February | 2011 | Physical Funness for the Motion Starved

February 14, 2011
by Kelley 1 Comment

Party’s over, time to make a commitment

It’s time to stop messing around. Time to start making some serious goals and plans re: our fitness. That means me too. I’ve been going easy on everyone because it was the beginning of the year and we were recovering from the holidays. Now that it’s mid February it’s time to get serious. This week is going to be about goals and inspiration so start thinking about what you want to achieve this year. If I have my way, by the end of the week we’ll all be in a committed relationship with an exciting new personal betterment routine. You with me?

Don’t panic – Remember, my approach is not to jump into an exercise or nutrition routine that’s so adventurous that you’re likely to wiggle your way out, or fail. I like to start easy and build up once things get rolling. “Go slow so you can go fast” is something a cycling coach said to me years ago. It means that you can’t go hard all the time if you want to be fast/strong and keep performing/healthy. Remember that.

First – Decide what you most want for yourself? Lose some weight? Run in an organized event? Ride your bike a 100-miles, how about 500 miles? Climb 52 flights of stairs for charity (more on that later). Maybe you just want to stop feeling so bloody stiff and would like to start with being a little more physically active.

Second – You will need a relatively structured training/nutrition plan to work from. Obviously there are lots of classes, clinics, online tools and trainers out there that can help you (like me.). You will need some support.

Lastly – No more excuses, make the effort. Rain or shine, every day. If you fall off your plan, don’t panic just get back on tomorrow. If you decide you don’t like what you’re doing, get sick or hurt, than reassess the situation and make revisions but don’t give up on your goal. Think about/read about all the people who have come before you and done amazing things with their bodies and their lives. I’m talking about “real people” not just the Lance Armstrongs of the world.

Tomorrow – I’ll share a story of two amazing “real people” who I personally witnessed achieve a goal that I never thought they would reach (sorry D & P but it’s true). It was inspiring and life changing for me to witness. For them – they’re just glad they did it. Stay tuned…

By the way, Happy Valentines Day. Don’t forget to do something nice for someone. Remember my Unbitter post.

Kisses…

February 11, 2011
by Kelley 1 Comment

Workin’ off my muffin

Workin' it!

Get a Hula Hoop. Use it to have some fun and get a little exercise. There are classes and videos and all sorts of suggested uses for a Hula Hoop. Even Marisa Tomei has gotten in on the action with her own video and hoopBody Kit.

I’ve just ordered a weighted hoop (2 lbs); they say they’re easier to operate and I would guess allow for a better workout. Either way, I intend to use mine as a vehicle for laughter and to work my core. Remember, my Ab Challenge? Maybe even one day I’ll try a Hooping class but for now it’ll be a fun way to break up my core workout. A few crunches here, a few turns of the hoop there. Get where I’m comin’ from?

For inspiration have a look at this video. It’s called April Curvy Hooping. While you might think this sister could use a little more core work she’s clearly fitter than she looks and I think one hot Hooper! Seriously…take a second to click on the link.

(And yes, the Hula Hoop will be making an appearance at one of my Fitness Walk workouts one day soon…)

Make me proud! See you back here on Monday…

February 10, 2011
by Kelley Leave a comment

She sucked the juice out of a Wet Nap!

It was a few years ago while vacationing on Kauai, Gina (aka, Billy Goat) talked Jacks and I into going for a “quick stroll” before breakfast. “There’s this really amazing waterfall just up the trail. The book says it’s a 20-minute hike, round trip. Then we can go for breakfast…” Trusting Miss Gina, Jacks and I reluctantly agreed to hold off on our AM feeding frenzy and go on the hike.

Long story short – Four hours later, Jacks Gina and I were remarkably rescued by a short, barefoot man swinging a machete. The man was cutting his way through the lush Napali vegetation to get us back on the proper trail, he said nothing more than, “you are lost come with me.” You can imagine the thoughts going through our heads, they make TV shows about things like this. Ever seen Gone Without a Trace? I could hear my mother’s voice reminding me not to go off with strangers (let alone ones that pack a machete). Unfortunately our choices were few. We could perish by bring hacked to bits by a Menehune, or die of dehydration. You see none of us were smart enough to take a drop of water or crumb of food with us on our “quick stroll.” Not only were we frightened, we were severely dehydrated at this point.

Once Machete Man got us back on the trail we still had about half an hour to hike back to the car/breakfast/lunch. We were cranky and seriously dragging. At one point I looked back to check that Jacks was still following and what I saw was my best friend sucking the juice out of a lemon scented Wet Nap. I yelled at her to share but she refused, shouting back “this is mine…you should have brought your own…” Can you imagine? I was near death!

That said, we all know that we need to drink lots of water every day so I’m not gonna push. Think of this as a friendly reminder.

The general rule of thumb has been to drink eight, 8 ounce glasses of water daily. Especially if you’re trying to lose weight. If you’re active in sports, live in a hot climate, at high altitude or are dehydrated for one reason or another (excessive coffee or alcohol) you should drink even more.

The latest conventional wisdom holds that you should drink daily half your body weight in ounces of water. That means, if you weight 120 pounds, you should drink 60 ounces of water every day, or seven and a half cups. If you weight 180 pounds, you should drink 90 ounces of water daily, or eleven cups and another few sips for good measure.

Makes sense. The heavier you are the more water you need to hydrate and flush out those nasty waste products.

Drink up, I’m told Wet Naps don’t taste too good, even the lemon ones…

February 9, 2011
by Kelley Leave a comment

Have your pizza and eat it too

Kelley's kitchen sink pizza

I love pizza. With that, one of my goals in life is to figure out how to eat as much as I want for the least amount of devastation. The suggestions below are a way to eat more pizza than would normally be acceptable.

Here’s how it works.

First, make your own pizza. I think of my pizza as a canvas on which I am able to express my culinary imagination, there are no limits to what might show up on my pie. Everything is good with bread and cheese. However, I always make my pizzas mindful of calorie, fiber and nutritional smarts.
Start with good quality whole-wheat pizza dough. I like Trader Joe’s as I’m too lazy to make my own.
Next, I pile many many vegetables on my pizza so I bake it on a cookie sheet. If you use a screen or stone the pizza will fall apart (trust me!) make a mess and you’ll go hungry.
Roll out your dough on whole-wheat flour or corn meal and lay it on the cookie sheet. Preheat the oven at 450 degrees. Sprinkle dough with cheese. (I don’t use “sauce” as it just adds calories/sodium and in this case you don’t need it.)
What to put on your pizza? I like to use as many vegetables as possible. In my mind lots of veggies cancel out the cheese that they ‘re laying on top of. And, the fibrous veggies bind with the cheese (in your stomach) to help move the fat out before it can cling to your arteries (I learned that on Dr. Oz).

Here are some of my favorite pizza toppers (remember lots of veggies!)

Chard – lightly sauté with lots of garlic, you’ll need at least 6 cups of sautéed chard. Try Gruyere cheese and a little Mozzarella. Sprinkle with Parmesan when it comes out of the oven.
Spinach – With all leafy greens you should lightly sauté them as to lessen their water content. Sauté with a little olive oil and lots of garlic down to 6 cups. Mix in ¼ cup golden raisins and some pine nuts. I like to use Fontina and mozzarella cheese on this version.
Left Overs – Last night I used every veggie left in the frig. The photo above is, 1 cup chopped (not sautéed) spinach, 3 cups yellow squash sliced about ¼ inch thick, 3 cups broccoli flowerlets, 9 asparagus spears and one red onion on a bed of pepper jack and mozzarella cheese. Prior to baking, I drizzled the veggies/pie with 2 tbsp’s of olive oil. I sprinkled red pepper flakes and Parmesan on top after baking.

Rules of thumb

Use 6-8 cups of veggies and no more than 2 cups of cheese.
Use an average of 3 tbsp’s of olive oil per pie to either sauté or drizzle on top of the veggies before baking.
Use nuts, seeds, organic meats and even beans when possible to add fiber and/or protein.

Some good things to know

If you use tomatoes lightly squeeze the water out of them. Cut in half and gently smush so that the liquid and seeds come out (then you can slice or chop them). Too much water on your pizza makes it mushy.
Feta cheese has half the calories as most other cheeses. Use that to your advantage!

According to my calculations, 1 piece of these pizzas (1/8^th of the pie) will cost you about 200 calories and give you 4 grams of fiber. Obviously those numbers depend on exactly what you build your pizza with but this is a pretty good, general calculation.

Bake your pie for about 20 minutes according to my experience. The directions on the dough might say it takes 10 minutes but if you load it up, you’ll need longer. Keep an eye on your masterpiece and bake it till the crust is deep golden brown.

Have at it!

February 8, 2011
by Kelley 2 Comments

Unbitter!

Valentines day is next Monday. Personally I’ve never really cared much about Valentines Day. It’s one of those days that never seem to meet up to your expectations. I am starting to get a little annoyed lately though, I keep hearing this ad on the radio for something called “The Bitter Ball.” It’s for folks without Valentines. While the name is funny I really hate thinking about spending a perfectly good day being bitter. Bitterness gets you no place you want to be. I also heard someone on the same station ask, “who came up with Valentines Day anyway?” With that I decided to do some looking into the history of Valentines Day.

As usual, there are a bunch of legends and stories so who really knows the truth. The bottom line is, Valentine was a priest who became a saint because he helped people, not because he was some over the top romantic or sex god. Most notably, Valentine married soldiers who where banned from marring because Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers so he outlawed marriage. Saint Valentine is also said to have healed a blind girl while he was in prison waiting to be executed. Just before his death he wrote a note to the former blind girl that said, “From your Valentine.” And, there you have it!

Rather than stewing up a big ol’ batch of bitterness this Valentines Day, I suggest that we do something nice for someone we don’t know. Like Saint Valentine. You can be anonymous if you like. Think of it as a social experiment. (You can still do this even if you have a “real” Valentine). It doesn’t have to be big, all you have to do is take the guys in the mailroom at work something nice, or pay the bridge toll for the car behind you (I love it when people do that for me!). Buy the person in line behind you at the Starbucks their coffee. They don’t have to know you did it. Just give the cashier an extra few bucks and tell ‘em what to do. Take the dogs at the animal shelter some biscuits! How easy is that!

If you make someone feel good it will make you feel good. Just try.

Start thinking about your plan…I’ll check in on you later.

February 7, 2011
by Kelley 1 Comment

GP has an admirer!

GP workin' up a sweat

The Guinea Pig 2011 Report – Saturday, February 5^th 2011. GP goes to the gym to spin on the stationary bike for a while. GP chooses a bike right next to the fan, as the weather in Oakland is unseasonably warm today. The fan and the bike happen to be right next to the street level picture window.

As GP gets rolling she notices a man pressing his face against the window, swirling his tong and licking the glass. In extreme horror GP does her best to ignore the man and continue her workout. Eventually the man went away and GP was able to relax and sweat in private. While the man was clearly “off “ mentally, GP could do nothing more than take his gesture as a complement. It seems that as of Saturday, GP has managed to “shift 5 pounds of body weight.” All this without having to change her life much at all. Since the beginning of January this year, GP has regularly cut back on her wine consumption, is working out for an hour, 4 days a week and is making better food choices. GP is still indulging in the occasional brownie or chocolate chip cookie and is still having her vino a few times a week. GP confesses that some weeks she does better than others but is consistently making small, comfortable changes to her lifestyle.

In the end, GP was surprised to see that she was able to lose weight and feel better without having to make huge sacrifices. GP is even making an effort to take part in my Ab Challenge. She’s chosen to do 100 core specific reps, two days per week. That’s what she feels comfortable sustaining. Now that GP and the window licking stranger are noticing some changes in her physic, GP in encouraged to take things up a notch.

Stay tuned…

p.s. I’m really proud of you GP! Take no prisoners!

February 4, 2011
by Kelley Leave a comment

Hello! I know you’re out there.

All of you should be joining me in Kelley’s Ab Challenge. Every one of you could use some work on your abs/core. I’m not calling anybody out, but I am making it easy for you. What more do you want? Come on, start small but make an effort!

Why do you need a strong core? Basically your core/torso supports every physical movement you make. It’s the body’s center of power, the stronger you are in that area, the easier your life will be. This means, riding your bike, running, picking up your kid, a watermelon, surviving that killer boot camp class or simply getting out of bed.

Here are my suggestions for things to do this weekend. Work your core…

FYI ladies, a strong core makes for a strong pelvic floor. Strong muscles in the pelvic floor make for tight pelvic muscles. Get where I’m going with this? Valentines Day is coming!

Do something good for your body this weekend!

See you Monday…

February 3, 2011
by Kelley 2 Comments

Code Yellow!

I gotta go!

I know a guy that once worked for one of those package delivery services (you know, like FedEx or UPS). One day he had to go to the bathroom so badly that he simply could not hold it anymore. With no public restroom in the vicinity he was forced to empty his bladder into one of those (previously unoccupied) padded envelopes, as he hid from view in the back of his delivery van. While this story makes me laugh every time I think of it, I can definitely sympathize.

As a former elite bicycle racer with many hours in the saddle I know all to well what it’s like to be on the edge of dampening my drawers. In the sport of bike racing there are skills that one learns allowing them to take care of such matters sans stopping your bike. Such skills are not easily mastered and in my experience used only as a last resort. Kind of like the situation above.

The bottom line is (no pun intended), we’ve all been in situations where we had to “go” and there was no designated place, to go. On that note I thought I’d take the opportunity to talk about the dos and don’ts of “going on the fly,” or “Code Yellow” as I prefer to say.

First of all public urination is against the law. While in the countryside it’s more acceptable than in town, it’s still illegal. National Parks may seem like the country but they are not. It would be bad to get caught going in a National Park. Be aware and be as respectful as you can while committing such an act.

Find a spot out of view of others. We don’t need to see you, it’s not that funny! Please don’t leave paper or other “business” lying around. Take it with you or burry it. Also remember, if you expose yourself in public you can be put on the sex offenders’ list. That can’t be good!

My friend Penny just reminded me that it’s also advisable to check for poison oak prior to dropping your drawers in the bush. A case of poison oak on your undercarriage can really put a damper on things.

If you want me to teach you how to pee while riding your bike I can do that. However, it’ll cost you…

February 2, 2011
by Kelley 2 Comments

Letting go is hard to do

It’s hard to let go of things. Especially those things that you really like but that may not be good for you. When you let go of something there’s always the fear that you’ll miss what you’ve released and there may be no going back.

Here are a few things you can let go of without worry, do your body and soul some good.

Play catch – With a friend or against a wall by yourself. It’s good for concentration, coordination and your pecs.
Toss out all the things in your closet that don’t make you feel “alive” (That’s what Oprah says – did you know that Oprah just found out she has a half-sister? Drama!).
Go to a pub, have a pint and throw a game of darts. Darts are hella fun and a good way to meet some new friends.
Horseshoes – Golden Gate Park just finished fixing up their Horseshoe Pit. Again, good for the coordination, who cares if you don’t know how to play. Just go toss some shoes.
Time to compost all the old stinky food in your frig. Clean out the frig and clean up your diet.
Play around with taking your hands of the bars for a few seconds the next time you go for a bike ride. If you’re a little nervous just hold ’em right over the bars. (Obviously don’t do this on a busy street!). This is fantastic for your core.
Batting practice – Find a batting cage or just head for the local ball field. They’re all over the city. Swinging a bat (even if you miss) is great for the whole body!
Fling a Frisbee at the beach, play a little volleyball, badminton, the list goes on. The weather is perfect right now!

February 1, 2011
by Kelley 1 Comment

Are your running shoes your friend?

Ouch!

The Guinea Pig 2011 Report – In case you forgot we’re following GP through the suggestions I make here on this blog. Last week I reported that GP was working on Post Holiday Detox. She’s drinking more water and eating much more fiber. GP is now feeling lighter and far less toxic.

Once GP began feeling lighter on her feet she plugged in her iPod and took things up a notch. Rather than her usual 20-minute moderately paced trot on the treadmill, GP hit the incline button. In her own words here’s GP’s report…

Felt good Saturday after our adventure (Kelley took me into the woods for some circuit style activities using tree trunks and sticks) but did nothing yesterday, so I went to the gym today to do some intervals on the treadmill. I was looking forward to it since my ass was dragging and I had some work to do and my brain wasn’t working.

Warmed up for a bit then turned it on nice and easy–did some of your Trundling* work on an easy incline of about 1.5. I was feeling pretty good, so I did a short higher speed trundle (like 5.3mph). When I got tuckered out, I slowed it down, and cranked up the incline and did some fast walking until I was ready to trundle some more. I repeated this process for about 40 minutes (give or take my spazz outs when I dropped my ear buds or accidentally hit the stop button.)

To my great dismay, during the last 10 mins or so, my left hip started bugging me again. I go back and forth on whether it’s muscular or joint-related. I went and stretched for a while, did some balance work and core exercises, it was ok for a bit, but had some discomfort/pain by the time I got home. Just when I was starting to not totally HATE running. GP is not discouraged though. I will carry on!

Since GP is having some discomfort I have suggested that she revisit her posture as noted in my The anklebone is connected to the knee bone post. I am confident that some adjustments in her posture will make a difference and at the very least are a good place to start. The issue that GP did not mention, is that prior this workout she suffered a bad blister on her left foot which would affect how she runs. My suggestion was to discard her old running shoes and invest in some fresh footwear.

Here are the things GP was armed with before she went shoe shopping.

First – you need new shoes if you can see compression wrinkles in your midsole, a good rule of thumb is that your running shoes are good for 350 – 500 miles. Obviously this depends on how you run and how heavy you are. If your shoes give you blisters than they don’t fit properly.
Think about – where you want to run in your shoes. On the trail or on the road.
Go to a running shoe store where the staff knows about running. You need to deal with someone who knows about running shoes specifically and be ready to try on a few pairs of shoes.
Here’s how your running shoes should fit – Wiggle Room = You should have about a thumb’s width of room between the end of your longest toe and the front of the shoe. Hold It = Look for a secure, comfortable fit through the midfoot. Imagine a hand gently holding your foot in place. The Heel Deal = There should be little or no slipping at the heel.

GP now has new running shoes and is feeling better about her running. We’ll check in with her next week to see how her hip feels and if she’s taken on Kelley’s ab challenge, in Holding Kelley accountable.