Leigh Feather

Happy Spring!

How on earth is it March 20th already? I remember thinking that it would be 6 weeks before the new years resolution crowds would disappear. That was over a month ago. I didn’t really notice when it happened but the Y is a lot less mobbed. By the way, I am loving my gym membership. And now that my husband is working out on Wednesdays while the kids take their running class it does seem worth it.

So far I’ve tried quite a few different workout classes: cycling, pilates, grit, step, body pump, body combat. The YMCA has an app and I check it a lot to help plan my workout and my day. If I don’t go to the gym, I will either do a walk/run or do a video on Popsugar fitness or a yoga series of my own creation or maybe a foam roller series.

How do I decide what to do on any given day? How do I motivate myself? Or keep from overdoing it and injuring myself? I really think the hardest thing about working out is getting started. And the thing that makes people stop is going out too hard and too fast. My motto is, “Start slow and tapper off!” Haha! The challenge is to just show up. The rule for me is, as soon as I’ve had my coffee (and usually after the kids are on the bus) I get dressed to workout.

I usually schedule my workouts. I put them in my calendar on my Macbook. I even color code them (purple). What I schedule for any given day depends on what classes are available that day, or if I have a client meeting and have to be more time efficient, and the weather. I’ll pick from options at the gym or at home, inside or outside. Sometimes I don’t get a workout in first thing and then it doesn’t happen all day. Sometimes I’ll do Just Dance with the kids or a Nerf battle—running around the house, ducking down, jumping up, and then picking up 1000 Nerf darts is a great cardio-strength workout! So, I plan out what I’m going to do on my calendar, then make any edits after the fact. That way I can see what I’ve done. It gives me a sense of accountability and accomplishment. If I can do three or four challenging days (and at least one rest day), that’s a great week. I try to have a good mix of strength training, cardio and stretching of some sort. But, I also try not to over-think it. I mean, sometimes you just have to get out of the house and move! Anything!

I used to always wear a Fitbit fitness tracker (the Zip, the Flex, the Alta, and then the Blaze) but now I wear an Apple Series 1 watch. It doesn’t sync with my Fitbit app, sadly, so sometimes I stick the Zip in my pocket. It’s fun to compete for steps with my daughter who has the new kids Fitbit, the Ace. Does the Apple Watch make me more motivated to move? I think a little bit. At first it was really novel, but over time you just sort of ignore it. Sometimes I turn on the workout mode and track my exercise but sometimes I don’t. I do love it though! I actually really want the new one, but I doubt I’ll splurge on that. I rarely ever look at or use the Apple activity app on my phone. I wish it was better! All that being said, you don’t need a fitness tracker or an app to create a fitness habit.

I weigh myself daily. For a while now I’ve had this Fitbit scale. It uses wifi to send data to the Fitbit app. Then I can see my progress, an average for the week, on the app. I can even scroll way back and see that my weight was higher this time last year and that is encouraging.

A note about weight, it’s a tricky thing. There are so many variables: food, hydration, muscle mass, even bone density. You can’t take it as the only measurement of fitness. I’ll also say that I don’t trust the smart scale’s body fat sensor at all. It seems very inaccurate, so I just sort of ignore it. The app also tells you your BMI, but I think most people will say that BMI is very misleading and not the best measurement, especially if you’re fairly athletic. Sometimes I use a tailor’s measuring tape and check my bust, waist and hip measurements (which I need to order clothes online anyway) but it’s a lot easier to step on the scale everyday. I guess it’s good to know your waist measurement as it’s a good way to know your overall health. They say your waist should be smaller than your hips and under 35 inches (for women). Of course you can always use the my-favorite-skinny-jeans-feel-so-loose measurement system!

I’ll sum up with these 10 tips:

1. “Start slow and taper off”
2. Make a workout schedule then just follow it the best you can
3. Vary your workouts
4. Get a workout buddy, make plans to meet at the gym or the rail trail
5. Workout first thing if you can
6. Stretch!
7. Drink lots of water
8. Find ways to sneak in exercise—park far from the store, take the stairs
9. Aim for 10,000 steps a day
10. Move everyday. Make it non-negotiable!

Years ago I read an article about how small changes can make a big difference. I wish I could find it but I wouldn’t even know what to search for. I did find this and after reading it, I decided to insert my own ideas: 

whole wheat english muffin instead of bagel

(I’d do cream cheese occasionally, but with tomato, or avocado, or hummus and tomato, or almond butter and banana)

greek yogurt instead of low fat milk with granola

(Definitely! Low fat dairy, milk or yogurt actually have a lot more sugar. And fat is not the enemy. Also, I make my own no-sugar granola.)

an orange instead of oj

(Or a grapefruit. Or a smoothie with frozen fruit, almond milk, spinach, etc.)

wrap instead of bread

(I hate wraps! Ugh. I think just very whole grain bread, maybe only half a sandwich.)

apple slices with cheese instead of crackers & cheese

(Absolutely! Apples with cheese or apples and peanut butter or almond butter. Or rice cakes with almond butter and thinly sliced apples.)

corn tortillas instead of flour

(Yes! I love corn tortillas.)

trail mix instead of mixed nuts

(They’re talking about less nuts which is good but I don’t know if popcorn and Chex are so great. I eat roasted almonds and cashews. I think a small amount, like what easily fits in your hand, is good. Not the whole container!)

dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate

(I LOVE dark chocolate. I’ve learned that 72% is my bitterness threshold. More and it’s too much. Also, I have very much gotten into the habit, when I eat sugar, to take only one serving.)

radishes instead of corn chips (on chili)

(Doesn’t anyone eat Fritos anymore?! I say easy on the tortilla chips and I’m just getting into radishes. We rarely buy sour cream. I’ve never tried greek yogurt instead. Also, easy on the cheese. Jalapeños add flavor and boost metabolism.)

iced vanilla latte instead of vanilla frappuccino

(OMG, back away from the Frappuccinos. So Much Sugar. I would probably just do iced coffee, a little cream and cinnamon.)

raisin bran instead of bran muffin

(I don’t care what a muffin has in it, a muffin is never low cal. Speaking of Raisin Bran, a bowl of Nature’s Path Flax Plus Pumpkin Raisin Crunch cereal or Flax Plus Red Berry Crunch is the best thing ever, for breakfast or late night snack instead of ice cream.)

veggie/chevre omelet instead of ham/cheddar omelet

(Spinach or arugula and goat cheese scrambles are a staple in my house. Also, wherever possible swap ketchup for salsa or hot sauce.)

homemade parfait instead of pre-made

(I have long since steered clear of any kind of store bought yogurt concoction. They are all sugar. If possible I do whole plain greek yogurt with fresh fruit and homemade granola. I also love smoothie bowls!)

raisin toast instead of a cinnamon roll

(Cinnamon rolls are a huge cheat. Usually accompanied with a black coffee and some Swedish furniture. I say just enjoy it!)

pecans and yogurt on pancakes instead of syrup

(We only buy real syrup and use it sparingly. I eat pancakes pretty rarely but like them to be whole wheat or buckwheat and have a little butter and maybe bananas or no-sugar apple butter.)

pumpernickel bread instead of bagel with your cream cheese and salmon

(I love pumpernickel bread. I indulge in real cream cheese with my lox. Add tomato, cucumber, arugula. Yes!)

apples and honey on oatmeal instead of cream, brown sugar or nuts

(We buy Nature’s Path oatmeal, the flavored, sugary kind for the kids and I cook the plain stuff with frozen peaches or blackberries, a little butter, and some homemade no-sugar granola on top.)

bacon instead of sausage patties

(What? Well, ok. I say bacon once in a while, but can we all admit that bacon is not healthy? I agree, anything with very few ingredients is better. Also, have you ever tried an open face egg sandwich with arugula and smoked salmon instead of bacon. A-mazing.)

whole grain trail mix instead of regular

(It’s fun to mix your own, once in a while. Mini marshmallows, dark chocolate chips and annie’s bunny grahams. Mini pretzels, raisins, white morsels…)

ice cream sandwich instead of ice cream

(Ice cream sandwiches are natures perfect food! lol. Seriously, I suppose they do promote portion control.)

nutella on graham crackers instead of chocolate covered almonds

(Good idea. But remember, Nutella is not health food. It’s sugar and chocolate. and hazelnuts. Lots of parents give it to their kids on bread for breakfast. There’s the theory that sugar in the morning is better than before bed.)

lemonade and seltzer instead of lemon/lime soda

(I agree, start with seltzer — get a soda stream and make your own — then add just enough juice or lemonade to make it tasty.)

ricotta cheese and honey on flatbread (wasa?) instead of cheddar crackers

(Sounds good. I think I’ll try that. We switched from Cheesits to Annie’s cheddar squares. I don’t think they’re healthy, but it’s one of my favorite indulgences.)

edamame instead of peanuts

(No peanuts in our house because my daughter is allergic, but I think I will get back to having Edamame on hand!)

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