Starting Over: Can You Relate?

It’s been a while since my last post for a few very good (and very unavoidable) reasons.  One of my earliest post mentioned that I have fibromyalgia or FMS. In case you need a primer, FMS is a syndrome in which a person has long-term, body-wide pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues along with fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression, and anxiety. Such fun! Anyway, for the last month or so, I’ve had some very awful flare-ups including two carpel tunnel and cubital tunnel ones—that’s a flare-up per hand and arm. Dual arm braces and typing/writing don’t mix at all, so I’m just now getting back into work mode.

My career as a hand model will be short!

My previous posts mentioned set-backs for again, very good reasons. The injuries and aches this time around have really done a number on my body and as such, I’ve reverted back to old habits and am paying for those actions. Combining steroids (for both tunnel syndromes and a back sprain) and eating like I’m still in training has landing me 10 pounds heavier in just 1 month.  I’m really not proud to admit this, but I’m taking my own advice -owning up to my mistakes and getting back on the horse to try again. Essentially, I’m starting over. Can anyone else relate?

I’ve been training for a 5K, which may not seem like much, but when you weigh 270 pounds and are in constant pain, sometimes breathing is a chore.  The 5K is this week, so I will share more about that later.  My trainer, Killer Kyle, has been Kind Kyle as of late given my plight, so I haven’t been measured this month either. When I am measured again, I will post my beginning stats and my new ones.

Lastly, I’m asking for help. I share my trials and triumphs with the world (or at least anyone reading), not only to motivate me and to get some external reinforcement, but because I hope my story can help someone else.  I encourage you, the reader, as well to share your story. Asking for help isn’t a weakness; its strength and a sign of good judgment.

Thanks for reading! See you at the finish line!

I'm so Frustrated! Dealing with Weight-Loss Setbacks

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I don’t know about you, but lately, I’ve been suffering from some fitness and weight loss setbacks. Plagued by injuries (too many to name them all), I’ve seen my fitness level decrease and my waist line increase. The scale goes up right along with my frustration.  Thanks goodness, my trainer, Killer Kyle didn’t want to weigh and measure me this week as I started another new medication to treat one of my many infirmities. However, I know the day is coming soon and as such, my goal for the month of July is to lose 5 pounds. Setbacks or no, I’m not giving up, so neither can you! What if you do experience a weight-loss setback too? Here are some tips on overcoming weight-loss setbacks and staying on track. If I can do it, so can you!

Weight Loss Setbacks

I don’t have to tell you that sometimes we all go off track on your weight-loss program and slipping back into old patterns of unhealthy eating and minimal exercise. No one’s perfect, we all make mistakes, and knowing that we need to have a plan to help us recover when these slip-ups occur. Replacing a bad habit with a good habit takes!  These tips and advice listed here can aid you in forming a plan of action for overcoming those inevitable setbacks. While relapses are disappointing, they can be helpful is you learn to keep your goals realistic, and learn what high-risk situations to avoid or that certain strategies don't work for you.

• Take charge. Only you can help yourself lose weight and get yourself back on track. It’s your responsibility!
• Don’t be too hard on yourself. Practice self-forgiveness. Remember that mistakes happen and that each day is another day to start over. It’s not over!
• Ask for and accept help. Asking for help is a sign of good judgment, not weakness. Telling others about your goals can motivate you to keep them and will provide external reinforcement as others will ask about your progress. Moreover, working with others who share the same or similar groups is beneficial for you and for them!
• Problem-solve as you go. Instead of beating  yourself up, identify your problems, and create a list of possible solutions. Keeping trying the possible solutions until your problems are solved. If you still can’t find a solution to all your issues, ask for help.
• Recommit to your goals. Review your weight-loss goals. Are they  realistic? I want to lose 76 pounds, but I know it won’t happen overnight.  Remember, healthy weight loss comes slowly; the healthiest way is 1 to  2 pounds a week (men often lose more than women so this is a ballpark figure).

Above all, remember that you're not a failure, nor is your weight-loss program. Going back to your old ways doesn't mean that all hope is lost. All you need to do is recharge your motivation, recommit to your program and return to your healthy ways!

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Oh, the Pain!

Have you ever worked out so hard that once you are finished you don’t even have the strength to lift your water bottle to your mouth? That happened to me last week and as a results, I am just now able to type without pain and pain killers. Killer Kyle had me do an intensive arm workout that included these lovely star poses (picture below). 

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Obviously, this is not me. I'm not that graceful, or tiny!

Of all the people in the world, I would have thought my trainer would realize that my arms are the smallest part of my body and can’t handle the workload of holding my body up. But no, he insisted and the next day, both of my arms were swollen and wouldn't straighten out. What a great way to spend the 4^th of July holiday. Anyhow, these events prompted me to research and write about injuries, how to treat them for a speedy recovery, and lastly, how to prevent them from ever happening.  I will be taking my own advice from now on.

Injuries: It Hurts!

It happens too often to many people who start a fitness regime—you feel great, set out for a great workout, only to feel the twinge of pain somewhere on your body. My biggest sore spots are the IT (Iliotibial) bands (a common injury to the knee, generally associated with running, cycling, hiking or weight-lifting especially squats, of which I do a lot of), the calves (an injury to the gastrocnemius muscle, or muscles of the back of the leg), and my biceps (an injury that occurs at the front of your upper arm) just to name a few. 

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Where’s the RICE?

So, what does any good fitness aficionado do in this situation? For the most common injuries, you can use the RICK method. R.I.C.E stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

•  Rest: Reduce or stop using the injured area for at least 48 hours. If you have a leg injury, you may need to stay off of it completely.
•  Ice: Put an ice pack on the injured area for 20 minutes at a time, 4 to 8 times per day. Use a cold pack, ice bag, or a plastic bag filled with crushed ice that has been wrapped in a towel; frozen peas and other small veggies work great too!
•  Compression: Compression of an injured site may help reduce the swelling. These include bandages such as elastic wraps, special boots, air casts and splints. Ask a health professional which is best for your injury.
•   Elevation: Keep the injured area elevated above the level of the heart. Use a pillow to help elevate an injured limb

If this method doesn't help your injury, then it may be more severe. In those cases, get professional treatment. A severe injury means having an obvious fracture or dislocation of a joint, prolonged swelling, or prolonged or severe pain. While many common acute injuries can be controlled with these four simple steps, especially when combined with over-the-counter pain relievers, more serious conditions may require surgery or physical therapy.

Getting Back on the Treadmill (Bike, Road, Etc.)

No surprise, some injuries need more time and more attention for a safe and speedy recovery, so listen to your body. Below are some tips taken directly from elite athletes to getting back in the game of training.

1. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Instead of reacting to an injury, know the warning signs before you get hurt in the first place. First, it’s really important to realize when your body is fatigued. I have hard time with this and often overdo it, so I need to listen to this advice myself. Sometimes, it can be important to run when you're tired so you can improve, but you need to recognize when you're pushing yourself too far! Be smart. Foresight before hindsight--looking back it's easy to see when you made a bad decision.

2. Stop doing the activity that caused the injury. Sounds simple. If running is the source, stop running. The same with cycling, weight training, Zumba, etc. The action will often exacerbate the pain during the acute injury phase. So, if it hurts to do it, don’t!

3. Cross train in the pool. This is one of my favorite things to do. You can do most if not all forms of exercise in the water all without impact forces that shouldn't aggravate your injuries. Training in the pool can help you maintain fitness, circulate healing blood flow, and ensure you recover as quickly as possible. Like always, start slow and make sure that the pool exercises don't bring you any pain.

4. Get a massage to the injured area. This may or may not be appropriate for your specific situation, but in most cases it will help. I really hate this part, but using a foam roller and/or a tennis ball to work out tightness and stretch the muscles. If you are like me and have numerous trigger points and painfully tight muscles, foaming rolling may not be the best for you, but getting a professional message may do the trick. I love deep tissue and Swedish massages (those are my special treats). Static stretching of these same areas after massage can also help you feel loose, though it's still unknown if it offers any practical benefits. I think the mental benefits are really good!

5. Increase strength. Most injuries stem from a weakness in the area of injury. It's vital to strengthen these areas targeting the weak areas so you can get back to working out sooner. Keep up with your strength exercises. They are injury insurance. By skipping them, it puts you at a higher risk for injuries. It's also advised to do core workouts as you use your core muscles for everything. Staying on top of the little things is important.

6. Sleep more. As if I needed another excuse! Most recovery and healing happen when you're asleep, so make sure to get a lot of it. During any period of increased training or injury, more sleep can help you recover adequately. That's because your body enters REM and slow-wave Delta sleep after you've been asleep for at least 90 minutes. These are the most restorative sleep cycles for both your body and brain.

Well, I hope you found this informative and useful. I’m off to the gym to train for my next 5K! I get measured (my least favorite gym activity ever) next week by Killer Kyle, so I’ll post my starting numbers and progress ones then. Happy Training!

Feed Your Heart

Anyone else agree?
 

In recent years, I've tried just about every diet out there. Most seem to work for a while, then as soon as you stop them and try to eat normal again, BOOM! The weight you lost comes back with vengeance. As such, I decided instead of "dieting" with whatever the latest craze is, I would adopt a health eating lifestyle, one that will be sustainable and not result like all the others.  I chose a heart healthy eating guide not only for myself, but for my family members (you can read all about my family's heath history on my HubPage [http://sarahhurst.hubpages.com/]).

Do you want to adopt a heart-healthy diet but aren't sure where to start? Here I've listed 8 heart-healthy diet tips to help prevent heart disease. Changing your eating habits can be tough as no one likes to feel deprived or afraid to eat something that they really like and enjoy. I suggest starting with just 1 of these 8 steps to kick-start your way toward a heart-healthy diet. A few small changes can make a big difference! Your heart and your waistline with thank you!

1. Watch your portion size

How much you eat is just as important as what you eat. Overloading your plate, taking seconds and eating until you feel stuffed can lead to eating more calories, fat and cholesterol than you should. For example, one serving of pasta is 1/2 cup, or about the size of a hockey puck. A serving of meat, fish or chicken is 2 to 3 ounces, or about the size and thickness of a deck of cards. Judging serving size is a learned skill (one I still have trouble with), so use measuring cups and spoons until you're comfortable with your judgment.

2. Eat more vegetables and fruits

Vegetables and fruits are good sources of vitamins and minerals as well as being low in calories and rich in fiber. Vegetables and fruits also contain substances that may help prevent cardiovascular disease. Eating more fruits and vegetables may help you eat less high-fat foods, such as meat, cheese and snack foods.

3. Eat better (whole) grains

Whole grains are good sources of fiber and other nutrients that play a role in regulating blood pressure and health. Make simple substitutions for refined grain products using whole grain ones or try a new whole grain like couscous, quinoa or barley. You may find you like those even better!

4. Limit unhealthy fats and cholesterol

Limiting how much saturated and trans fats you eat are an important step to reduce your blood cholesterol and lower your risk of coronary artery disease. The best way to do this is to limit the amount of solid fats (think butter, margarine, shortening). A super easy way to reduce the amount of saturated fat is by trimming fat off your meat or just choosing leaner meats!

5. Choose low-fat protein sources

Eating pounds of bacon isn’t good for anyone. Lean meat, poultry and fish, low-fat dairy products, and egg whites or egg substitutes are some of your best sources of protein. Choose lower fat options, such as skim milk rather than whole milk and skinless chicken breasts rather than fried chicken patties for the best benefits. Also, beans, peas and lentils are good sources of protein and contain less fat and no cholesterol, making them good substitutes for meat. I discovered lentils by accident and now I really like them.

6. Reduce the salt in your food

Reducing the amount of salt you add to food before you eat it or while cooking is a great first step, but also watch for hidden salt. Much of the salt we eat comes from canned or processed foods (most often soups and frozen dinners). Less processing i.e. fresher foods and making your own soups and stews can reduce the amount of salt you eat.  If you like the convenience of canned soups and prepared meals (like I do), look for ones with reduced sodium.

7. Plan ahead

This is hard one for me to follow as I always seem to get busy and forget to create daily menus. Now that the steps are apparent, you should know what foods to feature and which ones to limit. When selecting foods for each meal and snack try to emphasize vegetables, fruits and whole grains (I sneak them in any time I can). Also,  choosing lean protein sources and limiting high-fat and salty foods is a great idea. Don’t forget to watch your portion sizes and add variety to your menu choices.

8. Indulge once in a while

A candy bar or handful of potato chips won't derail your heart-healthy diet. If overindulgence is the exception, rather than the rule, you'll balance things out over the long term. What's important is that you eat healthy foods most of the time! It will make that candy bar an even sweeter, well-deserved treat! I started my Independence Day celebrations with a red, white, and blue cupcake (after 2 hours in the gym, of course)!

Will I ever reach my goal weight?

“Why Can’t I Lose Weight?”

"I'm doing everything right and nothing's happening."

"I work so hard and can't lose a pound! What am I doing wrong?"

"Will I ever reach my goal weight?"

I seem to be asking these questions more and more after each workout. Just this past Thursday, I spoke with my trainer, Killer Kyle, about me not losing any weight and my frustrations. He claimed to be very happy with my success as I’ve gained strength, endurance, and flexibility all without moving the number on the scale. Also lots of people both inside and outside the gym have said they have noticed a difference, but in my body-dimorphic mind, I can’t see it, and therefore, get so annoyed with myself. When I decided to focus on my health and weight, I weighed 298 lbs. That was about 2 years after my car accident, subsequent surgeries, recoveries, and diagnosis of Fibromyalgia.  So far, I’ve lost a little more than 30 lbs. with about 76 or so lbs. to go.

This is the last full body shot I have. I was selected by Crowdtap to test Old Navy Active wear. These pieces I just so happen to have in my closet now :)

This may be the only time I will ever in a wedding vial, so I had to take a picture when I had the chance. 

I am happy to say that most people couldn’t guess my weight correctly if they tried (no one attempted to guess my “before” weight). It’s a pretty scary number to admit to anyone. If you do tell someone, they are most likely going to judge you whether good or bad. For example, I like to watch a lot of TLC and in the spring, they had a series on morbidly obese persons who underwent bariatric surgery to lose weight. Most of the patients weighed anywhere from 400 to 600 pounds, so they had a lot to lose. However, by most American standards of health and beauty (focused more on beauty), even if these patients were successful in losing 200, 300, 400 pounds, they would still be considered fat. Being medical researcher who specialized in endocrinology disorders, my colleagues and I have some heated discussions about BMI, weight and other measurements considering many elite athletes (football players,  basketball players,  Olympians, etc.) would be classified as obese given their height and weight on a BMI chart. On a personal note, my trainer calculated that my fit factor (a measurement of your fitness level and recovery time) when I started and it was a 4.5 out of 5. He is a professional track star and his fit factor isn’t that high. Moreover, I outweigh him by over 100 pounds and am about a head taller and therefore my BMI is like 40 or something close (I’m pretty sure that classifies me as super morbidly obese).

If you can relate to the questions posed in the beginning, I should start with the great news that we are all doing many things right by being active and hopefully, making better choices with regards to foods and fitness. Given my frustrations, I was given some advice and tips that I will share with you, and hopefully, start implementing them in my own life and workout regime! According to all the experts (including myself), both diet and exercise are the keys to weight loss success, so there's not a lot to change. However, if you've been trying to lose weight and are like me, the pounds aren't coming off as quickly as you would like, then these are some (so-called) simple changes you can make that will lead you closer to your goals.

Top 5 Advice/Tips from Trainers

1. Your exercise program isn't balanced or intense enough

Research shows that endurance activities (running, biking, etc. at a moderate pace) burn lots of calories during the workout and continues to do so 24 to 48 hours after the session has ended. Additionally, the only way to reshape your body is through strength and resistance training. Combining the all these 3 should result in optimal weight loss and body transformation! I can’t stand to run or bike, so swimming is my endurance activity. Any other suggestions?

2. Your resistance training isn't challenging enough

Women, don’t be afraid to do strength and resistance training. It is a medical fact that female hormones aren't structured to create big biceps.  The truth is, to ramp up your metabolism, you need to lift heavy weights.  I often argue with Killer Kyle about lifting too much weight, but experts suggest choosing weights that are at least 70% of your "maximum" (i.e. the maximum amount of weight you could lift one time). In my case, I started lifting 5 pound hand weights and 6 months later, I use 35 pound hand weights during my workouts. My arms have never looked better!

3. You're eating more than you think

You gotta love the irony of wanting to eat more the more you work out. Think athletes who train all day and night and eat thousands of calories.  This seems to be my problem as I’m always hungry. Recent studies from the University of Texas and Oklahoma University showed that 16 weeks of exercise alone produced a disappointing one-pound reduction in body fat! Why? Well, exercise ramps up our appetite and metabolism. We are also a reward driven culture and what’s better than a treat after a workout? To solve this problem, it has been recommended to me to eat at least four small meals each day. By fueling the body often with nutritious foods, you'll prevent unhealthy snacking or overeating. Also, slow down and don’t be distracted while you eat. If you are like me and can’t go cold turkey on your favorite treats, indulge once a week rather than every day.

4. You're drinking too much sugar

Ladies, don’t you just love it when a man tells you he just gave up cokes and lost 20 pounds?  Well, soda, juice and sugar-heavy sports drinks can spell weight-loss sabotage as you can consume a meal's worth of calories within minutes. Choose plain water during shorter workouts (less than 90 minutes), and save sports beverages for very hot days (today it was 105 degrees here) or during longer training sessions (longer than 90 minutes).  I happened to like Vitamin Water Zero, which is a good balance between the two.

5. You're eating too many processed carbs

There are very few carbs that I don’t like. I even have a workout top emblazoned with the words “Carb Addict”, so this subject is serious for me.  Now, while carbohydrates are necessary for filling up our glycogen stores, eating too many (and the wrong types) can lead to problems managing the hormone insulin. If your insulin is out of control, it's very difficult to lose fat.  Processed carbs, such as sweets and white breads, pastas and rice, typically lead to insulin surges and body-composition problems. On the other hand, unprocessed whole grains like quinoa, wild rice and barley are part of a healthy diet.  Yippee for whole grains!

These all seem very hard to do at one time, so if you have several habits that need changing, don't rush things along.  I like to think of changing a bad habit with a good habit. Choose one thing to improve and work on that for the next three to four weeks. Only once you've mastered one change, should you introduce another. Treat weight loss as a marathon, not a sprint—slow and steady wins the race. Go tortoises! At least we move faster than those on the couch!