Fit and Female

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Too Hot To Handle

It's amazing to me that no matter how high the mercury goes, inevitably  I will see someone outside running in the midday heat, 80's, 90's, 100 -- there's always someone out there pounding the sweltering pavement.   For the record this kind of behavior does not show dedication to a fitness program, it shows a lack of intellgence.    

As an exercise physiologist, I'm a big believer in the importance of working out consistently --  all year long.  That said, EVERYONE (even the most fit among us) needs to drastically modify their workouts in extreme heat and humidity.  Especially, when the weather first turns steamy and you're not acclimatized. 

Heat illness is more than just feeling "a little uncomfortable" from the noon day rays -- it can literally be a matter of life and death.  Heat illnesses range from the relatively harmless "heat cramps", to heat fatigue, to heat exhaustion to the potentially-fatal, heat stroke.

The body cools itself in two primary ways:

• By increasing blood flow to the skin so that heat is dissipated away from the body's core to the skin's surface.
• By increasing sweat production, so that the evaporation of sweat off the skin's surface can cool the body.

Heat (particularly with humidity) and exercise both compete with the body's ability to regulate body temperature within safe levels. 

Exercise challenges the body by demanding blood for working muscles.  So now your skeletal muscles are crying out for blood (for oxygen, nutrients and the removal of waste) at the same time your body is trying to keep you cool by bringing the blood to the skin's surface.  On top of that, exercise generates its own heat which also needs to be removed from the body.

Humidity further exacerbates this problem, because if the air is already full of water vapor (as it is on a humid day) there is less room in the air to take up the sweat on your skin.  So it just clings to you -- rather than cooling you as it evaporates.

And guess what?  Your body is smarter than you are.  Effectively your brain tells your body, "Hold on, Body -- apparently, we've got an idiot running in the noon day heat and humidity, let's shut her down before she overloads the system!"   And you experience that as heat illness.

The signs of heat illness, include:

• Muscle cramps (particularly in the hands, feet or calves)
• Excessive thirst
• Agitation
• Drenching sweats with cold and clammy skin
• Headache
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Feeling faint
• Slower heart rate

Signs of heat stroke (which is a medical emergency requiring immediate 911 assistance) include:

• Rapid heart beat
• Nausea and vomiting
• Hot, flushed dry skin
• Decreased sweating
• Decreased urination and/or blood in the urine
• High body temperature (104-106 degrees F)
• Convulsions
• Loss of consciousness
• Shortness of breath

With heat illness (as with most things in life) an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  So here are some tips for beating the heat -- before it beats you:

• Allow your body a chance to acclimatize to heat.  It takes at least 4-7 days for your body to adjust to the change in temp and about 2 weeks to get used to working out in the heat.
• Drink plenty of water.  Be sure to drink at least 4 oz. of water every 15-20 min.  Don't rely on your thirst to let you know when you need water.
• Avoid alcohol.  It dehydrates you.
• Add some salt to your food.  Salt helps the body retain water.
• Workout smart.  Exercise in the cooler times of day, either early AM or later PM when the sun's going down.  Consider taking your normal outside workout indoors in the AC until the heat breaks, especially if you must workout at midday.  Pace yourself.  Do not expect to workout as hard as you normally would.  It's not realistic -- or safe!
• Wear clothes that breath and wick moisture away from your body.  Microfiber clothing such as Cool-Max, can really help draw your sweat towards your skin and allow it to evaporate more easily -- keeping you cooler.   Cotton can get soggy and hold moisture against the skin -- impeding the evaporation process.
• Consider working out in the water.  Swimming, water polo, water aerobics, even treading water are all good workouts that keep your core temperature down and can even be done in the heat of the day -- another great summertime alternative to pounding the pavement in the heat.

Geralyn Coopersmith is an exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer with over 20 years of professional experience.  She is the Senior National Director of The Equinox Fitness Training Institute (EFTI) and the author of Fit and Female: The Perfect Fitness and Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type.  She has appeared on The Today Show, The Dr. Oz Show and The CBS Morning Show and she has been quoted in national magazines including: Elle, Shape, Self, Fitness, Health, More, Women's Health and many others.
 

 

 

 

"Birth Plan" is an Oxymoron

Anyone who's ever known a mother has heard a story of a labor/delivery that seemed to go on forever.  8 hours...12 hours...24 hours, but some how I managed to be in labor for - FOUR DAYS.  Yep...it's true!!!   

"How is that possible?" you might ask.  Well, the short answer is -- because I was an idiot. (so you can just stop here if you're a Reader's Digest-type)

 

The longer answer is because I had a ton of  misconceptions about what delivery was supposed to be. 

I'm an overachiever by nature, so when I was pregnant, I was going to have an A+ delivery. 

 None of that hours of messy, painful, unattractive, unfeminine, screaming and carrying on stuff for me...I was going to have The Mother of All Deliveries.  Calm, serene, maybe some candlelight and a little Mozart (supposed to be good for the baby's brain).

I read EVERYTHING I could about giving birth, books, websites, pamphlets...you name it.  I actually wrote (and this is hysterical to me in retrospect) a 3-page "birth plan".   For the record "birth plan" is an oxymoron.  There are things you can "plan" for -- and then there is birth.  Which does with you as it damn well pleases.

After weighing all of my birthing options, I decided to go the "Hypno-birthing" route.  Hypno-birthing is basically a method of self-hypnosis that helps you manage your contractions, so hopefully you are not writhing in pain -- and carrying on like a complete lunatic.

My husband and I went to about 8-weeks of this training with three other similarly clueless couples (ALL of whom had never given birth before...hmmm... ka-winky dink?  I think not.)  Anyway, as part of the technique I had to look at this big picture of a pink flower... a chrysanthemum or something.  We were told to think calming, relaxing thoughts and breath very deeply.  And true-to-form I went to my classes and I did all of my "homework".  I was very committed to the process and I got REALLY good and putting myself "under".

The Hypno-birthing teacher took every opportunity to share with us with tales of the great evils of the medical profession.  Her loathing of doctors was palpable.  She portrayed a dark conspiracy of OB/GYNs who'd give you a C-section, just so they wouldn't miss their tee times. 

She told us of all of the "dangers" to the baby and mother from C-sections.  She told us how epidurals were baaad...very baaaaaaad for mother and baby.  She told us how inductions were baaad...very baaaaaad for the mother and the baby.   

She also took it for granted that ALL of us were breastfeeding, because only a really selfish (or ignorant) woman would rob her baby of the many benefits of breast milk. Her opinions and agendas went on and on.  And I bought into everyone pretty much hook, line and sinker.  Like I said, I was an idiot.

Before I new it I was in my 9th month and 9 days past my due date.  Late one Saturday night I got this weird crampy feeling, not too painful but it definitely got my attention.  I was up all night and I started timing  the contractions (I wasn't even sure that's what they were, maybe they were Braxton-Hicks).  They were happening every 15 minutes or so.  The doctor had said that I should call her when they were about 7 minutes or so apart, so I wasn't there yet.  So I waited....and waited.. and waited...I used my Hypo-birthing breathing, I looked at my pink flower picture and I spent most of Saturday night and all day and night Sunday waiting to see if the contractions (if that's what they were) were going to get worse or closer together. 

By Sunday the cramps were definitely worse, but still no closer together, but surely this couldn't go on indefinitely.  I figured it was just a matter of hours before the contractions would be 7 minutes apart and I would call the doctor and go to at the hospital.  But they never did.  They stayed the same.

By Monday, still not believing that I was REALLY in labor, I drove myself to the doctor.  The doctor did an exam and said that I wasn't dilated enough to be in labor yet and that the contraction were still too far apart.  I told her that I'd been up for two nights now, because I was so uncomfortable.  But she assured me that I wasn't ready yet.  Besides, I had driven myself to the doctor's office...and apparently you can't do that when you're really in labor. 

This went on all day Monday and all day Tuesday.  The pains never got closer together, but did get more and more intense and painful.  By Tuesday night it was really unbearable, I looked at that picture a lot and tried to stay calm.  I bit my lip a lot, I grabbed on to the back of chairs to brace myself, but the contractions were still about 10 minutes or more apart.  I called the doctor and said, "Listen, I know they're not seven minutes or less, but I have been up since Saturday night and I'm in a lot of pain."

So they told me to go to the hospital.  The doctor on call (one of my doctor's partners whom I had only seen once during the pregnancy) checked me out and said I wasn't dilated enough yet and the contractions were still too far apart, but that I could stay in the hospital.  Whew!!

I had planned to have a doula which I think is Greek for "G-d's greatest gift to a woman in labor".  This woman was a saint.  She arrived about an hour after I got there and stayed with me until the bitter end.

For the next 26-hours I labored in the hospital.  I never slept.  I just breathed, looked at the picture of that stupid flower, went in and out of a hot tub (it's was not as much fun as it sounds, believe me), tried to walk up and down the hospital halls -- anything to get things moving in the right direction.  But they never did.  I went through three different doctors (none of them "mine)  who tried everything to get me to have a "normal" delivery. 

• They broke my water
• They gave me Pitosin to speed up the contractions
• Apparently, I had something called,"tetanic contractions". Normal contractions typically last for less than a minute.  Overachiever that I am --- mine lasted for about 5-minutes on average.  (At the time I thought they were saying, "Titanic contractions" and I remembered how that story ended...) 
• Groups of residents came in with senior doctors, pointing at screens and speaking in hushed tones -- they looked very interested in what I was going through.  (By the way -- that's never a  good thing, having doctors looking amazed and curious.  You want them bored and yawning.  What the hell were they doing in there anyway?  Didn't they have a tee time to make?) 
• And then about 20 hours into it, they recommended an epidural, which I begrudgingly accepted.  But, I felt like a total failure.  Even that didn't go smoothly, they tried and couldn't get the needle into my back.  I swear.  Finally, they had to get a stronger needle -- a little tip for girls who workout, most doctors are NOT used to dealing with muscular backs. "Geez, you've got a lot of muscular development in your back".  "Thanks, Doc.  Good to know.  How's about you grab a bigger horse needle and we get the show on the road here?")

But once they got the needle in, WOW...that was some serious pain relief!!!  Presto -- Gone!!!

After almost four days of really being in pain -- I wasn't anymore.  I wanted to find whoever invented the epidural and kiss their feet.  For the first time since Saturday night, I was able to sleep (for a whole 45-minutes).   

But even with the pain gone things still weren't progressing normally it was looking clearer and clearer to me that a C-section was in the offing.  Truthfully, by that point I didn't care, I was so drained and exhausted from the pain and the lack of sleep.  Besides, this epidural stuff rocked!  I figured they would keep me numb and I would still be awake and able to see my baby being born.  BUT SURPRISE...

The epidural was just starting to wear off and they were getting ready to give me another dose when my son's vitals took a turn for the worse.  They had been monitoring him all along for any signs of fetal distress and things were fine up to that point.  Then all of the sudden I must have sent off some silent alarm in the nursing station, because it seemed like the entire hospital came rushing into my room. 

They all started yelling at me to get on all fours on top of the bed, which instantly turned into a gurney.  I later learned that this is what they do when they are worried that the cord is wrapped around the baby's neck, causing "cord compression". 

I was trying to get on all fours on the gurney but my legs were still numb so they flipped me into position and tried to hold me there.  Staff was all around me, pushing the gurney and running down the hospital corridor along side of me.  My Doula was right next to me, holding me in that position and calmly saying like an angel..."don't worry, everything is going to be alright". 

Within a minute I was in an operating room with an anesthesiologist leaning over me with a Mickey Mouse nose.  But the funny thing was, at this point I was calmer than ever.  I honestly didn't care if I lived or died.  I wasn't frightened at all.   Whatever happened, I knew that this ordeal was going to be over in the next few minutes. I calmly and quickly told the doctors leaning over me about my allergy to a certain medicine and the history of bleeding problems that is in my family -- and with that I was out.

I woke up later  alone in the recovery room.  I could hear the nurses making small talk to one another.  I asked what I had (I didn't find out the baby's sex in advance)-- and I heard a voice from somewhere say, "you had a boy".  I asked if I could see him and they wheeled me up to the room.   

My husband was up in the room with my son and my parents.  My parents live at least 2 hours away, so I figured I must have been out for awhile.  But the truth is, my parents were so freaked out during this whole ordeal that they had (against my "orders") driven to the hospital and were waiting in their car in the parking lot.  (Now that I'm a parent I understand that completely.  If it was my kid I would have done the same thing.)

Then they wheeled my son in.  All cleaned up, swaddled, sleeping, wearing a silly blue hat and looking well...kinda like Papa Smurf.  And they handed him to me...I held him and I was crying a lot.  I'm not exactly sure why, but I was a mess from the C-section pain (they had me on a morphine drip), not sleeping for four days, the 26-hours in the hospital, the laboring at home before that, my hormones being outta whack...everything.  But mostly, I was so grateful and relieved that he was okay -- and that I was alive to see him.

Honestly, I'm not sure what the moral of this very long story is.  But I do know that if I had it to do over again.  I would have been A LOT more vocal and insistent that there was MORE medical intervention...A LOT SOONER. 

I wouldn't have tried to control my pain.  Something tells me if I had been dropping F-bombs left and right things would have moved a whole lot faster.  Labor is not the time for good manners or being quiet and controlled. 

I also would have had an epidural right away -- for sure. Yes, I know there are plenty of horror stories about epidurals, but there are also horror stories about natural childbirth...I think I just told you one. 

If I had been more proactive and open to more medical involvement, I believe that I would have been in labor for a lot less time and that I might have been able to actually see my son being born.

I also think that many women who have C-sections feel like failures because they didn't have a "real delivery".  But, the truth is if I was delivering my son while going across the country in a covered wagon, both he and I probably wouldn't have survived.  I'm very grateful to be living in a time where I had the option of having a C-section. 

So if you are having a child, I recommend you tune out other people's opinions and agendas -- even mine.

Do your own research and talk with your doctor about options.  Availing yourself of medical interventions which can make you more comfortable and ultimately save both lives is nothing to feel guilty about. 

Give yourself permission TO DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO do to make the experience as pleasant and comfortable for BOTH mother and baby.  Rather than having a single "birth plan" (which I can almost guarantee you will not pan out) give yourself a whole host of "birth options" that you feel comfortable using. 

I think society places a ridiculous amount of pressure on women to "do it the right way" when they deliver.  That's ridiculous.  The "right way" is whatever way makes it as tolerable and safe for you and your baby.

The Sleep Rules

A few weeks ago we had our biannual meeting of our Health Advisory Board at work out in LA.  It's two days of "pinch me" moments with some of the most intelligent (and happily, humble and lovely) people on the planet.  I wouldn't be surprised if The Wizard of Oz or Yoda strolled in and sat down.  "No, surprise me it would not".  It's just that kind of surreal.

Anyway, one of the new additions to the team is the brilliant and charming, Dr. James Maas, internationally renown expert and author on all things sleep.

I'm still trying to process and integrate what he told us in just an hour (and I'm going to read his latest book, Sleep for Success)  but the bottom line is most of us aren't getting near enough sleep and it's wrecking havoc with pretty much everything in our society. 

Everything from mental health, to education, to car accidents to obesity and more can be connected to lack of sleep.  All of our social media and electronic addictions are only making matters worse.  You know you're sleep deprived if you fall asleep in 5 minutes or less. 

Whaaat?  Who takes 5 whole minutes to fall asleep?!   Come on, Dude!  I was really proud of that one. 

I know everyone in the room was doing exactly what I was as we listened, trying to figure out just how far off the mark we are in terms of our own sleep hygeine. 

So here off the top of my head are some of the keys to getting proper rest that MOSTof us (and by most I mean me) aren't following.

• No caffeine after 2 PM (um....so you're saying a huge iced coffee at 5 PM is bad?!)?
• Same sleep and rise time 7 days per week (bleck, really?!  I'm going to pretend I didn't read that one)
• No alcohol (at first I liked this guy...I really did)
• A cool, dark room (Okay, cool. I think I have that -- well, at least until the sun rises)
• No lights in our faces from things like alarm clocks (what am I suppose to look at whenever I turn over?)
• Getting 7-9 hours per night (oh, I get it...he's really a stand-up comedian)

So as depressing as all of this was, I'm going to read the book and find out how badly I'm doing and how it's messing me up.  

I'll report back with the bad news (as if the no coffee and booze thing wasn't bad enough). 

Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is the Senior National Director of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute, an educator, exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and author of Fit and Female: The Complete Fitness & Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type.   

Geralyn has been featured many TV shows, including: The Dr. Oz Show, The Today Show, CBS Morning Show and Fox and Friends.  She has been quoted in:The New York Times, Shape, Self, Fitness, People, Us, Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Oprah.com, Yahoo.com and more.

 

 

Being Barbie

I remember my first "aerobics teacher" back in the day.  Yes, kids I'm dating myself -- before it was "group exercise" it was actually called "aerobics" -- and I still have the leg warmers (and shin splints) to prove it!! 

Anyway, this woman made a very powerful impression on me, because she was far from the stereotypical idea that I had about what a fitness professional "should" look like. 

In my head an aerobics teacher was: very petite, very skinny and very blonde with big boobs.  But Patricia was really tall, very muscular with small breasts -- and she was a Latina.  And she was gorgeous!! I was fascinated with her.  Not only was she one of the most graceful movers I have ever seen, it was clear to anyone watching her that she was completely okay with who she was.  She was so comfortable in her own skin that just being in her presence made me feel good about my own body.  After months of taking her classes I found myself much more accepting (even appreciative) of my own perceived flaws.

Years later, I am still struck by a woman who likes her body.  Because being happy with your looks is truly the exception (not the rule) for our gender. 

Over the years I've trained literally hundreds of women (of all ages and all shapes and sizes) over the years and I can count on one hand (without using all the fingers even!) the number of women who said that they actually liked the way they looked.

Even more disturbingly, females start obsessing about their appearance at a very young age.  According to one study the number one wish expressed by girls ages 11 to 17 -- was to be thinner.  Think about that for a second.  These little girls weren't dreaming about winning the Nobel Prize, traveling the world or being an Olympic Gold Medalist -- but about weighing less on the scale.  Has to make you wonder if the next Madame Curie ended up in a bathroom somewhere trying to stick her finger down her throat. 

And things don't get any better as we age.  A study of women between the ages of 30 and 74 found that 70 percent of them were unhappy with their weight -- even though all of the women in the survey were of "normal weight" for their size.

Why the collective insanity?  Well, there are several factors, but I believe a major one is that most women have a totally unrealistic idea of what the female body is supposed to look like in the first place.  In fact, virtually every woman I have ever trained has told me that she wanted the same things. 

* Long, lean legs. 

* No visible body fat

* A small and round butt-- but not too big.

* Big boobs --but not too big (and please make sure they stand up on their own)

* And a totally flat stomach

 Then one day it hit me -- everyone is describing Barbie!!  The only things that they didn't request were: to be perpetually standing on their toes or have nipple-less breasts.  Honestly, I think that most of us played with Barbie as girls to the point that we internalized her. In other words, most of us thought that this was what we would -- or should look like as women.

Sure, on a rational level I think that most of us understand that this is unrealistic.  But on another level I think we still long for it.  And guess what?  It ain't gonna happen!  Because Barbie's body has nothing to do with the real female form. 

In fact, in a recent study, a group of scientists created a computer-generated model of a woman with Barbie's proportions,  The researchers came to the conclusion that such a body would not be able to digest food -- or support the weight of her upper body.  In other words, no flesh and blood woman is supposed to look like that.  We're supposed to have different shapes, different sized butts and breasts -- and we're supposed to have some body fat. 

Ultimately, in order to move away from obsessing about their appearance every woman needs to get real with who she is -- and who she isn't.  At some point in her life, I believe every woman has to take an honest inventory of her own unique body type. 

For example, if you have short legs -- you'd better learn to love them, work them out, make them their best and appreciate their own beauty.  Because despite what some exercise programs profess -- no workout is going to make you "longer and leaner".  Well, leaner -- yes.  That's a function of having better muscle tone, which is certainly a realistic and desirable goal.  But nobody on this planet has ever gotten LONGER from exercise.  Limb length is determined by the length of your bones.  And no matter what you've read -- no exercise program on earth is going to stretch out your bones! 

A good way to start to feel better about your own body is to "fake it til ya make it".  Or to act "as if".  In other words, to carry yourself as if you felt you were the hottest thing since slice bread -- even if you don't -- yet. 

Pick someone you know is okay with herself and copy her attitudes, her behavior.  What would this self-confident woman say to herself?  What would she say to other people?  How would she move?  How would she treat her body?  I recently read somewhere that it is "easier to act your way into thinking, then to think your way in to acting".   You may not feel it today, but just keep at it -- and before too long you will.  Better yet -- once you feel good about who you are, you will inspire others to do the same just by your example.

Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is the National Director of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute, an educator, exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and author of Fit and Female: The Complete Fitness & Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type.   

Geralyn has been featured many TV shows, including: The Dr. Oz Show, The Today Show, CBS Morning Show and Fox and Friends.  She has been quoted in:The New York Times, Shape, Self, Fitness, People, Us, Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Oprah.com, Yahoo.com and more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Exercise Is An Addiction

 Although far too many people in this country aren't exercising enough, some people are exercising obsessively to the point where it is an addiction. 

For a person with "exercise dependency" working out has become an obsession which dominates their life much like an addiction to drugs or alcohol.

A compulsive exerciser is different from a serious athlete in three fundamental ways.  The serious athlete is:

• Working out towards a specific goal, event or season
• Looking for performance-related results from their training (beyond weight loss/management)
• Taking breaks and/or decreasing in their training when they are off-season

A compulsive exerciser is doing none of these. 

Exercise addicts begin to experience symptoms of withdrawl within 24-36 hours when they are not able to exercise due to circumstance beyond their control.  These symptoms include:

• anxiety
• irritability
• nervousness
• guilt

Exercise addicts are most often women between the ages of 35 and 60.  Typically, these women started working out in adulthood to lose weight and get in shape. They tend to have a history of issues with low self-esteem and are perfectionistic by nature.  Working out has given them a sense of power and self-confidence they hadn't experienced before.

Sharon Stoliaroff, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist based in Chevy Chase, MD, developed this checklist to screen for addiction to exercise.  Rate yourself as honestly as you can on the checklist below:

 

I have missed important social obligations and family events in order to exercise.

I have given up other interests, including time with friends, in order to make more time to work out.

Missing a workout makes me irritable and depressed.

I only feel content when I am exercising or within the hour after exercising.

I like exercise better than sex, good food, or a movie -- in fact there's almost nothing else that I'd rather do.

I work out even if I'm sick, injured, or exhausted. I'll feel better when I get moving anyway.

In addition to my regular schedule, I'll exercise more if I find extra time.

Family and friends have told me I'm too involved in exercise.

I have a history (or a family history) of anxiety or depression.

 

Although exercise in and of itself is a positive thing, good for both body and the mind, obsessive exercise means the individual is no longer in control of their behavior.  Exercise has become  a focal point of their lives to the exclusion of other things. 

If you answered yes three or more of these items you may be addicted to exercise.  Consider speaking with a counselor/mental health professional to make sure that exercise is just one part of a healthy, balanced life.

(survey source: Volume 18, Number 6, Running & FitNews The American Running Association)

Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is the National Director of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute, an educator, exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and author of Fit and Female: The Complete Fitness & Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type.   

Geralyn has been featured many TV shows, including: The Dr. Oz Show, The Today Show, CBS Morning Show and Fox and Friends.  She has been quoted in:The New York Times, Shape, Self, Fitness, People, Us, Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Oprah.com, Yahoo.com and more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out this amazing video on the truth about how someone becomes a model. Brava to @CameronCRussell for having the courage to tell the truth! http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/17/opinion/russell-model-genetic-lottery/index.html?iref=allsearch

Playing By "The Rules" - The Least You Need To Know About Getting In Shape and Staying That Way

Several years ago, there was a phenomenally successful book on dating, called "The Rules". I thought it was kind of a silly book, actually. But I loved the pure simplicity of it. The whole idea of if you do these specific things and you'll get the results you're after.

In this age of information overload, with so many so-called experts giving so much advice,it is easy to find ourselves in a situation of paralysis by analysis. Its often hard to know what path to follow or how to put all the information together. Understandably, folks want a recipe to follow that will yield results every time. 

I got to thinking about what some of "The Rules" would be for getting in shape -- and staying that way. So here are five tried and true methods to insure that you'll always look and feel your best.

Rule 1: Only eat when you're hungry. It doesn't matter what time of day it is. Don't eat just because its time to eat. Let your stomach tell you when its time to dig in by reconnecting with your body's nature hunger mechanism. It's very easy to eat (or drink) hundreds of extra calories, that you didn't even want in the first place. Before you eat always ask yourself..."am I actually hungry?". If not, wait until you are ready...not ravenous, but ready.

Rule 2: Always try to make the healthiest food choice available. Play a mental game with yourself to try and identify the absolute best choice in terms of "nutrient density". In other words, given the available choices at that moment what will give you the most health benefit in terms of providing: the least amount of saturated fat the least amount of processed white flour the least amount of simple sugars the least amount of artificial colors or flavors the fewest chemical additives the most fiber the most anti-oxidants foods that are closest to their natural form

Rule 3: Try to workout every single day. Yep...that's what I said...every single day. The reason is that life being what it is, invariably there will be something that will come up and throw your exercise plans out the window. If you plan on working out 3 times a week and your workout gets derailed by some unforeseen circumstance (which it probably will) you'll be down to just twice a week. Which is not enough to meet your fitness goals. Try to set aside some time (20-60 minutes each day) as your designated workout time. Realistically you'll probably end up exercising 3-5 times per week, which is the recommended amount.

Rule 4: Find something that you really enjoy doing. I am always amused by people who say that they "hate" such and such time of exercise, but they know they should because someone told them that its "good" for them. Here's a tip..human beings (even women) are only so masochistic, so if there is an activity that you totally loathe --it is unlikely that you will commit to doing it on a regular basis. Fitness should be fun. You should look forward to your exercise as your private time and your play time. Try to find several things you really like and working out becomes a break from the daily grind, time to clear your head, challenge your body and do something that's just for you.

Rule 5: When Your Fall "Off The Wagon", Dust Yourself Off and Climb Right Back On. Always keep in mind that nobody is perfect -- and fitness is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Too many people give up on their fitness programs because they have a few weeks where their choices (in diet and/or exercise) are less than stellar. Stuff happens. Stuff is gonna happen. That's life. The trick is to not beat yourself up over it, or use it as an excuse to abandon your routine entirely. Just resolve to get back on track before a five pound weight gain becomes a 25 pound one or a month-long lapse in working out becomes a year.

 

Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is the National Director of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute, an educator, exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and author of Fit and Female: The Complete Fitness & Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type.   

Geralyn has been featured many TV shows, including: The Dr. Oz Show, The Today Show, CBS Morning Show and Fox and Friends.  She has been quoted in:The New York Times, Shape, Self, Fitness, People, Us, Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Oprah.com, Yahoo.com and more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just For Yourself

Working out and staying in shape isn't something that you do for other people-- its something you do just for you!

You have to want it just for yourself, you have to feel you truly deserve it -- and you have to feel that you are important enough to make it (i.e. YOU) a priority.

Unfortunately, far too many of us don't feel like we deserve to look and feel in the best shape possible. We under-exercise and overeat for long periods of time -- only becoming concerned with the situation when a wedding, a reunion or bathing suit season looms in the distance. Then suddenly we become concerned about what other people might think about our appearance.

What if we wanted to be in the best shape possible all of the time -- just for ourselves -- because we felt that we truly deserved to feel good about the bodies we inhabit?

I think some of this is just a function of being female. Most of the women the I know are very giving by nature...to our kids, our partners, our friends, our co-workers, our pets, our community...the list goes on and on. But too many times we put taking care of our health and our bodies at the absolute bottom of the to-do list.

You are entitled to have some time (even a little time) to yourself each and every day. You can't keep giving and giving to others without replenishing the proverbial "well". Even 15 minutes can pay huge dividends in improving the way you look (and more importantly to my mind) feel.   Many of us blow it off because we think we need to do a 2 hour marathon workout. The truth is it could be something as simple as:

• A brisk walk around the neighborhood
• 15-minutes of the sun salutation
• Strolling through a farmer's market to get some fabulous organic produce
• Meditating for 10 minutes
• Taking a candle-light bubble bath
• Taking advantage of an empty house -- to crank up your music dance around like a lunatic for bit (and not that I would know anything about this personally)

 The point is to designate some time that is yours alone (ideally, each and every day) to show appreciation for your body. Regardless of your time constraints, resolve to do thing everyday to make you feel good about your body.

And just "do it" -- for yourself.

 

Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is the National Director of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute, an educator, exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and author of Fit and Female: The Complete Fitness & Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type.   

Geralyn has been featured many TV shows, including: The Dr. Oz Show, The Today Show, CBS Morning Show and Fox and Friends.  She has been quoted in:The New York Times, Shape, Self, Fitness, People, Us, Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Oprah.com, Yahoo.com and more.

 

 

 

I'm Quoted On Allure.com Weighing In On The Zaggora "Hot Pants"

Folks, if something SOUNDS too good to be true.  It probably is.  Remember those plastic sweat suits in the late 70s (I do)...well,  they're baaaaaaack (albeit in a more attractive way).

Allure.com asked me to weigh in.  Click here to see the article.

 

My Videos Are Live On Dr. Oz's Sharecare Site

I'm a part of Dr. Oz's Sharecare Network, a panel of health and fitness experts who answer viewer questions.

During one of my visits to the show we shot several videos where I answered common viewer questions.  Click here to check them out.

 

The Operational Definition of Insanity

You've probably heard the saying, "the operational definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result".

That's something I see quite often in people who have difficultly either losing weight or keeping it off. 

Inevitably, these people have a lot of very strong opinions about what they need to do to lose weight.   It's as if their case is completely unique and no one else has had the same weight loss struggles -- or been able to overcome them.

Given the fact that many of these people have never been successful with weight management it is surprising to how locked into their beliefs they can be. 

Usually there is a lot of talking about the problem, but very little action.  And too often they are closed off to any advice -- even from a health professional!

Case and point...I was working out at my gym the other day and someone I know approached and started asking me a lot of questions about weight loss and exercise. 

Now at the risk of sounding obnoxious, I usually try to avoid having conversations with people while I'm working out for a few reasons.  For one thing I consider that my "off duty" time, so I take my trainer hat off and try not to look at the million issues I see all around me that I would feel compelled to "correct" if I were wearing my trainer hat. 

Another reason I don't chat much (and keep my iPhone headphones in my ears) is that I (like most people I know) am often pressed for time, so I'm usually focused on getting as much done as possible. 

And last but not least...honestly, I don't like people giving me unsolicited opinions or feedback while I'm exercising -- so I try not to do that to other people.

But I really like this woman, so stopped what I was doing and I answered all of her questions. And wouldn't you know, she had answers for everything she was asking me.  Answers that were in direct contradiction with my answers.  None of them were based on science.  In fact some of them were in direct contradiction to exercise science.  But it didn't matter.  She knew as she told me, "what works for her". 

It's kind of hard to argue with that line of logic.  But it does beg the question...if her system works so well, why is she still struggling with the same significant weight problem year after year?  Why wouldn't someone in her situation entertain the suggestions of someone who has been successful in this area?  Especially when she's asking -- as if she wants to hear the answers?

"Success leaves clues" (as my buddy, Tony Robbins is fond of saying).  If someone else has done something and been successful at it...if you find out what they did and you do it too it should work for you, as well. 

Or you can keep on doing as you've always done and see how that works out for you.  Good luck with that ;-).

 

Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is the National Director of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute, an educator, exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and author of Fit and Female: The Complete Fitness & Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type.   

Geralyn has been featured many TV shows, including: The Dr. Oz Show, The Today Show, CBS Morning Show and Fox and Friends.  She has been quoted in:The New York Times, Shape, Self, Fitness, People, Us, Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Oprah.com, Yahoo.com and more.

 

 

 "

Ditching The "Diet"

There is nothing more frustrating than going on a diet, losing weight, only to find out that several weeks or months down the line you've gained ALL of it back -- and more!   Did you know that 97% of all diets fail?!

If you've read my book, Fit + Female, then you know that I am not a big proponent of "dieting", but rather of making permanent lifestyle changes. Changes that you embrace for the long haul -- not just for a quick fix.

Today's Action Challenge:

So if dieting doesn't do it -- how do you keep those pounds from slowly creeping back on? Here are some sure-fire strategies to keeping your weight off after dieting. Change the way you think about "dieting" .

Don't eat "normally"

Most of us approach dieting and weight loss as an all-or-nothing proposition. We are either "on a diet" or "eating normally".

The problem is the "eating normally" (whatever your definition of that is) is what caused the weight gain in the first place -- so that is the LAST thing we want to return to doing.

You need to identify those areas where you were either overeating and/or eating too much of the wrong thing.  You need to be honest about it and limit whatever it is in the future so that you don't undo all the hard work you did to lose weight in the first place.  Journaling your daily intake for a few weeks (with an app such as myfitnesspal.com) is a great way to get a handle on what's REALLY going on with your eating.

Watch your drinking!   

And I'm not just talking about alcohol consumption here, although certainly that can contribute to re-gaining weight. Remember that ALL calories count, even the ones that go down quickly and easily in the form of a beverage. This means limiting your consumption of: juice (eat the whole fruit instead), coffee drinks, "health shakes", smoothies and (of course) alcohol can have you drinking 300 calories in a minute or two.

Just one extra 300 calorie beverage per week can add up to over 1/2 pound of weight gain per week -- 2.4 pounds per month --or an unbelievable 29 pounds in a year!!!

Be a "conscious eater"

When we are on a diet we are all very aware of what we are eating and when. Somehow when we "go off the diet" we start developing "eating amnesia".   All of a sudden that bag of M&Ms we had at the desk didn't count, the handful of fries off our kid's plate didn't count, the food you nibble while cooking dinner didn't count. The painful reality is EVERYTHING COUNTS. Calories count. In order to keep weight off you have to be aware of everything that you eat and make conscious choices.  

No "bad foods"

There are no "bad foods".  But certainly there are healthier and far less healthy foods.  Eating well doesn't mean that you don't eat the "fun" foods.  But it does mean that you don't eat large quantities of them and you probably don't eat them every single day.  For example, it's fine to have a piece of chocolate cake every once and a while, but you need to balance it out with some healthier, lower calories choices (salad and grilled chicken for dinner that day, for example) in order to compensate.

Move it!

Try to move everyday. Even if a full workout isn't possible, try to get as much of your body moving as possible through out the day. See if there is a sneaky way to all an extra 5-10 minutes of activity into each day. Walk somewhere that you would normally drive, take the stairs at work instead of the elevator, stay out and go around the block once after putting the kids on the bus. Sit on that exercise bike (and pedal!) while watching the evening news. There are ways to add more movement to your day. You just have to be creative and find them. It may not sound like a lot but 10 extra minutes of activity per day can offset the extra calories of a dessert that you had that week, making it harder to put the weight back on.

Burn the ships!!!

 You probably remember that story of the general who had his soldiers burn the ships that they arrived to the enemy's shores on -- leaving them no chance for escape. They had to fight and win, because they had no other alternative. Do the same thing. Close the escape hatch. Throw out your "big girl clothes". The clothes you fall back on when you are not taking care of yourself the way you know you should. Better yet, buy some amazing "fit girl clothes", clothes that you would hate to not fit into. If you don't have the option of putting on something lose and baggy you will be more motivated to stay at your goal weight. Also, those tight clothes will serve as a reminder that you're gaining a bit and it's time to get back on track with healthy diet and exercise.

Beware of the scale

Don't weigh yourself everyday. Menstrual changes, hydration status, sodium consumption and more can change your weight by several pounds throughout the day. Daily weigh-ins will likely frustrate you and might even make you think, "why bother" and cause you to toss in the towel entirely. Try for once a week. Ideally on a Wed., after you get up, go to the bathroom and undressed. Use that as a baseline, barring some unusual activity on Tues. Strive to stay within a pound or so of that number each week. If you see yourself consistently 2-3 pounds above that, look at where you might be overdoing it.

 

 

Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is the National Director of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute, an educator, exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and author of Fit and Female: The Complete Fitness & Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type.   

Geralyn has been featured many TV shows, including: The Dr. Oz Show, The Today Show, CBS Morning Show and Fox and Friends.  She has been quoted in:The New York Times, Shape, Self, Fitness, People, Us, Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Oprah.com, Yahoo.com and more.

 

 

 

"Thank you. It's true!"

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? 

Actually who are you NOT to be?

Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory ...that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fears, our presence automatically liberates others.  - Marianne Williamson

Years ago I went to a women's workshop where we did a very interesting exercise.  We were paired off with another woman whom we did not know.  The exercise was to sit face-to-face with your partner -- and pay her one sincere compliment after another until the instructor said, "time". 

And as if that weren't difficult enough...we weren't allowed to break eye contact, we weren't allowed to disagree (verbally or otherwise)...in fact, we weren't allowed to say ANYTHING at all in response but, "thank you...it's true". 

The exercise was very easy when you were "the giver"...you didn't know the person personally, so you just went by what you saw and complimented it.  But when you were on the "receiving end" -- geez -- it seemed to last f-o-r-e-v-e-r. 

I can remember sitting there as this stranger paid me one compliment after another.  "You have pretty eyes", "you have a nice smile", "you have great skin" etc, etc..  Let me tell you -- it was brutal.  I was breaking into a cold sweat, getting nauseous and squirming in my seat.  There was a giant lump developing in my throat as I croaked out each successive "thank you...it's true".  I thought it would never end.

Which begs the question, how well do you take a compliment?  How do you answer somebody when he or she pays you a compliment? 

Do you launch into a series of "oh, that's not trues..." or "you've got to be kiddings..."?

Or do you stand there, smile, let it sink in and say a simple (and heart-felt)"thank you"? 

If you're like most of us, probably not.

In fact, if you're like most women you'd rather listen to the sound of nails running down a blackboard then to stand face-to-face with someone paying you a sincere compliment.   

Ironically, most of us have no problem talking to ourselves about what we don't like.  Do we? 

"Geez, my hair looks like crap today!"

"I can't believe how big my _____is!!"

"Why do I look so fat in this dress?". 

Nope that stuff comes to us easily.  My question is... why? 

I think a big part of it is that this culture considers any self-validation to be immodest, boastful, even conceited.  We want to be humble, modest -- and that kind of woman wouldn't think such things about herself...much less say them out loud!!  What would other people think?  Everyone would think I was a stuck-up "bee-och".

 But think about it....what exactly is the problem with thinking that we are not just okay -- but really great?!!  I'm not talking spouting some affirmations that you don't believe, but rather an acceptance and appreciation for all of the things that are true about you. 

What is unique and beautiful about you -- inside and out?  What's your particular form of brilliance?

Imagine the shift in perception if each of us thought about what's awesome about us, rather than focusing on her flaws...particularly physical flaws. 

I think that on some level most of us believe that if we fail to focus on our imperfections we aren't dealing with them -- and they'll get worse -- and things will fall apart all together.  But I don't think that's true.

Focusing on the negative doesn't do anything but disempower us, keep us down and immobilize us by constanting reminding us of all that we're not. 

Imagine looking at yourself in the mirror and zeroing in on all of the great things about your body.  What's that silly T-shirt slogan, "I may not be perfect, but parts of me are excellent"?  What if that was your mental orientation?  What possible harm could come from thinking to yourself, "Yep, I'm already magnificent and I'm getting better every day"?  Moreover, what possible harm could come from thinking that about other women, as well? 

Too often I think as women we deal with other women from a "small pie mentality".  There is only so much to go around.  If she gets too big a slice there won't be any left for me!  If she's beautiful, I can't be.  If she has a great body, I can't.  If she gets a great job, I can't.  If she gets a lot of male attention, I can't. 

That's ridiculous!!!  It's a scarcity point of view with no basis in reality. 

One flower in the garden being spectacular doesn't take away from another flower being just as spectacular -- albeit in a totally different way.   

Another woman's "having it all" doesn't mean that you won't or can't.  Why not revell in her greatness, tell her that you see it and use it to inspire, guide you, teach you how to develop even more of your own. 

A good place to start this shift in perception is by appreciating and validating all the compliments that come your way.   

The next time that someone pays you a compliment, rather than rejecting their praise with a dismissive, "that's not true" or some other comment (which also basically insults the other person by saying indirectly in effect, "what the heck do you know?").  Instead, challenge yourself to work through your discomfort and accept the compliment with a smile of acknowledgment and a simple, "thank you". 

And then silently to yourself (or outloud if you're really ready to go for it) say, "It's true!!"

Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is the National Director of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute, an educator, exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and author of Fit and Female: The Complete Fitness & Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type. 

Differences Between Mars & Venus

Don't let the title fool ya.  This is not going to be a blog about why women are superior to men.  (I'll save that one for another time ;-).

No, this blog is about the interesting differences between male and female bodies-- apart from the placement of the fig leaves. 

So in case you thought we were more the same than different, here (in no particular order) are some lesser known variations between Mars and Venus.

• Women generally have lower blood pressure than men and higher heart rates (even while sleeping)

 

• Women's legs represent 51.2 percent of their total body height as compared to 56 percent for men.

 

• Our feet are shorter then men's so we complete heel to toe gait in less time then men Women walk at a higher cadences than men, but a slower speed with an shorter stride. This means that in walking or running women must strike the ground more often (i.e more cumulative ground reaction force) to cover the same distance This may be whey women are more likely to experience "microtrauma" and overuse injuries.

  

• Our ACLs (anterior cruciate ligaments in the front of the knee) are smaller and so is the bony "track" that it passes through (the femoral notch)

  

• Our pelvises are wider (I think we all know this) but, that means our knees come in closer to each other to help us maintain our center of gravity.  The combination of  this...with a smaller ACL, a more narrow femoral notch (as well as hormonal variations) may be why women are as much as 10x more likely to tear an ACL than men.

  

• Women's ankles and calves are proportionately larger than men's

  

• Our feet are proportionately narrower than men's, the heel is narrower and the arch is higher.  Our big toes are also smaller than men's.

  

• Women have smaller Achilles tendons

 

• Women's body's are about 24% muscles mass, while men's are about 40%

 

• Women are more sensitive to sound

 

• Men's skin has more collagen and sebum than women's skin making it harder and oiler.

 

• Women's skin has more pain receptors per cm, than men's


• Men usually have better vision in well-lit environments, where as women see better at night

• The male brain has about 4% more cells and 100 grams more tissue, but there are no measurable differences in intelligence between the two sexes.

 

 

Working On Your Weakest Link

Our strength grows out of our weaknesses ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

It's human nature that all of us seem to gravitate toward the things we do well. 

Certainly there is nothing more validating than performing at your best.  All of us have our own unique skill sets and its always fun to have a chance to "strut your stuff". 

The greater challenge comes in pushing ourselves to do those things that we are less skilled at.  Nowhere is this more true than in the area of exercise and fitness.

I am always struck by how people (women and men) stick to what we know and what makes us look the best. 

Runners run, flexible folks do yoga, strong people lift weights.  All of us gravitate towards our natural gifts.  The problem is that it is usually the thing that we want to do the least that we need the most.  Moreover, not addressing those "just can't do that" deficits, is associated with increased risk of injury.  It might not happen tomorrow, but if we don't address it it's likely to happen at some point in the future.

 I've known big muscular guys who can bench 300 lbs with ease,  but can't come close to touching their toes. Strong as they are, these he-men could end up "blowing" a disc in their backs just bending over to pick up a pencil.  Their weakest link isn't their strength its their flexibility.

On the other end of the spectrum, I have a girlfriend who is a choreographer and dancer.  She is probably the most flexible person that I've ever met.  You know, one of those freaky Cirque Du Soliel types that can lie on her back and rest her leg comfortably on her shoulder. 

Well, what does my pal...this gumby-esq creature focus on?  You guessed it -- she is an avid yogini.  She works at becoming more flexible.  Um....why?  She already has a lock on the flexibility market. 

And PS...guess what happened to her?  Well, she actually tore her gluteus maximus (the butt muscle) doing a kick while dancing.  She was soooo flexible, that she kicked her leg up and it just kept going-- RIP-- YEEE-OUCH!!.   There wasn't enough strength and stability in her hips to put the breaks.

Goes to show you, flexibility is great (and very important) but you CAN have too much of a good thing.  Sadly, it was a long and painful recovery, because its the largest single muscle in the body and its involved in a lot of the activities of every day life so she couldn't really "rest" it.

Well-rounded fitness is the result of three basic components: muscular fitness (both strength and endurance), flexibility and cardiovascular/metabolic fitness.  

Unfortunately, MOST of us do not take an honest inventory of what our weakest link is...we tend to focus on one of these three or perhaps two at most.  Often we avoid one of these three entirely and more often than not it is usually the thing we need the most -- our "weak link". 

 If you are currently exercising on a regular basis (and unfortunately only 1/3 of us are -- but that's a whole other blog) try taking an honest inventory about your "weakest link". 

What is it for you?  What could you do more of?  What is the thing you like doing the least, maybe because you aren't particularly good at it?  What do you think would happen if you tried doing a bit more of it? 

Consider this brilliant quote from my friend, Gray Cook (famed physical therapist and author of the excellent book, Movement) speaking about "self-limiting" exercises (activities that put you up against your physical barriers).

“Anytime we don’t acknowledge our weakest links or confront them in training, we demonstrate the same behavior that caused our collective functional movement patterns to erode in the first place.

Embedded in each workout, the self-limiting activities continually whisper the message that we cannot become stronger than our weakest links.”  (Movement, 2010)