Sickness.  It seems to be rampant around here lately.  We get over one cold and the next one hits within three months.  Argh.  This time, it struck both my kids on the same day- fever, cough, sore throat…you name it.    I have been coughed on, kissed,  or shared toilet seats..with two feverish kids and amazingly have NOT YET GOTTEN SICK.

3 Months Ago, Whole Foods sent me a press release on immune building products for the flu season.  Our flu season seems to by cyclical- every few months, we have a new viral infection.  And, you know, it sucks.  I hate seeing my kids sick.  The weird thing is that I have not gotten sick at all.  Between my Whole Foods press release and my Facebook account, I ran a series of questions yesterday on what to take in case of sickness or even possible sickness.  The answers I got ranged from eating whole garlic cloves to Zirmac to 2000 miligrams of Vitamin C (Emergen C) to tumeric to cayenne pepper to kale and the list goes on…..I am no expert on this subject, but, the products below are the ones that have been working for me – as I have not been sick!

Wellness Formula manufactured by Source Naturals. Basically, it’s a herbal defense complex with garlic, echinacea, elderberry extract, and a bunch of other herbs that I can’t pronounce.  I take it as soon as I feel any scratchy throat, head ache or in times of the kids being sick!

Emergen – C, 1000 miligrams per packet.

Fish Oil- Your choice on brand.

SLEEP.  Try to get an extra hour in bed.  I know that has a lot to do with everything!

The ZONE diet.

What do you all take in the event of sickness or preventing sickness?

P.S. Whole Foods provided me with an 8 day supply of the Welless Formula and I have since repurchased at my local health food store.

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As you read this, I will officially be on DAY 1 of the Zone Diet.  For the last two weeks, I have fiddled around with it, but, tomorrow is my official start date.  I bet you are all wondering WHY would I be starting any kind of diet whatsoever, right??? I eat healthy, or so I think, and yet, I am still carrying around excess fat.  Seriously.

I started cross fit workouts back in November and since then have already seen a large loss of body fat.  I don’t have any numbers for you but, I can tell you I dropped at least one dress size without changing my diet at all- and that includes wine, dark chocolate and iced americano’s regularly!!

Cross Fit, across the board recommends a diet high in protein, vegetables, nuts, some fruits and no sugar, and, depending on the affiliate, will depend on what diet they recommend.  To my knowledge there are only two- the Paleo Diet and the Zone Diet.  Yesterday, I was lucky enough to hear a lecture given by my trainers on the ZONE diet and that was the final icing on the cake for me.

Most importantly, I heard that for every 3 workouts, you drop 1 (like in the trash) if your diet sucks.

Number 2, the ZONE diet’s function is primarily to reduce inflammation in the body.  (Like for example, the chronic diseases that are associated with inflammation- heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer, asthma, allergies, and anything that ends in -itis- TENDENITIS {me!!!}

Number 3, My trainers are my hero’s! Both of them.  And, so, it’s kind of like if they are doing it and are successful and completely ripped, then, I can do it too.

I also wrote to the PR person for the ZONE Diet and they were excited to provide me with samples of a few of the books and bars that the ZONE diet offers.  I will discuss this more in detail later, but, I wanted you to know that I am READING all the material I can get my hands on and honestly, the only thing that’s hard to figure out is how much food I am expected to eat DAILY!?!?!?!

Questions/Comments/Concerns…let us hear them below.

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On the subject of weight training:

Back in the days of Shawn Phillips, I used to do three sets at the same weight and thought that was the workout!

My general warm-up consists of 5-7 exercises for a total of 10-25 repetitions and that follows a 500 meter row + dynamic stretches.   The general warm-up includes (this week) 30 second handstands, twisting push-ups, ring dips, overhead squats, double unders (with a rope), hip extensions, sit-ups…

Lunges & squats were to be done with no weight.

5 repeat opportunities to build strength by experimenting with my max load. (Such as Overhead Squats, Front Squats, Squat Cleans)

I thought 30 repetitions of anything was a workout!

On the subject of food: {This area is under big consideration at the moment- due to dizzy spells post workout, while teaching in triangle pose or any balance pose… I must be deficient in something- possibly fat?! Thoughts?

Big bowl of oatmeal every single day.

I used to drink 350 calorie Iced Mocha’s DAILY!

I used to drink a daily dose of diet coke.

No Soda, and only iced americano’s with 2 raw sugars (I know I know…still have my vices.)

Eggs with peppers for breakfast if time allows.

I drink a smoothie every day.

I read all menu plans in every single magazine.  (more on this in a few days)

No rice, pasta or bread unless it’s a weekend or a special occasion.

On the subject of recovery:

Foam Roller and Yoga

Hot, muscle relaxing baths, yoga, and bed at 9. REST.  1  full day off between 2-3 hard days.  And, I have to force myself to take days off.

On the subject of mental toughness:

Still need to develop.

Still learning lots and have tons of questions- mainly on the subject of food.  I’d like for my abs to make an appearance this year and also like to eliminate the dizzy spells and really feel strong and fit!

Let’s get ready for 2010!?! Anybody set any big goals yet? I’m still formulating mine.

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There is a huge division on this subject- either you eat or you don’t.  And, I’ve found people are pretty adamant on the subject.  Because I have been both a marathon runner, bike racer, yoga goer, and now cross fitter, I can honestly tell you that on ALL occasions, I do not ever EAT before a workout.  My general rule of thumb is 2+ hours is the minimum amount of time that needs to be between me and my sweat.  Hammer Nutrition’s site says three hours prior to a workout.  On marathon day, yes, I ate oatmeal prior to the race, but, still I stayed within my two hour window.

I will give you two main reasons:

1. The Puke Factor.  Most of my workouts lately are completed within one hour and the intensity is HIGH.  I do not want to puke my breakfast at the end of a hard workout.  Period.

2.  Burping.  Nor, do I wish to taste my food again while out swinging a kettlebell, running, rowing …whatever. No, thank you.

3.  Timing.  All of my workouts are in the early morning.  I wake up, drink my required half cup of coffee and off I go! I have no time to eat, nor am I even remotely hungry at 5am.

What if I get hungry during a workout?

1.  If I feel any tummy rumbling, I will take a Hammer Gel.  Or, there will be HEED in my bottle.  While at cross fit, I am generally not hungry during those workouts, but, I’ve found that I do on most occassions need a little something to get me throught the whole hour.  Hammer’s Heed is my first choice.

2.  If the workout is two hours or longer, I will have both a Hammer Gel and HEED mixed with Perpetuem in my bottles.

Where do you stand on the food + workout issue?

Questions/Comments, please share!

You can read more on this subject on Hammer’s site.  The Pre-Race Meal & The Pre-Race Meal expanded.

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How to do a Handstand Push-Up!

First, you need to be able to do a handstand against the wall. Second, you practice with bands as shown below. Third, attempt to put your head on the ground and push back up.

CrossFit has been incredibly challenging for me the last few days- so hard that I don’t recover from the hard effort for several hours afterward. This blog may become more about how I survive CrossFit (laughing)! Yesterday, I completed “Diane”. It sounds simple only two exercises but HOLY MOLY! Repetitions go as follows: 21, 15, 9. Deadliff (95 pounds for me) followed by 21 Handstand Pushups, 15 Deadlifts and 15 Handstand Push-ups, 9 Deadlifts, 9 Handstand Push-ups. And, I completed the workout barely! With my last handstand pushup ending in a complete stall- unable to push-up at all.

And, so, I walked in there today really tired mentally and physically…not sure how I’d fare….Workout seemed reasonable until I read the fine print: 5 ROUNDS!!! 50 Walking Lunges + 30 Kettlebell Swings with a 35 pound bell and not putting it down for rest. UGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!! Not sure what was harder, walking with the bell or swinging it. Anyway, I completed 2 rounds with the large 35 pounder then went down to a 26 pounder (per coaches orders). All I can say is that it was brutally hard with the heavy weight but was under control with the 26 pounder. And, I can honestly say that I wanted to cry. Really cry. Maybe I needed a little fuel (like in Hammer Gel or Heed) during the workout to give me just a bit of a boost, or maybe this was just incredibly hard – not sure but the good thing is the I finished it—when all I really wanted to do was drop that damn bell and run out the door!

Don’t think that for one minute that I don’t love it; I love being challenged, love how strong and lean I am getting, and, I am going to have me some SERIOUSLY sexy arms!

In other news:

I have a new blog post up at Read Breathe called “Five Things to Do With Kids on a Rainy Day”.

I’m also did an interview for YourShape Game Blog.

Look for a very silly post of me coming up on Christmas Day!!

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How many of you are tired of hearing about how you can lose 2 dress sizes in 2 weeks? Believe the crap about eating cereal twice a day will help you lose weight? Eating this or that will bring the changes you want to see in your body? Or how about lifting weights? Interval work, blah blah blah…You’ve heard it all before and so have I. I’ve also tried many of the current fitness rages and blogged about them here. I’m here to tell you that I’ve thrown all those damn rules out the door!

Kettlebell swing, kettlebell squats, one arm leg lunges, abdominal work with a kettlebell; all been done here.

Marathoning. Check.

Bike Racing. Check.

Basic Weight Training on the Shawn Phillips philosophy. Check.

David Kirsh’s methods of training via his book (2 weeks to Ultimate Body). Ok, book read, exercises tried, but did not follow plan.

Interval work on bike or feet. Check.

People, I could send you links to evidence to all of the above posts. In the last two years, I’ve tried MANY MANY methods in which to stay fit and healthy and lose body fat. At this point, finally, my youngest is 3 and 1/2 and my weight is lighter than I’ve ever been in my life. My food is fairly intuitive in that I eat a green smoothie, a salad, mostly fish diet, that includes dark chocolate, lots of NUMI tea, occasional beers and sometimes, crap. But, for the most part, I am leaner and lighter than I’ve ever been in my life.

Guess what?!

I AM NOT LIFTING WEIGHTS. AT ALL. That 35 pound kettlebell is sitting in my garage collecting dust. My stability ball is my desk chair. The elastic bands are used as jump ropes for my kids. The weight bench is used for all kinds of imaginary adventures for the boys but I’ve not lifted, pulled or flexed on that thing in almost a year.

Honestly, I still do something physical daily. But, the fact of the matter is that I am not specifically training with any particular plan. I simply run or do yoga. Once a week, I will do Graeme’s CORE AB-Blaster DVD that takes 14 minutes. That sounds simple enough right? The thing with the yoga is that it has made me stronger and leaner than I ever got lifting weights. When I was lifting weights 3 times a week, I was QUADZILLA!! Biggest legs of a girl you’ve ever seen, really. Take one yoga pose like Warrior 2. Hold it for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Feel the burn. Where do you feel it first? If it’s done correctly, you will feel it everywhere!! Take any yoga pose and hold it for even 5 breathes and you get tired. Because it is working your entire body at once!

Learning yoga has been the best gift I ever could have gotten for my body, for my mental health and for my sports. When people ask me about their various running related injuries, I send them to yoga.

It can only benefit you.

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Thanks to all of you for commenting on the Fitness DVD’s! The winners are numbers Marilyn T #34, Nancy M #40, Tim H #48, and Jennifer Nicole # 12. Please contact me at fitnessformommies (at) gmail (dot) com.

Many of YOU commented on how you’d like to lose X amount of pounds as your fitness goal and I just wanted to share with you what’s worked for me…maybe it’ll work for you?!  Believe me when I say that I have to hear stuff hundred’s of times before I change my thinking and my habits!

Most importantly, be happy with where you’re AT NOW.  Live in the present and try to make small changes over the course of a year.  It’s taken me two years to find my “healthy weight” and it takes constant vigilance to what you put in your body to keep the weight off.  Doesn’t matter how many miles I run or ride, it’s what you put in your mouth that counts.

1.  Cut the sugar

2.  Skip the rice, pasta, and bread at dinner

3. Eat copious veggies

4.  Drink a green smoothie daily

5. Do something physical daily

6.  Play with your kids

7. Endurance running/cycling increase your appetite! Be prepared to eat a lot of veggies to cover the hunger.

8.  Try something new in the exercise department!  Personally, I completely enjoy yoga podcasts that are free and unlimited.  Yoga is an incredible opportunity for all people- but it may be hard to get to or find a good yoga class (at least for me).

9.  Lift heavy things carefully.  Weight training is mandatory to lose inches so lift your kids! Squat with them on your back…be creative.

10.  Enjoy the process.  Life is good.  Make the best of it.

Finally, share what is working for you!

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105 degrees was the temperature today. Crack an egg on the black top and I swear it’d fry! I remember the old days of teaching phys ed in the summer and I’d have to check the temperature every hour until it hit 100 before I could bring my class in for indoor PE!

In Paul’s case, training in this kind of heat doesn’t actually benefit his fitness, AT ALL. In fact, he can see a noticeable difference in his power output based on the temperature alone like as much as 10%! Training in the heat really (in my humble opinion) offers more risks than benefits. You run the risk of heat exhaustion, you can’t train as hard or as long in the heat, you must increase your water intake before, during and after the workout, and it’s just not fun!

And it’s a good rule of thumb is to decide what benefit could come of training in the heat unless you are going to be racing in the heat.

If you are going to train in the heat:

Consider that you’d need twice as much water as you’d usually drink on a ride or run

It will take longer to recover

Plan on lower intensity runs or rides

Plan on shorter rides or runs

You run the risk of heat exhaustion

Plan on utilizing electrolyte replacement drinks during the workout

Alternatives to Working out in the Heat

Change your focus: work on the things you neglect like your CORE

Be willing to do different forms of exercise to still get your cardio – such as swimming

Workout at the crack of dawn

Do less, but, workout harder on alternating days

Swing a kettlebell!

Go to Yoga

Set goals for the winter of 2010 and make plans to be fit and ready

How do you train in inclement weather? What challenges are you facing to get in your daily workout?

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This is a guest post written by Skwigg. This girl is a walking dictionary of food and nutrition facts, has read and tried MULTIPLE fitness plans, and every time I check, she’s read another “hot of the press” diet book. And, she tells it like it is.

Well, it took like 25 years of trial and error, but I am a happy eater. I follow no rules. I count no calories. I’m completely over nutrient ratios, meal timing and measuring cups. Plus, as an added bonus, I’m not fat. Any time I’ve flirted with this “intuitive eating” stuff before, I’ve quickly become too fat for my little pants. This time I’m gradually losing. I’m 5′8″ and weigh 135-137 most days. I don’t know my percentage of body fat. It’s possible that I’m losing muscle and brains. I’m not concerned enough to get out the calipers. My Tanita scale tells me that I’m between 14% and 24% body fat. Helpful, eh? It’s like asking a Magic 8 Ball. The readout may as well say “Concentrate and ask again.” Or “Signs point to yes.” All I know is that my yoga pants are loose! Woohoo!

So, why did intuitive eating work this time when it’s destroyed my abs so many times before? I’ve been trying to figure that out. I know that in the past I’ve used intuitive eating as an excuse to binge. I’d turn to it after a bout of really restrictive dieting, or when I couldn’t face my nutrition software, or when I wasn’t accountable to a trainer. My “intuition” would tell me to eat boxes of glazed donuts and sheets of cookies. I’d gain weight, scoff at the total lameness of this “embrace your inner cow” intuitive hoody-hoo, and go right back to obsessive dieting, tracking and measuring. I wrote down every single thing I ate or drank for TWO YEARS. That was not fun, and actually not helpful.

I’m more relaxed now. I don’t make food decisions from a place of frustration and panic. My intuition really likes strawberries. I eat chocolate every day. I like bagels. I like to eat out. I’m not limiting myself to dieter food but I’m very aware of portions. I eat one Cadbury Egg, not six. I eat mini-bagels, not those bakery bagels the size of my head. I understand that a typical restaurant serving is enough to feed four people.

Last time I tried intuitive eating, portion control was my downfall. I believed those books that said to eat as many cookies as I wanted and that eventually I wouldn’t want as many. Right!! Weeks later, I still wanted every cookie that had ever been baked. I was reeling out of control on a blood sugar rollercoaster. The more junk I ate, the more junk I wanted. I was never able to pull it together enough to even maintain my weight, much less lose.

Some things that really helped me this time:

- I weigh myself every day. If you’re not going to count calories or measure your food, you’d better be keeping an eye on something. It could be weight, waist measurement, a caliper pinch, a pair of jeans, but you need some kind of objective feedback. If you choose not to track your food and not to look at any of your measurements, then you’d better go buy some fat pants.

- I eat what I want but I always control portions. Generally, the more I want something, the more I need to watch out. I can play fast and loose with spinach but I’d better take my ice cream in a single-serving container.

- I share. I never used to share before. Sharing is the greatest thing ever! You get to eat whatever you want and make everyone around you fat. Try it! Order the double-fudge super cookie dough caramel delight. Eat three bites and watch your dining companions devour the rest of it like hungry hyenas. Share your French fries. Split the sandwich. Order three tacos and only eat one of them. It’s exhilarating! Plus, I always have great leftovers.

- I strike a nice balance of healthy food and treats. You can’t eat an all-treat diet and look or feel very good. I eat loads of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. I love whole grains. I eat nuts and seeds like I’m a squirrel. I’m a sucker for a big salad. I enjoy lean protein as long as it’s not forced upon me every 2-3 hours. I eat a lot of healthy whole foods but I like to add a Pop Tart or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup for good measure.

- I don’t eat six times per day, or three times per day, or three meals and two snacks. I don’t follow anybody else’s rules because how does the book or the calculator know what I’m doing or when I’m going to be hungry? It doesn’t. So, I eat when I feel like it. On an active, hungry day I might eat 5-6 times. On a lazy day with restaurant food, I might eat 2-3 times. I’m no longer dumb enough try to force three more meals after lunch at The Cheesecake Factory.

- I grasp the importance of good nutrition. I’m not knocking diet plans or nutrition programs, especially if you’re trying to achieve a sports performance or body comp goal. A little bit of structure can be good. I base my eating on the healthy principles I’ve learned but I don’t allow myself to become a slave to the details. And don’t believe that I can eat as many cookies as I want and still lose weight. Big derrrr there!

- I flow. That’s significant because I used to battle. I battled my weight. I struggled with willpower. I waged a war against fat. I fought with the numbers. I kicked myself when I slipped. My mindset was one big bloody massacre. My fitness goals were always at odds with what I really wanted, which was to relax and eat Cheetos. Now, if I want to relax and eat Cheetos, I do so immediately. No struggle. No stress. No guilt. I know that for my next meal I’ll choose something a little more ab-friendly.

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