WELCOME
Inner Strength, Core Strength and Rolling With the Punches! Appropriate thoughts for the week, it turns out, for me! After injuring my leg last week, I briefly contemplated postponing my weight loss journey but, after sitting around on my backside for several days, I realize that would be a HUGE mistake! This week, I've decided to summon up all of my inner strength and make some lemonade ... and so, I'm still in and might even have a few tricks up my sleeve to stay competetive in our challenge!
FOOD/NUTRITION
Inner Strength - This week, think about how you are fueling your body and don’t drink your calories. Food you chew makes a bigger impression on your appetite. Studies have shown that calories you drink do not curb your appetite for food later. Sweet beverages like soda, sports drinks, and fancy coffee drinks can add up to 300-500 extra calories. That’s more than a pound of fat in 2 weeks!
HEALTH/FITNESS
Core Strength - Core exercises are an important part of a well-rounded fitness program. Aside from occasional sit-ups and push-ups, however, core exercises are often neglected. Research shows, it pays to get your core muscles — that group of stabilizing muscles surrounding your spine — in better shape. Read more from the Mayo Clinic, then try these Core Exercises to build abs and other core muscles.
WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Rolling with the Punches - Join me at LA Boxing in Columbia for their 9:30 a.m. Boxing Class on Saturday, they claim to burn up to 1000 calories per class, so expect to sweat. BTW, you read correctly, I will be participating in the class - if you're curious as to how, you'll have to show up to find out! Let me know by noon on Friday if you are interested, I'll have to get them a head count!
APPS/BOOKS
Bupa Fitness The application (iPhone, Android) is designed to help you progress in four key areas of fitness: flexibility, core stability, balance and strength.
ADVICE
I met my friend Mark Shropshire when I sent Rachel to him for speed and agility training - I was shocked to see that most of his focus was on her core strength, not in running laps and sprints. In a very short period of time and not too much "road" work, he improved her sprint times as well as her vertical jump. With that, I became a true believer! Shrop tells me, "Everything the body does is anchored in the core. A weak core or problems with core activation timing in movement can lead to inefficient patterns of movement and possibly injury."
When evaulating the athletes he trains, Mark looks at flexibility, strength, mobility, power, agility, coordination and speed - all of which are anchored in your core. This is all viewed through the perspective of injury reduction and safety. During training he addresses the asymmetries in the body, which are better predictors of injury than simple fitness level, retraining the movements and eliminating these imbalances so that the training process has a successful, injury free outcome.
Visit Mark at Shropshire Sports Training in Ellicott City - Mark has worked with quite a few local athletes, a mom or two that I know, Navy Seals and Pro Athletes alike.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Challenge Week 2
WELCOME
For many of us, not making ourselves a priority is a way of life - there is just too much to do and not enough time to do it. Eventually, the stress of our daily routine will win out. By learning to put ourselves first for a small portion of the day, we'll be in a better position to handle the stress of getting everything done. So, if that means eating better, getting enough sleep, working out or stretching each day and cleaning up our environments and relationships ... it's what we need to do. Think about it - how happy are we when we see our kids working to excel and better themselves (think athletics as well as academics), why shouldn't we be doing the same for ourselves?
FOOD/NUTRITION
How we interact with food can be an indicator of stress in our lives - some of us stop eating, others of us binge. Personally, the harder I let my life become, the more I eat. To help combat stress eating and improve our overall health, we have to eat regular meals, starting with breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After a long night's rest, your body needs fuel to get your metabolism going and give you energy for the rest of the day. If you can't eat at the crack of dawn, at least eat breakfast by mid-morning. Then, figure out the frequency of your meals that works best in your life and stick to it. Regular meals will help prevent over and/or under eating.
HEALTH/FITNESS
If this challenge is creating stress in your life - check out the Bill Phillip's Body for Life program. He has a complete nutrition and exercise plan that is so simple, we'll all wonder why we haven't been doing it our whole lives. Bill stresses that the best time to workout is several hours after your last meal - making early morning your best fat-burning window. He offers a 20 minute interval-training program that will help get you started, without taking up your entire day. Even if you don't use his plan, you should still consider morning workouts a couple times a week to maximize the benefits of your own program.
WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Hot Yoga - find your center ... or just sweat to your middle! Some say this exercise is stress free, I'm just hoping to stay in the room the entire time! Join me on Saturday morning at Bikram Yoga in Columbia for their 10am class. See their website for complete details, pricing and the survival guide - http://bikramyogacolumbia.com/. I highly recommend the $25 introductory special and arriving 20-30 minutes ahead of time to register and ensure your spot in the class. Please let me know if you plan on attending - or else, I may consider the 8am class!
APPS/BOOKS
Relax Lite: Stress Relief I haven't tried this Droid App yet, but it's on my list for the week!
Bill Phillip's Body for Life - 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength ... This is a must-read!
ADVICE
Dr. Harry Derr D.C., is not only the clinical director of Living Wellness of Columbia, but also a former Division II college football player and a current national level competitor in the United States Powerlifting Federation. Here Harry provides us with two great offers!
A complete stretching program for maximum physical and mental health benefits! It's easy to forget that flexibility is an important part of your overall health and fitness. But being flexible can improve your range of motion, posture and circulation, reduce your risk of injury and muscle soreness, make daily activities easier to perform and provide stress relief. All of these benefits can easily be yours by adding stretching into your weekly routine! Here is a total body stretching program that you can do anytime, anywhere.
Wellness Boost Package - Living Wellness of Columbia is offering a FREE service to all of our participants! Total value is $175 and includes a chiropractic evaluation, consultation, xrays, report-of-findings, and 30-minute Hydromassage! The offer is good for both you and a guest of your choice! Contact April (who, coincidentally, has lost over 110 lbs in the last 3 years!) to reserve your spot today.
For many of us, not making ourselves a priority is a way of life - there is just too much to do and not enough time to do it. Eventually, the stress of our daily routine will win out. By learning to put ourselves first for a small portion of the day, we'll be in a better position to handle the stress of getting everything done. So, if that means eating better, getting enough sleep, working out or stretching each day and cleaning up our environments and relationships ... it's what we need to do. Think about it - how happy are we when we see our kids working to excel and better themselves (think athletics as well as academics), why shouldn't we be doing the same for ourselves?
FOOD/NUTRITION
How we interact with food can be an indicator of stress in our lives - some of us stop eating, others of us binge. Personally, the harder I let my life become, the more I eat. To help combat stress eating and improve our overall health, we have to eat regular meals, starting with breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After a long night's rest, your body needs fuel to get your metabolism going and give you energy for the rest of the day. If you can't eat at the crack of dawn, at least eat breakfast by mid-morning. Then, figure out the frequency of your meals that works best in your life and stick to it. Regular meals will help prevent over and/or under eating.
HEALTH/FITNESS
If this challenge is creating stress in your life - check out the Bill Phillip's Body for Life program. He has a complete nutrition and exercise plan that is so simple, we'll all wonder why we haven't been doing it our whole lives. Bill stresses that the best time to workout is several hours after your last meal - making early morning your best fat-burning window. He offers a 20 minute interval-training program that will help get you started, without taking up your entire day. Even if you don't use his plan, you should still consider morning workouts a couple times a week to maximize the benefits of your own program.
WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Hot Yoga - find your center ... or just sweat to your middle! Some say this exercise is stress free, I'm just hoping to stay in the room the entire time! Join me on Saturday morning at Bikram Yoga in Columbia for their 10am class. See their website for complete details, pricing and the survival guide - http://bikramyogacolumbia.com/. I highly recommend the $25 introductory special and arriving 20-30 minutes ahead of time to register and ensure your spot in the class. Please let me know if you plan on attending - or else, I may consider the 8am class!
APPS/BOOKS
Relax Lite: Stress Relief I haven't tried this Droid App yet, but it's on my list for the week!
Bill Phillip's Body for Life - 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength ... This is a must-read!
ADVICE
Dr. Harry Derr D.C., is not only the clinical director of Living Wellness of Columbia, but also a former Division II college football player and a current national level competitor in the United States Powerlifting Federation. Here Harry provides us with two great offers!
A complete stretching program for maximum physical and mental health benefits! It's easy to forget that flexibility is an important part of your overall health and fitness. But being flexible can improve your range of motion, posture and circulation, reduce your risk of injury and muscle soreness, make daily activities easier to perform and provide stress relief. All of these benefits can easily be yours by adding stretching into your weekly routine! Here is a total body stretching program that you can do anytime, anywhere.
Wellness Boost Package - Living Wellness of Columbia is offering a FREE service to all of our participants! Total value is $175 and includes a chiropractic evaluation, consultation, xrays, report-of-findings, and 30-minute Hydromassage! The offer is good for both you and a guest of your choice! Contact April (who, coincidentally, has lost over 110 lbs in the last 3 years!) to reserve your spot today.
Total Body Stretch
By Dr. Harry Derr, D.C.
It’s easy to forget that flexibility is an important part of your overall health and fitness. But being flexible can improve your range of motion, posture and circulation, reduce your risk of injury and muscle soreness, make daily activities easier to perform and provide stress relief. All of these benefits can easily be yours by adding stretching into your weekly routine!
Here is a total body stretching program that you can do anytime, anywhere. Do this routine a minimum of two to three times per week. It should only take about 10 minutes to complete. If you have back, joint or other health problems, talk with your doctor first.
Before you get started
Stretching muscles when they're cold increases your risk of pulled muscles so warm up first by marching or jogging in place for a minimum of five minutes or plan to stretch right after you’ve done some physical activity.
Hold each stretch for at least 20-30 seconds and don’t bounce. Stretch to the point of mild tension and avoid locking your joints. Relax and take deep breaths while you stretch. Be sure not to hold your breath! If you feel any pain during a stretch, you've gone too far so back off a little. Some of the following stretches take place on the floor so use a soft surface like a rug or thick towel for those ones.
Neck stretch
Stand with your legs hip width apart, knees slightly bent, and toes pointed forward. Place your left arm behind your back and bend your elbow so that the back of your hand rests on your lower back. Tuck your chin to your chest and draw your right ear toward your right shoulder. For a deeper stretch, use your right hand to gently pull your head down even further. Switch sides and repeat.
Chest stretch
Stand with your legs hip width apart, knees slightly bent, and toes pointed forward. Bend your elbows slightly and reach back to clasp your hands behind your lower back. Gently raise your hands up until you feel a stretch across your chest.
Upper back stretch
Stand with your legs hip width apart, knees slightly bent, and toes pointed forward. Bring your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height and clasp your hands together, palms facing outward. Tuck your chin down to your chest and round your shoulders forward.
Shoulder stretch
Stand with your legs hip width apart, knees slightly bent, and toes pointed forward. Place your left arm across your body at shoulder height and gently pull it toward your right shoulder with your right hand, holding your left arm either above or below the elbow. To deepen the stretch, look over your left shoulder. Switch sides and repeat.
Quadricep stretch
Stand next to a wall or sturdy piece of furniture and place your left hand on it for balance. Bend your right knee behind you and reach back with your right hand to grasp your ankle or the top of your foot. Gently pull your heel up until you feel a stretch along the front of your thigh. Make sure to keep your knees together and pointed down toward the floor during the stretch. Switch legs and repeat.
Hamstring stretch
Stand with your knees slightly bent and hands on hips. Stick you right heel into the floor about 6 inches in front of you, flexing the right foot. Keeping your head up and right leg and back straight, slowly bend your left knee and lean forward until you feel a stretch down the back of your right leg. Switch legs and repeat.
Hip stretch
Kneel down on your right knee, place your left foot in front of you and bend your leg at a 90 degree angle. With your hands on your hips and back straight, lean forward into the left knee until you feel a stretch along the front of your right hip. Make sure your left knee doesn’t go past your toes. For a deeper stretch, lift your right arm straight up and slightly over to the left side, keeping your hips facing forward. Switch legs and repeat.
Outer thigh stretch
Sit on the floor with your left leg straight out in front of you and right leg bent. Cross the bent right leg over the left and place your right foot flat on the floor. Keeping your back straight, gently press your left elbow against your outer right thigh and slowly twist your upper body to the right. Place your right hand on the floor behind you, fingertips facing away from your body. Keep pressing your left elbow into your right leg and slowly look over your right shoulder. Switch legs and repeat.
Inner thigh stretch
Take a seat on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Sitting straight up, spread your legs as far apart as they will go and place your hands on the floor in between your legs. Keeping your back straight and head up, slowly lean forward and reach your hands out along the floor until you feel a stretch in your inner thighs.
Abdominal stretch
Lie down on your stomach with your legs straight behind you and palms on the floor by your chest. Slowly straighten your elbows, puff your chest out and slightly tilt your head up until you feel a stretch along your abs.
Low back stretch
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place both hands on top of your right shin, just below the knee, and gently pull your knee up into your chest. For a deeper stretch, straighten your left leg out along the floor. Switch legs and repeat.
Ahh! You should feel very limber and relaxed now. Like any aspect of fitness, increasing your flexibility takes time and consistency but the efforts will be well worth it and feel great!
For more tips on stretching feel free to call or email Dr. Harry at Living Wellness!
Dr. Harry A. Derr III D.C.
Living Wellness Chiropractic
6420 Dobbin Road Suite A
Columbia MD 21045
443 319 5770
Dr. Harry is a former Division II college football player and is currently a national level competitor in the United States Powerlifting Federation. He has nearly two decades of personal training experience and has been living the chiropractic lifestyle for 25 years.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Doing as I Say
Well, it's lunchtime and I'm thinking about our competition. People have started asking me what my "plan" is. So, in the spirit of putting my money where my mouth is, I've chosen to follow all of my own recommendations for the Weight Loss Challenge!
I visited 10 New Year's Resolutions for Your Body, Mind and Heart as discussed in yesterday's post and have given up all added sugars for today (no sodas or vitamin waters!), I am sitting with my abs contracted (8 minutes so far!) and have given up TV for the day. I actually enjoyed reading the post and will be pursuing something photography-related because of it!
I already use Noom to track my workouts, but I did download my Drinking Water App and am working hard to stay ahead of the curve - if you don't drink and note it every couple of hours, it will send you a nice "flushing" ringtone to remind you!!! LOL
Then I went to Joey's recommended BLOG and read all three entries - I ran with one of the sugggestions and made a list of 10 positive things about myself - that was actually quite uplifting! And now I've been sitting with my abs contracted for 22 minutes! So I'm feeling pretty good.
I hope the rest of the day progresses as nicely!
Ha - 33 minutes later (through editing and re-writes) and the abs are still in - now I don't want to let go! I highly recommend this challenge!
I visited 10 New Year's Resolutions for Your Body, Mind and Heart as discussed in yesterday's post and have given up all added sugars for today (no sodas or vitamin waters!), I am sitting with my abs contracted (8 minutes so far!) and have given up TV for the day. I actually enjoyed reading the post and will be pursuing something photography-related because of it!
I already use Noom to track my workouts, but I did download my Drinking Water App and am working hard to stay ahead of the curve - if you don't drink and note it every couple of hours, it will send you a nice "flushing" ringtone to remind you!!! LOL
Then I went to Joey's recommended BLOG and read all three entries - I ran with one of the sugggestions and made a list of 10 positive things about myself - that was actually quite uplifting! And now I've been sitting with my abs contracted for 22 minutes! So I'm feeling pretty good.
I hope the rest of the day progresses as nicely!
Ha - 33 minutes later (through editing and re-writes) and the abs are still in - now I don't want to let go! I highly recommend this challenge!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Challenge Week 1
WELCOME
Weight control is all about creating a lean lifestyle that you can live with forever. I am looking forward to creating such a plan for myself and sharing my journey with you all over the next 12 weeks. Check your mailbox every week for ideas on small changes that can add up to big calorie savings and healthy weight loss.
FOOD/NUTRITION
If you haven't selected your own diet plan, I'll share some hints and tips in this section every week. As we start out, it is important that we stay hydrated. Your goal this week should be to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day! Your first dietary change should be to look at healthier snacking options, pack healthful snacks for the times of day that you know you are typically hungry and can easily stray from your eating plan.
HEALTH/FITNESS
SSA's Office of the Medical Director recommends at least 150-300 minutes of moderate activity (brisk walking, slow biking, ballroom dancing, lawn mowing, etc) or 75-150 minutes of vigorous activity (running, swimming, power walking, aerobics, etc) per week for optimum health benefits.
Each week, I'll give you links to interesting and helpful sites to guide us on our journey! I love New Year's resolutions. I know they don't always stick around, but they give us a chance to re-invent a little piece of ourselves every year. Check out this great link from Active.com: 10 New Year's Resolutions for Your Body, Mind and Heart
WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Take a Hike - literally! I'm getting out before the snow hits us! This Saturday, I will be at Patapsco State Park (Hollofield Area) around 10am to hike the Old Ranger Trail. It is about 1.5 miles and I will be attempting to loop it twice - join me for all, or just part, of the walk! On Monday, be sure to go to the WLW site and comment on your hike!
APPS/BOOKS
These two apps are for the Droid, but I'm sure the iPhone has equivalents!
Introducing Noom: The All-In-One Weight Loss, Exercise and Food Tracking App
Drinking Water - water reminder app!
ADVICE
I asked my friend Joey, who runs a Christian-based Recovery Coaching Group, to help us with the problems of getting and staying motivated. He responded to me with a wonderful list of quotes and a blog link. I particularly liked this quote:
To put food and weight behind you, you will need to choose life. Choosing life means showing up with your full presence in the world. Permanent weight loss is the work of opening your heart to all that is good in you and in the world. It means living a life of gratitude. When you feel better, you eat better.
To get started on your journey, he suggest checking out this great blog found at eurofitllc.blogspot.com/search/label/Lifestyle
You can visit Joey at www.Trans4mationCoaching.com
Weight control is all about creating a lean lifestyle that you can live with forever. I am looking forward to creating such a plan for myself and sharing my journey with you all over the next 12 weeks. Check your mailbox every week for ideas on small changes that can add up to big calorie savings and healthy weight loss.
FOOD/NUTRITION
If you haven't selected your own diet plan, I'll share some hints and tips in this section every week. As we start out, it is important that we stay hydrated. Your goal this week should be to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day! Your first dietary change should be to look at healthier snacking options, pack healthful snacks for the times of day that you know you are typically hungry and can easily stray from your eating plan.
HEALTH/FITNESS
SSA's Office of the Medical Director recommends at least 150-300 minutes of moderate activity (brisk walking, slow biking, ballroom dancing, lawn mowing, etc) or 75-150 minutes of vigorous activity (running, swimming, power walking, aerobics, etc) per week for optimum health benefits.
Each week, I'll give you links to interesting and helpful sites to guide us on our journey! I love New Year's resolutions. I know they don't always stick around, but they give us a chance to re-invent a little piece of ourselves every year. Check out this great link from Active.com: 10 New Year's Resolutions for Your Body, Mind and Heart
WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Take a Hike - literally! I'm getting out before the snow hits us! This Saturday, I will be at Patapsco State Park (Hollofield Area) around 10am to hike the Old Ranger Trail. It is about 1.5 miles and I will be attempting to loop it twice - join me for all, or just part, of the walk! On Monday, be sure to go to the WLW site and comment on your hike!
APPS/BOOKS
These two apps are for the Droid, but I'm sure the iPhone has equivalents!
Introducing Noom: The All-In-One Weight Loss, Exercise and Food Tracking App
Drinking Water - water reminder app!
ADVICE
I asked my friend Joey, who runs a Christian-based Recovery Coaching Group, to help us with the problems of getting and staying motivated. He responded to me with a wonderful list of quotes and a blog link. I particularly liked this quote:
To put food and weight behind you, you will need to choose life. Choosing life means showing up with your full presence in the world. Permanent weight loss is the work of opening your heart to all that is good in you and in the world. It means living a life of gratitude. When you feel better, you eat better.
To get started on your journey, he suggest checking out this great blog found at eurofitllc.blogspot.com/search/label/Lifestyle
You can visit Joey at www.Trans4mationCoaching.com
Monday, January 9, 2012
Tim Tebow ...
HE JUST MIGHT HAVE THE ANSWERS
Whether you think Tim Tebow is a franchise quarterback or his talent is all hype, there are a couple of things about him that you have to respect: The way he lives his life, and his work ethic. That boy is the epitome of perseverance.
As I begin my New Year's Resolution Journey to lead dozens, or maybe just two, of my friends and family members into a healthier, happier version of themselves in 2012, I will take a page out of Tebow's book. I will work as hard as I can, I will believe in myself and I'll believe in my team ... and I will make a difference.
I might go 22 drives without a scoring play, but I will persevere and, eventually, we will celebrate our successes. Join me here for our 12 week Challenge to Wellness.
Whether you think Tim Tebow is a franchise quarterback or his talent is all hype, there are a couple of things about him that you have to respect: The way he lives his life, and his work ethic. That boy is the epitome of perseverance.
As I begin my New Year's Resolution Journey to lead dozens, or maybe just two, of my friends and family members into a healthier, happier version of themselves in 2012, I will take a page out of Tebow's book. I will work as hard as I can, I will believe in myself and I'll believe in my team ... and I will make a difference.
I might go 22 drives without a scoring play, but I will persevere and, eventually, we will celebrate our successes. Join me here for our 12 week Challenge to Wellness.
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