What does healthy mean?

To many of you, this may not mean much.  But these numbers have helped me redefine my own meaning to the question, "what does healthy mean?"

Flashback to July 2012: I was 28 years old and weighed the most I ever had in my entire life, 270 lbs. Aside from the weight, my blood pressure was 140/90.  My fasting blood glucose level was 120.  The number above represents nearly 4 years of hard work including exercise, a complete overhaul of my eating habits, and most importantly, a mental shift in the way I think about health and fitness.

I, like most people, always determined how healthy I was based on two numbers: my weight on the scale and my BMI.  I'm not saying you shouldn't pay attention to those numbers, but I want to challenge you to add a few more into your health profile.

Do you know...

• your resting heart rate?
• your fasting blood glucose level?
• your blood pressure?
• your body fat percentage?
• your heart rate recovery time?

If you answered 'no' to any or all of the above questions, I challenge you to seek out your health care provider and a certified personal trainer to help assess what your numbers are.  Getting a total picture of your overall health includes all your numbers.  

When you are armed with information and knowledge, you can start to form a plan as to how you want to improve your health. Your number one goal shouldn't always be to lose weight.  Fat loss is a bonus by-product of living healthier.  When you know your numbers, you can begin to define, "what does healthy mean" for yourself.

Yours in health,

Coach Steph

Energy: The Chicken and The Egg of Fitness

I hear it all the time as a personal trainer from prospective clients, "I just don't have the energy to workout." My response every time is, "exercise gives you more energy." Client replies, "But how am I supposed to get the energy to workout and get started?"

What came first: the chicken or the egg?  

You need energy to workout, but how do you workout with no energy?

Most of know we need to exercise on a regular basis, not just for weight loss, but for improved health and to strengthen our cardiovascular system.  Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S, and the American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate cardiovascular activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or a combination of both.  That's only 25 minutes a day, 6 days a week of moderate exercise: bike riding, walk/jogging, circuit training, HIIT training, etc.

First, let's understand how exercise gives you energy.

According to the Mayo Clinic, "exercise and physical activity deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and help your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you have more energy to go about your daily chores."  Makes sense, right?

But, what if it's a struggle for you to find any more energy to start a fitness program?  You know you need to exercise, but between work, school, the kids, volunteer activities, your spouse, etc, you are wiped.

Here's a few tips to help get you started:

1. Start small - don't go into fitness 'all or nothing.' Pick something you can do for 10-15 minutes a day.  A walk, a bike ride, etc.  This doesn't have to happen in a gym.  I live in Florida where it's almost impossible to exercise outside in the summer unless you get up really early.  But, if you can make it work, do it.  

2.  Make a date with yourself - I put my workouts in my calendar. Monday, Wednesday and Friday are circuit training days.  Tuesday and Thursday are straight cardio. Saturday is a run or a boot camp.  Sunday is rest (or maybe shopping LOL).  Walking around Target does not feel like exercise to me!  Making an appointment signifies that fitness is an important part of your day. You schedule doctor appointments, activities for your kids and many other things.  Make fitness a priority, no matter how little time you have.

3.  Pick a schedule you look forward to - remember earlier I said to start small?  Start out with two days a week of an activity that a) gets your heart rate up and b)that you enjoy.  A good rule of thumb is that if you can hold a conversation without pausing for breath, you need to work a little harder.  Slowly build up to 6 days a week of moderate activity for 25 minutes.  It might take you 3 months.  Keep going.  You're improving your health and heart function.

4. Let go of comparison - President Teddy Roosevelt famously said, "comparison is the thief of joy." Teddy was a smart guy.  Do the best you can do, right where you are at this moment, with what you have today.  Someone will always be "better" than you: thinner, more fit, prettier, better at time management, etc.  Just do you.  You are awesome.

5. Any exercise is better than none at all - if you planned to do 30 minutes on the elliptical at the gym, but your boss held you at the end of the day for a project and now you only have 10 minutes before having to pick up your kids at daycare, than do your best work in 10 minutes.  Always have a back up plan.  Here's a quick, 10 minute total body workout that will rev your heart rate and boost your body's fat burning abilities:

30 seconds of jumping jacks
10 bodyweight squats
30 seconds of high knees
5 push-ups (modified or regular)
30 seconds of squat jumps
15 crunches
30 seconds of simulated jump rope
5 walking lunges 
30 seconds running in place
-Repeat as many times as you can in 10 minutes

6.  You are worth it - I know it's tough.  You have a lot of responsibilities. But trust me, you will be a better caretaker and provider for all the important people in your life when you carve out 30 minutes for yourself.  

One more thing...if you still find yourself needing a boost, please message me.  We can talk privately.  I offer free phone consultations to help you get started on your journey.

I was NEVER a supplement person, other than the occasional protein powder after a heavy strength workout. Then, I found SPX Nutri-Thin.  It helped me lose an additional 18 lbs and kick my coffee habit (even though I get up at 4 a.m.)  It gives me energy all day without the jitters. It's all-natural, organic and full of B vitamins.  I take it every day, as does my husband and many of my personal training clients.  If you'd like to hear more about it, please visit getspx.com.  

Hope this info helps you.  Now, get moving!

xoxo,
Coach Stephanie

What will you gain when you let go?

September will mark a major anniversary for me.  It will be two years since I got off of the "diet" roller coaster and decided to change my LIFESTYLE. I know it sounds cliche, but it's the truth. Two summers ago a light bulb finally went on in my head.  I realized that in order to reach the goals I had for myself, I had to make permanent, lasting changes.  Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.  It all fits together.

Let me give you a little background:

After receiving some upsetting news at my annual exam in June 2012, I was referred to a specialist.  While I was excited to finally have a diagnosis for all the symptoms I had been dealing with, I was nervous about what my treatment plan would look like.  I was diagnosed with PCOS, a common endocrine disorder that affects about 10% of women.  If left untreated, it could affect my fertility and lead to other scary things like cancer.

One of the first things the doctor recommended was to change my diet.  GREAT! I wanted to get pregnant so badly that I would've stood on my head and sang show tunes if he told me to! The next 4 months were full of drugs, hormones, injections, cycle tracking and some other TMI details I won't share with you.  When my 4th fertility treatment didn't work, I broke.  I cried.  I was angry.  I had lost 15 lbs, started exercising, overhauled my diet, and followed all my doctor's orders.  Why wasn't this happening yet? 

In the middle of all this, I was also dealing with a very stressful job and contemplating a major career change.  I had been praying for a year for God to bless me with a new job.  I interviewed at jobs I was more than qualified for and would get right to the end, only to lose out to another candidate.  But I stayed faithful, kept praying and believing God had a plan.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine He would lead me where I am today.  After an exhausting and maddening conference call, I ran into my good friend (and future business partner) in the parking lot of our office.  We literally scratched out a loose business plan on a scrap piece of paper.  It was the start of an amazing journey.  

I became a business partner in my fitness company in January 2013.  Originally, my role was to do more operations and HR, streamline processes, get our financials on track, etc.  A bonus was that I now had access to more exercise time, trainers and an environment to motivate me and keep me accountable with my new lifestyle. I had always been active as a child, teen and college student, but after getting married and settling into my career, my health and fitness had been put on the back burner. But now I was co-owner of a fitness company.  I had to walk the walk.

What started as a means for me to reach a short-term goal has turned into my life's work and mission.  Everyday I look for opportunities to be in service of others and let my little light shine. God has blessed me infinitely in ways I never imagined.  We're in this world to help others, and that's what my fitness and wellness journey has taught me the most. 

I now have several personal training clients, teach boot camp and am an Official Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach for the SPX Nutrition 90-Day Weight Loss Challenge.  All of this started with a desire to be healthier.  It took me a whole year to lose 50 lbs because of all the emotions and trials that go along with weight loss.  Plus, I strength trained 2-3 days a week for a whole year, along with cardio.  That made the weight come off slower, but I built a lot of lean muscle which permanently raised my metabolism.  I've maintained that loss for a year, with a healthy diet, exercise, self-love, and my favorite supplement on the market, SPX Nutri-Thin.

I truly believe I am doing God's work through my career.  What will happen when you start your journey?

When I started my lifestyle change, my doctor put me on two prescriptions.  I was content with that.  I thought, if you need it, take it.  As I started to educate myself more about pharmaceuticals, I realized they are a bandage on a bigger problem.  Long-term, I had to address the root of my problems and the need for a healthier diet, more exercise, spiritual balance and more rest.  When one part of your life is off, it can throw other things out of whack, too.

I made a personal decision to no longer eat processed foods (as much as possible, I'm not perfect), choose organic meat and vegetables (when I can) and move everyday.  Additionally, eating meat free of hormones is good for my PCOS, so for me that was a big deal.  I also realized that I would have to eat a copious amount of nutrient-dense food in order to get what my body needed.  I found a product called Sea Veg that replaced the synthetic, lab-created vitamins my physician had prescribed for me.  I cannot say enough about this product. I took it back to the reproductive endocrinologist, and the nurse asked me, "where did you get this?" I was so proud that I had found a natural alternative that was ok'd by my doctor. 

I also had begun to ovulate on my own (what the other drug was for), and no longer needed that prescription as well.  All my blood work came back glowing.  My husband and I decided not to pursue any more fertility treatments for the time being. My doctor said everything looked great, and in his opinion, it would only be a matter of time. I knew that already because I stopped worrying, focused on my health, and gave it to God. He's got this!

People always ask me, "where do I start? I have so much weight to lose." 

When beginning your lifestyle change, I recommend starting with one small thing that you want to improve. As you start to feel better, gain confidence and get a handle on why you overeat, don't exercise or eat too many nutrient-poor foods, then change something else.  You don't have to do it all at once.  Just make small changes.  

This is not a race, it's your life.  Don't put pressure on yourself to do it all too fast because you'll just set yourself up for failure. Remember, adopting a healthier lifestyle takes time.  Being to restrictive with your food and exercise is not sustainable long-term.  If it's not something you can live with forever, you won't stick with it. 

If weight loss is your goal, for whatever reason, I have an amazing program and line of supplements that can help you get there, along with dietary changes and exercise.  I'd love to help you.  Please visit my nutrition website for more information.  My contact info is there as well.  Please let me know how I can help or any questions you have.  

You can also like me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter. Thanks for reading my post.  I hope learning more about my journey helps you on yours.  Have a blessed day!

Yours in health,
Stephanie Lippincott
Wellness Coach and Certified Personal Trainer

 

Cardio before weights? Or vice versa? The chicken vs. egg debate of fitness

Just last week I was working with a new member of my gym, Positively Fit, going over her new exercise program.  She was really excited to get started and begin her weight loss journey.  Following her workout, we recapped her plan for the next two weeks. 

She then asked me, "why am I lifting weights before walking on the treadmill?" Before I could even respond, she then asked, "if getting into my fat-burning zone on the treadmill is important, why am I lifting weights?"

Before I got frustrated with her since we had just spent 45 minutes together during her gym orientation, I told myself two things: 1) I have thrown so much information at this woman over the last 3 workouts that I can't possibly expect her to remember it all in one week.  2) I broke my cardinal rule about training clients - I forgot to mention the purpose of my methods.

Just like how I felt as a child when my mom used to say, "because I said so," my clients feel the same way when I don't explain the reasoning behind the plan. It's so much easier for most people to embrace a new way of thinking and a LIFESTYLE change if they know why it works.  So, I'm going to address her to questions here.

"Why am I lifting weights before walking on the treadmill?"
The reasoning behind this is two-fold. 

1. You need fuel to lift weights.  Your body is an incredible machine that can do phenomenal things when fueled properly.  Weight/strength training requires fuel.  Eating carbohydrates 30 minutes before a strength workout will give you energy.  Eat enough to sustain your activity.  This looks different for everyone. I recommend fruit like apples or oranges 30 minutes prior to a workout.  Depending on the intensity of your workout (time, exertion), you may need more to eat.

2. You don't enter your fat burning zone until about 30 minutes into your workout. Now don't get discouraged when you read this.  Any movement you do during the day is good for you.  It's good for your heart, your mind and stress management.  You burn calories anytime you move.   However, if your goal is to burn fat, you need to get into your fat burning zone.

So, if your weight routine takes you about 30 minutes, you've essentially burned off all the carbohydrates and sugar your body was storing for energy. Now, you're ready to enter your fat burning zone.  Once here, the entire time you are at your target heart rate, you are burning the most fat.  Essentially, the calories you are burning on the treadmill are coming from fat cells.  We'll talk about your THR in another post.   

"If getting into my fat burning zone is important, why am I lifting weights?"

 For many years, people have been sold a bill of goods by pseudo-fitness experts about the pitfalls of strength training (mostly women).  We've all heard the myths:

"lifting weights will make me bulky"
"low weight, high reps"
"you only need to do cardio 3-4 times a week"

As a fitness professional and someone who has not only changed my own body, but those of countless clients, I'm here to tell you to PICK UP THE WEIGHT!

I'll even give you 8 reasons why lifting weights is good for you:

1. Building muscle is the only way to permanently increase your metabolism.  Muscle is an active tissue; the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn.

2. You burn more calories. Your body will be burning calories for up toe 24 hours post-workout.  There's a great article about that here.  

3. Women do not get bulky from lifting weights. When you lose fat and gain lean muscle, you appear thinner.  Any perceived "bulk" comes from fat on top of the muscle.  The more fat you lose, the more lean and fit you look.

4. Building muscle increases athletic performance.  I love to run and am always telling those in my group that adding strength training to their running programs will make them better runners.  Running great Hal Higdon promotes strength training in all his programs.

5. As we age, muscles deteriorate. Building more lean muscle will help slow the loss.

6. Muscle requires more calories, so you can get away with eating more.  Just make sure to choose healthy, nutritious foods.

7. Building muscle prevents and fights osteoporosis.

8. Muscle helps burn more fat.

I hope this helps you on your quest for fitness and weight loss.  If you'd like private coaching or additional information, please visit me on Facebook, Twitter or my nutrition website.

Yours in health, 
Stephanie