Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Get Some Sleep!

I am finding out that there are more benefits to a good night's sleep than I originally thought and that a lack of sleep can affect you in a lot more ways that just making you feel tired the next morning. Lack of sleep can impact your weight loss progress and/or even cause you to gain weight. A lack of sleep can lead to hormone imbalances including those that may affect you metabolism. Since I've started back to work I've only been averaging about 5-6 hours of sleep at night, which according to WebMD is a recipe for disaster when it comes to my weight loss goals. The scarey thing is, next week I start the final class I need to earn my Early Childhood Certification, which will only lead to even less sleep between now and Christmas.

According the WebMD.com website and the author or Beauty Sleep, Micheal Breus who is also a PhD and the clinical director for Arrowhead Health's sleep division in Glendale, Arizona 7.5 hours is the average for a healthy night's sleep. Which meant I was in trouble seeing as how that is about 3.5 more hours of sleep than I typically get once everything is in full swing during the school year.

So other than being tired and cranky all day what's so bad about not getting enough sleep? First of all, getting a good night's sleep allows your body to recharge and heal itself. It's also necessary maintain your body chemistry. Not getting enough hours of sleep can through off your hormone balance. Causing you to eat more to try to keep your body going when it hasn't had enough recharge. This imbalance also eventually leads to a slower metabolism, but it's not enough to just get a full nights sleep it has to be quality sleep. Seven to Eight hours of disrupted sleep doesn't really help either.

What can you do to make sure you get enough quality sleep? Plan you workouts so that they don't affect your ability to fall asleep. Avoid stimulants (like caffeine) in the late afternoon, they can keep your body from entering the deeper levels of sleep at nigh, and avoid big meals before bed time that can cause heartburn.

If you are eating healthy meals throughout the day, getting enough physical activity in during the day, and avoiding the things you should before bedtime and you're still having trouble sleeping. You may want to check with a sleep specialist.


http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/lack-of-sleep-weight-gain

Friday, August 26, 2011

ABR Associated Blogs

Just wanted to let everyone know that there are 3 blogs that are associated with A Better Reflection. There is this main blog (A Better Reflection), A Better Reflection: Workout Journal, and A Better Reflection: Nutrition blogs. There are links with snippets of one of the current posts from each of the other blogs on all the other sites so you can easily move between all the ABR blogs. Check them out and make sure you follow each of them individually so you don't miss anything.  You can also like A Better Reflection on Facebook and follow me on Twitter as JJasMyself!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Turning Negatives into Positives

You've heard it said "think positive and positive things will happen." I have never truly agreed with this statement, as a matter of fact my typical reaction to this statement is to role my else, because, the fact is, it doesn't matter how positive you think, bad things are still going to happen. The trick is to turn the negatives into positives.

Artists do it all that time,a blog of ink splatters on their paper and they turn it into part of the scenery, the paint runs a little thinner than they expected, they take something unexpected, and incorporate it into their work of out. As a matter of fact, some of the most famous works of art are noted because the artist did the best he could with what he had to work with. Michelangelo's original David sculpture cracked and the entire back half fell off. He could have gave up and focused on how ugly the back of the statue was,or how much marble he just waited, or he could have done what he did, continue working with what he had left and make a gorgeous sculpture that has been a noted work of art for hundreds of years and around the world. He also sculpted the Pieta, a sculpture depicting Mary holding her son (Jesus) in her arms after he was taken down from the cross. To sculpt Mary and Jesus to scale he wouldn't have been able to pose the figures the way he did, but instead of abandoning the idea and sculpting the figures in a different position altogether, he simply played with proportion until he created the moving moment depicted in the sculpture we see today. The sculpture of Nike originally had arms, but they broke off, but she is still noted as one of most beautiful and valuable sculptures of her time.

It's frustrating when things don't work out the way we want them to or the way we plan, because often there are variables out of our control. Instead of getting caught up in the negative and focusing on what went wrong, focus on what you can do now with what you have; make the most of what you have, and you will find that you're life may just end up being a priceless work of art.

I had an opportunity to capitalize on this sentement today. I woke up a bit earlier than usual, got myself and my daughter ready and make us both delicious healthy breakfasts. Headed off to day care and work, everything was going smoothly. Until I got to work and found out my schedule had been changed and I wasn't supposed to be their for another 3 hour and would be working 3 hours later than usual. At first I was upset because that's 3  hours of QT I could have spent with my sweet baby girl, not to mention the extra money I wouldn't have had to spend on day care since she wouldn't have had to be there for a full day. Then of course comes the frustration of trying to find someone to pick her up from day care at her regular time, and since I would be working later than usual that's time I wouldn't get to workout...etc. I could have dwelled on all the little irritants, OR I could have done what I did: realize I have 3 hours to myself, while my daughter was being well taken care of, she didn't know anything was any different, and I could do whatever I wanted with my time.

My next thoughts were, now what should I do with my free time? Get a few more hours of sleep? Find something fun to do? I had to do something because I wasn't allowed to stay at work and if I did, I wouldn't be getting paid for the extra hours. So, I went home and got a workout in! Yeah, baby!

This was a pretty simple way to turn a negative into a positive, and I know, it's not always going to be this easy and sometimes the negatives are going to be a whole lot more negative, but as long as you look for the positives and find ways to do the best with what you have, life will be a whole lot Better.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

@msnbc_health: Study: An hour of TV can shorten your life by 22 mins, 15 mins of exercise adds 3 yrs!!! http://on.msnbc.com/nmIGSi

Monday, August 15, 2011

Staying Motivated to Make Better Choices

 We all have days where we stray from our master plan. We eat too many calories, we don't get a workout in, or both. There are 1001 different things that can get in our way or lead us astray and before you know it in a moment of weakness you're chowing down on Chocolate Chip Cookies while you're watching the Jets game. It's okay to have these day every once in a while. Be able to forgive yourself and resolve to make the next choice in the next moment a better one or actively seek out a way to end the day on a high note.

On MyFitnessPal.com I learned a new phrase: NSV which is the abbreviation for "NonScale Victory" When I first started on the site I thought it stood for "No Small Victory" Which is a concept I have adopted into my positive fitness mantra. Anything you do that you normally wouldn't have before you made the choice to Better your health is a victory, and in my world, there is No Small Victory. Find a way to end the day on a high note give, yourself credit for making Better choices, and keep up the positive thinking! Ending the day with a healthy choice can help refocus your mindset when you feel like you're losing control.

I'm sharing this with you now because today I was reminded how very important it is to make the next choice a Better one and when all else fails, making a plan to make tomorrow a Better day, and ending a bad day on a high note can help keep you motivated when you are starting to feel like you're losing control!

Today was a rough day for me. It was my second day back to work and I'm still working out the kinks of trying to get back into the routine. So, naturally I miss a step here and there. This morning I was glued to twitter in the few spare moments I had before heading out the door to day care and then work because James Harrison had announced he was giving away a signed football via twitter. So, I forgot to eat breakfast. (mistake #1). There really isn't anywhere I can stop on the way to work to get something to eat beside McDonalds and I told myself that any breakfast is better than no breakfast - which is true to a point. I ordered 2 breakfast burrittos (mistake #2 - especially when they have a fruit and walnut salad) Then I ate both burrittos (mistake #3) and a small orange juice.

I tried to make up for it by avoiding the treats and munchies buffet set up during our staff meeting (had I known there was going to be one I wouldn't have gone to McD's and would have settled for the grapes and pretzels - which were the healthiest things on the buffet.) I did even better when they brought the lunch (Subway sandwiches) I took a 4 inch slice of a turkey sub on wheat with fat free italian, veggies, and american cheese (okay, I could have done without the cheese). Then in the 45 minutes left on my break I walked downtown with a co-worker so she could pay a bill - 43 minutes of moderately fast pace walking - GO ME!  When I came home my dad offered to make pasta for dinner. So, I had 2 servings of small shells with spaghetti sauce, not totally bad as far as calories are concerned, but I could have made much better choices. Especially when I realized that I only had 53 calories to spare for the rest of the night and it was only 6:30. :: sigh:: Needless to say I gave into my hunger and eventually my sweet tooth. BUT I finished off the night on a high note. I got in a cardio packed workout with EA Sports Active 2 and drank lots of water. Ready to make tomorrow a better day.

My point is, we will all have days where we slip up or make some not so healthy choices and our Better days are not so good, try to finish on a high note and make a plan to make tomorrow a better day!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

My Progress - Week 1

This is my 1st weekly check-in since I took my original measurements. I have lost an inch around my hips and an inch and a half around my waist. My weight has stayed the same this week, although, I have lost a pound and a half since I started this blog. So, inquiring minds want to know, "How am I doing this?" Well, I can tell you now there's no magic tricks. No magic pill. As a matter of fact, I'm not taking any weightloss or muscle building supplements at all. I hate to sound predictable, but all of my success has come from Diet and Exercise (and letting go of all my excuses). I've found a few tools to help keep me on track. MyFitnessPal.com and EA Sports Active 2 as well as a neighbor and friend who walks with me.

Diet and Nutrition - MyFitnessPal.com
As you may or may not know I have been using MyFitnessPal.com to help keep me motivated and stay on track. Along with meeting some really great motivational supportive people, I've been more accurately able to keep track of how many calories I've been eating and burning by using their Food and Exercise Diary. Today was my first check-in since I took my original measurements and weight. In a week I have lost 1 inch around my hips, and and inch and a half around my waist! My weight has stayed the same, but I'm feeling better and looking better too!

Keeping track of what I eat through MyFitnessPal.com has made me more aware of my food choices and I've been eating much healthier. I now understand how and why people can say that they eat constantly and lose weight, because it's all about what foods you are eating. I'm not starving myself, and I can still fit in a tasty treat now and then. I'm really liking MyFitnessPal.com!

Exercise - EA Sports Active 2
So one of my biggest excuses was that I didn't have the time to go to a gym (or the money for that matter). For this past Christmas my dad had gotten me EA Sports Active 2 to help me try to stay in shape. I used it sporatically at first, but when I finally decided I wanted to really improve my life I set up a workout group (ABRworkout) and put myself on the 9 Week Program - Easy. Since I don't have to leave myself to get a great cardio and strength training workout (which means I don't have to find a baby sitter or miss out on quality time with my daughter - because I do my workouts when she's napping or asleep for the night) I've been able to stay pretty consistent on my workouts!

Exercise and Support - Real Life Friends
A friend of mine noticed all my fitness posts and Facebook and suggested we start walking together. So, on days that I don't do EA Active Sports workouts I'm at least walking and there are some days that I do both! It's great to get out and walk with a friend and be able to socialize while I'm doing something good for myself. And the great thing is, I often take my daughter with me. So, not only does she get to go for a walk, but I get the extra benefit of pushing a stroller while walking! Win/Win!!

*just a reminder, the websites and products I have mentioned in this blog post are just things that have been working for me. I am not paid by either MyFitnessPal or EA Active Sports 2 nor do I stand to gain any type of benefit from telling you about them (other than if you decide to join my and become my friend). This is just my personal experience. There are plenty of other way to keep in shape and I'm sure as the year goes on I'll try different things and share them with you.


Saturday, August 13, 2011

Monday, August 8, 2011

Visceral Fat vs Subcutaneous Fat

Lately on blogs and fitness websites I'm a member of I have noticed a lot of concern and "advice" about Visceral Fat. I put the word advice in parenthesis because some of the information that is being passed around is incorrect and/or makes it a lot more complicated than it really has to be.


First, let's distinguish between Subcutaneous Fat and Visceral Fat.

Subcutaneous fat is the kind of fat that we all notice on ourselves as well as others. It's the kind of fat the lies just below the skin. So, when you reach down and grab the flat (if you have any) around your belly, you are essentially grabbing the Subcutaneous Fat. This type of fat is mostly just cosmetically unappealing to most people, although, having too much of it is a sign that a person is eating too much or too much of the wrong things in and/or is too sedentary (getting too little physical activity) which could lead to other health complications. Not too mention, the toll it is taking on their knees and other joints to carry around the extra weight. So, that is Subcutaneous Fat.

Visceral Fat is another type of belly fat that forms within the body taking up space between the organs. It is more dangerous than subcutaneous fat because it can trigger the body to release unwanted hormones which may cause negative reactions and even some serious complications.  Research is still being done on the most affective way to get rid of visceral fat. However, according to an article entitled "Abdominal Fat and What to do About It" by the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide it is believed that visceral fat is easier to get rid of than subcutaneous fat.

As it now stands, the best thing any one can do to get rid of either kind of fat is exercise! Imagine that! According to the Mayo clinic's website  in at article on Women's Health titled "Belly Fat in Women: Taking - and Keeping it Off" crunches and other abdominal exercises only help to strengthen stomach muscles, they do not get rid of fat. The article under the heading Trimming the Fat suggests moderate to vigorous aerobic activity is the best way to lose fat.

If you would like to read more about visceral fat, the complications it can present, or what you can do about it I suggest reading the articles referenced in this post.

The Harvard Medical School Family Guide: Abdominal fat and what to do about it
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Abdominal-fat-and-what-to-do-about-it.shtml

The Mayo Clinic: Women's health: Belly fat in women: taking - and keeping it off
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/belly-fat/WO00128/NSECTIONGROUP=2

I have referenced and included these sites because they are reputable medical sites. I have read too many posts about visceral fat that are inaccurate and some are just down right scarey, not to mention misleading. One of the posts detailed a complicated exercise regime that the author suggested was the best way to lose visceral fat to the point of putting down many other workout regimens, thus discouraging and scaring many of the members of the site.

Any time you read a blog post or news article always double check with reputable peer reviewed sites to make sure you are getting accurate information. The person that posted the blog on the other site hinted at the idea that he was a personal trainer or something along those lines, which made me wonder if he wasn't trying to literally scare up some business for himself. If you read something that sounds kind of dramatic or something that makes you think you need to make a major change to your life. I encourage you to research it yourself using reputable sites. (FYI wiki sites, while they often do have accurate information, are not peer reviewed. So they may not be the best sites to seek health and fitness information.)

Saturday, August 6, 2011

It just means that you take it a little easier. Instead of hitting the gym, go for a walk. Give your body a chance to recover. You'll feel better next workout!
A Day to Rest. Any fitness expert will tell you that you need to take a day to rest. That doesn't necessarily mean that you skip a workout altogether.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Every Minute Counts - become a Microtasker!

What can you do in 2 minutes? 10 minutes? 30 seconds? What can you do with the time that you have? In today's fast paced world most everybody has become a master at multitasking, I'm currently in the process of adding Microstasking to my time management skills. Microtasking is finding little things you can do to help you get ahead on what you need done for the day to help free up time later in the day.

Another way of microstasking is to get in miniworkouts when you don't have the time. To get in a full workout. So, your day is packed and unexpected tasks keep popping up, no matter how much you multitask today, you just aren't going to have time to hit the gym or go for that 30 walk, but you don't want to miss out on your workout today. Focus on what you CAN do right now! Got 2 minutes while you wait for your dinner to cool down enough to eat it? Do some jumping jacks or foot fires or push ups or crunches. Got another minute before the next load of laundry is ready to be folded do some squats or curl some hand weights or run in place.

Ok so this isn't the heart pumping muscle building workout that leaves you with that sense of accomplishment that you're used to, BUT it's better than nothing! You're still burning a few extra calories!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Workout and Nutrition Blogs

I have created two new blogs. One is solely dedicated to Diet & Nutrition the other is a Workout Journal. Check them out! I thought this would be a good way to keep these two keys to health and fitness stream lined. This way you don't have to search my whole blog if you just want to follow my workouts or if you just want to get ideas for healthy eating. :)

Workout Journal www.better-reflection-workouts.blogspot.com

Diet & Nutrition Journal www.better-reflection-nutrition.blogspot.com

Today's the day!

Each new day is a chance to start again! You haven't failed until you quit trying!

When first starting to get into a fitness program it's hard to get motivated and it can be very discouraging when you try and can't seem to stick with it, but remember, each new day is a chance to start again. You haven't failed until you quit trying.

I admit I kind of fell of the wagon when my daughter came back from visiting her dad out of state and I kind of let my workouts slide to spend more time with her. I even napped with her. I kind of set a goal in my head that I would start working out and eating right yesterday because I figured out that if I lose 5 pounds a month between now and my birthday I can be 20 pounds lighter by the time I'm 31! Yay! Well due to an ER tribe at 1:00 in the morning due to a mysterious bug bite I didn't have the energy to workout and I started off eating right yesterday, but that eventually fell to the wayside too. (EXCUSES, EXCUSES)

So today I vowed I would do this right. So far I've been eating a little better. For breakfast I ended up having most of the snack they made for the kids at Vacation Bible School because my daughter didn't like it and I don't like to see food wasted. It was a pudding snack made to look like the beach with crushed vanilla wafers on top, which, I admit wasn't the healthiest of breakfasts, but I'm willing to let that slide. To make up for it I had a grilled chicken tender and carrots for lunch with a diet soda. (I'm still allowing myself to have diet soda this week, but next week I'm switching to water, juice, or milk only) For dinner I'm planning to make BLTs using Turkey bacon and whole grain bread :) For a snack tonight I think I'll have some cantaloupe.

Soon it will be nap time for my darling daughter. Which is when I plan to do my workout. Another EA Sports Active 2 workout. I'm also contemplating joining a local gym just because I prefer to lift more than do any other kind of exercise. I'm torn between a 24hour gym so that I can go workout whenever I have the free time and can find someone to stay with my daughter, or another gym that offers baby sitting hours at certain times of the day and a swimming pool. Right now either gym would suit my schedule, but when the school year starts again and I'm working full time and taking college classes in the evenings the 24 hour gym would definitely be the better option.