Posted by Michelle Hering on Wed, Jul 08, 2009
I was finally able to get in my big run while I was on vacation. I had changing my plans a number of times to accommodate visiting family and friends, and hadn't had a chance to get it in. But I made a promise to myself before bed one night and the next morning, I did it! I let everyone know what my plan was so that they could all help take care of Reid while I was gone. After I woke up and fed the baby, my parents took him to play, and I was off.
I put my headphones on and listened to some of the great music that Best Life members suggested in an article on the site, and I was able to relax and enjoy the run. I was happy, energized and ready for whatever the rest of the day threw at me because I had set a goal and accomplished it! What a great feeling!
For more advice on getting in shape and staying motivated, check out TheBestLife.com.
Posted by Bob Greene on Fri, Jun 19, 2009
Do you ever think that eating healthfully and working out would be easy
if it weren't for your spouse or kids? I hear different versions of the
same problem all the time: My husband is a meat-and-potatoes guy, so I
have to cook two separate meals, and I just don't have the time for it.
Or, my kids won't eat fruit or veggies; I have to keep cookies in the
house for them. Or, I have a young child and have no time to work out.
But there are ways to have a family
and be healthy! Check out these tips on how you can make your diet and exercise routine work with your busy life.
Level with yourself.
It's possible that if your husband or kids didn't give you a reason to
skip the gym or break from your healthy-eating plan, someone or
something else would—the holidays, your schedule, or your job, for
example. Why we undermine our own efforts can be a complex issue, so I
recommend that you try to understand yourself a little better. In other
words, know your motivations and how badly you really want to lose the
weight. Ask yourself a few questions, like are there other reasons
(such as stress or emotions) that cause you to go off your healthy
program? Do you have a need to please other people at your own expense?
Sometimes the answers to these and other self-analytic questions can
tell you if you really want to do what is necessary to permanently lose
the weight.
Be patient.
In the beginning, your family may have a hard time giving up some of
their "unhealthy" favorites, but slowly, you can expose them to
healthier versions of these foods, and they should start to come
around. Your taste buds have to be re-trained, in a sense, and that takes a
little time.
Trick them. Sneak healthy,
low-calorie foods into your family's favorite meals. For example, if
your children like omelets, try using egg whites, such as AllWhites, or cutting back on
the number of yolks you use, and toss in a bunch of veggies, like
tomatoes, red peppers, even broccoli. Or, try making a batch of sweet
potato fries instead of regular fries. That way you get what you
need and they get what they like.
Enlist their help.
Often, getting the kids or your spouse involved in food prep or cooking
can help them take more interest in your efforts to eat more
healthfully. Ask them to go shopping with you, to help cook, or even
let them pick that night's meal. The Best Life Diet Cookbook is loaded with family-friendly meals.
Get an early start.
Exercise first thing in the morning. This will remove many of the
excuses that can come up during the day, like your son's soccer
practice that ran late or your daughter missing the school bus.
Choose child-friendly workouts.
Select an exercise that you know you'll perform regularly. Obviously,
if you have young children, it should be one that allows you to watch
them while working out. For example, walk or jog with your child in a
stroller or baby jogger. Or try aerobic dancing or a fitness DVD. You can
do this at home, and still keep an eye on the little ones.
Schedule family workouts. If your
children are older, or it's just you and your spouse, it should be a
little easier to squeeze in workouts. In fact, you can combine exercise
with some family bonding by setting aside an hour or two each week for
a family activity. Any activity is fair game, from a family bike ride to a trip to
the farm to go apple-picking to a simple game of tag in the yard.
Don't make excuses.
Make healthy-eating and regular exercise non-negotiable. Not only will
this help you stay on track, but it also sets a good example for your
children. They'll learn that taking care of your health is a priority.
Posted by Michelle Hering on Thu, Jun 11, 2009
My training is going well, but this next weekend, we'll be traveling for my cousin's high school graduation, and then in four weeks, I'll be headed to California to visit family. How am I going to keep my schedule on track while away from home?
Not to worry, I was able to get some great advice from another fitness expert at TheBestLife.com (just one of the perks of being a member of The Best Life; you can email your fitness, diet and motivation questions and get a personalized email response). And that helped settle my nerves. Some of the tips were to ask a relative to babysit for me while I go on a run, do my big run before I leave for my vacations, cut out one of the short runs during the week and do two long runs instead, and the best was to break up the run, so instead of running nine miles in a row, run four miles in the morning and five miles at night. Finally, the last tip was to do the best I can. If it just doesn't work out and I miss a run or two, I should cut myself some slack—after all, a missed workout won't ruin my training.
I plan to use many of these great ideas. For instance, I'll probably do my long run before I leave for the graduation because I'll only be gone over the weekend—but then again my mom will also be flying out to attend the graduation, too, so she might want to babysit. I love that I have options!
To learn more about Bob Greene's weight-loss program, check out TheBestLife.com.
Posted by Bob Greene on Fri, May 22, 2009
I've always encouraged clients to be creative about fitness. When a business meeting runs late or your child is home sick from school, squeezing in your workout requires more flexibility and resourcefulness.
One option that's perfect for days like these: EA SPORTS Active, a personalized workout program for the Nintendo Wii game system. (Not familiar with Wii? It's an interactive video game; you stand in front of the screen, and using a handheld controller, you can watch your avatar, or game character, move along with your movements.) I recently teamed up with EA SPORTS to help develop this program, and I'm thrilled with the results. It features exercises that will improve strength, cardio, coordination, agility and balance. It includes 20 different strength exercises (from biceps curls to lunges to squats) as well as customizable cardio routines, which include a variety of activities like inline skating, walking/jogging, tennis, cardio boxing, basketball, volleyball and more.
All these options mean a better, more effective workout for you. Instead of sticking with one activity, say walking, and working only the muscles involved in this activity, you can target more muscles by choosing different activities. The result: You'll get a more complete workout, which will help you tone up all over, avoid injury and burn more calories.
There's even a 30-Day Challenge, which consists of circuits that change each day, automatically adjusting to your fitness level. The program will offer you feedback on your progress, and I'll also be giving you clear instruction on the various workouts as well as motivation and positive encouragement. For more information on the game, check out EA SPORTS Active.
Posted by Michelle Hering on Wed, May 20, 2009
Last week, I wrote about setting a big goal for myself, and something that was not just about losing weight. And I made my decision: I would train to run a marathon.
Of course, doing this would help me get more exercise, something I've been struggling with since becoming a new mom, but that wasn't the main point of choosing to run a marathon. More important than fitting in fitness, I wanted to find a way to put myself first—another obstacle many moms (both new and experienced) face. Since I brought Reid home a little more than four months ago, I was finding it easier and easier to skimp out on my exercise. Unfortunately, that didn't help—instead, it made me feel more irritable, tired and sluggish.
So, week one is over and it wasn't easy. In fact, it was more difficult than I remember from years past. Of course, my husband kept reminding me that I was coming back from pregnancy and an altered workout routine because of my pregnancy. I was getting side aches and my lefts felt like they weighed several hundred pounds each.
My workout schedule consists of running three days a week for a certain time. For instance, I'll see how far I can run in 30 minutes or 40 minutes. Then, on the weekend, I'll do one run where I'll aim to finish a certain distance, no matter how long it takes me. So this past week, I ran 4 miles on Saturday and then 30 minutes on Monday, 40 minutes on Tuesday and 35 minutes on Thursday. Whew, was I tired! But I made it through. And because I've been keeping a journal on TheBestLife.com, I was able to see that I was feeling a little better with each run. The journal will be a helpful tool not only as I train, but when I finish, too. Eventually, once I cross the finish line, I'll be able to look back and be proud of how far I came.
Click here to learn more about how TheBestLife.com can help you reach all of your health, fitness and weight-loss goals.
Posted by Michelle Hering on Tue, May 12, 2009
I've always heard that you should cherish each day with your children because before you know it, they'll be all grown up. Well, Reid isn't that grown up yet, but time does seem to be flying. In fact, in the almost 15 weeks since he was born, I still haven't really figured out a routine yet.
I notice that more often than not, I allow something to come up and take priority over my workouts, like cooking dinner, getting Reid's things ready for daycare or my things for work the next day or just catching up with my husband. At the time, it feels necessary but then I look back and feel that I didn't put myself first. I can see how sticking to my workouts and getting back on track is going to be more challenging than simply setting an appointment. I read an article on TheBestLife.com in which member Jennifer Hepka shared her own set of wishes and goals, and after reading her story, I realized what I had to do. I had to set a specific goal for myself, so I'd be compelled to see it through.
In 2005, my husband and I ran the Philadelphia marathon. It was a great experience and we actually spent a lot of time together while training. So last week, we sat down to figure out how to make ourselves a priority. We both agreed: We would train for a marathon! We signed up quickly for the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. this October.
It's a scary thought and we have A LOT of work to do, but we will be doing it together. Now the appointments we made for ourselves to hit the gym are a necessity—if we don't do it, we won't cross the finish line in October. After our first run (four miles) this last weekend, we went to the store and purchased a jogging stroller so now the entire family will be able to go for a run together.
I'm excited and nervous all at once, but I'm happy that we have something we are working toward. I am also glad that we are setting a good example for our son—not only about the importance of fitness, but following through with goals and sharing time with family.
For more on setting goals and sticking to a workout routine, join TheBestLife.com.
Posted by Michelle Hering on Tue, May 05, 2009
I still haven't quite mastered the whole new mom thing, and already it's time to head back to work. Returning to a full-time job with four-month-old at home has not been an easy task so far. Even Jack, our family dog, has had to adjust.
One of my problems is that I get stuck thinking of every activity separately. For example, I get up then eat breakfast then walk the dog. Next, I have to drop Reid at day care, then get to work, head to the gym for my workout, and finally, thankfully, sleep. I tend to lose sight of the fact that I can combine tasks, such as walking the dog and pushing Reid in the stroller. And in doing so, not only do I save time, but there are many unexpected benefits: Jack and I get to stretch out our muscles and Reid gets some fresh air.
An article I ran across on TheBestLife.com called "Whittle (Your Waist) While You Work" has some great tips on how to de-stress my day, get in a healthy lunch and even burn a few extra calories. One tip I easily worked into my day: Setting an alarm to take a five-minute stretch break. In another article "The At Work Workout," I found tips on squeezing in some fitness during a busy day at the office. Now I keep a pair of tennis shoes at work for unexpected breaks in my day (I can go for a quick walk if a meeting gets cancelled, for example). And I even bought an elastic band that I can use to do some strength training moves right at my desk. Not only does it help melt stress away, but it also gives me an energy boost. Adopting these few tips has given me the freedom to enjoy my time at work without getting cramped and stiff. I've even noticed that with a few minor changes, I have more energy to go to the gym after I get off of work! All of these strategies have helped make the transition from stay-at-home mom to working mom a little easier. (Feel free to use them whether you're returning to work after a long break or you never left!)
Posted by Michelle Hering on Thu, Mar 12, 2009
As a fitness expert for TheBestLife.com, I know that to achieve your health and weight-loss goals, you have to make fitness a priority, even when life gets in the way. And yet, eight weeks after I delivered my first child, a boy named Reid, via c-section, the road back to my regular workout routine has not been an easy one.
At first it seemed that the ultimate battle of sleep versus activity kept me in my pajamas more than I wanted to be. And to make matters worse, my physician prescribed no exercise for two whole weeks after the delivery, practically sealing the deal of limited activity. I told my husband that as soon as my doctor gave me a green light, he'd have to be ready for babysitting duty.
And yet, when that day finally rolled around, my body wasn't as ready for the gym as I had hoped. I found the workout to be really difficult. When I got home, I pulled out my journal, an effective tool that's an important part of The Best Life Diet, and wrote down how I felt and what I had done.
Disappointed was the best way to describe it. I started thumbing through the journal, back to the days when exercising felt good and easy. I'd made up my mind that no matter what it took, I was never again going to feel disappointed with myself and my workouts—and then I saw one of my earlier entries, which read "…Feeling… Disappointed!"
It was nice to know that I'd been there before and I had overcome it. I knew that if I kept working, I'd get back to where I was once again. All it took was a reminder from myself in the form of a written journal entry. Ah, the power of the pen!
Check back here for regular updates from Michelle as she works on getting back into shape after baby. And to learn more about journaling and how to stay motivated, visit
TheBestLife.com.