What's the Trick to Keeping Fit?

Photo: Scott Swigart

Ever work hard at getting fit and then struggle to stay fit? Feel like a yo-yo that loses and gains weight ad infinitum? You’re not alone. A recent study in the journal, Obesity, studied contestants of The Biggest Loser 6 years after the show. It discovered that at the start of the competition, these contestants’ resting metabolic rate was 2,607 calories per day. But six years later, it dipped down to a mere 1900. That means their metabolism slowed so much, they regained all the weight they worked so hard to lose. So, what's the trick? How can we win in real life? Against all odds....

Photo: Roger Wollenberg

I think you already know the short answer. Exercise. 

Nothing new. No magic pill. It’s why our parents nagged us all those years ago, to get off the chair and “Play outside.” And nowadays, it’s backed up by professionals like Rena Wing, a psychiatry professor at Brown University and a founder of the National Weight Control Registry. She reminds us that diet is just the way to get started, but “Physical activity is the key to maintenance.”

Boy, do I ever know this. While my diet is pretty spot-on, I’m still a workaholic. That translates into letting days go by without any activity whatsoever.

This is not my nature. I actually love to move, dance, run, and lift weights. The trick is getting off my office chair and allowing myself to play again. And doing it regularly.

Did you notice earlier, how I said exercise was the “short answer”? 

Wanna know what the long answer is?

Self-empowerment. 

It’s saying (out loud if you want!): I'm safe; I'm loved; I'm capable. 

It’s putting your own health and joy first sometimes. It’s reminding yourself that you’re worth the time and effort it takes to be healthy. And it's reminding friends and family that you need this time. To live. 

Time for yourself does not make you selfish. 

It may shock others at first. But that's only because they've started to assume that you don't have a life outside of them. That's not healthy for them either. Once they realize that you are happier and healthier with some "me time" they’ll appreciate it. Or they'll learn that it feels good to support you in your goals. 

Yes, it all boils down to self-care. In my experience, that’s the real trick to maintaining a healthy weight. And exercise is a key component to self-care. It's what keeps us energized and balanced, physically and emotionally.  

This will be my last blog post here for a while. November will be hectic for me; I’m moving and starting up another business. Double-whammy stress usually packs on the pounds. And I won’t have my workout buddy, Aphroditi, with me this time.

But I won't quit. 

I'll find activities to do on my own. Something that brings me joy. What will you do to keep healthy this winter? Remember to take care of yourself, whatever you do. 

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Thanks for reading and wish me luck! As always, I wish you health and happiness, as well. xox Regina

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Week 6: DIET and FITNESS CHALLENGE

Diet and Fitness Challenge: Part 3

Regina Tuzzolino weighs in on the progress and the process of getting fit!

Good workout; good stretch!

Hi, everyone! Regina, here. It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted. I must admit, I've not been as dedicated as I should be to daily exercising. This has left me wondering, is it just me or...

Why does it get harder around 1 month into a fitness program? I think I know why, but curious if it's the same for you, too.

For me, there's this little voice in my head that derails me. Sometimes it tells me I'm doing so well, I can slack off for a while. Other times, it tells me that work, family, or indulging with friends is more important than getting fit.

Have you heard this voice, too? Its only job appears to be convincing us that we have no time to be healthy. That everything else in the world is more important than us.

One thing I know for sure: This is not the voice of wisdom. It's the voice of self-sabotage.

That inner voice can hurt you.

Don't listen to it!

Recognizing this pitfall is half the challenge of getting healthy. There are psychological studies and books that can help. I’ll list a solid resource at the end of this blog post to get you started. 

But for now, here's what I’ve been doing to overcome these obstacles, by way of exercise and nutrition.

1. I'm proud to say that I have not kept any tempting sweets in the house. When I crave sugar, I eat fruit, nuts, or veggies or drink tea. The first week is hard, but it gets easier.
2. I've cut my meal portions in half. You see, after I tore my Achilles, I kept eating as though I were a runner. And within 2 years, I gained 30 pounds. I've lost about 5 in about 2 months and plan to lose another 8 by the New Year.
3.  I'm getting up from my desk more often. Sitting for too long was causing painful veins to pop up in my legs. So, even if I told myself I was "okay" with my weight gain, that pain was not okay. Now, I remind myself of that a few times a day to get off my bum.
4. Every morning, Aphroditi texts me to remind me to do an activity. Accountability FTW!
5. I'm reducing calories by making healthy meals in my Instant Pot instead of ordering takeaway. It takes about 15 minutes to prep and then it cooks while you work (or workout). It's done in 20-40 minutes, depending on the setting. Look for the recipe at the bottom of this post.
6. I've incorporated some weights into my routine to help build muscle. Weight training continues to burn calories for quite some time after you work out. Besides, getting stronger means you can work out longer. Win-win!

  The good news is I lost 1 lb last week. The so-so news is I didn't lose any weight this week. But I know why. September is a huge birthday party month, it seems. And like a fool, I've gone to several events while hungry and then filled up on not-so healthy party food there.

Enter that evil voice again. It insists that the cake will be burned off at the gym, but when you're just starting out on your program, you aren't usually that "dedicated". So the calories go in, but they don't come out. Hello, love handles!

So this week, I asked Aphroditi to include some moves to tighten flabby areas. I really felt the burn afterward, so I know we're on the right track. Here are a few moves she showed me.  

Doing 15 reps of each one will give you a good 20 minute workout. But I'd schedule a session with Aphroditi first to make sure you have the correct form. Form prevents injury and ensures you get the most workout for your time.
 
The lunge with weights: Great for tightening the glutes, quads and upper body. As you step back (or forward) into a lunge, bring your arms up overhead. Then, as you return to standing, bring the arms back down.
 

Aphroditi showing lunges.

The plie´squat with ball. Start like the photo. Then, as you straighten your legs, bring the ball directly overhead. "zip-up" you tummy tightly as you straighten even taller. Return to this position.

Regina in plié squat.

The side bend with weights helps whittle away love handles. Follow the photo and alternate sides.

Oblique bends.

Do this bicep curl while in a static squat. It will work the glutes and hamstrings, too.

Bicep curls.

And to finish off, here are some great upper body stretches. This is so important, not only after working out, but to counteract all the computer work/sitting we all do. 

Wrist and arm stretch.

Upper body stretch.

Now back to banishing that inner voice that loves sabotaging your goals! :)

Psychology Today has a helpful series broken up into short articles.

One other trick to feeling better about yourself is good nutrition. And what's more nurturing than a home cooked meal? As promised, here's an easy, yet delish recipe. While this braised chicken recipe calls for a traditional pressure cooker, I made some simple adjustments below for the Instant Pot.

Braised Chicken recipe adjustments for Instant Pot:

1. I did not add water. The beauty of Instant Pot is it seals in moisture from the veggies, so there's no need for a "soupy" base.
2. Because I was in a hurry, I did not braise the chicken in oil first. All I did was line the pot with carrots, garlic, onion, and bell pepper. 
3. Then I put the chicken in, seasoned mildly (salt, rosemary), and set the instant pot to "poultry". 
4. When that timer went off, I reset it for another 20 minutes on slow cook. Just so it would fall off the bone. :)

Simple, right? And the result? Amazingly tender chicken with its own au jus (self-made sauce), right there in the pot.

Prefer the oven? There are plenty of healthy recipes out there for that, too. Have a favourite healthy recipe? Share it in the comment section! 

And thanks for reading. I hope to hear about your health and fitness journey one day, too...!

Week 3: My Diet and Fitness Progress

Another fitness report from my client, Regina Tuzzolino. Enjoy!

Greetings fellow health and fitness lovers!

It's been a couple of weeks since I reported on my diet and fitness progress with Life and Health coach, Aphroditi Dinatis. And I've got good news...

I got on the scale and I have lost 2 more pounds!

Last week when I weighed myself I was 142; I hadn't lost anything. (sad trombone)

Yet, Edita (short for Aphroditi) reminded me that not gaining weight is an achievement, too!

In the early stages of a fitness and health plan, we should be extra knd to ourselves. This isn't the Biggest Loser competition. This is a life plan that we can retain and enjoy!

Since I'm determined to get fit in a healthy, manageable way, 1 lb a week average is perfect. This means I'm not starving myself. Plus it allows for some muscle gain.

Just 1 month ago I was close to 150 lbs. My goal is to get down to 120 again. Considering that, the progress should be slow and steady. Lose weight too fast and it returns quickly, too.

A juice cleanse or crash diet has never kept weight off of me for longer than 3 months. Because I simply cannot maintain that sort of diet.

It all piles back on once I return to normal meals. Can you relate?

What works for me is exercise and lean meals. Veggies, protein, and low sugar/low carbs. 

And I actually prefer this type of eating! It's the Mediterranean diet of my people. :) Plus if I don't truly eat this way, I fall into bad habits. I turn to quick meals of crackers, cheese and frozen burritos.

And end up like this...

TRIGGER WARNING: Muffin tops! :)

Yep, after gaining weight, the few clothes I manage to squeeze into are not flattering. And going out in public in them just makes me depressed.

Yet, that new wardrobe costs a lot of dough -- pun intended.  

So yeah, goodbye extra weight. My hard earned cash and health are too important to me!

Here's the catch. My mindset had changed from eating poorly. I just wasn't motivated enough to stick to any exercise routine for long. I needed someone to help me get on track.

I needed a life and health coach. So I contacted Aphroditi Dinatis.

The first thing we discussed was my sedentary lifestyle. Hey, I love hiking, dancing, cycling -- you name it. But since starting my own business, I found myself planted in my office chair, 7 days a week. That's because I love writing in the morning with my cup of coffee.

But that morning turns into all day. And quite often, I would become so engrossed in a project that I would not leave the house until it was done. This is not healthy!

Living beings need to move, stretch and get fresh air. I knew that. And I knew I had to do something about it.

Aphroditi had a solution: She would text me every morning to make sure I was out and about before I got sidelined with a project. Just 15 minutes outside to start.

And it worked! Soon that 15 minutes became 30 minutes. My energy levels increased. And now I'm working out harder at the gym, too.

Here are some of the exercises Aphroditi showed me to get my glutes and lower back strong again. Because let's face it: sitting in a chair all day creates the dreaded pancake butt. ;p

This one is great for all over. Deceptively simple, yet effective.

On top of that, and some squats with weights, I've jumped back on the treadmill. 

This week I jogged/walked (alternating 1 minute each) on an incline of 9. I did this for 22 minutes. 

You can, too! My trick: Just watch something that fires you up (hello, politics!) and you will want to sprint. Or perhaps run for the hills, depending on your affiliation. :)

No matter what gets you moving, it feels great afterward. Your skin glows and you are more relaxed. Plus the endorphins released from exercising have reduced my sugar cravings! There's science behind that!

Today is Friday and I am fired up to meet with Aphroditi Dinatis again next Tuesday! Wish me luck this weekend. It's always tough when wine and great food is all around you, isn't it? But I will do my best and report again here. Until then...

Stay strong and healthy, my friend!

Regina

Client Journal: My Health and Fitness Journey with Aphroditi Dinatis

Life, Health and Fitness Coach, Aphroditi Dinatis and I. 

This client journal was written by my dear friend, Regina. I'm very happy to coach her Health and Fitness Journey. 

August 01, 2017

Hi, I'm Regina and I'm a workaholic. While this may sound like a humble brag, it's far from it.

Being a workaholic is deadly. In fact, my father died of heart failure when he was only 50. He was a slender man who ate healthily. But the stress of being a Type A Personality got to him.

I was just shy of 15 when he died. He was my best friend. His death tore my world apart.

As I am around that age now myself, I fear that if I don't change my lifestyle habits, I'll end up the same way. And I don't want to do that to my family.

My father (middle) flanked by his grandad and dad.

It's easy to fall into unhealthy habits. Those of you who work 2 jobs or freelance, know what it's like to have "zero free time." This is in quotes because, well, you have to "spend time" to be healthy. It doesn't come for free. :)

However, it doesn't take a lot to see healthy changes in your body, energy and spirit.

The funny truth of it is this: Spending time exercising actually gives you more time. More time alive on this earth, for sure. But also more energy = more time to do the things you love. And I don't mean more work...!

Why I'm Sharing this Health and Fitness Journey with You

This journey won't be easy. That's why I'm sharing this journal with you. I hope reading about the obstacles and the solutions I face will help inspire you. Here's how I got started...

Week 1: Getting On and Off Track (and on again).

Some back story: Like my dad, my body build is naturally slender. Meaning, when I'm in shape, I get compact, rather than bulky.

To illustrate that, here's my 50th birthday photo. This was roughly 3 years ago, before I tore my achilles and gained 20 lbs. I was running and cycling and eating pretty much what I wanted.

The author, second from left.

However, when I was young, my relatives insisted that my slender build was unhealthy. Looking back, I see how sexist that is. Because hey, I was built just like my dad. And no one made him eat sweets!

So, my poor mom was guilted into plying me with cakes, cookies, ice cream and a whole bunch of stuff that I discovered I'm allergic to. (Dairy and Wheat).

The result: an unhealthy kid who hated sports (because I was bullied). A kid who developed an addiction to afternoon sweets. And today, I'm a middle-aged woman who battles sugar addiction, injuries and muscle loss. But this can and must change.

Every one of us has some sort of "bad habit" or obstacles when it comes to being healthy. It's based on recurring incidences in our past.

How do we break free?

Recognizing our habits is the crucial first step. That's why I started a food journal. It really helped me notice the patterns in my self-destructive behaviour.

My food journal.

From these pages, I see that it's the afternoon that gives me cravings. That makes sense because that's when I'd return from school, feeling blue. It was the time my relatives fed me sweets.

Now, many years later, I still get an urge to eat sweets at 3pm. And I feel tired and overwhelmed around then, too.

The good news? My life coach, Aphroditi is there when I get a craving. She encourages me to make new patterns. It's not easy, but I'm trying to go outside more, stretch or call someone before I lapse. Anything to break the habit of reaching for sugar.

A fistful of regret (600 calories later).

Today was my second day of meeting my Health and Fitness Life Coach, Aphroditi. Sure I had some pitfalls. I binged on these sweet piroulines and instantly regretted it. But guess what? By increasing my exercise, and abstaining 80% of the time from sweets,  I lost 1 pound in 1 week.

Sure, the heavens didn't part. But having gained over 20 lbs in 2 years, I'm not expecting any that. 1 lb a week is a healthy pace for me.

What am I expecting? To change my unhealthy habits so I can live longer than my dad. :) He's want that for me. So I won't let him, my family, or myself down!

Stay tuned to next week's journal entry, where I'll include the exercises my coach Aphroditi has given me. So far, it's been a lot of fun...!

GOURMET LUNCH WITH MARIA

http://mariasdinnertable.blogspot.ca/2011/04/oo-la-la-lunch.html

Fitness Mind Games: How to Play. And Win.

Imagine this: You've trained hard for months. You're feeling Bullet-Proof. 

 

Watch out, World!

You've entered a big race. Or you've finally bought that sexy swimsuit that you're determined to wear this time. In public. Without a coverup.

And then--

Like a Tonya Harding to the knees, your subconscious knocks you down. You get careless, lose focus. Perhaps you injure yourself. And you imagine all your hard-won achievements slipping away...

Some days you might catch yourself asking:

Nancy Kerrigan, post Tonya Harding

Mind Games. They sure can get to you. But how do you stop them?

We've all faced these foes at one time or another, right? Our addictions, bad habits, fears. These thoughts, if we aren't careful, can lead to self-doubt, self-pity, and worst of all, defeatism.

Well, I'm here to say: You can fight back. And win.

How do I know? Because I did.

I coulda been a contender (wait, I still can!)

Recently, I was feeling on top of the world. Twirling like an Olympian in a rhinestone skating skirt, I was making great progress. And fast. What could go wrong...?

Well... perhaps I got a little too sure of myself. I lost my focus. I injured myself.

But the worst part? Something changed after the injury-- in an oh-so-subtle way.

My mindset.

I caught myself worrying about more injuries. I was angry at myself, too, for losing momentum.

Then I realized -- this isn't the way I'm meant to live.

I had to break free of these thoughts.

My trainer, Troy and me

I forced myself to workout, even when I had no energy. My personal trainer (Troy from T-Squared Personal Training), challenged me to get right back "on form" (even when I fought him on it). 

I kept working out like he insisted, and soon, I was back on form. (That's the sign of a great trainer -- one who motivates when you're at your lowest.)

And guess what? We both won.

Taking flight

But the power of mind-body connection isn't just my idea.

Clinical studies suggest that parts of the brain (cortex and medial temporal cortex) improve in people who exercise versus people who don’t.

"Engaging in a program of regular exercise of moderate intensity over six months or so is associated with an increase in selected brain tissue volume," says Dr. Scott McGinnis, a neurologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and instructor at Harvard Medical School.

So... where does this all put you? Right back on track!

Because even if you're recovering from an injury, illness or just swamped with work, you can take steps to improve your mind-body connection. Try deep-breathing exercises, dance to your favourite song, play a game of Frisbee...whatever gets you moving.

(And try not to fall prey to any other bad habits.)

Not-so-comforting-food

Sugars and starches create health issues like diabetes, mood swings and insomnia. In contrast, exercise soothes and strengthens the mind and body.

How much activity does one need to benefit? For beginners looking for a quick brain-boost, try 30 minutes a few times a week. But if you want to get really fit, set your sights for one hour. You'll be amazed at the results (in both body and mind).

Sound daunting? Try a workout buddy!

My Fitness Buddy/client and me

I know -- that's not as easy as it sounds.

Sometimes just when you're super-motivated to workout, your workout buddy cancels. Or someone persuades you to Netflix and chill. So many temptations out there, am I right? That's why I've decided to add this service...

Aside from life and fitness coaching, I will now be available as a Fitness Buddy!

Now you'll have someone to work out with according to your schedule.

As a Fitness Buddy, I can personally help you:

• Plan your fitness and diet goals.
• Keep you focused and positive during workouts.
• Keep you on track and accountable.
• Chart and encourage your progress.
• Celebrate your victories with you!

Remember: Our minds have the tools to create positive thoughts, too.

Contact me today: Let's banish negativity and unleash the winner inside of you.