The Science Project

The last 3 months have been a very trying experience for me. I have started my training for the Hotter Than You Know What bike race in August. I am now on the bike up to 5 days a week. That is a lot my peeps... a whole lot! I have also started to experience what can only be described as perimenopausal symptoms. I am not sleeping well and have managed to gain more weight. I am having some hot flashes and am sweating like a pig in the middle of the night. I am totally exhausted about 10 days out of the month and when you train as hard as I do then you can not be tired for 10 days out of the month. I have the overwhelming desire to go postal on people about 10 days out of the month. When I found myself wanting to go postal on my precious daughter Carly Jo, who by the way her only desire in life is to make her mama happy, I knew I needed to get this hormone thing checked out. Finally I have what I have fondly started calling cotton brain. I repeat myself and tell the same story over and over and over. I apologize to all of you who keep hearing the same story over and over. Did I already say that? Anyway, on Tuesday the science project began.
I visited Dr. Block at the Block Center in Hurst. She is a doctor of Osteopathic medicine and I think she is really cool. Dr. Block did an extensive overview of my health history. This included going over my current diet, exercise and vitamin and mineral supplement programs. She then proceeded to collect what felt like 1o million gallons of blood from me.
The blood will be tested for 16 different things ranging from total cholesterol to total iron and lots of stuff in between.
She sent me home with a box and asked me to collect my fecal matter for 3 days. This my peeps was not fun. I was so glad to see the Fed Ex guy come and take that box away. This test will verify up to 22 different things. And this whole time I just thought poop was poop. Anyway enough said about that project.
The next test is the magnesium challenge which entails collecting urine for 24 hours and taking that jug back to her. She will then give me 2 magnesium shots and then give me a new jug to fill with urine. Fun, Fun! This test will show me how I absorb the magnesium. Magnesium my peeps is a good thing. More on why when I learn more about it.
The final test that I must do is the saliva hormone panel. You got it right peeps. I have pooped, peeded and now I am gonna be a spittin'. My understanding is that I am gonna be a spittin' ALOT. A whole month's worth of spittin'! Yee Haw! This saliva test will verify the hormone levels in my body throughout the entire month. It seems that women like me become estrogen dominate during this perimenopausal span of time. My hope is that I can figure out when my estrogen dominates and my progesterone gets so low during the month and then supplement it with bioidentical hormones versus synthetic hormones. Progesterone is the feel good hormone and I am a needin' some of that!
Anyway, I will keep you posted on the science project.
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How do I measure my chubby?

Today's blog came to be from a conversation I had with my adult fitness client Missy. We were discussing the different ways to measure body fat aka chubby. I thought I would explain some of the different ways to do it.

The first and most simple is the bioelectrical impedance test. These are those scales that you can buy at places like Wal-Mart or Target. They will measure your weight, body fat % and % of water in the body. You simply step on the scale and it will display your results on the screen of the scale. These probably are not the most accurate, but are a great place to start. Check out the Tanita scale by clicking here.


The pinch test or skinfold measurement is another way to get an estimation of body fat. You take a set of skin calibers and measure in three separate places. On women you measure behind the back of the upper arm in the tricep area, the belly area in between your love handles and your belly button and the upper thigh. On men you would measure the chest area, the belly and the upper thigh. You take all three numbers and add them together to come up with a grand total. Then take this total and find your age on a predetermined sheet of calculations such as the Jackson and Pollack scale formula and just like magic you have an estimate of your body fat. Check out the skin calibers by clicking here.


Another way is to submerge yourself in water and take the hydrostatic weighing test. The test involves suspending a client in a tank of water. Body density is calculated from the relationship of normal body weight to underwater weight. For additional information on this procedure click here.


Also, you can do a BMI test. The short explanation of BMI is adjusting weight for height or stature and calculating a height-normalized index. Blah, blah, blah...just go here and punch in your numbers and see what you get.


The last and most accurate way to measure body fat to me is JUST LOOK IN THE MIRROR! The mirror has a way of being really honest. It will not lie to you. The scales and BMI again are just numbers. You know when you need to adjust your eating or pick up the intensity of your work-outs! Look in the mirror!


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Just A Number

I am writing today in response to my own frustration and to the frustration of my dear friend and training partner and client RunnerSusan. You see we both are in a battle with numbers today. She is in a battle with the scale and I am in a battle with the growing size of my thighs. RunnerSusan in at that point where you go from say 130 to 129 on the scale and she is just about to scream about it. I am at the point that if my quads continue to grow at the pace they are growing I should be close to the incredible hulk by the time my bike race gets here in August. If you look at the big picture neither one of us should be concerned about either of our issues. You see RunnerSusan almost doubled in size when she was prego with her daughter all those years ago. Now she is a svelte, muscular and strong runner and in excellent health. I too weighed in at a whopping 194 when I delivered my sweet daughter. I have overcome lots of obstacles on my way to better health. I am now in the best shape of my life. I had major knee surgery and was released from my doctor and physical therapist 6 weeks after surgery. I ran a 5K just 3 months after that knee surgery.

Why am I reminding myself of all of this you ask? The reason is just as RunnerSusan shouldn't be concerned with 1/2 of a pound is the same reason I shouldn't be concerned that I need a size larger shorts this summer to hold these massive thighs of mine. I think we both need to take a chill pill and realize that we are healthy and yes we have a little junk in our trunks and our thighs are a little thunderous not due to fat, but due to MUSCLE!!! So to all of you ladies or gents out there that are struggling with the number on the scale or the size of your clothing...just forget about it! It ain't worth the trouble. If you are eating well and exercising just go with it and fear not! Thanks for listening!

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Get Slim with Advocare Slim

Advocare has come out with a new product and I really think they are on to something with this item. As most of you know I am a distributor of Advocare products and I use several of their products on a daily basis. I am not really pushy to sale this stuff to my peeps, but I think this particular item is really cool. It is called Slim and comes in a two ounce bottle as shown in the photo above. This little bottle contains ingredients for appetite management and provides support for long-lasting energy. You may use this product along with your current vitamin and mineral supplements as well. I like it because it is so convenient and portable.

Slim contains two key ingredients Svetol and Super Citrimax. My understanding is that Svetol is a decaffeinated green coffee bean extract that helps you simultaneously lose weight and improve your body's form. You may learn more about Svetol by clicking here. Super Citrimax has ingredients that support weight loss and fat reduction as well. You may learn more about Super Citrimax by clicking here.

I have been using Slim for the past 2 weeks and I have seen a decrease in appetite and an increase in energy. The kicker of all of this is I am only using 1/2 of a bottle a day. The instructions state that you may drink up to 2 full bottles a day. This would be one 30 minutes before breakfast and one around 2 in the afternoon. I think you have to try it and see what works for you and your body. 1/2 a bottle is plenty for me. I have also noticed an increase in concentration. Hey we all could use a little more focus. Another benefit is that it is helping me sustain some of my long bike work-outs. Gotta love that!

Anyway, if you have any questions or would like to order some Slim you may order by clicking here. You may also call me or drop me an e-mail and I could order it for you.

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6 Weeks In

It is about 6 weeks in from the New Year and I wondering where you are with the goals that you set for the New Year? Six weeks is long enough to know whether you are on track or fell off of the track and were run over by a truck full of chocolate covered DISTRACTIONS!!!

Think about it and see where you are on those goals. Have you lost any weight? Have you worked out at least 3 times a week? Have you started to tone up? Have you eaten well 80 to 90% of the time? Have you been sweeter to your husband? (I guess you would have to ask Joe).

If you answered yes then way to go...I would say that you are on track. If you answered no then get back on track. You can always start over at the beginning. Find your beginning and get started starting over already!

I was talking with my dear friend, training partner, and client Deana and she told me of a statement from Dr. Phil. Dr. Phil said that when trying to decide on making a change for better health and weight loss you have to decide where you want to be 1 year from now. He stated that in 1 year from now one of two things will have happened. You will have either LOST weight or you will have GAINED weight. Those are the choices for us women folk especially.

So I ask you where do you want to be 1 year from today?

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Priceless

Pair of new Asics Running shoes: $79.00

Pair of new socks: $3.50

New work-out shorts: $24.99

New work-out top: $24.99

10 - 1 on 1 Personal Training Sessions with Cindy: $550.00

or

10 Adult Fitness Class sessions with Cindy: $165.00


LESS JUNK IN THE TRUNK or LESS HANDLES TO LOVE!

PRICELESS!!!!!!!

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Good Old Fashioned Oatmeal

The post today is about food. I really love food and one item that I have grown to love alot lately is Oatmeal. I admit that this was not always the case. I had to work my way to loving oatmeal. I took baby steps with oatmeal, but now I am singing it's praises. At 150 calories a serving and 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber to boot it is a winner with me.

As I mentioned I did take baby steps with oatmeal. I started out eating packets of oatmeal. I used the Quaker Oats Weight Control Oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon and then I moved to Quaker Oats Quick Oats. Now I have gone hardcore with the Old Fashioned Quaker Oats Oatmeal. I love this oatmeal because it sticks with you alot longer than a quick breakfast of cold cereal or fruit with whole grain bread. I would suggest you give oatmeal a try. You may be like me and decide that the world is suddenly at peace when you have a hot bowl of oatmeal to eat!

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