The Bathroom Scale is Bogus

“How much weight have you lost?”

If you’re on a weight loss diet, that is the question everyone want to know.  They want a number!

I’ll give you a number: zero! And I feel great!

Eight weeks ago I started training for a half marathon (13.1 miles or two 10K’s).  I haven’t really changed my diet, but I’ve been running 15 – 20 miles/week and I haven’t lost a single pound.  Nothing, nada, zip, zero, niet.

But I went down a size in pants.

“Huh?” you ask?  Here’s the answer: Fat is less dense than muscle.  When you exchange fat for muscle, you will lose volume, but the weight remains the same. It’s just like having 1 pound (or kilo) of feathers and 1 pound (or kilo) of brick.  You can hold the 1 pound of brick in your hand, whereas the 1 pound of feathers would fill a big bag.

Exchanging muscle for fat is s slow process.  You can start to see the results in about 4 weeks.  The exchange will continue as long as your calorie intake is less than your energy output and you continue to build and tone muscle with proper regular exercise.  This includes aerobic exercise (walking, swimming, running, rowing, biking etc.) and strength training (lifting weights, sit-ups, push-ups etc.)  You also have to make sure you get enough protein to conserve and build muscle mass.  Average adults need 40-50 g/day (depending on your calorie intake).  If you are trying to eat more plant-based foods, look to foods like beans, tofu, soy yogurt, tempeh, quinoa, and nuts.
Unfortunately, the gains you make will start to reverse starting at 2 weeks of inactivity.  Thus the term “use it or lose it” (the “it” being fitness).

So if you’ve been eating right and exercising properly don’t look to the scale for validation…look in the mirror.

Good luck and stay well!

“Just Doing It”…..properly.

The weather is nice, so I’m back into the running routine.  But something didn’t feel  right.  My feet, ankles, and knees were really taking a beating.  Am I just getting old(er)? or is something else to blame?

If you’ve chosen to start a running, walking or hiking program for exercise because all it takes is a pair of shoes to start, listen up.  If those shoes are ill-fitting, you may just be doing more harm than good.  Poor quality shoes can cause stress fractures of the bones in your feet and ankle, muscle sprains, knee injuries, hip in juries and even herniated discs and pinched nerves.

On the suggestion of my sister, a high school track star and avid daily runner, I went to a specialty store to get properly fitted for running shoes.

Again, I don’t get paid to write about certain stores, but the store I chose was Fleet Feet in Sandy Springs, Georgia.  The store owner, Paul had been fitting people with running and walking shoes for over 20 years.  His wife worked with him and she had many years of experience as well.

I was greeted with a smile when I entered the store, and although I had to wait a bit to be fitted because other were being fitted, the wait was no longer than 10 minutes.  The wait allowed me to listen to who else was there and how they being fitted.   There was another woman there, probably in her late 50′s, that was being fitted for running shoes, and a younger woman being fitted for walking shoes.  Another man, who had the physique of a marathon runner came in to purchase another pair of the shoes he purchased there a while ago. Turns out, he does run marathons.

When it was my turn, the first thing I did was take off my shoes and socks and sit in front of Paul. (so glad I had that pedicure….)  He looked at my feet and asked me if I was having any pain or problems.  Then he asked me what I was planning on doing with my new shoes….walking for exercise, jogging, training, racing, etc.

Support the feet that support you all day every day!

He then had me sit and stand a few times so he could see my arches and how much they “fell” when I stood.

Paul measured my foot, again, sitting and standing, measuring the size and the width.

Turns out my current shoes, (generic shoes from a discount store) were a whole size smaller than my true correct fitted size.  Also, my old shoes didn’t have any arch support at all, so with each step, I was doing damage to my arch and ankle. (hence the ankle and calf pain I was getting after the first mile)

He brought out a pair of running shoes so he could observe my stride.  I put them on and he watched me run outside in the parking lot: first away from him, then towards him.  He was looking at the way my foot turned with each stride.  It turns out, my foot turns out.  This is called “overpronating”.

He suggested an insert that provided extra arch support as well as heel support for my particular stride.

He then brought out a running shoe that:

• was my correct size
• had extra arch firmness (the inside of the shoe was very stiff)
• was lightweight
• was the proper shoes for my training goal: a 1/2 marathon

Then he had me try some running socks.  These are socks that have moisture control, and the seams are on the outside to prevent any abnormal pressure.

The shoes were not cheap ($95) but I felt like it was a tradeoff for the cost of an injury as there is no way I could have continued with my current footwear and reached the goals I had set.

Equipped with my new shoes, inserts, and socks I went out this morning for my run.

I was truly amazed at the difference these new shoes and socks made.  I was able to complete my run without the ankle pain and knee pain that I usually get.  My feet felt great!

Any exercise program requires proper equipment. If you are planning to start a walking or running program, or if you have started one but are having problems with injuries, (even if they are not foot injuries) you may want to get properly fitted for shoes to see if this makes a difference.

You may not realize how good exercise can feel!

Here is great article on buying running shoes

Here is a great article on buying walking shoes

Here is great article on buying hiking shoes

I’m a lazy so and so….How to get back into your exercise routine

If the Savvy Sister was a bear, this is what she would look like

I am guilty of laziness, my own pet peeve!  About 6 weeks ago I caught a little cold.  Nothing big, but it was enough to throw a wrench in my daily routine and before I knew it, exercise had given way to other things….(ok…sleeping!)

Exercise is as important as your diet or daily medications when you are looking to stay healthy.  But you don’t have to run a marathon to cut your risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.  All it takes is a little time and effort.

The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association both recommend the following guidelines:

• moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week (moderately intense would be walking briskly as if you need to catch a bus, you sweat, but you can hold a conversation)

OR

• vigorously intense cardio 25 minutes a day, 3 days a week (running, using the treadmill with incline or “uphill” slant at a rapid pace, jumping rope, outdoor cycling, sweating and breathing hard)

AND

• 8 strength-training exercises (8-12 reps of each) 2 x per week

Note: If you are exercising to lose weight, your will probably need to increase the times to see results.  Start with the minimum, and add 10 minutes to the workouts each week until you see results.

The term “cardio” refers to any exercise that gets you heart rate up and keeps it there.  It usually involves repetitive motions involving the large muscle groups like walking, running, biking, swimming, rowing, nordic track, elliptical jumping rope, stair climbing, etc

The term “strength training” refers to any repetitive motion that uses resistance and makes muscles or groups of muscles stronger and/or longer. Hereis a list of strength training exercises, but you don’t need a gym or weights.  (I love this PDF file that you can print. It shows really “ordinary” people doing the exercises…..not toned buff models)  You can use soup cans or water bottles for light weights if you want to. Some of these can be done anywhere–at work, while waiting in line at the bank, or in your kitchen waiting for your food to heat up in the microwave. I like to do squats and calf raises while I am cooking something on the stove (I can use the handle of the oven for stabilizing like in ballet). At times during the day, I will do some sit ups or push ups or lunges. Every little bit adds up.

The benefits of exercise are endless and include:

• more energy
• stronger
• improve lung capacity
• reduce risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, obesity, arthritis, cancer, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure
• better sex
• improves your mood by increasing endorphins, the body’s “natural high” chemical
• promotes better sleep
• increases your immunity power

But how do you get back into your routine if you had one, and how do you start a routine if you don’t?

• find your niche

Humans are creatures of habit.  The next time you take shower, notice how you wash each body part in the same order every day.  This is not a bad thing.  Routines help us cope and help us to get things done, and we’ve learned from an early age that routines are comforting.  Picking a certain time of day for exercise means fitting it into your schedule and making it a habit.

• you don’t have to sweat for an hour

New studies show that you can get three 10 minutes bursts of moderate-intensity workouts and it can be just as effective as one 30 minute work out.  This means you can take a 10 minute walk on your lunch hour, walk the dogs for 10 minutes when you get home, and ride the stationary bike for 10 minutes after dinner and you have completed a days exercise.

• you don’t need to join a gym

I don’t know about you, but I HATE working out with others. All I end up doing is looking at all the fit people in their tight shorts with their bulging muscles and getting depressed.  You can stay home and do workouts like walking in the neighborhood, or doing an exercise DVD.  Your local library even has some for your to try so you can see what you like.

• buddy up

Studies show that if you exercise with someone else, either a friend, a spouse or family member, you are more likely to keep it up and it is more likely to be enjoyable.  Gabbing always makes the time go faster. You can make Saturday the day that the whole family goes for a walk in the park or goes biking.

• start slowly

If you can’t do 10 minutes at a time, that’s OK! Just do what you can, and in time, you will build stamina and it will get easier. Try adding 2 minutes each week to the time of your workout.

• make it enjoyable

There are many activities to choose from when looking at starting an exercise program.  You don’t have to purchase fancy equipment or buy expensive clothes.  Find something your like, and go with it.  You can also mix it up for variety–biking one day, and an exercise DVD the next.

Stretching is an important part of your exercise. It warms up the muscles and gets them ready to start working and it makes the muscles longer and helps prevent injuries from falls. You can download and print this handy stretching guide to use. Stretching should be done before and after your workout, and can be done anytime.  Flexibility is an important part of health.

Keep a chart so you can see your progress.  Just like kids that need to see progress with your eyes, adults need this too.  Especially since you won’t see the effects of your hard work right away.  If you are starting exercise to lose weight, weigh yourself weekly, not daily. And remember that after you have several weeks of exercise behind you, you will start trading fat for muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat.  This means you can be getting fit and losing inches, but you may not see it on the scale.  when I first started working out, I lost 7 inches total in my waist, hips, etc. I looked and felt better and my clothes fit better, but I didn’t lose ONE POUND!

Before starting any exercise program, please check with your doctor.

There are many great resources for exercise.  If you belong to a gym or fitness center, see if you can schedule several sessions with a certified personal trainer.   Certified personal trainers have gone to school or have taken courses and have passed a test that make them experts in designing a safe exercise program specific to your needs.  Some trainers will even come to your house if you don’t have access to one at a gym.  Just make sure they are certified.

Below are some great websites with some great information.

Getting started is the hardest part, but once you do, and you see and feel the rewards, you won’t want to stop.

Good luck!

 

Center for Disease Control’s exercise page

President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition

Find a certified personal trainer in your area