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Usually when I grocery shop I get the staple items I need then walk down each isle and add to the cart the things I see that look good to me. Last night I started in the dairy isle, went to frozen, headed over to meat and fish and finally produce. Wow, by the time I finished in produce my cart was nearly full. Usually I am adding a couple of items from produce to an already full cart, picking up only a few items because I don’t have room. I entered the center isles only to get the ingredients that I needed for meal planning – no extra goodies. As I was putting away the groceries I was pleased to see a well-stocked fridge consisting of all the good stuff – fresh vegetables, dairy, meats and fruits. I cut way back on the filler items I didn’t even need but would have bought – just incase I made a dish that needed them…

Looking forward to a week of healthy meals and snacks. This week I am going to try to get ahead of the game and prepare meals in the slowcooker. There is nothing like coming home to a delicious dinner after a long day!

-Nancy Gildersleeve

Lack of time and nasty weather has kept me from staying on schedule with my exercise this week. I needed to get back on track and told myself Saturday and Sunday would be the days I would get my long runs in, no exceptions! I woke up early this morning then spent the next couple of hours relaxing, drinking coffee and puttering around the house. Next thing I knew the morning had passed. This afternoon was filled with appointments, dry cleaning pick-up and grocery shopping. Procrastination was setting in - the time was now, or never. I headed out armed with my hydration belt and Adele 21 cued up on my i-pod ready to take on the road. After the first mile I started to reconsider my distance, maybe I would do a shorter run today and save the longer run for tomorrow. Knowing what my schedule was for tomorrow I decided to keep going…THAT’S WHEN IT HAPPENED! A complete stranger was approaching me as she was finishing her run, gave me a big smile and raised her hand for a HIGH 5 as she passed by. She had her earphones in, so did I. No words were exchanged, nothing needed to be said - the meaning was understood. That gesture was her way of saying “Right on!”,  “Good for you!”,  “Keep going!” For me that simple gesture was what I needed to get me refocused and recommitted to my run. She was approaching the end of her run and clearly was full of energy and feeling great, I wanted that too! I kept on and finished my full run and realized at some point out there that this run was for me, it is my gift to myself  -  NOW I am ready to take on the day!

Nancy Gildersleeve has been a fitness professional for over 17 years. She holds many group exercise certifications as well as personal training and pilates. Additionally she has worked as an examiner for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America. Nancy is an avid runner and completed her first marathon in October 2011. She is the Associate Executive Director of our Schenectady branch and serves as the Health & Wellness Product Group leader for the Capital District YMCA.

 

“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” – Tommy Lasorda

 

No one can make us do something we do not want to do, or are not ready to do. The willpower and the ability to change needs to come from within. Decide what is important to you and make your actions reflect the goals you are trying to reach.

                         

I was speaking to a new member in the Wellness Center about her resolutions and fitness goals, like many women she wants to lose weight and tone up.  I asked her if she signed up for a Personal Wellness Plan and then asked her if she would like to join my Women On Weights group exercise class. Her response was  “I don’t want to have huge muscles”.  As a Fitness Professional, this response or  “I don’t want to bulk up” are what many women feel will be the result of weight training. Women have a much lower testosterone level then men so while body type and genetics can play a role in the outcome of weight training, in most cases they are not capable of building large muscles.

Truth is there are many benefits to strength training, and for some, this many be the missing piece when trying to attain fitness goals.

Some of the benefits include:  

• Increase bone mass – strength training can help prevent osteoporosis.    
• Increase lean muscle mass – Lean muscle burns calories and fat! For every pound of lean muscle you have you can burn up to 35-50 extra calories per day.      
• Boost metabolism - Strength training boosts your metabolism and increases your metabolic rate resulting in burning more calories at rest. Simply put, the more calories you burn, the more likely you are to slim down and lose weight. 

It is two weeks into the New Year and time to take another look at those resolutions.

Have you already started to abandon your goals because of schedule, sickness, weather, or work obligations?  Instead of putting those changes to the side all together lets take another look…

Decide which of your goals are most important. Say it is weight loss and your goal is to lose 25lbs. Losing weight takes time, most people want immediate results for their hard work or they start to give up. Instead of focusing on the 25lbs. you can break it up into smaller incremental goals. How about focusing on losing 10% of your body weight as opposed to an overall number. By reaching the short term goal you will not only start to see results, you will feel successful and be more likely to continue on with your program still keeping with your long term goal of losing 25lbs, eventually.

Too often, folks get hung up on a number on the scale. If you are over weight and lose up to 10% of your body weight you have already drastically improved your health, now that is something to celebrate. And surprise! You are meeting goals, a little at a time. Keep in mind that this is not a sprint, it is a marathon. The process of undoing a lifetime of bad habits takes time. Be patient and believe in yourself.

 

Nancy Gildersleeve has been a fitness professional for over 17 years. She holds many group exercise certifications as well as personal training and pilates. Additionally she has worked as an examiner for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America. Nancy is an avid runner and completed her first marathon in October 2011. She is the Associate Executive Director of our Schenectady branch and serves as the Health & Wellness Product Group leader for the Capital District YMCA.

When you’re hungry and looking for a quick snack sometimes choosing what seems to be a healthier choice can add up in calories if you are not paying attention to portion sizes.

For example the photo below is of trail mix containing cranberries, bits of dark chocolate, almonds, walnuts and raisins. How bad can that be, right? A single serving is 1/3 cup which amounts to a heaping handful and 190 calories. Not bad, if you can stay with the single serving…most don’t. A few handfuls of this “healthy snack” can add up to 600 calories to your daily consumption.

Planning ahead and bagging single serving sizes of this snack can help. Not only does it create a visual of how many servings found in one container it also may help you satisfy your craving while avoiding over indulgence. 

I love M&M’s…there, I said it!

Growing up my Mom always had candy in a dish on the table in the living room – now in my home there is always candy in the dish. At the moment, not just any candy, M&M - my favorite!

Even Fitness Professionals struggle with temptations when it comes to yummy foods. For me, it is M&M’s. I love all varieties… maybe its because of the crunchy shell and chocolaty taste combined with the deliciousness of peanut butter, almonds, pretzels, mint or whatever type I happen to be eating at the time. The last time I went to the market I bought a large bag of regular M&M’s because price wise it made more sense to get the large instead of the medium. I should have known better, little by little I have been grabbing a handful and tossing them in my mouth each time I walk past the dish.  Today, as I was putting my sneakers on to go for my run I was munching on a handful. I grabbed another handful as I walked out the door chewing on them during my warm-up preparing for my run. That’s when it hit me, those last two handfuls probably amounted to 1/4cup, or 200 calories. YIKES!  The calories I will burn in the first two miles of my run will undo the damage I just did with my spontaneous snacking. To think, as I was eating them I was multi-tasking and not even enjoying the taste or flavor of this treat.

It was at that point that I realized having candy in the dish, available at all times is something that is too tempting for me to resist each time I walk by the table. A long time ago I heard someone say “it is easier to say no once in the market than it is to have to say no over and over once your bring it home”.  

Is it reasonable to think I will NEVER buy M&M’s again, absolutely not, however when I do feel the urge I will by a single serving, enjoy them and get on with my day. Limiting yourself entirely of your favorite high calorie treat is unreasonable; allowing yourself your occasional indulgence is fine as long as it is done on occasion and in moderation.

Are you feeling the effects of the workout, LONG after the workout?  

 

You’ve been counting your calories, evaluating your food choices and have already completed one workout for the week … its only Wednesday. You’re feeling amazing and are off to a great start only to wake up greeted with body aches! Your legs are so sore that getting out of bed is a chore, climbing the stairs seems almost impossible, and you’re not even sure you’re going to be able to lift your arms to drive because your shoulders are burning so badly.  

 

What does it all mean? What you’re experiencing is called Delayed Onset Of Muscle Soreness – usually felt 24 to 48 hours after first beginning a workout plan or when you significantly change your existing workout plan.

 

To help offset or decrease DOMS symptoms, try a longer warm-up before your workout. Also remember to ease into your new program, allowing your body to adjust to the demands of the exercise. Gradually increasing intensity is also important, and always remember to make time for a good long stretch at the end of your workout. If you do get sore, a hot bath, massage, and gentle stretching can help. While it’s important to rest, you may also find that a light workout (such as walking) may help loosen up those tight muscles until the pain subsides, which is usually in two to three days.

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ABOUT THE BLOGGER
Nancy Gildersleeve has been a fitness professional for over 17 years. She holds many group exercise certifications as well as personal training and pilates. Additionally she has worked as an examiner for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America. Nancy is an avid runner and completed her first marathon in October 2011. She is the Associate Executive Director of our Schenectady branch and serves as the Health & Wellness Product Group leader for the Capital District YMCA.