategies don’t need to be done in any particular order and are independent of one another.  So, you can begin the series with this post, continue throughout the rest of the year and pick up what you missed next year.

Previous Small Steps posts: January’s Portion Control; February’s Plan Ahead; March’s Accentuate the Positives, Eliminate the Negatives; April’s Substitutions; May’s Go Old School; June’s +1; July’s Reflect, Revamp & Renew; August’s Reflect, Revamp & Renew Revisited; September’s Embrace Technology.

Author’s Note: Always consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program.

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