Empower Blog

We all have times when we 'fall off the wagon' and somehow miss our workouts. There are legitimate reasons why we have to put exercising on the back burner – life happens! The problem is that sometimes once we start down that path, there's no end to the excuses we come up with to take a break from exercising.

Did you know that it takes only about two weeks to start losing your level of cardiovascular fitness when you stop exercising? And that after about three to four weeks without exercise you'll start losing muscle? Don't forget that losing muscle is the worst thing you can do when trying to lose fat!

We already know that exercise is good for us. We try to work out on a regular basis, reminding ourselves that the payoff is well worth the effort. The best advice is really to stay consistent. Make your exercise time a priority – schedule it in your planner, write it on your calendar, block it out so that nothing else can be scheduled in during this time. If you have to miss one session, just make sure you make the next one and get right back into your routine.

Consistency is the key to success in health and fitness. Commit to exercising at least three times each week. Commit to strength training at least twice a week. You made a commitment to yourself that is worth keeping - so keep it!

Of course! I’m a self-proclaimed fan of the 30-minute meal. At this point in my life, I simply don’t want to spend more than 30 minutes making dinner – I’d rather be playing with my little girls. I’ve probably bought every cookbook claiming to have “fast” recipes. I particularly love cooking in the Fall and Winter as its the perfect weather for Crockpot meals.

The cooler temperatures lend themselves to soups, stews, casseroles, and warm dishes. I have a wonderful cookbook filled with low-fat, healthy Crockpot meals. Not only can I continue to serve healthy options for my family but I can make them in advance, let them cook all day, and come home to dinner that is ready to go – so simple! Plus, most Crockpot meals can feed my family for two nights!

Try acting like a 2-year-old. I’m not suggesting anyone assume the attitude of a toddler but rather act like a 2-year old physically. If you have a toddler like me you know how their engines run full-steam ahead until they crash for nap or bedtime.

We’ve recently had lots of rainy weather, cooler temps, and been stuck indoors. Of course that hasn’t tamed my daughter’s need to burn off her 2-and-a-half year old energy. So I’ve been getting down on her level. We’ve been crawling and rolling all over chasing her little sister. I’ve been running after her around the house playing games and hide n’ seek.

Even though I workout regularly, but I can tell you that keeping up with a toddler’s every move is a workout of a different kind. On the days you’ve missed a workout and want to spend time with your little ones, get down on their level and keep in step with them. I can assure it may not target your “problem areas” directly but it will absolutely count as exercise.

Survey says: One of the #1 reasons for not exercising on a regular basis is “lack of time.”

Think about it: Time in reality is probably the least likely thing to keep someone from exercising. With 24-hours in a day, it is likely that we can find at least 10 to 20 minutes to talk on the phone, surf the net, watch TV, or read a magazine. Yet we still perceive ‘time’ (or the lack of it) as the reason for not finding that same 10 to 20 minutes to exercise.

A few minutes can make a huge difference: Many studies have shown that short bursts of very intense exercise (interval based training) can produce the same results as traditional, longer duration endurance training.

The proof: A study done recently and published in the Journal of Physiology took 16 college-aged students and had them train using different duration programs.Half did 90 to 120 minutes of continuous moderate intensity cardio each day. The other half performed about one fifth the overall workout time but trained using 30 second bursts of high intensity work followed by 4 minutes of recovery. Despite the huge difference in training time both groups had similar improvements in training results.

So, move more: Keep in mind all physical activity, not just formal exercise, can add up to a healthier body. So in-between those intervals (the other 23.5 hours of the day) try to find ways to simply move more. Here are a few suggestions:

• Take the stairs
• Allow for a movement break every 30 minutes you are stuck at a desk (get up and down 5-10 times in a row or do some shoulder rolls)
• Find something physical you can do during the commercial breaks of your favorite TV time (like crunches and push ups)
• Go for a walk while you are having leisure talk on the cell phone
• Keep your housework moving briskly
• Stand and balance on one foot when in the grocery store line
• Take the dog for more walks
• Get outside and play with your kids
• Park farther and walk

Click “Like” if you found this helpful!

If not, how can we help you? Send in your questions (info@fitnessem.com) to be answered by one of the Empower personal trainers.

By Heather Hawk

We all know that finding time for fitness can be a challenge.

Whether it’s work, family, or school we all have life pulling us in several directions. Having my own company provides me the luxury of working from home a few days a week so squeezing in a workout early morning or mid-day is usually convenient. Lately, my work has had me on location most weekdays. By the time I get home I want to spend all the time I can with mygirls before their bedtime.

I was finding myself stressing out over when to fit in my workout. So I decided to combine the two activities and I’m using my playtime with my girls to be as physical as possible. My oldest, who is three, loves to crawl over and under furniture, jump, run, and climb through the jungle-gym at the park. Instead of simply cheering her on from the sidelines, I’m now right by her for all her fun and exploration.

You’d be amazedhow exhausting it can be keeping up with a three year old…I know I’m working up a sweat, burning calories, and using my muscles in very different ways.

By Heather Hawk

Tempting foods are everywhere. If I could still be healthy and live on sweets I would. But since that isn’t possible, I know the importance of healthy eating. I’ve learned from my own experience that small changes can add up to big results when it comes to my health and my body shape. There are simple changes I’ve made over the years that save me big on the calorie count.

• Order salads with dressing and cheese on the side
• Avoid fried foods
• When ordering sandwiches, ask for whole grain bread
• For any meal, ask for all sauces on the side
• Avoid creamy soups, choose clear or broth based soups instead
• Drink water or unsweetened tea instead of soda

By Heather Hawk

The Fall is a beautiful time to get active outdoors. Many people enjoy walking, running, and hiking in local parks. These cardio sessions are invigorating by themselves however a few simple changes can take these workouts to a total body training session:

• Many parks have strength stations along the paths for push-ups, pull-ups, and other movements. Take advantage of these stations along the way.
• Create your own strength stations by doing circuits of body weight exercises every 5-8 minutes during your cardio session. Perform walking lunges or step-ups on a bench for the lower body, push-ups for the upperbody, or plank holds for the core.
• Bring your resistance cords to the park and stop every 8-10 minutes for a total body circuit. The resistance cords provide you numerous exercises for the upper and lower body

By Heather Hawk

Do you ever snack while you’re watching TV or sitting at your desk? I’m guilty of the mindless snacking at times. Even though I’m snacking on some baked chips or popcorn (a slightly “healthier” treat), the low-calorie option goes out the window when I discover I’ve eaten half the bag!

I’ve always been proud of my ability to multi-task; however when noshing on snacks is one of the “tasks”, it’s time to focus my attention on the food. Distractions (of all kinds) make me forget how much I’ve consumed.

I haven’t given up my tasty treat during a weekend movie; I’ve just made a simple adjustment. Instead of taking the entire bag of baked chips to the couch, I now put a handful in a bowl to enjoy. I find that I eat slowly and savor the snack rather than devouring it and not really tasting the treat…plus I avoid the unwanted (and unnecessary) extra calories!

By Heather Hawk

Follow these easy tricks to cut 100 calories and drop the extra pounds…

• Ask for a “dry” bun – Chefs and cooks frequently swipe the bun with a knife-ful of butter or mayo. Keeping the bun dry can save up to 120 calories.
• Lighten up your juice – Instead of downing 12 ounces of juice, try mixing 6 ounces of juice with 6 ounces of water. Or opt for an Arnold Palmer and mix lemonade with unsweetened iced tea. This lighter version can save up to 100 calories.
• Save the olive oil for last – We often think of sautéing our veggies as a low fat option, but some vegetables simply soak up the majority of the oil. Instead try steaming the vegetables then tossing them with a few teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil and other spices just before serving. Adding the oil last can save up to 150 calories per cup of veggies.

By Heather Hawk

Labor Day weekend is the perfect excuse for a cookout!

Grilling outdoors can be a healthy option for tasty meals but beware of the condiments you use to top of the main course. The little squirts and spoonfuls can add up if you’re not careful. The numbers below show you how these popular barbeque extras pack in the calories per tablespoon:

• Butter - 102 calories, 12 grams of fat
• Mayo - 100 calories, 11 grams of fat
• Ranch dip – 60 calories, 6 grams of fat
• Barbeque sauce – 26 calories, 0 grams of fat
• Guacamole – 25 calories, 2 grams of fat
• Ketchup – 15 calories, 0 grams of fat
• Pickle relish – 14 calories, 0 grams of fat
• Mustard – 10 calories, 1 gram of fat
• Salsa – 4 calories, 0 grams of fat

When it comes to food, making several little healthy choices can have a big impact! Make the most of the your meal and choose your condiments wisely!