March to the Arch

March to the Arch September 11, 2010. I was fortunate enough to meet up with the group of people at the end of the March to the Arch. My friend and I parked near the Arch, and then walked to Union Station where we were able to join the walkers, and walk BACK to the Arch with them. It was such a humbling day. As I was stumbling while walking I was beginning to have a pity party. Then I thought of the huge sacrifice made on that day and WHY we were walking, and I decided I didn’t care if I only walked one block, I would do so with me head held high.

I met up with a new friend on the walk - a woman I began emailing at the suggestion of her trainer. She is a Lymphoma survivor, and had never worked out a day in her life. She is doing FANTASTIC. I told her soon we will be making the Cougar Rounds together. ;)

I was able to wear my Superman tee-shirt in honor of my favorite Marine, Jared McGowen – a DFM trainer, and walk with him a bit. When you see him, ask him the meaning of the Superman shirt. (Look, up in the air!)

The friend who went with me on the walk just recently mentioned needing to start working out again – so we have been meeting up on Saturdays at the gym closer to her. It is wonderful for both of us because it gives me a change of pace, and makes BOTH of us get up on Saturday morning and go (thanks Linda). :)

At the end of the walk I met a wonderful woman in a wheelchair who also has MS. We were able to talk a bit and I was able to share part of my journey. We are going to become cyber buddies first, and then I said next year I don’t care if it is 100 ft.; we are going to do part of the walk together. I KNOW it.

I’ve said all of this to show that there is someone next to you who just needs some encouragement. Sometimes it’s just a friend wanting to regain her health. Sometimes it is a new friend who is desperately looking for hope. But look around today and find someone who needs what you have. And give it to them. You will never regret it. And as you walk today, remember what a blessing the simple act of walking is.

Thank you to all of our first responders.

Let's talk about fall food recipes.

Labor Day is over, so it's Fall, right? Ok, maybe not officially, but I'm so ready for Fall. The changing of the leaves. The crisp early morning walks with Dom watching him chase leaves for the first time in his life. :) And the fall foods mmmmmmmmmm.........

But I am still into my summer salads. And that's the good thing about foods being shipped in - while I love to eat what is grown locally it is nice to have foods from other regions too. When you eat "clean" as I do it can take a little bit of creativity (and time) to not get bored with the same old same old. Here are a few of the things that I do.

Arrrrrrrrrrrugala

Sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it? Now imagine it in an Ertha Kitt voice. Purr it with me….arrrrrrrrrrugggggggggala.

The days of the boring iceberg lettuce salads I grew up with are gone. I eat a large salad with chicken at lunch most days and have learned to mix it up a lot. These days I am on an arugula kick, with spinach and romain as the base. Then the sky is the limit. If I’m really hungry I’ve been known to add boiled (cooled) potatoes. Or leftover barbeque. Tofu. Strawberries. ANY berry. I tried watermelon one day but that didn’t cut it for me.

But now it is getting to be soup weather. I have large soup pots, and can take all day to make a pot of soup. The wonderful about soup is you can freeze all the leftovers and by adding new ingredients make it a completely new meal. I love adding Curry to soup, hot sauce, sour cream, or whatever is around to make it a new and different. I usually start by boiling my chicken in onion, celery, garlic, carrots and spices. Then let it cool, drain veggies out, and retain liquid as stock. I shred the chicken, add it back to the to stock, then start layering veggies. Whatever floats my boat or looks good at the farmer’s market. Like I said, it can take HOURS to make, but it is so relaxing and a wonderful way to spend a fall afternoon. Besides, it’s not like you have to be standing over it all day. Just let it do its thing while you do yours. Serve it with some cheese, crusty bread and it just doesn’t get much better.

Last night I was feeling bored with the same old same old, so I started looking at what I had. Hmmm…leftover chucky pasta sauce I’d made, chicken breast, cauliflower. VIOLA! I boiled the cauliflower really well. Drained it – then mashed it like you would mashed potatoes. Some people add chicken stock and spices. Others add butter and sour cream. When it was well mashed I added some parmesean cheese and set it aside.

I baked the chicken breasts with the pasta sauce on top (WELL coated) and more parmesean cheese on top. When the chicken was baked, I let it cool a while. Then I placed it on TOP of the mashed cauliflower. Oh my goodness…. was that ever good.

So share with me some of your favorite recipes. It’s fall, I’m ready to cook!

Sometimes it is life and sometimes it is just a flying collie

Sometimes my life cracks me up. I was walking my puppy the other day and heard a dog barking. Now I thought maybe it was one of Dom’s friends, so I stopped to say hi. Before me was a 60 lb. Collie I’d never seen before – and let me tell you he did NOT sound like Lassie! Not only was Timmy NOT in the well, but if he were, my money was on the fact that this dog pushed him in! I asked the owner if he was friendly, and she said yes, so Dom went up to him (I know, I know). The next thing you know I hear her say “Oh no, this isn’t good!” and there is a Collie with no leash charging my puppy. Well, my puppy (all 7.5 lbs of him) was on a leash and scared to death barking like I’ve never heard. I swear I heard him scream.

I finally got him pulled up to me, and the next thing you know I’m on the ground. Apparently “Buddy” (yes, that’s his real name) broke his choke chain and rammed me trying to get my puppy. People are coming around because I’m bloody, can’t move, and am screaming “Get my puppy – someone get my puppy!!”.

Once Dom was safe and the mean dog was gone there were people trying to help me get up. But with a left hand swollen to twice its size, and cuts on right knee, elbow and a pulled shoulder, there was no way they could help me up. So I said wait a minute – and guess what??? After a few tries I GOT UP ON MY OWN. I think they thought I’d hit my head when I said “Whoa that’s kind of cool!”

A neighbor took me to the ER and the nurse there thought I’d hit my head because I kept laughing. Then I said “Come on you HAVE to see the humor. I’ve been so worried and scared about falling because of MS and a flying Collie takes me out!” And the thought of that just made me laugh all the more. The nurse just had me lay down and got the doctor. Now this made me laugh even MORE. At least the doctor saw the humor. :) (hmmm, but that iS when he prescribed the Vicodin)

The lesson I choose to learn is that worry is a huge waste of time – because while you are worried about the everyday problems, look over your shoulder. There might be a flying Collie that will land on you when you least expect it. But if it does, don’t forget to laugh. The ER needs to hear people laugh sometimes.

Cape Diem!

It was the best of times…it was the worst of times..

Kind of a dramatic title, isn’t it? What a rollercoaster ride the past week has been. Physically it has probably been the toughest since I started this journey. Which kind of messed with me because I thought all that nonsense was over. I can attribute the medical attack to a few things: a very energetic puppy, the heat (heat exacerbates problems with M.S. Think it’s been hot???), life stress, and honestly because the sky was blue. In other words, there is no reason.

I knew that my energy as waning, and I just didn’t feel “good”, but I was determined “it” wouldn’t win so I didn’t stop. However, when I worked out with a friend on Saturday, I ended up having a bad fall. Now the GOOD thing is it wasn’t my gym so people didn’t know me or what was up. The people around me laughed when I fell – until I didn’t get up. The lady next to me was so good. She didn’t miss a beat with her workout, but said under her breath “Are you ok?” I mentioned I had MS and that it takes me a while to get up sometimes. She slowed down and asked me “Do you need help, or would you rather do it yourself?” I thanked her and said I’d rather do it myself, and she let me. Although I did notice the sideway glances to make sure I was ok. :) This was the PERFECT response. Caring, and yet letting me do it my way. Because let’s face it – as much as I’d LOVE to think it will never happen again, it might so I have to figure out for myself what to do in case no one is around.

When I went to work out with Jake Monday I was a MESS. Because MS is a neurological disease it can really mess with your emotions. I was crying, thinking I was regressing, that I was going to have to give my puppy up (which just caused me to cry more). My knee (which is permanently swollen and disfigured from past falls) was even MORE swollen, to the point I couldn’t bend it. And it HURT. Jake just stopped me and said, let’s not work out. Let’s just talk. He told me to take a deep breath. Relax. He’s been through attacks before with me, so he knew what to do. You’d think I would too, but sometimes you don’t always think clearly during these times.

Then Jake did something that is so far above and beyond. I was his last client – he said he’d follow me home and walk my dog so I could ice my knee. Then afterwards he just talked to me for a bit before leaving. Now do you see why I refer to him as Jake the Great?

Yesterday (aside from the still swollen knee) I was feeling MUCH better. I got a call that I will tell you more about later. Let’s just say a national organization is granting me a scholarship for additional training. By helping me, they have not only agreed to pay for additional training for ME, but set a national precedent to help others down the road. (The client must first pay for initial training themselves and be able to show the benefit of the training.) This is something I worked for MONTHS on, not just for ME, but for others. And it could not have come at a better time.

So what have I learned from all this? Well, MS is a monster that will occasionally rear its ugly head. BUT because I am in better shape, I am better able to bounce back (no pun intended). And honestly (and this is strange) because I work out so much, I have learned how to fall so it lessens the impact. And when I DO fall, even though I look awkward as heck, I CAN get up on my own now. This used to be impossible. Even though it was the middle of the floor with nothing to climb up on, rather than drawing MORE attention to me by having to ask for help, I was able to just get up myself. This may not seem like much to you, but it is something Jake and I have been working on - how to get up off the floor when there isn’t anything around. And MAYBE I should learn that there are times it is ok to just chillax. The puppy will not always be a puppy (or Lord, PLEASE). But also, I’m learning to continue to enjoy the journey. ALL of it. And NOT look for an excuse to NOT work out – rather appreciate what it has done for me. But also I’ve learned that I am not in this journey alone. Whatever I am doing is for me, but it is also for others And NEVER EVER EVER STOP. NEVER. But it is ok to sometimes ask for or accept help.

So see why I say it was the best of times, it was the worst of time? What trainers do is so much more than just spend an hour or so helping us get fit. Many of you become counselors, confessors, therapists and friends. And sometimes help us to get up off the floor. On behalf of all the clients out there I say a very heartfelt, “THANK YOU!”

Pre and Post Workout Nutrition for Fat Loss

Pre and Post Workout Nutrition For Fat Loss

By Marshall Ray – Specialist in Sports Nutrition - ISSA

So you want to drop a few pounds, or just stay lean. You’ve heard conflicting reports on what you should eat before and after your workout, so you’ve tried various foods and supplements. Today, your guess work will end. Today, you will learn the most effective nutritional strategies for fueling your fat burning workout and maximizing the benefit long after you leave the gym.

So when do I need to eat before my workout? The answer: it depends on what you eat. If you eat a simple carb, then you need to put the banana down and start running! The more muscle you have, or wish to attain, the higher your carbohydrate intake will be. If you want to look like a men’s health model, then you need some slow burning carbs such as oatmeal, beans, sweet potatoes or brown rice to provide optimal glycogen for muscular energy. One hour before is ideal. Even if you are a woman seeking a solid foundation of functional muscle, some quality carbs pre workout will boost muscular performance.

What about fruit? The answer: Absolutely NOT!

Why? Because fruit’s molecular structure is comprised of fructose, which does not have the ability to be converted into muscular glycogen directly. It must go in to the liver first, which is generally full already. This greatly increases the chances of fat storage or inefficient fat burning during the workout.

For those of you living a lower carb lifestyle, which should be 90% of America, minimal carbs pre-workout are recommended. For those of who have been identified with poor Insulin Sensitivity, which is the body’s ability to handle carbohydrates, you should avoid carbs completely.

Regardless of your age, experience or goal, there is one thing that EVERYBODY should eat pre-workout: Whey Protein with high amounts of Branch Chain Amino Acids.

What are those? First, a quick recap on the function of protein: Every gram of protein is actually a collection of 22 amino acids that affect every function in your body.

Inadequate intake of high quality protein = poor bodily function

All 22 aminos are very important, but if you’re trying to fuel a workout, the most important ones are the Branch Chain Amino Acids. They are called: Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine. You can immediately forget that now. Just remember that there are 3 aminos that are essential for fueling muscular function and they are called Branch Chain Amino Acids, or BCAA’s. Look for at least 3 grams per serving from your whey. Six is the highest I’ve seen, in the CytoSport version of 100% Whey. On top of BCAAs, Whey will provide the other 19 aminos in adequate amounts as well, preventing muscle loss.

Why is this so important again? Because this is like taking a fat burning supplement while fueling your workout! Below, Alwyn Cosgrove, a pioneer in our industry, discusses a double-blind study where one group took a protein supplement and the other took a carb supplement before their workout. After taking the supplement:

“Both groups then completed a heavy resistance training workout (4 sets of 9 exercises at 70-75% of max weight)

Both groups showed a significant increase in resting energy expenditure for up to 48 hours post workout (as we would expect from the afterburn effect of weight training), however the protein group had a significantly higher increase than the carbohydrate group for up to 24 hours.

The researchers concluded that timing a protein supplement prior to weight training may be a simple and effective strategy to increase energy expenditure by elevating the post workout “afterburn effect” which in turn could facilitate reductions in body fat mass and improve body
composition if nutritional intake is stable.”

Well said.

So the most effective pre-workout meal?

A Whey protein shake mixed with water. If your daily carbohydrate intake is low, then some fat pre-workout with it (ex: almonds) will be plenty to maximize fat burning and fuel a good workout.

What about post-workout? There are thousands of studies that show that you need to take a whey protein supplement (preferably Whey-Iso) immediately after workouts to repair the muscle fiber you just burned up.

So all I do is Whey protein before and after my workout? The answer: Yes!

Ancient wisdom has told us to ingest simple carbs post workout because of the Insulin spike post workout. While this is very beneficial, it may come at a price: Decimated HGH levels.

Why is this hormones so important? Because it is the hormones responsible to repairing and muscles and maintaining a healthy, lean body!. Having high HGH levels benefit every cell in your body, and greatly increase metabolism! It is known as the “fountain of youth” for its ability to improve every function in your body. It’s importance is symbolized by the steroid abuse of this hormones!

One of the secrets of having a healthy, lean body is optimizing natural hormonal function. Here, the world renowned Dr. Mercola talked about post workout nutrition on your hormones. A recent study he found documented the following points:

1) “Eating a low-carbohydrate meal after aerobic exercise enhances your insulin sensitivity.”

2) Eating fructose, fruit or any fruit juice, post-workout will decimate your natural HGH production.

HGH magazine had this to say about consuming fructose post workout:

"A high sugar meal after working out, or even a recovery drink (containing high sugar) after working out, will stop the benefits of exercise induced HGH. You can work out for hours, then eat a high sugar candy bar or have a high sugar energy drink, and this will shut down the synergistic benefits of HGH.

… If you miss reaching HGH release during working out, you will still receive the calorie burning benefit from the workout. However, you'll miss the HGH "synergy bonus" of enhanced fat burning for two hours after working out.

This is an extremely important fact to remember if you want to cut body fat and shed a few pounds.

The University of Virginia research team demonstrated that carbohydrates are burned during exercise in direct proportion to the intensity of training. Fat burning is also correlated with intensity. However, the actual fat burning takes place after the workout, during the recovery.

This makes the "Synergy Window," the 2 hour period after a workout, very important in maximizing HGH, once it's released during exercise.”

Not a good combination…

So if you want to restore muscular glycogen, consume one of the non-fructose containing foods along with a protein immediately after your training session.

For the population who seeks fat loss or lean body maintenance, Whey protein immediately after your workout is essential. About an hour after your workout, a meal with fat and protein can help restore blood sugar levels and optimize your fat burning.

So in short, for the average gym member who seeks fat loss, this is your cheat sheet:

Pre-workout: Whey protein with high amounts a BCAA’s. Some fat is recommended, for those with good Insulin Sensitivity quality carbs as well. Amounts depend on body type, activity levels and your goal.

Post-workout: Whey protein immediately after exercise, followed by a meal about 1 hour later comprised of protein and fat.

Get your shaker cups ready!

Sources:

Alwyn Cosgrove: http://alwyncosgrove.com/2010/02/pre-workout-nutrition-to-speed-up-post-workout-metabolism/

Dr. Mercola: http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2010/07/27/the-growing-promise-of-shorter-more-intense-strength-training-workouts.aspx

60 pounds?

A funny thing happened at the gym last week. I was doing my regular Sat. routine as set up by Jake the Great, which included 4 sets each of 25 rows at the rowing machine, 25 squats, .25 mile on elliptical, 25 push-ups, all in rotation – 4 sets. Followed with either 25 over the head throws with a 15 pound ball, or 25 on the back extension. I stopped for a second while doing the rowing machine and a man came over and said “can I get my set in while you’re resting?” I’d only stopped for a second, but it was a different gym, and I wanted to “blend” so I said sure. Got up. He condescendingly said “I’ll probably have to move the weights”. I said go for it and did more squats. Then he looked at the weights.. Paused. Said “Do you realize these are on 60 lbs?” I said yes, that’s why I stopped a second. He said “how many are you doing?” 4 sets of 25.

More silence.

Then he said, “well, I guess I’ll put it at 70”. He did 10 and said he was done.

I moved it back to 60 and did the rest of mine.

Jake said it’s not cool to make fun of people, even if they’ve made fun of you. So I just finished my set.

With a smile. :)

Girls rule!


Oh, and I told Jake I wanted a spit bucket. But could it please be pink and bedazzled??

Joy in the Journey

Sometimes it takes a traumatic event to make us realize what is important. It’s shouldn’t be that way, but many time is. My cousin lost his father earlier this year to complications from MS. He was able to take care of his father his last year, and restore his dignity. He was fortunate enough to make the first floor of his home into a nursing facility for his father with 24/7 nursing care. But in the end Uncle Jack lost his battle. I remember my cousin (a man of deep faith) saying it bothered him to hear that his father was in a better place – because he liked this place a lot. And if he had his choice, he’d still be here. A few weeks after he lost his father, his mother was diagnosed with brain cancer. So rather than going through the grieving process he had to automatically go into doctor mode taking care of his mother. She lost her battle a few brief months later. This hit my family hard, since it is my mother’s sister, to whom she was very close to. We also lost her to the same disease that we lost my father.

But rather than this being a depressing sad thread I choose to make it a learning thread. I was able to spend time with Aunt Barb in the end, and encourage her. I remember her saying that she believed what I was saying, because I have validation. I have been through the fire, and come out. A little singed, but basically smoke free. She said our time together made her believe she COULD overcome anything and also the importance of faith. Now you might think she did NOT overcome, but you’d be wrong. Once Aunt Barb was a very depressed and angry woman. But not at the end – she never gave up the fight. And she had joy in the journey. When we talked she said she always left if a better mood – because sometimes going through things makes you have a deeper appreciation for life.

How many of us can say that? Maybe we will live to be 100 – but is it with JOY? Aunt Barb and Uncle Jack didn’t make it past their 70’s – but there was JOY in the end. I want that to be my legacy. And it will be, because I choose to make it so. And I’m a firm believer that joy is a decision as much as anything.

So I will do whatever I can to make this a better life; both for ME and those around me by working hard, playing hard, and loving hard. And always remember to have joy in the journey.