Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
It is now April and time for me to switch up the ol routine.
I have been running and practicing yoga consistently for the last two months and I'm ready for a change. I've decided to get back into weight lifting, add HIT (high intensity training) into my cardio routine, and try being vegetarian (with one cheat day, let's be serious...I'm a hopeless carnivore). I have arbitrarily chosen the goals of losing 5% body fat, 6 inches overall, or dropping 5 lbs. I'm not really sure how these will manifest but I figure that they are small enough numbers that I can achieve it. This is after all the most important thing when making goals, make them attainable! You can either make them quantitative or qualitative. Since I've reached my qualitative goal of feeling good naked and looking good in my clothes, I've decided to put some numbers down and see what happens.
I'll let you know what happens with my new plan, share my weight lifting routine, and my progress.
Do you have a goal for spring?
In health,
Lauren
Showing posts with label sleep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sleep. Show all posts
Monday, April 4, 2011
Friday, November 26, 2010
129/365 Gearing Up for Finals
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Finals week is coming up for us college kids. We have to prepare for our exams, remember to eat, keep our cool, and try to get some sleep. It's stressful and exhilarating and we have to be on top of our game if we're going to do well. Here are a few tips:
Study early so that you won't have to cram. We all know that our teachers are right, study a little bit at a time every day and you'll be just fine. If you do that then you won't have to stay up late and totally blow your sleep schedule. To keep your brain running, you have to remember to eat. Snacking on healthy foods throughout the day will probably be your best bet. You need to keep the tank full with foods that won't make you sluggish. Things like baby carrots, a PBJ, bananas, blueberries, spinach salad, almonds, eggs, toast, tuna, hummus, etc. Stick to fruits, vegetables, foods that aren't too heavy. After all, your stomach needs energy and blood to digest everything; we want all the energy to go to our brains!
Something that I do to prepare for exams is to sleep early, wake up early, work out (get the blood and energy flowing), have a healthy light breakfast, then take the exam (afterwards, I celebrate with more food to refuel and probably something with chocolate). Having a nice slow morning eases me into the testing mode. If I were to wake up with just enough time to eat breakfast and go, I would feel anxious from hustling over there and would still be digesting, if not chewing, my food.
Finals are important and we must do well on all of them. Get yourself mentally and physically prepared by eating well throughout the day, sleeping early, and getting enough exercise to unwind and keep the blood flowing.
Good luck!
In health,
Lauren
Finals week is coming up for us college kids. We have to prepare for our exams, remember to eat, keep our cool, and try to get some sleep. It's stressful and exhilarating and we have to be on top of our game if we're going to do well. Here are a few tips:
Study early so that you won't have to cram. We all know that our teachers are right, study a little bit at a time every day and you'll be just fine. If you do that then you won't have to stay up late and totally blow your sleep schedule. To keep your brain running, you have to remember to eat. Snacking on healthy foods throughout the day will probably be your best bet. You need to keep the tank full with foods that won't make you sluggish. Things like baby carrots, a PBJ, bananas, blueberries, spinach salad, almonds, eggs, toast, tuna, hummus, etc. Stick to fruits, vegetables, foods that aren't too heavy. After all, your stomach needs energy and blood to digest everything; we want all the energy to go to our brains!
Something that I do to prepare for exams is to sleep early, wake up early, work out (get the blood and energy flowing), have a healthy light breakfast, then take the exam (afterwards, I celebrate with more food to refuel and probably something with chocolate). Having a nice slow morning eases me into the testing mode. If I were to wake up with just enough time to eat breakfast and go, I would feel anxious from hustling over there and would still be digesting, if not chewing, my food.
Finals are important and we must do well on all of them. Get yourself mentally and physically prepared by eating well throughout the day, sleeping early, and getting enough exercise to unwind and keep the blood flowing.
Good luck!
In health,
Lauren
Saturday, November 13, 2010
116/365 The Temple Technique
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
You've heard it before now hear it again: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?[...] glorify God in your body. (1 Cor 6:19-20)"
Whether you are religious like not, you can recognize this truthful phrase. Your body is a temple where your spirit, soul, intellect, and mind reside. Without your body, you have no vehicle through which you can express yourself. You have got to respect your body for it is the only one you have.
Here are ways that I believe you ought to respect your body, a temple:
1. Eat foods that will make you wealthy in nutritional value. Do not be greedy and consume in excess.
2. Drink alcohol with the intention of enjoying its effects in good company. Do not drink to get drunk.
3. Sleep; give your body rest so you begin the next day refreshed.
4. Utilize all the muscles in your body. A temple must be fortified to withstand the most destructive winds, storms, etc. that attempt to ravage it. Strengthen your body with frequent exercise.
5. Enjoy everything in moderation.
6. Laugh every day. Life is much too short not to have fun with it.
This list could go on but, I'll stop myself here. Just wait for when The Temple Technique © is a legitimate program made by yours truly.
All the posts I have written before and beyond have this temple idea in mind. Your body deserves respect in everything you do. You are a person of dignity are you not? Treat your body with the same respect and care that you give to yourself. Likewise, treat your soul with the same attention you give your body.
In health,
Lauren
You've heard it before now hear it again: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?[...] glorify God in your body. (1 Cor 6:19-20)"
Whether you are religious like not, you can recognize this truthful phrase. Your body is a temple where your spirit, soul, intellect, and mind reside. Without your body, you have no vehicle through which you can express yourself. You have got to respect your body for it is the only one you have.
Here are ways that I believe you ought to respect your body, a temple:
1. Eat foods that will make you wealthy in nutritional value. Do not be greedy and consume in excess.
2. Drink alcohol with the intention of enjoying its effects in good company. Do not drink to get drunk.
3. Sleep; give your body rest so you begin the next day refreshed.
4. Utilize all the muscles in your body. A temple must be fortified to withstand the most destructive winds, storms, etc. that attempt to ravage it. Strengthen your body with frequent exercise.
5. Enjoy everything in moderation.
6. Laugh every day. Life is much too short not to have fun with it.
This list could go on but, I'll stop myself here. Just wait for when The Temple Technique © is a legitimate program made by yours truly.
All the posts I have written before and beyond have this temple idea in mind. Your body deserves respect in everything you do. You are a person of dignity are you not? Treat your body with the same respect and care that you give to yourself. Likewise, treat your soul with the same attention you give your body.
In health,
Lauren
Thursday, November 11, 2010
114/365 Thou Shall Not Over-train
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Did you wake up this morning with an elevated heart rate? Have you noticed a decrease in appetite? Have you unintentionally lost some weight and muscle mass? If you have answered yes to any of these symptoms, you may have over-trained your body.
Perhaps you just started working out and are really gung ho about it. Perhaps you are trying super hard to lose weight that you are working out twice a day every day. Perhaps you pushed yourself beyond your limit. Whatever the case may be, you might have over-trained yourself. Exercise is stress on the body. In correct doses, exercise stress can be a great thing. Your metabolism gets kicked up so you're utilizing energy. Your heart gets stronger from demanding more out of it than usual. You breathe deeper to get more oxygen to your brain and blood. All these are great in moderation. Exercise is only as great as the amount of rest that you get. We are not all designed like Dean Kamazes. We can't all run 50 marathons in 50 states for 50 days straight. It's just not going to happen. The majority of us need to rest and recover from the happy stress that is exercise.
If you do find yourself with the aforementioned symptoms, take it easy the next couple days. Get a lot of sleep, a lot of water, and a lot of good food to replenish your energy stores. Ease yourself back into it then bring it on.
In health,
Lauren
Did you wake up this morning with an elevated heart rate? Have you noticed a decrease in appetite? Have you unintentionally lost some weight and muscle mass? If you have answered yes to any of these symptoms, you may have over-trained your body.
Perhaps you just started working out and are really gung ho about it. Perhaps you are trying super hard to lose weight that you are working out twice a day every day. Perhaps you pushed yourself beyond your limit. Whatever the case may be, you might have over-trained yourself. Exercise is stress on the body. In correct doses, exercise stress can be a great thing. Your metabolism gets kicked up so you're utilizing energy. Your heart gets stronger from demanding more out of it than usual. You breathe deeper to get more oxygen to your brain and blood. All these are great in moderation. Exercise is only as great as the amount of rest that you get. We are not all designed like Dean Kamazes. We can't all run 50 marathons in 50 states for 50 days straight. It's just not going to happen. The majority of us need to rest and recover from the happy stress that is exercise.
If you do find yourself with the aforementioned symptoms, take it easy the next couple days. Get a lot of sleep, a lot of water, and a lot of good food to replenish your energy stores. Ease yourself back into it then bring it on.
In health,
Lauren
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
64/365 Power Up with a Nap
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Though you know how important getting into a sleep schedule is, sometimes you really need a nap. When done correctly, a nap will make you more focused and energized.The ideal nap will only take you into the first two stages of sleep (10-20 min). If you sleep any longer, you'll get that groggy feeling and will not feel rested. Naps should never replace sleep.
There are three kinds of naps: planned, habitual, and emergency. If you know that you will be up later than normal, you should plan to take a nap 7 or more hours before you go to bed. Napping habitually may be a better option if you know that sleeping early or as scheduled is difficult for you. Emergency naps are an indication that you need to balance that sleep checkbook.
So, do nap for up to 30 minutes. Beyond that, it won't benefit you. If you can't nap, just find a cozy spot and close your eyes. Allow your thoughts to settle down; quiet yourself and relax your body, including your face. Open your eyes and feel the energy buzzing through you.
In health,
Lauren
Though you know how important getting into a sleep schedule is, sometimes you really need a nap. When done correctly, a nap will make you more focused and energized.The ideal nap will only take you into the first two stages of sleep (10-20 min). If you sleep any longer, you'll get that groggy feeling and will not feel rested. Naps should never replace sleep.
There are three kinds of naps: planned, habitual, and emergency. If you know that you will be up later than normal, you should plan to take a nap 7 or more hours before you go to bed. Napping habitually may be a better option if you know that sleeping early or as scheduled is difficult for you. Emergency naps are an indication that you need to balance that sleep checkbook.
So, do nap for up to 30 minutes. Beyond that, it won't benefit you. If you can't nap, just find a cozy spot and close your eyes. Allow your thoughts to settle down; quiet yourself and relax your body, including your face. Open your eyes and feel the energy buzzing through you.
In health,
Lauren
Carlon, Brianne. "To nap not to nap?." Dance Spirit 14.7 (2010): 50. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 22 Sept. 2010.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
63/365 Put the Amp Down and Go to Sleep
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Whenever the first week of tests or finals come around, the Amp, Red Bull, etc. Energy Drink Girls are sure to follow. In their super cute cars with their bubbling personalities the girls joyfully pass out energy drinks with bright colors and symbols of lightning bolts and power. I am not trying to insult these girls, they are just doing their job. These drink companies go to great lengths to market their product to you because they know it isn't healthy.
Energy drinks are toxic. Something with taurine, caffeine, and a bunch of other chemicals you can't pronounce or have heard of is not good for you. This is especially true when studying for exams. Your brain is much better off with a good night of sleep instead of trying to filter out chemicals to get through its beloved blood brain barrier.
You have to face the music: if you don't know your test information by now, cramming until 3am is not going to help the situation. Rather, be proactive and plan ahead. Study starting the week before the exam a little at a time; start sooner if you can. I know this sounds like high school stuff but, people still don't listen to this advice (I am a person too by the way and a work in progress).
Regardless, recharging your synapses and allowing your brain to process everything that you've shoved into it from class and studying will do you much better on the test and in the long run. Cramming and consuming energy drinks is not the best answer possible.
Happy studying and sleeping!
In health,
Lauren
Whenever the first week of tests or finals come around, the Amp, Red Bull, etc. Energy Drink Girls are sure to follow. In their super cute cars with their bubbling personalities the girls joyfully pass out energy drinks with bright colors and symbols of lightning bolts and power. I am not trying to insult these girls, they are just doing their job. These drink companies go to great lengths to market their product to you because they know it isn't healthy.
Energy drinks are toxic. Something with taurine, caffeine, and a bunch of other chemicals you can't pronounce or have heard of is not good for you. This is especially true when studying for exams. Your brain is much better off with a good night of sleep instead of trying to filter out chemicals to get through its beloved blood brain barrier.
You have to face the music: if you don't know your test information by now, cramming until 3am is not going to help the situation. Rather, be proactive and plan ahead. Study starting the week before the exam a little at a time; start sooner if you can. I know this sounds like high school stuff but, people still don't listen to this advice (I am a person too by the way and a work in progress).
Regardless, recharging your synapses and allowing your brain to process everything that you've shoved into it from class and studying will do you much better on the test and in the long run. Cramming and consuming energy drinks is not the best answer possible.
Happy studying and sleeping!
In health,
Lauren
Thursday, September 9, 2010
51/365 Balance Your Sleep Checkbook
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Sleep is absolutely important for a healthy life. Without sleep, you are more likely to develop high blood pressure, produce the stress hormone cortisol, and produce inadequate amounts of antibodies to a flu vaccine. In a study, participants were found to have reduced these effects of sleep debt by repaying it.
As students, I realize this can be a challenging thing to do. We have homework, work, a social life, Project Runway, and other things to do before sleep. It is important to allot enough time for your natural sleep cycle. I find that 8 hours is perfect for me. I don't usually get those 8 hours even if I'm in bed and wake up at the same time every weekday. So what I do, and what researchers have suggested, is to sleep in 2-3 hours more on the weekend and tack on extra hours during the next week.
If you have a large debt to pay, you may have to wait awhile before you can repay it. If possible, plan a really light week for yourself. Get into bed the moment you feel tired and fall asleep naturally. Allow yourself to wake up naturally too. You may sleep for 12 hours initially but it is all part of the process.
Prevent sleep debt altogether as best you can. Try to get into a schedule. If you find yourself in debt, repay it on the weekend. Speaking of which...good night!
In health,
Lauren
"Repaying your sleep debt." Harvard Women's Health Watch 14.11 (2007): 1-3. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. EBSCO. Web. 9 Sept. 2010.
Sleep is absolutely important for a healthy life. Without sleep, you are more likely to develop high blood pressure, produce the stress hormone cortisol, and produce inadequate amounts of antibodies to a flu vaccine. In a study, participants were found to have reduced these effects of sleep debt by repaying it.
As students, I realize this can be a challenging thing to do. We have homework, work, a social life, Project Runway, and other things to do before sleep. It is important to allot enough time for your natural sleep cycle. I find that 8 hours is perfect for me. I don't usually get those 8 hours even if I'm in bed and wake up at the same time every weekday. So what I do, and what researchers have suggested, is to sleep in 2-3 hours more on the weekend and tack on extra hours during the next week.
If you have a large debt to pay, you may have to wait awhile before you can repay it. If possible, plan a really light week for yourself. Get into bed the moment you feel tired and fall asleep naturally. Allow yourself to wake up naturally too. You may sleep for 12 hours initially but it is all part of the process.
Prevent sleep debt altogether as best you can. Try to get into a schedule. If you find yourself in debt, repay it on the weekend. Speaking of which...good night!
In health,
Lauren
"Repaying your sleep debt." Harvard Women's Health Watch 14.11 (2007): 1-3. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. EBSCO. Web. 9 Sept. 2010.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
19/365 No eXercise before Zzz
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
I realize that not everyone is a morning person. When I wake up, I'm ready to go for a run, to eat breakfast, or do whatever. You may not be like me and that's wonderful, it's better that way really :)
However, I do want to advise all of you non-morning people to reconsider working out at night, like past dinner time. My reasons are these:
1. You are more likely not to work out if you put it off until later in the day.
2. If you need to sleep, exercising at night won't help you out too well. After you exercise, your body is hyped up and needs to recover before you are back to your normal resting state. It will take a few hours for your body to wind down enough to be able to have a nice deep sleep.
3. You're going to want to eat after you work out, right? It's hard to fall asleep and a full/satisfied stomach.
4. Your quality of sleep will most likely not be as great compared to when you exercise earlier in the day.
Exercise is a fantastic way to have better energy levels. You will sleep deeper and wake up with more energy because of it. Try to schedule your exercise earlier in the day or prepare to stay up a few more hours (though you shouldn't especially if you know you have to get up early) before you go to bed.
In health,
Lauren
I realize that not everyone is a morning person. When I wake up, I'm ready to go for a run, to eat breakfast, or do whatever. You may not be like me and that's wonderful, it's better that way really :)
However, I do want to advise all of you non-morning people to reconsider working out at night, like past dinner time. My reasons are these:
1. You are more likely not to work out if you put it off until later in the day.
2. If you need to sleep, exercising at night won't help you out too well. After you exercise, your body is hyped up and needs to recover before you are back to your normal resting state. It will take a few hours for your body to wind down enough to be able to have a nice deep sleep.
3. You're going to want to eat after you work out, right? It's hard to fall asleep and a full/satisfied stomach.
4. Your quality of sleep will most likely not be as great compared to when you exercise earlier in the day.
Exercise is a fantastic way to have better energy levels. You will sleep deeper and wake up with more energy because of it. Try to schedule your exercise earlier in the day or prepare to stay up a few more hours (though you shouldn't especially if you know you have to get up early) before you go to bed.
In health,
Lauren
Monday, August 2, 2010
13/365 Creature of Habit
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Something that I have found that helps me in my endeavors to be healthier me is becoming a creature of habit. Routines can help you stay disciplined with your diet, exercise, and/or sleep. Try scheduling your work out at the same time every day, preferably at the beginning of the day. I suggest that because you are more likely to do it. With our busy lives, we can easily make excuses to not exercise if we put if off until later in the day.
If eating healthier is where you struggle, try eating the same great food every day. In the morning, I have my yogurt-fruit-granola/cereal parfait, a piece of whole wheat high fiber toast with peanut butter and preserves or honey, and a glass of milk. All the food groups are represented and I find my breakfast to be delicious. I'm full for about 4 or 5 hours and packing in about 400 calories. Then I work out, have my protein to refuel (I'll discuss this later), then lunch. Lunch consists of a very large salad of mixed greens with cranberries on top. Dressing is whatever I find but limited to a tablespoon. Tossed correctly, that tablespoon goes a long way. Dinner is up to me.
Yes I eat the same things for the first half of every day but, I don't get tired of it. When you eat healthy, you don't get that uncomfortably full feeling, just satisfaction.
So try a routine for a week making sure that you're getting in all your food groups, exercise, and sleep. You may find that you like it.
In health,
Lauren
Something that I have found that helps me in my endeavors to be healthier me is becoming a creature of habit. Routines can help you stay disciplined with your diet, exercise, and/or sleep. Try scheduling your work out at the same time every day, preferably at the beginning of the day. I suggest that because you are more likely to do it. With our busy lives, we can easily make excuses to not exercise if we put if off until later in the day.
If eating healthier is where you struggle, try eating the same great food every day. In the morning, I have my yogurt-fruit-granola/cereal parfait, a piece of whole wheat high fiber toast with peanut butter and preserves or honey, and a glass of milk. All the food groups are represented and I find my breakfast to be delicious. I'm full for about 4 or 5 hours and packing in about 400 calories. Then I work out, have my protein to refuel (I'll discuss this later), then lunch. Lunch consists of a very large salad of mixed greens with cranberries on top. Dressing is whatever I find but limited to a tablespoon. Tossed correctly, that tablespoon goes a long way. Dinner is up to me.
Yes I eat the same things for the first half of every day but, I don't get tired of it. When you eat healthy, you don't get that uncomfortably full feeling, just satisfaction.
So try a routine for a week making sure that you're getting in all your food groups, exercise, and sleep. You may find that you like it.
In health,
Lauren
Saturday, July 31, 2010
11/365 Sleep: the Third Component for a Healthier You
Friend and Fitness Enthusiasts,
I believe that healthiness is affected by three things: exercise, diet, and sleep. I'd say that most people only do two of these successfully. As a college student, you can expect late nights studying, hanging out, finishing projects, or clicking away on the internet. I have noticed though that this does not change as you get older. Employees of where I'm interning confess that they don't get enough sleep at night either.
Seven to nine hours constitute as enough sleep. Sleep is important for your brain as well as your body. Your brain has been stimulated so much throughout the day that it needs to regroup and piece everything back together. Your body has had to counter bacteria, stress, exercise, etc. all day long and needs to recuperate. Also, when you exercise, your muscles get micro tears in the fibers. Your muscles need sleep in order to repair those muscles, get bigger, and get stronger. Also, once you start exercising, you'll have better sleep. Just trust me on that one.
So, get into a habit. If you can, do your best to go to sleep and wake up at the same time to make sure that you get those precious hours. I like to work out in the morning. It's crucial that I get enough sleep in order to be energized for it.
Sleep. Make it a habit!
In health,
Lauren
I believe that healthiness is affected by three things: exercise, diet, and sleep. I'd say that most people only do two of these successfully. As a college student, you can expect late nights studying, hanging out, finishing projects, or clicking away on the internet. I have noticed though that this does not change as you get older. Employees of where I'm interning confess that they don't get enough sleep at night either.
Seven to nine hours constitute as enough sleep. Sleep is important for your brain as well as your body. Your brain has been stimulated so much throughout the day that it needs to regroup and piece everything back together. Your body has had to counter bacteria, stress, exercise, etc. all day long and needs to recuperate. Also, when you exercise, your muscles get micro tears in the fibers. Your muscles need sleep in order to repair those muscles, get bigger, and get stronger. Also, once you start exercising, you'll have better sleep. Just trust me on that one.
So, get into a habit. If you can, do your best to go to sleep and wake up at the same time to make sure that you get those precious hours. I like to work out in the morning. It's crucial that I get enough sleep in order to be energized for it.
Sleep. Make it a habit!
In health,
Lauren
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