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December 23rd, 2009
Map My Run /// No Comments ///
By Cheney
By: Amber Shadwick, H3 Fitness Specialist
‘Tis the holiday travel season and what would we do without our GPS’s? Remember the days when we had to pull out the old paper maps and highlight our driving routes back home or to wherever our travels were taking us?
The simplicity of plugging in the device and having a pleasant voice lead us to our destination is brilliant! What if we could do the same with our exercise routes?
As a fitness enthusiast, I am well aware that we can buy wrist watch GPS devices, however there is an alternative to that bulky, pricey wrist gadget.
A recent website I stumbled across is ideal for mapping walking and running routes wherever you may be. Simply go to www.mapmyrun.com . You can search for runs in your area, map a new run and save it to your profile, as well as log your training (aka at H3:“journaling”).
The website also allows you to search for local races and events. Map my run has a blackberry and iphone app too! Registration to this site FREE! So… why not take some time to browse and utilize this ingenious tool? Once you check it out, lace up those shoes, grab a buddy and or your music and hit the pavement!
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December 7th, 2009
Exercise YOUR Motivation /// No Comments ///
By Cheney
By: Jeff, H3 Program Intern
Note: This is Jeff’s last week here as a Program intern at H3. We will miss him greatly — and so will the readers of H3 Daily.com! All of us here at H3 would like to say THANK YOU for a job well done! Make sure to leave Jeff a note before he heads back to the ‘real world’.
There is no single universal plan for sticking to exercise or for that matter, a weight-loss program. In my experience, the best method to get us out of the reclining chair and psyche ourselves up for a challenging workout comes from within. No one can make us tread it out each day or even draw us into a beach boot-camp, there has to be something more individually internal to a successful exercise plan. The support of a friend or a trainer may in the end be your motivation, however only YOU can decide.
Here’s the key: find what personally motivates YOU, and cling onto it. For some of us, all it takes to start our engines is the thrill of that next road race or an inspiring pump up jam. For others it gets deeper, maybe we exercise because we want to be around for our loved ones, and at the end of the day set an example for others to live by.
We have to remember that health affects every single part of our lives and if we want to get the most out of our one chance, we must tailor our lifestyles in a healthy direction. There will always be reasons (or excuses) why we don’t want to exercise, but let’s put it into perspective: are there FAR more reasons to be exercising? Without a doubt. Besides the many health benefits: reduced blood pressures, stronger bones, reduced depression or controlling of a healthy body weight – the reason become far more substantial to the individual.
For that reason, it seems to me that the more YOU motivation someone has the healthier they’ll be, and the easier it is to maintain an exercise program. With that said, here are a few thoughts that are sure to spark a little YOU motivation in everyone.
1. The feelings you get after a solid workout. After going for a long run or completing a vigorous workout it’s truly a signature exercise “HIGH.” You’ll begin asking yourself: “Man, if I feel this good now, what about after my next workout?”
2. Success stories. Reading or hearing about others success can be extremely motivational. Such as someone who lossed one hundred pounds or what about the guy who ran fifty marathons in fifty days!
3. You time. Exercise is a time to start the day off on the right foot or a good time to reflect. Your doing something good for yourself, be proud of that.
4. Reaching the goal. Setting a goal weight or goal measurements may be your thing, or walking/running a certain amount of miles per week. Whatever the goal is make it realistic and personal.
5. Family and friends. Maybe YOU motivation is being able to play with our kids, or to be around for our grand children. The thought of having not only more time, yet QUALITY time can be enough drive for any exercise plan.
6. Fun. It’s fun to wake up in the morning and go running! Well for me and others it may be, yet create an exercise program that’s going to be fun for YOU. Whether it’s playing tennis, lifting weights or gardening as long as you’re moving.
7. Purchasing new clothes. Hey, who doesn’t love a new saweet pair of jeans? Simply the thought of switching sizes could be what inspires YOU, if it does go for it.
8. Entering a 5k race or longer. As I’ve mentioned before, registering for a future race and paying in advance may be just what keeps you training.
9. A before picture. Looking back on from where you’ve come and where you are going can be motivation enough.
10. Logging In. I believe writing down workouts and exercise accomplishments for the day is extremely important. Literally visualizing what you’ve done will help you stay on track, definitely try it!
That’s only a few ways to get and stay motivated. Another possibility is to print out a few motivational quotes and live by them, literally! Put them on your desktop or the refrigerator if that works for YOU. Remember it’s all about exercising YOU motivation so explore the options and once you find it hang on tight. All and all, here’s one quote for you to take:
“No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you absolutely, positively do have the power to change.”
~Bill Phillips~
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October 23rd, 2009
Shake Your Groove Thing /// 1 Comment ///
By Cheney
Here at H3, we are getting ready for our 2nd annual Reunion Week! This is a special week here, in which our doors open to H3 Members Only. And with this year’s theme, we’re taking you back to the funky days of the 1970s!
So here’s the skinny. This week’s schedule is designed around fun sessions that include physical fitness, healthy cooking, group discussions and social activities. Reunite with your friends, including past H3 guests and staff, during a week of good health and rejuvenation.
We have a few totally awesome features this year including H3 Poker Run, Grocery Store Relay, Shelter Cove Kayaking, and H3 Top Chef Competition. These are just a few of the exciting things planned for the week…you’ll have to join us to find out more! Can ya dig it?
To get your groove thing shakin’…here are the top 10 billboard hits from today in 1970!
1. “I’ll Be There” The Jacksons
2. “Cracklin’ Rosie” Neil Diamond
3. “Green-eyed Lady” Sugarloaf
4. “We’ve only just begun” Carpenters
5. “All right now” Free
6. “Fire and Rain” James Taylor
7. “Candida” Tony Orlando
8. “Indiana Wants Me” R. Dean Taylor
9. “Lola” The Kinks
10. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” Diana Ross
So don’t forget to join us for this year’s Reunion Week, November 8th – 15th. It’s bound to be a DYNOMITE time!
Be there or be square!!!
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September 8th, 2009
10 Simple Ways to Control Your Portions (and waistline…) /// 1 Comment ///
By Cheney
Last week, I challenged you to join the Small Plate Movement – to decrease your portions and learn to enjoy smaller meals (while still feeling satisfied!)
Here are 10 other ways to control your portions…
- Oldies but Goodies. Instead of putting your leftovers into one large container – break them up into individual meals. This way you are reaching for one meal, not the entire serving.
- Start with a Salad. Eating a salad before lunch or dinner is a good way to keep from overeating. By including lots of fiber-full veggies, it will help curb your appetite.
- Single serve your Trigger Foods. Buy snack foods in single serving sizes or separate into smaller individual baggies. It may be more difficult to stop eating [insert favorite snack food here] straight from the bag, but you are less likely to eat 5 zipper bags full.
- Eat Mini Meals. You can make sure your blood sugar stays stable and keep your stomach from rumbling by eating small healthful meals throughout the day. Here at H3, we encourage 100 calorie ‘Metabo Meals’ of fresh fruits and veggies in between meals.
- Out of Sight, Out of Mind. Keep pots and dishes away from the table during meals, where it’s easy to go for seconds. You may rethink your 2nd helping on the way from the table to the counter.
- Meat on the Side, Please. Treat meat entrees as a side dish rather than the main part of your meal. Load up on veggies and healthy grains as the bulk of your meal and you’ll feel full sooner. Your plate should be 2/3 veggies and 1/3 lean protein.
- Double Up. Eat 1/2 of a meal at lunch – and then save the rest for dinner. Or have a grilled chicken breast and veggies for lunch, and turn the left over into a chicken salad for dinner.
- You look 12 (and under). When eating out — order a kid portion. Not only do you save money, but you are also saving calories!
- Serving Smarts. Learn how to ‘eyeball’ the standard portion sizes and make sure to stick to them when dining out or eating at home. For example: 3 oz. of meat is the size of a deck of cards.
- Live a little. Don’t forbid yourself of certain foods – this will only lead you to feel deprived – which will most likely lead to bingeing. Treat yourself once in a while to avoid this cycle!
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September 3rd, 2009
Writing your pounds off one meal (and snack) at a time…the power of a food journal /// No Comments ///
By Cheney
Guest Blog, Kelly, H3 Marketing Specialist
If you were to add up your calories from yesterday, would you be able to recall everything you ate? And if you could, would you count it all? (Even the few remaining crumbs of coffee cake left behind in the break room – okay maybe it was a baby piece.) You may not think OR may not want to think that it all adds up- but it does.
When I first went off to college, I didn’t gain your typical “freshman fifteen.” Oh no, for me it was more like the freshman thirty (thirty-two to be exact). I didn’t even realize it until the summer after my first year, when I saw a picture of myself and thought- WHO IS THAT? Anyways, I hadn’t realized I’d gained that much weight because I THOUGHT I was eating quite similar to what I had been at home. On top of that, I’ve always been an active person.
My mom was just as baffled (or so I thought) by my weight gain as I was, so she suggested that I log what I ate to see if that’s what had changed (moms always know best AND they’re always right). So that summer, after eating each meal and snack, I would make note of it and record it in my diary at the end of the day. I’ve never been a diary person so this took some major getting used to.
I did this through the WHOLE summer and continued to do so when I returned to college my sophomore year. I soon found that my food diary was the eye-opener I had needed- it was clear that I was a HUGE snacker and not only that, but I would eat HUGE meals (my portions were at least double that of my meals at home).
Needless to say, once I noticed this trend- I cut it out! It wasn’t even that I had much to change, as I continued to eat the same meals- I just watched my portions, and I still had snacks but they were much healthier and much less frequent(!!!).
After my sophomore year (when I had pretty much returned to my normal weight), I stopped my food diary. It’s not something that I think is necessary, but whenever I start to feel like my healthy meal plan is slipping…I’ll start back up again.
Last year, a weight loss study conducted by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research found that participants who kept a food journal lost about twice as much weight compared to those that did not keep one- and not only that, but they sustained the weight loss.
For more information and tips on food journaling, visit WebMD.
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August 28th, 2009
T.G.I.(H).F. /// No Comments ///
By Cheney
Thank Goodness I (Have) Friends! Exercise friends, that is!
Looking back at our wonderful H3 Intern, Allie’s post about the ‘Attitude of Gratitude’, I realized how thankful I am for my exercise buds.
Working in an environment where everyone’s main goal is living a healthy lifestyle, it may seem as though it’s never a struggle to keep up. However, we are ALL human, and have the occasional bad day. Well, I recently lost motivation of ALL things healthy due to an injury.
Fortunately, I had a motivated exercise bud to push me back into the routine. Without the accountability from others, I would have a hard time pulling myself out of the warmth of my bed at 6:00 a.m. for a 4 mile run.
Whether you are going to the gym, taking a class or going for an afternoon walk, knowing you have someone counting on you – makes it a lot more likely that you will commit to exercise and follow through.
So, this weekend, call a friend and set a date — an exercise date!
Find your H3 Friends on our Fan Page!
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July 21st, 2009
Back to the Bike /// 2 Comments ///
By Allie
After a 10 year hiatus, I have rediscovered my love for biking. However, I must admit, it was a scary, heart-pounding journey. Several weeks ago, my fellow intern, Maggie, asked if I wanted to bike down to the beach with her during our break. I agreed thinking ‘it can’t be that hard to pick back up.’ After all, I biked every single day with my brother around the neighborhood…back in the day.
Boy was I wrong. I could have crawled at a faster pace than my biking speed. Maggie was practically biking in circles around me! My body head to toe was sweating, my heart was bursting out of my chest, and my forearms were stiff from grasping onto the handles for dear life.
Since that day, I have biked several times each week—to the beach, to the grocery store, around Shipyard Plantation. I still can’t believe it took me so much time to get back on a bike, but I’m sure glad I did.
If you are thinking of getting back on a bike for fitness, environmental and/or recreational reasons, here are some things that helped me get back to the bike:
1) The steering took some time to get used to, but it came back to me after a couple bike rides. Having to bike on the twisty paths in Shipyard on my first try was quite an experience!
2) Making sure my seat was adjusted to the right height. For the first couple of weeks I had been biking with my seat too low and my legs had been pedaling an awkward motion. See http://www.bicycletutor.com/adjust-seat for tips.
3) Biking with a friend that knew where the paths started/ended, could watch the stop lights while my heart pounded away, and watched for oncoming traffic (!!). Plus, biking with another person encouraged me to keep pedaling along rather than turning around and giving up.
4) Practice, practice, practice. After that first day, I thought I’d never get back on a bike again. That was enough stress to last several weeks! But I didn’t let my horrible biking skills keep me away. It was challenging for me but I figured it would be an excellent way to cross train, enjoy the warm weather/outdoors, relieve stress, and exercise on the beach.
So, if you have been meaning to get back on your bike, I encourage you to go get it out of your garage/storage room and get pedaling! If anything, it’ll help you save some [expensive] gas!
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July 16th, 2009
Move Your Bum[mer] This Summer! /// No Comments ///
By Allie
Summertime is the perfect time to get a jumpstart on (or continue living) a healthy lifestyle. The weather is warm, the pool is open, people are outside, and the sun is shining. It’s the perfect season to get active outdoors, play with your kids/pets, eat delicious and nutritious food, and try new activities! Here are just a few suggestions. I challenge you to check off 3!
- Bike to the park, around town, to the grocery store, to work, etc.
- Go rollerblading
- Play a round of golf
- Hand wash your car
- Do some gardening
- Mow the lawn
- Go on a hike
- Play catch
- Go shopping (leave your wallet at home if you don’t want to spend $$)
- Make a bookshelf
- Do an outdoor workout with your family, group of friends or neighborhood (Check back next week for a no-equipment-needed workout routine with photos!).
- Teach your kids some outdoor games (i.e. hopscotch, freeze tag, red light green light)
- Pack a picnic lunch instead of going out to eat
What are some ideas that you have come up with for staying active outdoors? Share it with us by making a comment!
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