Challenges? No Excuses!

Discussion Question: What is the biggest challenge when it comes to your health and fitness goals?


I recently asked the A-Factor Health & Fitness group this question on facebook. The responses I got were great! I would like to address each response in this post:   Challenge #1. Jennifer Renee said Social Events were her biggest challenge! She said "I know the right thing to eat, but when there are multiple varieties of new good food, I have to try. And then I have to try to portion the dessert! It is a challenge!"   Response: Jen, I know I have struggled with this, especially coming from an Italian and German/Irish background! The Italian's love large portions and lots of processed carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are amazing for our bodies and we need them to convert into glycogen for energy. Proteins are needed but they take longer to convert to energy, carbohydrates are quick converters! These carbs consist of fruits, vegetables, fiber, and whole grains, aiming toward 5 fruits and vegetables per day. So how do we stay healthy at social events? I try to eat a healthy meal before I go to the event so that I am not too hungry when I get there, this limits the junkfood that I will eat. I also like to increase water consumption that day and plan an intense workout either before or after the event to motivate me not to overdo it! If this doesn's work then I just give myself a break, allow a little indulgence and then workout hard the next day to counteract the extra calories ;)

Challenge #2: Stacey Powell Imran said that disease management was a challenge for her.

Response: Stacey, this is a tough one because there are so many specifics when it comes to disease management and the type of disease that you are dealing with. The best recommendation is to work with a medical provider that has the same goals as you. Your provider will make sure your exercise program and nutrition is specific to your special needs.  The best advice is to never ignore your provider's recommendations and seek a specialist when needed. Nutritionist are well-trained in disease management and are a useful resource. If you are cleared from your provider's care, continue to set goals as normal and maintain regular check-ups with your provider. Your health is most important and even when an illness or disease seems to hinder it, maintaining a positive attitude and continuing to set your personal goals will go a long way!

Challenge #3: Lauren Twele said that VINO is a challenge for sure. She said, " I like to have a glass or two after work and there are so many calories :( "

Response: Well Lauren, I think many of us can agree that a little Vino after a long week can be quite relaxing and fun! Let's look at the facts about wine and your health: According to the Mayo Clinic, RED WINE can have a good affect on your heart. "Red wine, in moderation, has long been thought of as heart healthy. The alcohol and certain substances in red wine called antioxidants may help prevent heart disease by increasing levels of "good" cholesterol and protecting against artery damage." Also, "Resveratrol might be a key ingredient in red wine that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces "bad" cholesterol and prevents blood clots." -  1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER).
But, the key word here is in MODERATION. There is no physician that is going to recommend that you take up drinking in order to get healthier. So having a glass of red wine a day is not the end of your health goals.  The key is to only have one glass. A 5 ounce glass of wine is about 125 calories. Now this depends on the type of wine that you have but the rule of thumb is 25 calories per ounce of wine. If you are counting calories, it is up to you whether you want to spend those calories on a glass of wine or on something a little more nutritional? Cheers Lauren ;)   Challenge #4: Anne Collins Fischer's challenge is time management -- She asks, "how to find the time when traveling for work, busy schedule etc?" She said she knows what to do -- just wants to know how to find the time to do it right? Erin Martinez agreed with Anne and said not only finding the time but the motivation is her challenge.   Response: Anne, I know you travel a lot for work and that can be hard when it comes to making time for your health and fitness! I think this can be many of our biggest challenges in the crazy busy world that we live in. My best advise on time management is being flexible with your fitness schedule but maintaining your determination and making time for yourself. Many of us feel the pressure of a busy work schedule, family schedule, taking care of a home, business, and much more! When can we possibly squeeze in a workout or have time to make a healthy meal? Planning is important when it comes to achieving a goal. Not only planning but consistently re-planning and adjusting your small goals to meet your larger goals. When goal setting, you want to write down your large goal and then at least 3-5 small goals that will get you to your overall goal. Also, make a list of those challenges that you know will hinder you along the way, this way you are already aware of them and can counteract them! Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T. Goals). This will be different for each person depending on their schedule.   Start with a small goal for next week. This could include buying a jumprope to have in your suitcase so you can get a quick cardio workout in your hotel room before bed. Then maybe tell track your water in-take (8-10glasses per day) for the following week. This way you dont feel overwhelmed with your busy schedule but each week your are setting a goal that will ultimately make you healthier, happier, and MORE PRODUCTIVE in your work!   Erin, finding motivation can be hard for everyone at times. Especially when we are so busy and tired! When I lack motivation I always remember how wonderful I feel after a good workout or a healthy meal. If this still doesnt work, I go back to the reason that we exercise and eat healthy....What is your reason for wanting to do this? Mine is to live a long life and inspire my children to be healthy adults. Everyone has a reason and sometimes we just need to remind ourselves why! Journaling is proven way to motivate oneself to a healthier life. When we write our feelings, goals, accomplishments and even struggles...this mentally stimulates our motivation! Social interaction and accountability is also a proven motivator. Just as 9news recommends having a breast cancer buddy check partner, you should always try to have a fitness buddy or two or three ;) If anyone needs one, I am always here!   Challenge #5: Patti Pfeifer wrote that her biggest challenge was getting to bed early enough to have the time to workout in the morning and fighting her sweet tooth!

Response: Patti, I am right there with you on these challenges. Early to bed is not always an option in our household with the kids and then sometimes the morning workout is missed because of lack of sleep. Sleep is crucial to our overall health. According to the National Sleep Foundation, "There is laboratory evidence that short sleep durations of 4-5 hours have negative physiological and neurobehavioral consequences." On the contrary, "some research has found that long sleep durations (nine hours or more) are also associated with increased morbidity (illness, accidents) and mortality (death)." Although, researchers wont put a magic number on the hours of sleep per night, according to this research we should have between 6-8 hours of sleep per night to maintain our health. The workout can take place at anytime that you can squeeze it into your day, it may even be a quick bootcamp before bed or a jog at lunchtime. Your daily fitness schedule can vary depending on the amount of sleep you were able to get the night before. My advice would be to allow flexibility into your workout schedule, remember to aim for 60 minutes of activity a day but balance your sleep as well.

The sweet-tooth can be a struggle. It is important to change our mindset when it comes to sweets and sugars. Refined sugar is like a "drug". It can be very addictive and additive/refined sugar is not required in our diet, like soda and ice cream. Complex carbohydrates on the other hand, contain natural sugars which are needed to convert to energy in our bodies, from fruits and whole grains. Some people believe in performing a sugar cleanse or another great way is to track your sugar grams in a day. There are so many hidden sugars in our diets that we are not aware of. In a standard 2,000 calorie per day diet, a male should consume 30grams of sugar and a femail should consume 22-25grams. Try tracking your sugar on an online nutrient tracker like www.myfitnesspal.com,  www.livestrong.com, or another tracker that you like to use for 1 week! This is my challenge to you! It is amazing what you find our about your diet and how much sugar you consume. Dont forget to consider the source of the sugar!
Challenge #6: Colby Knight said his biggest challenge is finding activities that he likes to do, he doesnt like lifting, and running for "fun" but rather would go and play instead!   Response: Colby, I like that you bring this up! Exercise and fitness are suppose to be fun! We shouldnt dread our workout or else it will be almost impossible to complete our goals and maintain our health. With that being said, it also shouldn't be so easy that we aren't truly getting a workout. It is important to get into our target heart rate zone for at least 20 minutes a day and more, depening on our specific goals. What is your target heart rate? Here is an easy way to calculate it:   Step #1: Find your resting heart rate as soon as you wake up (count the beats for 10 seconds and then multiple by 6 to get your beats per minute)   Step #2: Find your maximum heart rate and heart rate reserve. (Subtract your age from 220. This is your maximum heart rate (HRmax). For example, the HRmax for a 40-year-old would be:
220 - 40 = 180.

Then, Subtract your RHR from your HRmax. This is your heart rate reserve (HRmaxRESERVE). For example,
HRmaxRESERVE = 180 - 63 = 117


Step #3: Calculate the lower limit of your THR.
Figure 60% of the HRmaxRESERVE (multiply by 0.6) and add your RHR to the answer.

For example, (117 * 0.6) + 63 = 133.

Step #4: Calculate the upper limit of your THR.
Figure 80% of the HRmaxRESERVE (multiply by 0.8) and add your RHR to the answer.

For example, (117 * 0.8) + 63 = 157.

Step #5: Combine the values obtained in steps 3 and 4 and divide by the number 2.
This is your target heart rate (THR).

For example,(133 + 157) / 2 = 145 (You can get the same result by simply multiplying HRmaxRESERVE by 0.65 and adding to it RHR).

Once you have your target heart rate calculated, then find any activity that you like. This could be hiking, swimming, playing indoor soccer, hunting, and much more. The internet is a great place to look for new activities and you can join pretty much any meetup group on www.meetup.com by searching for an activity that other local people are engaging in! This is also a great way to meet new friends with similar interests!

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Thanks to everyone that responded to the discussion question on facebook! If you want to join this group just friend request Aprille n Nic Vasu on facebook and request to join the A-Factor Health and Fitness group! This was a great way to get some useful tips and suggestions on the blog!

"He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything. "


Aprille Vasu