Archives for 2016

5 midlife fitness posts you need to read before January 1st

December 27, 2016 by

In a perfect world, we’d all maintain our regular fitness routines and healthy ways of eating through the December holidays.

Nobody would gain an ounce and gyms wouldn’t be any busier January 1st than they were the week before.

Fitness professionals wouldn’t need to launch new programs aimed at ‘resolutioners’ and nobody’d be looking for Boxing Day sales at Lululemon.

In reality, the average North American will have gained 5-7 pounds during the month of December and be looking for ways to take it off and improve their fitness come New Year’s Day.

But starting and sticking with a new fitness and nutrition program is never easy.

Not only does it require persistence and perseverance, but preparation of the mental kind.

If you’re planning on heading back to the gym next week and want to maximize your chances of success, you’ll want to read the following posts. Particularly if you’re a midlife exerciser wanting to avoid injury and frustration because you’re not seeing results as quickly as you’d like to.

Get your mindset right, your expectations in check and you can’t help but reach your goals!

5 midlife fitness posts you need to read before January 1st
  • Create a flexible fitness plan > Given that the gym is likely to be a busy place for the next month or two, give some thought beforehand as to how you might have to adapt and modify your program if space is tight and equipment unavailable. You’ll be less likely to ditch the gym if you have a backup plan in place.
  • Essential stretches for midlife exercisers > Stretching is really just another component of a comprehensive fitness program. Spend as much time stretching post-workout as you do warming up pre-workout. Heading to a group fitness class? Don’t duck out before the instructor finishes with ‘mat time’ 🙂

Need a little help figuring out how to put it all together?

My online fitness program for women over 40 is all set to begin a new 3-month session. Registration is open now, with January 1st programs set to go out December 31st. (Click here for more details about the program, happy client testimonials and a link to the registration form >> 40+ Online Group Registration)

A winning combination of professional exercise instruction, life-stage-specific nutritional guidance, unparalleled group support and accountability and a coach who isn’t shy about challenging limiting beliefs and helping her clients recognize the many positive changes they’re making to their lives.

Why finishing 2016 strong is your best new year’s fitness strategy

December 14, 2016 by

This is the time of year when all good fitness bloggers share their strategies for getting through the holidays without gaining too much weight or losing too much ground at the gym.

Much of this advice centres around tips for navigating party food (‘eat before you go out’, ‘alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks’, ‘avoid second helpings’, ‘offer to bring a salad’…) and squeezing in short bouts of non-exercise movement under the guise of having family fun (‘go skating together’, ‘climbing a tobogganing hill burns 300 calories an hour’, ‘ head to an indoor pool and swim laps while the children play’…).

While I believe these bits of advice can be helpful (and I’ve written many posts myself, chock full of tips for avoiding holiday weight gain and carving out time for your Christmas-day workout…), I also think that they completely miss the mark when it comes to really helping people stay focused on their fitness and health goals for the long term. Helping them find not just a new year’s fitness strategy, but an approach that will work for months and years to come.

Most of us start the year off strong.

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That’s why the gym is so full in January and your Facebook feed has been covered with ‘New Year’s Fitness’ offers for the past month.

We implement the tips and ‘micro’-strategies offered up, but can only do so for so long before we begin to lose motivation and revert to our previous state.

As the year draws to a close, we fizzle out, hoping, at best, to ‘maintain the status quo’ at the gym or strive for ‘zero net gain’ on the scale.

What if we finished the year as strong as we began it?

What if we shifted our mindset to value seeing a project through to the end?

What if we recognized the importance of being someone who finishes what she starts?

What if we no longer created a ‘new year’s fitness strategy’ each and every year?

I’m guessing that January would be just another month on the calendar. (And we’d see improvement in a lot of other areas in our lives…)

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A month in which we’d continue to progress our workouts, improve our health and see the numbers on the scale shift in the direction we’d like. Without the dramatic increase (and subsequent equally dramatic decrease…) in the number of people at the gym.

I challenge you to think back to your January 2016 goals, intentions and resolutions. Be it weight loss, improved health, squatting your body weight or doing five consecutive push-ups.

Remind yourself why those goals were important to you.

If they’ve become less of a priority as the year elapsed, re-instate them to the top of your to-do list for the remainder of the month.

By the time 2017 arrives, you’ll already be well on your way to have re-established positive habits. Long before the January exercisers have done their thing; starting and stopping for another year.

Finishing the year strong is surely your best strategy for ensuring a fit, healthy and successful 2017 and beyond…

P.S. Although the next session of my 40+ Online Women’s Fitness program does begin on January 1st, it’s by no means a ‘seasonal’ program. We’re just continuing on with the work we’ve been doing all year. New participants ‘arrive’ monthly, start by setting some goals, and choose versions of the exercises and workouts that are appropriate for their fitness level.
If you register now, you’ll instantly receive an introductory workout you can use to ‘finish 2016 strong’ and be ready to hit the ground running in the new year. Details and a link to the registration form can be found here >> 40+ Online Fitness Training

Creating a successful midlife exercise program | Part 2

November 29, 2016 by

Two weeks ago I shared the first six of twelve guidelines that I believe are essential for creating a successful midlife exercise program.

One that you can enjoy today, tomorrow and for years to come. If you missed that post, click over and get yourself up to speed before you continue reading below… there’s nothing worse than only getting half the story 😉

Tips for creating a successful midlife exercise program: Part 2
  • Pay attention to aches and pains. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something might not be quite right. Ignore it and it’s likely to come back and bite you in the butt (sometimes quite literally).

Long gone are the days where ‘working through the pain’ is an indication of your dedication to exercise.

Much of the exercise-related pain mid-lifers feel is joint-related. Knees, hips, shoulders and ankles no longer move as freely, or with as great a range of motion as they used to. And reduced bone density (osteopenia), muscles that are chronically tight and shortened (hello ‘sitting disease’) and previous injuries that may have resulted in compromised movement patterns may also play a role.

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Exercise-related injuries? I’ve had my fair share. And I’ve learned to seek help immediately to minimize my time out of the gym.

Your best strategy is avoid injury entirely. Stop when something hurts. Know the difference between a little post-workout delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and true pain. Seek professional advice to diagnose and treat the problem. And be consistent with any re-hab routines they prescribe.

Note, if you’ve already integrated my first 6 guidelines to creating a successful midlife exercise program into your routine, you’re well on your way to remaining injury-free. You’ll find more suggestions for preventing workout-related injuries here >> Tips for preventing workout related injuries

Workout-related injuries suck. Think ‘pre’-hab and avoid re-hab #midlife #fitness

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  • Take the long term view. It’s taken you half your life to get the body you have. There’s no exercise program in existence that will completely change your physique in time for your daughter’s wedding, your 30th high school reunion or your next beach holiday.

Improving health and fitness is a long term, life-long process. Even if you’re incredibly consistent with exercise and nutrition, the physical results of your efforts may not start to be visible for months.

If you’re using pounds lost or circumference measures to access your progress and those numbers don’t change in the first month or so of a new exercise program, you’ll likely get discouraged and give up. Better to pay attention to the myriad other benefits of exercise and solid nutrition; more energy, better sleep, improved libido, positive outlook on life, easier movement during day-to-day activities etc.

I like to describe my fitness philosophy as ‘training for the sport of life’. Challenging my body to move in complex and difficult ways so that I’m capable of continuing to participate in the non-workout activities (kayaking with my kids, hiking with my friends, back-country camping expeditions with my husband) I love for many years to come

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  • Plan for setbacks. When was the last time in your life everything went according to plan? Something always comes up and gets in your way of progress. Like holidays, or birthday dinners out, or a sick husband/child/pet or a busy quarter at work.

Rather than letting these obstacles derail you, expect them to happen and make a plan for how you’ll deal with them ahead of time.

For example, include a ‘flex’ day in your workout schedule. If you have to miss a planned workout, do it on your ‘flex’ day instead. More suggestions for overcoming obstacles while creating a successful midlife exercise program >> Overcoming obstacles to exercise and healthy eating

There will always be obstacles to success. Know this and plan ahead #mindset #fitness #midlife

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  • Enlist support. No woman is an island. Just like we rely on family and friends for help in other areas of our life (e.g., raising our children and advancing our careers), we need the support of those close to us when attempting to make healthy changes to our lifestyle.

Some of my favourite support systems?

  1. A good, old-fashioned ‘fitness buddy’. Someone who will go to the gym with you, check in to see that you’re on track with nutrition and support and encourage you when you’re having doubts. Of course, you’ll do the same for her (or him) when she needs it.
  2. Group fitness classes, both small and large. In addition to having a build-in support group, you’ll also get the benefit of having a professional design your workouts. And the positive energy of a good group fitness class just can’t be beat.
  3. Online fitness and support groups. Help is only a keystroke away, any hour of the day or night. One of the most-appreciated elements of the online fitness course I offer is the private Facebook community. Participants check in daily, sharing their successes and frustrations with one another. A perfect accountability tool.
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Friends don’t let friends go to step class alone…

  • Back up your exercise program with a solid nutrition plan. As much as many of us wish it weren’t true, in order to truly see results you need to be working as hard in the kitchen as you are in the gym.

Think about it. You need to spend an hour on the elliptical to expend 600 calories. Bet it doesn’t take you nearly as long to consume a grande pumpkin spice latte and a cranberry bliss bar….

Your body requires high quality carbs, lots of lean protein and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals to support your strength training and cardio sessions. Give it what it needs and you’ll not only reach your aesthetic goals more quickly, you’ll also feel a whole heck of a lot better.

Not quite sure what a good midlife diet looks like? >> Hormones and weight gain at midlife: why nutrition matters even more now

  • Make time for rest and recovery. A common response to not getting results in the gym is to go to the gym more often. While this may have worked for you in your 20’s and 30’s, it’s not the best strategy for a mid-life exerciser. Why not?

In addition to increasing your risk of injury (see above), it may also increase your body’s production of cortisol (aka the ‘stress’ hormone). High levels of circulating cortisol, combined with lower estrogen and progesterone set the stage for fat storage, in particular, the middle-of-the-body type. Add in a little insulin resistance courtesy of a high sugar diet and your ‘mummy-tummy’ may turn into full blown ‘menopot’.

Keeping workouts shorter and scheduling rest days between heavy strength days is a smarter way to exercise in midlife. Just think of all the other things you’ll be able to accomplish in your newly found spare time!

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Did I miss something? Something that’s been instrumental to your midlife exercise success?

 I welcome your comments below!

Creating a successful midlife exercise program | Part 1

November 15, 2016 by

This post is the first in a two-part series. Partly because it’s a long one to write (and hence, read…), but also because twelve things is a lot to do at once. I challenge you to start implementing the points outlined below right now, before reading the follow up post and acting on the rest.

It’s a common lament among the 40-plus crowd; weight gain, muscle loss, lack of energy and injuries that just won’t go away.

Even women who’ve exercised for years and long followed sound nutritional practices complain that their trusted routines are no longer working to keep ‘menopot’ at bay.

While it’s true that midlife hormonal fluctuations can negatively effect metabolism, (how your body burns and stores the calories you eat), there are things you can do to mitigate their effects. ‘Tweaks’ you can make to your fitness program that maximize your results (and the likelihood that you’ll be able to keep on exercising safely for years to come).

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Strength training: the secret to midlife fitness success 😉

Below, I share my six of my top twelve recommendations for creating a successful midlife exercise program (you’ll have to come back next time for the remainder).

Note that the general principles are applicable to all exercisers, at all ages and stages of life, even if the specifics are aimed at peri-menopausal women :-).

Tips for creating a successful midlife exercise program
  • Understand your midlife body. Information is power. The more you know about what’s happening to your body, the easier it is to work with the changes rather than against them.

Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone frequently start to decline around age 40. As a consequence, calories are more readily stored as fat, fat is less easily accessed as fuel and muscles become harder to build.

Changing the emphasis of your fitness routine from cardio to strength training may help preserve muscle mass and metabolism, as well as reducing midlife bone density loss.

Get the full hormone story here >> Hormones and weight gain after 40 | The biology of aging

  • Create goals that aren’t just about weight loss. Changing hormones and a slower metabolism means that weight loss won’t happen as easily or as quickly as it might have happened in your 20’s and 30’s. Focusing solely on the bathroom scale is likely to leave you feeling frustrated and ready to give up.

In addition to body composition change goals (weight loss, % body fat), I encourage my clients to also create Habit and Performance goals.

Habit goals (for example, exercising three times per week, drinking 32 ounces daily, eating breakfast every morning, walking for 30 minutes each day) are often the easiest to achieve and make us feel successful and empowered.

Performance goals (for example, running a 5k, doing 12 consecutive toe pushups, squatting your body weight) push us to become ‘more’ and are tangible evidence of improved fitness.

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Four of my ’50 by 50′ goals are Performance-based

And the best thing? When we achieve our Habit and Performance goals, body composition change tends to follow.

Need some help developing your new habit? >> The science of creating new health and fitness habits

  • Get your mindset right. The body achieves what the mind believes. Limiting beliefs and negative thinking will only get you more of the same. Creating a successful midlife exercise program often requires a shift in how we think.

A common midlife mindset around exercise and nutrition is what I call the ‘all or nothing’ approach. As in, ‘If I can’t get a full hour’s workout in, there’s no point in going to the gym’ OR ‘I’ve already wrecked today’s meal plan, might as well have dessert tonight and start again in the morning’.

All or nothing usually leads to nothing. Followed quickly by a feeling of defeat and then actual giving up.

Shift your ‘all or nothing’ mindset to ‘every little bit helps’ #midlife #fitness #success

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Try these adopting these mindset shifts as part of your new exercise plan. Think of it as fitness for your brain >> Mindset shifts for midlife fitness success

  • Focus less on what works for everybody else and more on figuring out what works for you. Sometimes it feels like everybody else has figured out the key to midlife fitness success but us. Surely, if we do what she’s doing (Crossfit, Pilates, carb-cycling, intermittent fasting, the ketogenic diet or two hours of cardio each day), we’ll get the same results.

The thing is, we’re all unique individuals, with unique goals, fitness levels, hormonal profiles, likes, dislikes and abilities. What’s popular isn’t necessarily the program or plan that will work for you. You may not enjoy it. It may fall out of vogue. You may get injured doing it. Fitness doesn’t need to be fashionable to work.

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While flipping tires may work for her, Crossfit may not be the best workout for you…

It does, however, need to be sane, safe and pleasurable >> Everything you need to know to be a fitness success

Is your fitness program ‘safe, sane and pleasurable’? #sportof life #adherence #success…

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  • Harness the power of your calendar. When you schedule an appointment with your dentist or doctor you write in on your calendar. In part, so you don’t forget to go (since they’re nearly impossible to re-schedule promptly…), but also, because you value the service your dentist and doctor are performing for you.

Why not value the service exercise does for you equally?

Making an exercise appointment with yourself indicates that you recognize and value the role of fitness in your life. Make that appointment and keep it. (Again and again and again if you’re serious about making the exercise habit a regular part of your life.)

successful midlife exercise program

Schedule your workouts in pen; so you can’t erase them!

For tips on creating an exercise schedule that works for you click here >> Get out your calendar now

  • Emphasize the warmup and stretch. Now, more than ever, your body needs a proper warmup before you exercise and lots of time for gentle stretching when you’re finished. Not only to prevent injury, but also to counteract our modern sedentary lifestyle and the shortened muscles it creates.

The good thing about warmups and time on your mat? They tend to be more pleasurable activities than burpees or H.I.I.T. :-).

For an in-depth explanation of the benefits of a good pre-exercise warmup (and a link to a real-time video warmup you can follow along with) click here >> A pre-workout warmup for midlife exercisers

Need some suggestions for post-workout stretches? Here are a few of my favourites >> Essential stretches for mid-life exercisers

Click here to read the second post in this series “Creating a successful Midlife Exercise Program: Part 2”. Six more suggestions for helping you start and stick with a fitness program through midlife and beyond…

Have you found an approach to fitness and exercise at midlife that’s working for you?

Have you used any of the above six guidelines to help you create a successful midlife exercise program?

5 must-have home exercise tools

November 1, 2016 by

Many of the women I train work out at home. (And were kind enough to share photos of their workout spaces with us.)

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Wonder what Janna’s thinking about during her workouts? (A fellow beer lover I see 🙂 )

The combo workout-crafting room of my client Nikki (now this is my kind of home gym ;-) )

The combo workout-crafting room of my client Nikki (now this is my kind of home gym 😉 )

 

They find it less expensive, less stressful and more convenient (not to mention less time-consuming) than driving to the gym.

It’s also pretty nice not to have to share a bench with a sweaty dude (unless he’s YOUR sweaty dude and you’re into that…), or fight for access to weights or machines.

 

Darleen may not have an indoor workout space, but she’s done a great job of co-opting the garage…

I’m envious of Robin’s weight and kettlebells stands. Way to keep things organized!

 

The workouts I provide create for my online clients (both 1-on-1 and 40+ women’s group) can all be performed at home, with a minimal amount of equipment, in a fairly small space.

Although having a few more ‘toys’ to play with (and a bit more room to work out in) can help keep exercise fun and variable (see the bottom of the post for more exercise tool suggestions).

Working out at home doesn’t require a ton of fancy equipment: my 5 must-have home exercise tools

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Note that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to have a complete and functional home gym. (Heck, I could create a workout for you with just a one of the items below 🙂 ). The key is to choose versatile pieces that you can upgrade as you get stronger and your need for variety increases.

Looking to create a great workout space at home? Here are five home exercise tools to get you started!

5 Must-Have Home Exercise Tools
  • Dumbbells; you’ll need at least two sets of these (but the more, the merrier) to get started; one ‘heavy’ and one ‘light’ in weight.

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The terms ‘heavy’ and ‘light’ will mean different things to different people. Test them out by finding a weight you can do 10-15 bicep curls with and another than you can perform a similar number of bent-over rows with. These will be your starter ‘light’ and ‘heavy’ sets, respectively.

You’ll buy new, heavier weights as you progress; either gift them to yourself or ask for them as Christmas and birthday presents.

Don’t make the rookie mistake of buying only one set of weights and using them for every single exercise; different muscles differ in their strength and strength potential. Under-tax a muscle group and you won’t see results. Over-tax a muscle group and you’re likely to end up injured. 

  • Stability ball; one of the most versatile tools in your fitness toolbox, the stability ball can be used for core work, to challenge your balance, as a prop for stretching, in place of a stability bench and as a desk chair, when you’re not exercising.

Look for a quality ball. The cheapo ones tend to be made of very thin materials that stretch and pop over time. If you’re tall (> 5’8″, choose a ball that inflates to 75 cm in diameter. If you’re short (< 5’2″), opt for the 55 cm version. Somewhere in the middle? The 65 cm ball will be just right.

  • Yoga mat; it’s always nice to have a cushy surface to do core work and stretch on. Most mats can be stored by rolling them up tightly and stashing them in a closet. Make sure you wipe it down with a soapy cloth from time to time; some fabrics will soak up your sweat and start to smell funky after awhile…

They come in a variety of lengths and thicknesses; it’s best to buy 2 or 3 in varying thicknesses (some distributers sell them as kits to further reduce the cost). The thicker the band, the greater the resistance (and the more effort it will be for you to perform an exercise with it).

Oh and you can skip on the fancy door fasteners sporting goods stores often try to sell you. For most exercises you’ll simply anchor the band with your hand or foot or around a fixed pillar (like the railing in my carport, below) or the handle of a door.

  • Skipping rope; if you don’t have room for a cardio machine (or can’t find it under the heap of laundry it’s attracted), a skipping rope is a great addition to your home gym. It’s inexpensive, fun and portable. Again, something you can take with you on holidays to fit in a little extra cardio or HIIT training.

If you have a few extra dollars to spend, I’d recommend by-passing the plastic versions and splurging on a real ‘rope’ rope. One with weighted handles that pivot at the join. You’ll be surprised at how much better your skipping becomes when you use a higher quality tool.

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Putting together a home workout space needn’t be expensive. Focus on a few varied and versatile tools, learn a handful of ways to use each of them and add new pieces of equipment to your gym (my 2nd tier suggested purchases include Kettlebells, a Bosu, a chin up bar with bands and a TRX suspension trainer…) as you get fitter, stronger and more confident with your training!

Do you have a home gym?

What are your favourite home exercise tools?

If you found this post useful and you’d like to read my between-blog-posts writings, sign up for my twice-weekly newsletter. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I share motivation, inspiration, real life struggles and tips for overcoming them directly with those who’ve subscribed to my list.

Walk this way | Tips for creating a weekly walking group

October 18, 2016 by

Walking.

One of the simplest ways to start moving towards your health and fitness goals. All you need is a good pair of running shoes. No gym membership required.

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I have another pair that matches these perfectly 😉

In addition to simply getting you moving more, regular brisk walking has many health benefits including:

  • strengthening muscles and bones
  • improving weight loss and weight loss maintenance
  • reducing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke
  • enhancing mood
  • reducing stress and
  • improving sleep

Hmm, these all sound like familiar ‘symptoms’ of perimenopause, don’t they….

Because I like to multi-task, my preferred way of walking is with a group. Combining exercise with the camaraderie of friends (and their canine companions). My weekly walking group gets together nearly every single Friday to chat, walk or hike, confess, listen and lift each other up. Kind of like my beloved group fitness classes.

It’s like a combined workout and therapy session all in one :-). I never fail to leave a Friday hike without a smile on my face and a spring in my step (except for maybe after that epic South Beach hike that was pretty much vertical the entire way…).

Interested in creating your own weekly walking group (or other fitness-themed group if walking’s not your jive)? Here are some tips that have helped our group stick together for over a year now.

Tips for creating a weekly walking group
  • start spreading the word; identity a handful of women who are likely to be interested in regularly getting together to explore the out-of-doors. These might be friends or colleagues or other moms you’ve noticed heading off to walk the dog after dropping kids at school. Initially, I simply created a Facebook post asking if anybody was interested in getting together once a week to walk or hike the local trails. Encourage your friends to ask their friends and so on. This is a great way to meet people you many not yet have crossed paths with.

 

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  • create a virtual ‘meeting’ place to post outing details; for our group, the obvious choice was a private Facebook group (we were already on Facebook and used it regularly), but you might choose to communicate via email or a local ‘Meet up’ website. The important thing is to have a place to share details of upcoming outings that isn’t visible to the general public. Especially if your outings are to places that are remote or ‘off the beaten path’. We also use our Facebook group to RSVP for each outing. That way nobody gets left behind if they’re running a few minutes late 🙂

 

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  • establish a regular schedule; having a regular day and time for your weekly meet up will make it easier to organize, as well as making it more likely that you’ll get a good turn-out. You might decide on the day and time as a group, or include the option that works best for you and a few others in the initial invitation. After a year of walking together, many of the women in my group have started scheduling their other activities around our Friday morning walks.

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  • consider the fitness level of participants; depending on the size of your group, it’s likely that your members will vary in their fitness levels. Take care to consider the fitness level of your participants when choosing weekly outings. While it’s okay to tackle a challenging hike from time to time, know that if every walk is a forced march you’re likely to lose some of your less fit members. Because the focus of our group is on friendship, fun and fitness, we tend to opt for less challenging routes; hikes that allow us to bring the dogs, walk two abreast and chat the entire way.

 

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  • encourage everybody to take a turn suggesting an outing; just because you’ve brought the group together doesn’t mean that you’re responsible for each week’s agenda. Our group takes turns suggesting locations for our weekly hikes. Not only does this keep the group from becoming ‘work’ for you, it also provides the opportunity for members to share their favourite trails; trails that other members of the group may not even be aware of. Though this group I ‘discovered’ a handful of local trails that I’d never stumbled upon before. New trails to share with my family on our weekend walking adventures.

 

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And, unless you don’t mind photos that are slightly askew, you might want to invest in a selfie-stick. Not every great viewpoint has the perfect place to prop your smart phone against…. 🙂

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Reverse-engineering | a strategy for reaching your fitness goals

October 4, 2016 by

A few weeks back a friend asked me how I was doing with my ’50 before 50′ list (the list of 50 experiences, goals and tasks I’m planning on accomplishing before my 50th birthday).

Not surprisingly, I’ve crossed off many of the ‘fun’ items on my list.

Backcountry camping trip with the boys. Check.

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Getting my first tattoo. Check.

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Going on a wine-tasting tour with my sisters. Check.

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Experiencing a hot stone massage. Check. (I was so relaxed I neglected to ask the masseuse to take a photo. That’s probably a good thing, right?).

Yet the four goals in my ‘fitness’ category sit untouched. Probably because they require much more preparation than simply calling the spa and showing up 🙂

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I started thinking about how I was going to reach those goals by next June.

When the deadline for a good is a long way off it’s easy to postpone getting started. And then panic when the deadline gets close. (I bet you’ve been there before too…).

Yet all four of them require regular, consistent training if I want to reach them in time and injury-free.

My youngest son’s obsession with increasing the range of his Nerf guns gave me a strategy for reaching my fitness goals.

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He spent much of the summer amassing a Nerf artillery, not for the purpose of harassing his older brother, but because he wanted to know how they worked and whether there was a way to make them work better (i.e. shoot farther).

He discovered that the best way to figure out how to build something is to take it apart.

Start with the final product, disassemble into smaller and smaller pieces and put it back together. It’s an approach known as ‘reverse engineering’ and one that can easily be used as a strategy to reach your fitness goals.

Reverse-engineer your health and fitness goals
  • Start with where you want to be. This is your goal. It might be a fitness event (like running a 5 or 10K), it might be a specific exercise accomplishment (like my 5 unassisted pull-ups), it might be a macronutrient goal (like eating 40/30/30 carbs/protein/fat), it might be a workout schedule (like 5 days of exercise per week).
  • Break down the goal into ‘mini-goals’, steps you’ll need to reach before you can reach your final goal. For example, walking a 5K, performing 1 unassisted pull-up, getting 20% of your daily calories from protein, exercising 3 days per week.
  • If the mini-goals still seem too big, repeat the step above. Continue breaking down your end goal until you’ve reached a mini-goal that you can consistently meet. For example, alternating 1 min walking and running intervals for 15 minutes, performing 2 sets of 5 band-assisted pull-ups, eating protein at breakfast time, exercising 2 days per week. Hint: the smaller the mini-goal, the more likely you’ll reach it. Small steps repeated over time lead to big change.
  • Work towards the next mini-goal. Once you’ve consistently met your ‘first step’ mini-goals, set the bar a little higher.

I’m currently using the ‘reverse engineering’ approach to help me get back to my goal of eating 5-7 servings of veggies per day (I’ve been battling the call of comfort food for the past 11 months and am yearning to get back that energetic and ‘clear’ feeling good nutrition gives me).

I know that going from where I am (2 servings on a good day) to where I want to get to (7 servings each and everyday) requires building new habits. My experience with habit formation tells me that trying to do it all at once is unlikely to be successful. So I’ve reverse engineered the process.

This week, I’ve replaced my lunchtime panini (high on carbs, low on veggies) with a salad. Two servings of veggies at lunch, with a serving of healthy fats and lots of protein.

Once I’ve got this habit well established I’ll go back to adding vegetables to my breakfasts. Cutting back on those pancake mornings and re-introducing veggies to my eggs.

The final step will be to replace the pre-dinner glass of wine with fresh raw vegetables. Something to munch on while I prep dinner for the family and catch up with my husband’s day.

Do you have current health and fitness goals that might benefit from a reverse engineering approach?

What’s one small step you could make towards those goals today?

Create a flexible fitness plan

September 20, 2016 by

There’s nothing worse than arriving at the gym, detailed workout plan in hand, only to find the equipment you need already occupied.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of waiting a few minutes for your turn. Or asking the woman resting between sets of lat pulldowns if you can ‘work in’.

flexible fitness plan

She looks super friendly. I wouldn’t hesitate to ask to ‘work in’!

Other days, you can just tell that the guy in the squat rack plans on doing his entire workout there.

And those times when the gym is so crowded there’s no space left to claim? Super frustrating.

For many of us, just getting to the gym is a big deal (feeling a bit of ‘gymtimidation’? Here are some tips for increasing your confidence in the weight room). Having to then figure out what to do in place of the program we’d planned on is enough to discourage us from getting off the elliptical or even starting our workout in the first place.

The best solution to all of the above challenges? Creating a flexible fitness plan.

In this case, ‘flexible’ doesn’t refer to how ‘bendy’ you are (although stretching does need to be a regular part of your exercise routine). Instead, it means being creative and knowledgable enough to modify your program on the fly.

Having a workout plan is great, but sometimes you have to ‘go with the flow’ #40plusfitness

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Let me explain.

Olympic bar back squats are the first exercise on your program. But ‘squat rack guy’ is doing five hundred sets of dead lifts there (and then plans of staying put for a biceps workout…). Today, you might substitute another squat for your back squat, looking around to see what other equipment is available to get the job done. Sure, your dumbbell squats might not be as heavy as you’d like, but you can always perform some extra reps or slow the tempo down to achieve the same result. (Need some alternate squat suggestions? Here are a few of my favourite squat variations).

Next you’re headed to the lat pulldown machine. But your gym only has one and it seems like there’s always somebody sitting on it. You can perform the same exercise on a cable and pulley machine or by wrapping a band around the chin-up bar and banging out a few assisted pull-ups. (Here’s a short video demo of band-assisted pull-ups).

flexible fitness plan

I’m still working on these. They’re one of my ’50 before 50′ goals

The key is to know which muscle group(s) a particular exercise is working and being armed with a few alternatives before you get to the gym.

Not sure what to substitute? If you’re working with a trainer, ask her for exercise alternatives (I give my 40+ Online Fitness clients a choice of three moves per exercise; moves that often include different equipment, as well as different levels of intensity). If not, find an online resource (I like Bodybuilding.com) or a book (Women’s Health Big Book of Exercises illustrates dozens of variations of the ‘big’ lifts) and do a little research.

Other suggestions for creating a flexible fitness plan?
  • alter the order of your exercises; just because back squat is the first exercise in your program doesn’t mean that you always need to start with it.

While your trainer (or program writer) had a good reason for placing it there, switching up the order of exercises from time to time won’t hinder your progress. Better to do those squats later on in the program (even if it means your legs have been pre-fatigued by another exercise and you don’t add as many plates to the bar) than to skip them entirely.

You may notice that certain exercises become more (or less) challenging when you vary their order in your workout. Personally, I enjoy it when I feel an exercise a little bit more than usual 🙂

  • switch up cardio and strength workouts; if you perform cardio and strength workouts on separate days, substitute one for the other on a day when either the cardio machines are full or there’s no room on the weight room floor.

If you perform them both within the same workout, switch the order to maximize your access to the equipment. Although there are circumstances in which the order you perform these components of your workout makes a difference, if your options are ‘reverse the order’ and ‘skip weights (or cardio) entirely’, worry less about the effects of order and more about getting the whole workout done.

flexible fitness plan

My current favourite cardio machine

  • take it to the halls (or track or out-of-doors); many gyms and rec centres have alternate places you can perform your workout. If space is limited in the gym, grab a few pieces of equipment (again, you’ll need to know which exercises to substitute for the exercises in your program that require barbells, cable and pulley machines and the squat rack) and head out into the hall or up to the walking track.

Some facilities will even let you take equipment outside (walking lunges in the parking lot or TRX training at the soccer field, perhaps). Check with the weight room attendant before you make off with equipment though; we want to ensure that your membership doesn’t get revoked…).

  • jump into a group fitness class instead; most gyms offer group fitness and spinning classes in addition to cardio machines and a weight room. Typically, these will be happening at the same times the gym is busy (mornings and evenings are the most popular times for exercise and facilities managers schedule their classes accordingly). If you’re new to strength training, group fitness classes are a great place to start.

Given the popularity of resistance training, it’s a good bet that many of the classes your facility offers will include (or consist entirely of) a strength training component. Turn the frustration of a busy gym into an opportunity to learn some new moves and get instruction on proper form.

While it’s always a good idea to have a written workout plan before you hit the gym, there are days when you’ll need to be flexible to get it done. A flexible fitness plan, as it were!

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A pre-workout warmup for midlife exercisers

September 6, 2016 by

A proper warmup goes a long way when it comes to making exercise more enjoyable and avoiding exercise-induced injuries. It’s even more beneficial as we get older and our joints require a bit more ‘coaxing’ before they move fluidly through the entire range of motion they’re supposed to.

pre-workout warmup

Yet many of us rush our warmups, hopping on a treadmill for a few minutes, anxious to get to the ‘meat’ of our workout (and be finished and out of the gym sooner).

The best warmups start slowly and end up being almost indistinguishable from the workout itself. (Just ask my Bootcamp class if they can pinpoint the moment we shift from warming up to working out; I bet they can’t 😉 ).

Read through the list of pre-workout warmup benefits below and join me in a real-time warmup by clicking the video link that follows.

Benefits of a pre-workout warmup for midlife exercisers?
  • gradually increasing your breathing rate. Lungs provide oxygen to your muscles. During exercise, muscles increase their demand for oxygen. Gradually increasing your breathing rate will allow you to continue meeting your body’s oxygen demand without the premature accumulation of lactic acid. ‘Feeling the burn’ is great, but not at the beginning of your workout…
  • increasing blood flow to your muscles. Blood carries oxygen from your lungs to your muscles. In order to meet their increased demand for oxygen, blood flow must increase as well. Rhythmic, low intensity movements stimulate the increased flow of blood to muscles and extremities.
  • elevating your heart rate. Your heart serves to pump oxygenated blood from your lungs to the rest of your body. An elevated heart rate is often the most obvious sign that your body is starting to work a bit harder (a light sheen of perspiration is another). Aim to increase your heart rate to 60-65% of your heart rate maximum by the end of your warmup.
  • increasing the temperature of your muscles (especially important in cool weather). Warm muscles are more efficient at contracting than cold muscles. They’re also less likely to be injured. I’ll do just about anything to prevent repeating past injuries, you know?
pre-workout warmup

Apparently, I’ve had my fair share of workout-related injuries…

  • lubrication of your joints. As you begin to move, your brain signals the release of synovial fluid within your joints. This fluid acts like a lubricant, allowing the joints to move more smoothly and through an increasingly larger range of motion. You may notice that it takes a bit longer to warm up those joints now, in midlife, than it did when you were younger…
  • enhancing proprioception and kinesthetic awareness. Proprioception is the body’s awareness of where it is in space. It’s a fundamental requirement of strength training, particularly when you’re performing single-sided and balance exercises.
  • rehearsing the movements that you’ll be performing during the workout itself. Performing body weight versions of the exercises you’ll be doing during your workout proper is a great way to prepare your body for the work to come. Not only does it help to create a mind-to-muscle connection, it also gently stretches the muscles and ligaments around the joint, thereby reducing the likelihood of injury.
Try this real-time warmup with me before your next strength workout (or if you’re entirely new to exercise, let it BE your workout 🙂 ).

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