30-Day Transformation: Diet

Getting motivated to, and actually working out has never been a problem for me. Well, since leaving high school and losing all the weight it hasn't been a problem. So I have that (significant) portion of the weight management and fitness challenge under control.

 

One thing that has forever plagued me (in terms of being as healthy and "in shape" as I'd like to be) are my eating habits. I subscribe to the "I work out hard so I can eat what I want/when I want" philosophy, which isn't a terrible way to live, but it's also not super productive when it comes to achieving goals once you reach a certain point in you fitness evolution. Goals like cutting body fat, gaining muscle mass, and generally being less "mushy" become very difficult to achieve when you eat brownies/cake/ice cream/chocolate every night (and at all times of the night). And yes, "mushy" is an official term.

 

Caveat: I'm a happy person. I'm not too obsessed with anything, I don't think. My muffin top does not make me feel like a bad human.

 

I eat, therefore I muffin. However, I am still a good human.

 

 

I'm also a person who loves a challenge, especially when it comes to something that has dogged me for so long and stands in the way of achieving a goal. So, here we go ... yes, it's bit gimmicky and yes, in naming it this way it sounds like an ABC reality show, but allow me to introduce my "30-day Transformation: Diet" undertaking.

Before I dive in, I learned in my fitness education that when setting goals, one always needs to be sure they are SMART goals. SMART = Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic and Time-bound. (You will see different variations on the acronym/words, but the approach is always the same). So, I am going to try and structure this project in the SMART fashion.

 

It's not going to be easy. I am not 100 % sure where to start. And, because of that, I'm not going to try and fix everything at once.  But, I am going to try and fix a few things in the next 30 days... and here they are:

• Achieve a significant drop in refined sugar. It's disgusting how much of it I eat, and how big of a portion of the "bad" calories sugar accounts for in my diet. Mostly it comes from desserts, which is where I have to start. How can I make it measurable? Dessert no more than twice per week, no candy during the day, milk instead of creamer in coffee.
• Stop eating at night. This will be - by far - the most difficult part of this process. I can't begin to describe how long I've done this, or all the different things I've done to try and stop it. Like, basically, everything on this list. However, I'll try again, and I think the focus this time needs to be on the water, the hard candy, and the "warm beverage" approaches. With a lot of the "psyche yourself for the battle" worked in there.
• Eat a bigger lunch. I know one of the reasons I eat so much later in the day/night is because I'm not eating enough during the day. So, with the start of my new full-time job, I can see no better time to work on eating more well-rounded, filling lunches. A meat, whole grain and vegetable will be the goal at least 3-4 days per week.
• Drink more water and less soda. I already drink a ton of water everyday, but I also drink more soda than I would like. One can or glass of soda per day, period.

I could probably put another 2-3 goals on this list, but I'm going to do what I advise to clients and that is to keep things (relatively) simple in the beginning and adjust as things progress. I'll be tracking my progress on the blog for a while; hopefully my process/insight will help you achieve your fitness goals!

 

If you have any tips for me on any of the things I talked about above, please share them. And thanks for reading my blog and being a part of my fitness education and improvement!!

 

 

 

 



NPR Weighs in on Weight

Real short post today, but it's a good one. I talk a lot here about nutrition, and am always on the lookout for good information to share. This NPR blog post definitely applies ... take a look to learn about recent Harvard research findings about foods to eat to avoid weight gain, foods to avoid, and some interesting theories as to why products like yogurt help prevent packing on pounds (bacteria activity?).

Eat healthy today!

Jump Rope!

Anyone who has worked with me or participated in any of my classes knows how much I love to incorporate jumping rope as a cardio element. It requires no equipment (except, of course, the rope), no instructions/learning curve, and very little space. However, if done with effort, it can be a great way to warm-up, finish a workout, or keep the heart rate up during resistance training.

Some cool "did you knows" about jumping rope ...

• Jumping rope can burn up to 1000 calories per hour, making it one of the most efficient workouts possible
• It tones muscles in the entire body, developing long, lean muscles in all major muscle groups, both upper and lower; primary benefactors are calves, glutes, arms, shoulders and abs
• Jumping rope is great not only for the cardio elements, but also the agility and coordination pieces. Anyone who hasn't tried it in a while will know what I mean when they grab a rope and get going for the first time
• It can make you feel like Rocky or Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter. Is this important in terms of the exercise benefits? Of course not. Is it important in terms of the coolness factor? 100 %.

Now I will admit that jumping rope can be a bit repetitive, but that is easily remedied with some creative design. Try these ideas:

• The first time you "fail," (the rope hits your feet), you do a pushup. 2nd time, 2 pushups. 3rd time, 3 pushups, etc., trust me .. if you jump rope for 5-10 minutes, you'll end up doing quite a few pushups.
• Or, if you have more experience, do 5 pushups everytime you fail
• Do intervals. One of my favorite interval schedules is this one - 120 seconds on/30 seconds off; 90 on/30 off; 60 on/30 off; 30 on/30 off - then work back up the other way. By the end you should be gassed.
• Do double-unders - Crossfitters will be very familiar with these. Watch the video and then try ... they are NOT as easy as they look
• Use jumping rope as active rest between sets of resistance training. I love to grab a jump rope at the gym in the morning and carry it around with me. After a set of any exercise, I'll jump for a minute instead of just standing/sitting around allowing my muscles to rest (works better on upper body lifting days than lower).

Sometimes the simplest things are the best things. You can get a jump rope just about anywhere, and even the best ones shouldn't be any more than 10-15 bucks. Grab one and get going - it's a fantastic, easy way to burn calories and stay active.

Beach Boot Camp Saturday 8:30 a.m.

Hi everyone-

Boot camp is on this Saturday at the new time -  8:30 a.m. $10 if you come alone, $5 if you bring someone. It's the best deal in town! :)

As always, a recap of the rules:

• BE ON TIME. We start at 8:30. If you're late, look around and find us, we'll be jogging and doing some warm-up exercises
• WORK HARD. This means "as hard as you can work." I know skill levels are different, and that's fine. I just want your best effort.
• HAVE FUN. This is a great group that enjoys each other's company. And I want to keep it that way.
• Bring water and a towel if you're squeamish about touching sand or grass

This weekend's camp will be at the same place as the last few weeks .. the beach/park area located adjacent to the South Mission Beach Jetty. Basically, get yourself to the Roller Coaster in Mission Beach, then go south on Mission Blvd until you can't drive anymore. Turn right and enter that park area, drive to the bathrooms (you'll see them) and park. Then look for me in the small grassy area near the bathrooms ... if all else fails, call me at 619-757-9147


Be sure you let me know if you're planning to come so I can get a good head count. Thanks and see you all there!

Personal Training

Hi everyone. As you know, I've spent the past two years or so getting ready to make fitness a part of my career. As it turns out, some things went really well in some other areas of my work life, and I have taken a full-time job as the Director of Communications for the San Diego Sports Commission. I couldn't be more excited for the new challenge - great people, amazing projects, very fun culture.

However, I have also turned a corner when it comes to what I'm ready to do professionally with personal training. I've been teaching my boot camp for over a year now (amazing, time flies), and have been teaching at the Mission Valley YMCA now for about 3 months. I'm ACE Certified and am reading as much as I can on a daily basis to be on top of the new developments in the fitness industry, etc.

Which brings me to my point - as of today, I am officially offering personal training services to my friends and family (and anyone else who is interested). I am going to be exclusively an outdoor trainer using some equipment I've compiled along with what mother nature has to offer to put together exercise regimens, and I'll help design diet plans and all the other elements of working with a fitness pro. I promise to be the most motivational, engaging and informed trainer with whom you've ever worked. That is my brand, and it's something I take seriously.

I also hope to be one of the most well-priced trainers in town. I'm going to charge $20 per hour, and I'll work out breaks for anyone who wants to do more than 10 sessions in one month. We'll take it on a case-by-case basis for now. The money is not as important to me as someone that is serious about their goals and ready to make a commitment to reach them.

I'm also offering small-group training. The prices are $35 per hour for two people, $50 for three, $60 for 4, and we'll work out groups larger than 5 depending on how many and how often the groups want to meet. I highly encourage you to try small group training, it's fantastic because you are really connected with the people around you, and I can spend a lot of time working with each person in the setting.

For those interested, I do have a connection through World Gym on Balboa where I can train people there. The only catch is that both persons in the gym have to have a day pass, which is $10 per person, so if anyone wants to train there, the cost would be $40 per hour session. I'm not a fan of charging that much money, but it's really the only way to get into a gym and train using heavy weight, without me having a relationship with a big ticket gym. I'm not crazy about doing that, because it goes against just about every principle I've adopted in my approach - individualize everything, get outside and feel good about where you're working out, work in groups when possible and enjoy life while you're exercising.

I understand that investing in personal training isn't easy or something you may be interested in. Please don't feel like this is a sales pitch - it isn't - it's just the very beginning of my outreach to people who I know are supportive and might either be interested or know people that are. The most important thing to me is the relationships that I have with each of you, and I really do appreciate everything you have all done to work with me/support me in the last 18 months or so.

I'm almost done. If you are interested or know anyone that is, please have them either comment on this message, send me an e-mail (jesselovejoy@yahoo.com), call me, or connect with me on Facebook.

Thanks to all, and I hope to see you soon.

-Jesse

Hoops

Me, my brother, and our mad hops

Cardio is important. Whether you're interested in losing weight, decreasing stress or just bettering your overall health outlook, you should be doing at least 30 minutes of cardio 5x each week.  Treadmill, stairmaster, run in the park, brisk walk ... whatever. Just get out, work hard, and feel the positive effects.

The worst thing about cardio? Boredom. It's horrible and it strikes when a person just tries to do the same workout everyday, or the same routine every week. I know for a fact because I'm a person that gets bored easily, so I'm always trying to shake things up when it comes to cardio-based exercise. One thing I don't do enough (but did today, so it's top of mind)? Play basketball.

Now, in order for basketball to count as true cardio exercise, it can't be a leisurely game of H.O.R.S.E. while drinking beers, or a half-court game of 21 where everyone is basically walking around shooting jumpers. The true cardio benefits of hoops come when someone plays a full-court game, doesn't cherrypick, and works hard to rebound and defend, which require a lot of lateral movement, leaping and muscular activity. All these activities will elevate the heart rate and engage many different muscle groups, as well as activate a neurosensory element not always present in cardio ... if you have to think about how to play the game, defend  a person, avoid a body coming at you, you are taking on a different challenge and decreasing the likelihood of boredom.

Want more information on the physiological benefits of playing hoops? 

The intangible benefits of playing basketball may be the best though. Walk into a gym knowing no one, make some quick friends (4), get on the court, figure out how to work together, hopefully win and hold the court, defend against a new group of people, learn more, etc. I can't say enough about how much of a person's character is revealed by how he or she plays basketball with people he or she doesn't know.

If you ever want to play, let me know and let's get out there! I'm out at the SDSU ARC at least once or twice a week and could always use a point guard to pass me the ball. No Celtics fans allowed. 

Beach Boot Camp - Saturday 9 a.m.

Hi everyone-

Boot camp is on this Saturday - 9 a.m. This is the first time I will be charging a (very small) fee, so please bring $10 if you are alone or $5 if you bring someone with you. I guarantee you it will be worth the investment!

As always, a recap of the rules:

• BE ON TIME. We start at 9. If you're late, look around and find us, we'll be jogging and doing some warm-up exercises
• WORK HARD. This means "as hard as you can work." I know skill levels are different, and that's fine. I just want your best effort.
• HAVE FUN. This is a great group that enjoys each other's company. And I want to keep it that way.
• Bring water and a towel if you're squeamish about touching sand or grass

I am going to host it at the beach/park area located adjacent to the South Mission Beach Jetty. Basically, get yourself to the Roller Coaster in Mission Beach, then go south on Mission Blvd until you can't drive anymore. Turn right and enter that park area, drive to the bathrooms (you'll see them) and park. Then look for me in the small grassy area near the bathrooms ... if all else fails, call me at 619-757-9147


Be sure you let me know if you're planning to come so I can get a good head count. Thanks and see you all there!