Fitness: As Routine as Brushing Your Teeth

Heather Herbeck kayaking in Girls4Sport’s long sleeve rash guard.

BY HEATHER HERBECK

We all have good or bad habits and routines, most of which we learned as children: brushing our teeth twice a day, washing our hands after using the restroom, grooming ourselves before going to work or school, etc. Our parents stressed the importance of having a routine (whether it was for their sanity or for our benefit) and these routines follow into our adult lives.

One thing that my parents made a point of was encouraging me to participate in school sports. I played all the traditional sports through high school and continued to play basketball and compete in track through my college years. With my parents’ leadership and support – driving me around EVERYWHERE to practices and games, attending games regularly, and just being involved with the team – I learned a few things: One, that exercise is an important part of life; two, to commit to something even if I didn’t want to; and three, working as a team… being involved with people.

I feel fortunate to have always had fitness as a regular routine. Well good news: It’s not too late to make activity part of YOUR daily routine, as well as part of your families’ routine. It takes a little over 60 days for an activity or thought to become a habit. As children, we had over 18 years (under our parents’ house and rules) to learn to brush our teeth, eat a variety of foods, groom ourselves . . . so, we don’t have to think consciously about doing these activities as adults, because they have just become “what we do!”

Here are five steps to help make exercise as routine:

1. Do a variety of activities: lift weights, walk, run, play tennis, swim, etc. You don’t have to join a gym to start getting fit. Throwing your credit card down for a gym membership doesn’t help you loose weight. It’s the moving… the activity that builds a more fit body. The gym is just a building. You can MOVE anywhere!!!!!
2. Commit to another person. It’s easy to brush yourself off if you only hold yourself accountable to YOU! However, if you hold yourself accountable to another person, it makes it a little more challenging to ‘not show up’ for your scheduled exercise session.
3. Make exercise a priority. I hear from a lot of people, especially mothers, “I just don’t have time!” MAKE TIME. You should be #1 in your life. If you feel healthy and energetic (which you will if you exercise), this will transform to all of your mommy activities and EVERY relationship you have. You will be a better person.
4. Exercise first thing in the morning. It’s taken me six years to get used to waking up at 5:15 a.m. to coach a crossfit class. What got me through the six years of torture… commitment to myself, my family (pay the bills) and my athletes. All of my athletes shuffle their way through the door with sleep still in their eyes, but the second they are finished with their workout, they are ready to take on the day with uplifted, energetic spirits.
5. Reward yourself! No, not with five scoops of cookie dough ice cream. Set a goal and choose a reward that celebrates the goal. Life would be boring and so monotonous if we didn’t set goals.  “What is your purpose in life if you don’t set goals and work towards achieving them?” – Heather

We are all queens… we all deserve to look and feel good. Take time out of your day to focus on YOU. You’re worth it… Here is my challenge for you: For 60 days, think of yourself as a queen, a mommy diva, the most talented athlete in the world… commit to yourself and one other person to make an activity part of your daily routine. Log this activity for 60 days… I feel confident that if you do this, you will find that your daily dose of exercise/activity will be as easy as remembering to brush your teeth!

If you have any questions or would like some fitness consultation, please email me at crossfitheather@yahoo.com.

“Live and Love Life”
Heather

Heather Herbeck is a whitewater kayaker with Girls4Sport who lives in BZ Corner, Washington, in the Columbia River Gorge.  She teaches whitewater kayaking on the White Salmon River.  She’s also a personal trainer and aerobics instructor.

Jumping for Joy

BY MELODY DECARLO

They say that admitting your addiction is the first step, so here goes. My name is Melody and I am addicted to exercise equipment. Okay, that wasn’t so bad. Over the years, I have collected all kinds of equipment. In addition to my surfboards (from short to long) and my stand up paddleboards, I have a bike, Indo Board, hula hoop, Coremaster, Bowflex, inversion table, bosu ball, rollerblades, and some stuff I have probably forgotten about.

The one piece of equipment that I would never want to be without is my rebounder. Several years ago, I got a brochure in the mail about rebounders. I went online and researched their benefits.

Rebounding works every cell in your body. It uses three forces-gravity, acceleration, and deceleration. These forces act against your body and your body gets stronger as a result. 

Rebounding is also very beneficial for your lymph system. This system carries nutrients to the cells and waste products away. Your lymph system has no pump so it is dependent on exercise to work properly.

Rebounding will improve the immune system since all cells become stronger in response to the increased “g force” exerted on the body during each jump. As a result, the immune cells become five times more active.

I also found that this form of exercise is low impact, improves balance, builds bone mass and strengthens joints. It can improve sleep, give you more energy, reduce stress, and increase metabolism.

I was convinced that rebounding would fit into my exercise program. I read that a poorly made rebounder could actually cause injury, so I made the decision to invest in a good quality model and hope that I would be happy with my purchase.

Within a week of receiving my new Cellerciser (the brand I chose), I was hooked. It was FUN!!! I got some dvd’s to go along with it and soon I was doing dance, boxing, yoga, and hip hop on my rebounder. On a visit to my 86 year old mom, I took it with me so I could use it while I was there. I had her try it and within a week, I had to order another one for her. My sister tried my mom’s and, shortly after, she got one, too.

  

We use our rebounders every day. It is the first thing I do every morning, even if it is for a few minutes. I bounce while I am on the phone. My mom bounces during commercials. It is so easy to just jump on it and do a quick workout or pop in a dvd and really work up a sweat.I am so happy that I made the decision to purchase a good quality rebounder. It seemed like a big investment at the time, but now, several years later, I know that it was worth it. I would highly recommend rebounding to everyone. It will improve your health, increase your energy, and make you feel like a kid again. Go jump!

Melody DeCarlo is an inspirational surf teamrider for Girls4Sport. Read more about Melody DeCarlo here (http://www.girls4sport.net/category-s/282.htm).

Enhance your flexibility without stretching a thing…

BY ROBIN NIELSEN

This is a picture of my pretty toes right before I went surfing this past Sunday… just before I slipped my warm booties on over them to dip into the cold waters of Santa Cruz. As I get ready to go surfing each time, I think about my flexibility. How is my body feeling? Where am I tight? Maybe you wake up in the morning feeling stiff and tight.

I do some minor stretching before I go out in the water or onto the tennis court so that I can “play” better, but I am really bad in this area! Do you stretch before you exercise?

I carry my “tightness” in my neck and shoulders. Part of it is heredity and part of it is learned poor behavior (i.e. working on the computer too much and being the “queen” of doing). Sound familiar? I am not as tight or stiff as I might otherwise be because of the diet I eat and the good rest I get. Believe me, it’s not due to all the stretching I do!   

 Here’s the scoop on how to ward off a tight, stiff body that only makes us feel old. Stay flexible and vibrant by following these simple tips.

• Get good sleep – at least 8 hours, uninterrupted night every night

You may wonder why sleep has an impact on our flexibility.  Even the most modest amount of sleep restriction raises inflammation which causes stiffness in our bodies.

• Eat good protein (free range, organic) such as wild caught fish, beef, chicken, whey and eggs

Protein contains calming and relaxing amino acids like taurine and theanine that help us to relax.

• Eat lots of vegetables: eat a rainbow to get a wide variety of nutrients – try some sea veggies too like kombu (use like a bay leaf – toss when finished) in your soups to add lots of amazing minerals, or arame which is also great for the skin.

Vegetables contain vital minerals that help us to relax and maintain a more balanced pH. People who are “mineral rich” are more flexible and cramp less due to the higher levels of magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium found in rich vegetable sources.

• Supplements: if you still need some support to get flexible, try the following:

1.   Green food – a powder made from vegetables and fruits with lots of good nutrients.
2. Extra magnesium: it is a muscle relaxer (too much, though and you’ll have diarrhea so try the chelated form) – try 250mg-500mg at lunch and before bed or try an epsom salt bath.
3. Taurine and theanine: these amino acids (breakdown of protein) are very relaxing – you can try this supplement as it contains both – Stress Arrest
4. Calcium and magnesium are very important for muscle function – try them in equal amounts of 250-500mg 2 times daily (use the chelated form)

(With supplements, work with a health care professional if you have questions or specific needs.)

• Breathe deeply during the day. Short, or shallow breathing causes tight, stressed muscles, and we all do it! So, when you hit the bathroom, breathe. It will help you get into the routine of deep breathing to relax.

Get flexible! You will feel better and will grow younger. That’s a big woo hoo!

Robin Nielsen helps her clients to “grow younger.” She is a successful entrepreneur, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist and an in-demand speaker and educator. She’s motivated thousands to improve their health with the right mental and physical fuel for living a luscious life.  Sign up for her ezine Rejuvenate, http://www.juvenescence.net/subscribe, or join her on a wellness surf/standup paddle board retreat: www.surfsolsister.com

© Robin Nielsen, NC

Pilates: Stretch It, Bend It, Mend It!

An interview with (and gorgeous photos of!) girl-for-sport Lisa Marie. 

Q: How you found pilates (and this chairs)?
A: I won a gift certificate (Salida Pilates Studio) 6 years ago as a prize from a local running race. I fell in love with pilates because it relaxes both my mind and body. At the time, I had years of muscle overuse and injuries from kayaking, skiing, and running. Pilates balances out my body. I have learned how to use my muscles to make each movement efficient. My body feels stronger and balanced.  The pilates chair that we use is actually locally made in Salida, Colorado. Joseph Pilates developed the pilates Wundu Chair. His goal was to have wundu chair in the living room of every family to be used for exercise but also to convert into a chair for regular, daily use. I love taking the chair outside on beautiful Colorado days to enjoy the flowing movement of each pilates exercise

Q: Why do you like it?
A: Pilates keeps me injury free and I love the feeling of efficient strength. I love teaching Pilates because seeing clients bodies becoming stronger leads to a stronger and peaceful mind.

Q: How often you do it?
A: Everyday!

Q:  What it has done for you?
A: Pilates has improved my kayaking and running tremendously. I have confidence in how my body moves. Without Pilates in my life, I would be dealing with many injuries from overused muscles. I recently started rock climbing and amazed on how my body and mind has learned to move efficiently.

Tendon Stretch Hamstring and core strength to pull back the sliding reformer. Trusting the strength of legs and core to balance in the standing position. Advanced Pilates exercise that is always fun to achieve. (photo: Avery Majors, Paper Posey Photography, http://paperposeyphotography.com)	Teaser Ending position on the wundu chair takes balance and core strength to balance on the pelvis. Fun to incorporate abdominal strength and flexibility in legs and spine. (photo: Avery Majors, Paper Posey Photography, http://paperposeyphotography.com)
Step ups Keeping back leg strong, step up on box with butt, inner thigh, outer thigh muscles. Goal is to not use quads. Keeps me strong and balanced for running. (photo: Avery Majors, Paper Posey Photography, http://paperposeyphotography.com)	Extension with Rotation Great stretch for abdominal muscles and psoas. Feeling of length when achieved. One of my favorite exercises cause it increase strength yet improve flexibility in the spine for rotation. Rotation flexibility is so important to have for kayaking. (photo: Avery Majors, Paper Posey Photography, http://paperposeyphotography.com)
Upside down pikes with one leg off Fun! Timing is important and trust in lifting the leg away from body makes this movement advanced. Oblique and TVA muscles are important. (photo: Avery Majors, Paper Posey Photography, http://paperposeyphotography.com)

For more information, visit www.salidapilatesstudio.com or www.pilates.com.

Skinny Jeans, Cheese and Happiness

BY LEANNE SALANDRO

As we enter 2011, resolutions are top of mind. I suppose it truly is a good thing to seek out on a regular basis the negative things in our lives that might be harmful or a hindrance. Who couldn’t take measures to eat better, floss our teeth more often or remember to drink more water every day? At the same time, it’s a bit hard on a person, especially hypercritical self-aware women who already have a list of imperfections or flaws someone out there compiled based on who knows what.

As I was making an exceptionally healthy lunch today, I got to thinking about how my clothes fit. This thought came to me as I was deciding on how much shredded cheddar should go into my meal. There was the amount I added but there was about 1 – 2 tablespoons worth of shreds left in the bag. Leave it, use it, what to do? I like cheese but those extra shreds are extra calories and fat.

The range of pants sizes I’ve gone through in 2010 has been quite the collection.  I had a baby in June 2010 and my body went through a lot of ups, downs, ins and outs. Through it all, I kept true to a mantra, a mantra I adopted years ago as I faced a lifetime of battling extra weight and perpetual dieting. Wear only what feels good and flatters my body, never pay attention to the size label sewn in the garment.

These days, skinny jeans grace the slender (spindly?) legs of models in magazines and billboards everywhere. I do not hold such a goal for myself, the wearing of skinny jeans. In my opinion, exceptionally tapered pants of any sort only tend to make the backside assets of even the fittest person somehow appear too big and out of proportion. Not to mention the possibly epic enhancement of any muffin top that might happen should said skinny jeans cut in near the waist. I shudder.

As I stared at that bag of shredded cheddar, I decided the observance of a new  year should never be just for critiquing flaws and short comings but should be a moment of reflecting and celebrating the goodness of life and hopes for the future. I enjoyed lunch immensely.

Happy New Year!

Achieving “Perfect Imperfection”

BY NAOMI PAULSON

My friend’s five-year-old son likes to sing the lyrics “I like to move it, move it. I like to move it, move it!” as he runs around the living room. I totally relate to that! Growing up, though, sports were not my thing…unless a neighborhood game of kick-the-can counts. That changed when I decided to hire a personal trainer a decade ago.

When a round of layoffs over seven years ago left me wondering what was next, I made the decision to pursue a career in the fitness industry to pass along all the benefits I’d gained from working with my trainer. The energy, confidence and vitality I felt was something I wanted others to experience, especially women who, like myself, didn’t grow up in sports.This took me on a journey I never would’ve expected.

I was good at what I did, and as someone who tends toward being very black and white, it was all or nothing for me. My experience on the yoga mat was such a great illustration of this. I was going to master the mat. It was about control and perfection. Trust me, this was reflected in my approach in the gym, the kitchen, etc… It has been my experience that the ’either/or’ approach of a black and white existence can be a harsh teacher.

When I look back at the past seven years, I am filled with a sense of gratitude. (Yes, even for those moments where the striving and control were taking over!) I’ve begun to let go of the need to be perfect… perfect imperfection my friend calls it. When I approach life with an attitude of curiousity, as though it’s a grand experiment, it seems to flow with a greater sense of ease. And that’s when I get to see the juicy things life has to offer as I’m not so spun out or tightly wound.

My approach has certainly changed. I love to get out and hike, my gym ID shows signs of wear and I am eating more green leafy produce than ever before. The difference is it comes more from a place of what feels right and a commitment to living healthy. The struggle to master (ie: control) is greatly diminished. Learning to listen to my body (rather than my head) has been key in this evolution.

There’s no one-size-fits-all program, but I do believe everyone can achieve their optimal level of health and live from a place of balance. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to see the forest for the trees. It’s no longer from the gym floor, but I still am able to help people make changes in their lives. As a health and nutrition counselor, one thing that I believe is universal: To treat oneself gently yet honestly allows them to make greater progress with better sense of self. And that’s why I do what I do… to pay that forward.

Triathlon Training: How to Balance it All

BY BROOKE TVERMOES

Girls4Sport triathlete Brooke Tvermoes

In today’s world of overbooked schedules and instant communication, how can we find the time to escape it all for a few hours each day? This has been the very question that I have been struggling to answer for the past few years. My name is Brooke Tvermoes, and I am a post doc at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), as well as a professional triathlete. This year is my first as a professional triathlete and finding the time to get in the training I need, while still pursuing my research interests in molecular toxicology, and finding time for my family and friends has been a continual struggle. I have to admit, I end up most days wishing there were just a few more hours in the day, and often times I find myself barely able to juggle all the balls I have in the air. But at the end of the day, when I lay to sleep, and I can finally take a deep breath and reflect on my day and my life – I know I am happy and not just a little happy, but that deep down content happy. I love every aspect of my life, and wouldn’t want to give up any part of it, no matter how crazy it may get at times.

So, by no means do I have it all figured out – how to balance family, work, and my love for triathlons – but I have found a few tricks that help me keep some balance in my life. Here are a few things that work for me:

1. Be organized. Have a schedule and stick to it! The most important thing for me is a schedule – I have a routine and I stick with it. If I have a morning swim scheduled before work and a ride after work then that’s what I do. You can not miss a practice and make it up later – it just doesn’t work that way and I have unfortunately had to learn that lesson more than once. Also, having a schedule allows you to go into autopilot and you know exactly what you are going to do each day. It takes too much time to figure out your day that morning once you’ve already gotten to work.

2. Be creative with your workouts and your time. I try not to waste any time during the day – it’s too valuable. There’s nothing wrong with trying to squeeze in a quick one hour swim before work, as long as you can get to bed at a reasonable time the night before. Frequently, I’ll sneak in a run during my lunch break and then just have lunch at my desk afterward. Girls4Sport sportswear is perfect for this because their workout clothes are so cute I feel comfortable wearing them at work, and the fabric is so absorbent I can workout and not get too nasty. In the evenings when most people are watching TV after work, I am out riding my bike. When you start your day, know what time you want to end your day and when that time comes, you just have to walk away from your computer, put the iphone down, and get out there. There is always something else that can be done at work – it’s never ending, especially if you have a research job like mine. But science, like most jobs, will be there tomorrow. My evening workouts have by far become my favorite part of the day. It’s a great time for me to think about the day (if I want to) or just ride and run as hard as I can so I can forget about the day; either way this is my time.

3. Try to plan workouts with friends. I always try to have a couple of workouts during the week that I am doing with friends. I find this to be beneficial for several reasons. First, it’s much harder to back out of a work out when you have committed to meeting up with someone else. Also, it’s fun to be with friends – they can make you smile and laugh when you least expect it. In addition, nothing strengthens a friendship more than bonding over a tough workout together. Friends also provide the extra motivation to push yourself on days you lack motivation. Last but not least, working out with your friends is a great way to hang out with your friends!!

4. Don’t over commit yourself. This is something that I continually struggle with. Just because there are 24 hours in a day does not mean that you can nor should book every one of those 24 hours. Recovery and sleep are a very important part of training. You need to prioritize and keeping a balance in your priorities can be tricky at times. In the off season, family and friends absolutely get priority, in the building phase of my season my priorities shift some, but the last few months before a big race my priority is racing and training – dinner with friends are an absolute must but late nights on the weekends are out, at least for a little while.

5. Have a good support group. I don’t think any of this would be possible without the love and support of my husband and family. Training for an Ironman takes a lot of time and there is no way around that, but having the support and understanding of the time commitment from my family and friends is invaluable. Riding bikes with my husband is one of my absolute favorite things to do – this has become our time together and I love it.

I am also very thankful for the support from my sponsors like Girls4Sport. Girls4Sport provides me with some fantastic workout clothes that are both cute and comfortable! Their support and belief in me, allows me to pursue my dream of being a professional triathlete and I am eternally grateful for that.

If you’re thinking about doing your first triathlon, I say go for it!! Figure out what’s important to you and then make time to do it. I think Dr. Seus said it best: “Life is a great balancing act … And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed).”

Brooke Tvermoes is a professional triathlete sponsored by Girls4Sport and a post doc at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in North Carolina.