Archive for the ‘Topics’ Category

Don’t Stop Short of Your Goal!!

Sunday, July 18th, 2010

  1. Don’t Fall Short
 
of Your Goal
 

Or…. It could be hard to

get back on program…

Through my years of coaching, I have found that for those clients who take a break from the program or stop short of their goal have a hard time getting back on program. Why? One reason may be that they don’t recalculate where they are right now. So many times people think they will just get started like they did before and find they don’t have the same motivation as they once had. The reason may be that they have already changed, they are not in the same place as they were when they first got started. They weigh less, have less aches and pains, people are telling them they look good, etc. Yesterday is yesterday, and today is today!

Before getting restarted, you need to know your current reality. If you don’t know where you are, then you can’t plan ahead and make new goals for yourself. There should be some tension between where you are and where you want to go; this will give you the “why” to keep you focused and help you stick to your program no matter what. Next, write out all the actions you will need to do in order to reach your goal. Decide that you will do these actions no matter what happens. Make the decision that nothing is more important than your health.

Please get Dr. A’s book, Dr. A’s Habits of Health and its companion guide (go to http://maryjanemedlock.com and click on Shop Online or simply ask me to order it for you). It is necessary! The first seven chapters will get you geared up for success! The rest of the book teaches you how to live healthy for the rest of your life.

I think most of you have the book…I wouldn’t be telling any of you to do this if I didn’t do it myself… so lets all start reading Chapters 1 thur 7 and we are going to talk about this in the group and on this blog. I realize that the answer to Optimal Health is right in our hands..:D)

LURKERS come out come out whereever you are :D)

Health and Happiness! MJ

Mary Jane Medlock

TSFL GLOBAL DIRECTOR – 972-617-5094

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Walk for Good Health

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

lifestyle_healthyheartWalk  for Fitness

 

Did you know that walking and running are the quickest ways to blast up to 25% more calories boost your energy instantly and sculpt lean muscles?  You don’t need to invest a lot of money to walk, other than a good pair of walking or running shoes.  You can do it any time, as often as you like! Walking will help you continue to lose weight and feel great! How can you get the most out of your walk?  Follow these helpful tips….

 

1.  Watch Your Stride. Lean into each stride will increase momentum and will help you go faster.  How far you lean will depend on you and the pace you want.  If you are walking you will hinge forward from the hips.  If you are running, the lean starts with your ankles.  Lean during your whole walking experience.  It should feel almost as if you will fall forward if you don’t take another step.

 

2.  Use a Pedometer.  They can be purchased for 10-30 dollars but are worth their weight in gold!  Wear it all day!

 

3.  Tighten your Abdominal.  You want to be aware of your “core” or center, so remember to keep your abs tight throughout your walk or run.

 

4.  Flex your Toes.  You will recruit more leg muscles and propel yourself to go faster if you pull your toes up.

 

5.  Bend your Elbows.  By bending your elbows 90 degrees and keeping them close to your body while swinging from your shoulders, you will move faster.

 

6.  Push Yourself.  Challenge yourself to walk at a fast clip.  You should huff and puff but be able to carry on a conversation.  It’s OK to be a little breathless as you talk.

 

7.  Add Music.  Have your I-Pod join you on your walk/run.  Rev up your performance by adding fast paced, up beat tunes!  It could also help to reduce stress as you run.  Check out the top 100 Workout songs at fitnessmagazine.com

 

8.  Choose Hills over Flats.  You can increase the amount of calories burned by choosing a walk with some incline in it.  This will also strengthen your butt and leg muscles.  When walking on an incline remember to lean forward and shorten your steps and pump your arms.

 

9.  Add Weight.  You could hold low weight dumbbells, wear ankle weights or a weighted vest.  This will increase calories burned for time spent exercising.  Remember to start out slow and low to reduce injury.

 

10. Take a Hike!  Walking in the woods will burn about 500 calories/hour.  If you carry a backpack, it will be even more!

 

 

Essentials for Your Walk

 

1.  Splurge on a great pair of walking/running shoes

 

2.  Invest in a Pedometer

 

3.  A watch to time your walks

 

4.  Warm workout gear (hat, gloves, shell, warm-ups if cold weather).

 

5.  Fanny pack to hold water bottle (or shake)

 

6.  Motivation to walk every day!!         

 

                                   

Before You Begin…

 

1.  Start small and focus on getting out the door. 

 

2.  Keep your exercise in your log

 

3.  Remember to stretch before your walk/run

 

4.  Remember to cool down after.

 

5.  As your exercise length and intensity increases, so must your calories.  On days that you work out hard and long, add an extra Medifast product to your day.

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When does one actually burn fat?

Thursday, April 16th, 2009

headshot-3-for-kimQ: I heard that fat isn’t burned until 20 minutes into a cardio activity. A friend said fat is only burned when you exercise on an empty stomach. What’s the real deal?

 A: The answer to this question has eluded so many of us for so long because there are a lot theories circulating about fat and how it’s used as fuel. Adding to this is the fact that there have been hundreds, perhaps thousands, of studies that conclude slightly different things.
To begin, let’s make one point clear: Your body burns energy (or calories) just by existing. Even when you are sleeping, you’re burning calories. Some scientists report a 50/50 fat-to-carbohydrate ratio, meaning half of the calories you burn at rest come from fat that you’ve eaten recently, and the other half come from carbs; others claim it’s a 25/75 split. Both figures can be correct depending on the person, making the metabolizing of energy a very individual thing. So I can’t tell you what’s going on with your body, personally, but I can tell you that some of the fat you ate at lunch today will be burned tonight, even when you are not exercising.
The real question is: “When are we burning stored fat?” Stored fat is any extra girth that’s settled onto your hips, thighs and belly — the stuff you want to get rid of when you’re trying to lose weight. Fat is not entirely evil: It helps your body absorb nutrients and provides lubrication for your joints. But, as we all know, it can be undesirable, especially when it comes in the form of love handles, saddlebags and jiggly underarms. Cardiovascular exercise can burn stored fat, and there are two main ways.
The first method is to do some aerobic exercise when you haven’t eaten for eight to 12 hours — upon waking in the morning, for instance. A workout at this time burns more stored body fat than at any other time of day because, since you haven’t eaten in so long, your body does not have any glycogen (available carbohydrates) in the system to burn. Therefore, to get the energy it needs for your workout, your body taps more directly into the fat stores. (Warning: If you suffer from hypoglycemia or have diabetes, exercising on an empty stomach is not recommended.) A substantial downside to exercising without any fuel in your belly is that it can be uncomfortable due to hunger pains and lethargy. In saying that I am not encouraging you to exercise on an empty stomach. It makes working out no fun! I am just makikng a point.
The other, better way to burn stored fat is to do an aerobic activity for a substantial amount of time. Fat burning really kicks into gear approximately 30 minutes into a cardio workout — after your body has used up all of the sugar in the bloodstream that’s present after you eat — and turns to fat as a fuel source. This is why most fat-burning workout DVDs and classes are at least 45 minutes long. It’s also why doctors recommend power walking for those needing to lose weight — power walking provides a steady cardiovascular workout that’s easy to sustain.
Finally, if you want to burn more fat, you should also work on building more muscle. Research shows that the more muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism gets; because muscle is a denser tissue than fat, it consumes more fuel during both activity and rest. So strength training can help you burn more fat, more easily, in the long run. Make sure to incorporate it into your workout regimen.

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Why Are YOU Overweight?

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

headshot-3-for-kim

 

You are overweight for the most simple of reasons — because you’re eating the wrong foods, the wrong types of calories per meal, and you’re also eating meals in the wrong patterns each day.


Think closely about what I am about to tell you, since it’s going to change the way you think about dieting…
FOOD is more powerful than any prescription weight loss pills, because the FOOD that you eat can either make you THIN or FAT.   You don’t get fat because of a lack of exercising, that’s a myth.  You get fat because you don’t eat the right foods at the right intervals each day.
Also, the pattern that you choose to eat your meals each day is more powerful than any prescription weight loss pills.   This is true because your body is like an “engine” and it only needs certain foods at certain intervals each day, and if you don’t eat the right foods at the right times then it won’t burn those calories — and you’ll wind up storing those calories as fat tissue. (Hint:  You need to eat more than 5 times per day to lose weight)

 

You have gotten overweight by eating the wrong foods, that much is a fact.  And guess what?   You can get SLIM by eating the RIGHT FOODS at the RIGHT INTERVALS each day. You have the tools at your fingertips. It’s not really any more complicated than that, and the way to start losing weight has nothing to do with starving yourself or jogging or doing intense exercise.

THE ANSWER: Do you Medifast at the times you choose using the right intervals, but MORE IMPORTANTLY; CHOOSE the right foods for your meals. Careful not to over portion or under portion yourself…  Watch the spices!!  :D)

 

 

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Weight Loss Plateaus

Saturday, March 28th, 2009
Mary Jane in her old pink pants

Mary Jane Medlock

Weight loss plateaus are complex and are caused by a variety of problems. Here are a few of the most common:

1. Lowering caloric intake too much. It takes calories to burn calories. When you decrease food intake you are decreasing your basal metabolic rate, meaning your body burns less calories at rest. If your caloric intake is too low, your body may go into starvation mode and hold on tight to the calories you do take in.
2. Not enough muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so if you are losing muscle, or not building any, you are not burning as many calories as you could be. Make sure strength training is a part of your regimen.
3. Weight Loss. That’s right! When you weigh less your body does not require as many calories to function. Make sure you have adjusted your energy intake as you lose body mass.
4. Adaptation. The human body has the amazing ability to adapt to almost anything that disrupts it. When you first begin exercising and calorie cutting, the body responds because it is faced with something new and disruptive. After a while, the body gets used to the exercise program and calorie cut. The body also becomes better at the exercise you do, thus requiring less calories to perform them.
5. Overtraining. When you exercise too much, your body responds by holding on to the calories you do take in. It is trying to conserve and hold on to energy to function properly.

Tips to Overcoming the Plateau

1. Add or increase resistance/weight training to your exercise routine to increase lean body mass.
2. Change up your exercise routine. Try a different kind of workout. If you usually run, try an elliptical machine, or riding the stationary bike. Surprise your body by working different muscles.
3. Interval training. This is a great way to burn more calories during a workout. Intervals are when you periodically increase and decrease the intensity during a session. For example: walk for 2 minutes, sprint for 1 minute, walk for 1 minute, run uphill for 2 minutes, walk for 1 minute, etc.
4. Re-motivate yourself. Make sure you haven’t slipped in your goal setting. Try to return to the commitment level you were at when you first started.
Think of this plateau as an opportunity to evaluate whether this weight could be the right weight for your body. It might not be the best idea to lose any more. Your body doesn’t want to because this could be your body’s ideal weight.
What is Your Correct Caloric Intake?
To make sure you are consuming the right amount of calories for your weight and daily needs, use this equation:
Men
Kg body weight x 24 = cals/day
Women
Kg body weight x 23 = cals/day
*kg = pounds divided by 2.2
Almost everyone hits a plateau when participating in a weight loss program. You are doing all the same great things for your body and for some reason the scale just won’t budge! It is very natural and common. The causes of weight loss plateaus are complex but there are things one can do to overcome these obstacles and continue on the path to successful weight loss.
Do not have a deficit of greater than 500 to 700 calories per day!

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