Exercise for Depression and Anxiety
1 Year
Anniversary Edition
4 Ideas for Fast Workouts That Don’t Require Equipment How to Keep Hunger at Bay When Cutting Calories Why Lack of Sleep Can Lead to Weight Gain Quick and Easy Snack Ideas to Fuel Your Workout 2Inspirenutrition.com September 2020 FREE
Exercise and Community with Keto Dieter Nicole Ryan
INSIDE THIS MONTH’S ISSUE A Year In Review - pg. 3 Exercise for Depression and Anxiety pg. 8 Exercise and Community with Keto Dieter Nicole Ryan - pg. 19 4 Ideas for Fast Workouts That Don’t Require Equipment - pg.25 How to Keep Hunger at Bay When Cutting Calories - pg.27 Why Lack of Sleep Can Lead to Weight Gain - pg. 28 Quick and Easy Snack Ideas to Fuel Your Workout - pg. 30
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A Year In Review A lot of things have changed since we published the first issue of 2Inspire magazine in August 2020. Like you, none of us could have anticipated the ways that our world and our daily lives would evolve as a pandemic creeped in. At 2Inpsire, we’ve worked to create a dynamic magazine that helps you adjust your fitness to whatever the world throws at you. While looking over past issues to create this retrospective, I found many articles from well before pandemic times that were very helpful even for today’s changed world. Let’s take a look at some of the timeless articles and interviews featured in 2Inpsire during its first year.
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September 2019, From Baby Steps to Bodybuilding Champ With
Anne Titone We kicked off our first issue with an interview with International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB) Pro, Ann Titone. After beating the odds and surviving a head-on collision in high school, Ann went on to become a six-time Figure Pro Champion. She has competed in Olympia five times, placing fourth in 2014. Today, she coaches
athletes, readying them for the bodybuilding stage and is a judge for both the IFBB and National Physique Committee (NPC) and sponsors nine IFBB/NPC shows throughout the Midwest. . In our interview, she gave some timeless advice about what people should do when they can’t get to the gym:
“Just get off the couch. Find some stairs. Go outside. Walk a dog. I mean, that’s all it takes. It’s just movement. That’s all it is. It’s movement. It’s about not being lazy. Is a gym good to go to, to get faster, better results? Absolutely. But if you’re trying to get your foot in the door, just get off the couch.”
was: “Use a weight that allows you to do at least 1 sett of 6 repetitions of each exercise. In future workouts, increase the number of reps. Once you can do 3 or 4 sets of each exercise for 10 reps per set, add weight and drop back to 6 reps per set.”
November 2019 - In You can find her on the November issue, we AnnTitone.com. covered something that many people are curious October 2019, Special about: continuing to burn Women’s Issue calories after your workout In honor of Breast Cancer with post-exercise oxygen Awareness month, we consumption. In our devoted the bulk of article, What Does Excess this issue to the special Post-Exercise Oxygen exercise and fitness Consumption Mean? concerns facing women. We explained the body’s In the U.S. alone, more continued increased rate than 276,480 women are of oxygen consumption expected to be diagnosed after exercise. When with breast cancer in 2020. talking about how to It’s a disease that impacts get the most excess us all, and something we post-exercise oxygen all need to work together consumption (EPOC), to fight. we shared the following information: One thing that can help lower a woman’s risk of “Research concludes that getting breast cancer is EPOC will be elevated the exercise. In our article, harder and longer that you MOTIVATION: How Women workout. In addition, some Can Start Lifting Weights studies have found that When They’ve Never Done resistance training causes It Before, we give some the greatest amount of tips for women who want after burn.” to get started with weight lifting. One of the simplest December 2019 yet most important tips Soreness is no stranger 4
to those who workout regularly. Who hasn’t felt that familiar ache in their muscles after pushing themselves to walk further, run faster, or bench higher than they usually do? Muscle soreness may be a constant companion to progress, but when it threatens to get in the way of your workouts, you’ve got a problem. Foam rolling is a great way to help you reduce muscle soreness while also speeding up recovery and increasing flexibility and circulation. In our article, Foam Roller Exercises to Ease Pain, we gave the following tip about foam rolling for knee pain: “...[S]tart with your IT band and quads. You should also work your hip flexors, too. Stretching out these areas will help you relax your knees, just make sure to follow the golden rule: never overwork any certain area. Experts recommend not rolling the same area for more than 30-60 seconds at a time.” January 2020 - January always seems like a great time to talk about weight loss, since so many people list that as a New Year’s resolution. In January
2020, we shared an article titled, How to Set A Weight Loss Goal. One of the tips we included was: “You need to burn 3,500 calories to burn 1 pound of fat. If you want to lose 2 pounds a week, that means you need a 7,000 calorie deficit per week (or 1,000 calories per day). Do the math to figure out how many calories you can consume and how many you need to burn through exercise to meet your goal.” February 2020 - Whether you’re grappling with an injury, adjusting your workout to be ageappropriate, or balancing a workout with pregnancy, low-impact exercise is a great way to keep moving while limiting the strain felt by your body. In February, we shared articles that could help anyone create a challenging, low-impact routine. In the article, 5 Common Myths About Low Impact Fitness, we helped bust the myth that low-impact exercise doesn’t help weight loss or fat burning: “...[Y]ou might sprint on your bike for a quarter mile and ten peddle at a more relaxed pace for a half 5
mile. Repeat this 10 times and you’re going to have gotten in an excellent workout, had little to no impact, and burned fat and calories.” March 2020, The Denial, Emotions and Genetics of Obesity, With David Essel In March, I spoke to counselor, master life coach, international speaker and best-selling author, David Essel. David’s mission is to positively affect over 2 million people each day, with “David’s Daily Video Boost” on talkdavid.com. During
the interview, David gave some vital advice for those who are dealing with emotional eating or have been overweight for a while. When we asked him what they could do to get started on a weight loss and fitness journey, he said: “ … the most important thing is to start journaling the food you eat and what you drink and the amount. The brain has a chance to deny everything. So unless it’s in writing, we’re going to say, “How’d you do over the last week?” “Oh, I think
I’m doing a lot better.” “Well, no, you’re not. You haven’t written anything down and we don’t know if you’re doing better.” So, I would say that the very first step is just take a little journal, maybe on your smartphone, or have a pad of paper with you and write down, “Breakfast, I ate this many eggs,” or “I had this amount of toast,” or “I had this amount of juice” or whatever. “Lunch, I had this in the car. I had these snacks.” Start to get in touch with the amount of food and the type of food you’re really eating. Get out of denial. Look at the reality. … without that, we have a tendency to trick our brains into thinking we’re making good changes when we may not be. If you’re making good changes, it’ll show up in your writing. If you’re not, it won’t show up, and that’s how we get real to begin.” Find out more about David’s show on talkdavid. com. April 2020 - By April, most of us were dealing with stay-at-home orders and self-isolating to avoid COVID-19. To help ensure fitness could still be a priority in our work-from6
home lives, we created a comprehensive guide to working out at home. In the article, A Guide To Working Out At Home, we shared some interesting ways to use the stuff around your house as workout gear, including: “Chairs, tables, and counters make excellent workout equipment. You can do arm dips on chairs and counter tops. Chairs and tales also make great surfaces for elevated push ups.” May 2020 - In keeping with the theme of working out at home, May brought us a fun article on jumping rope, discussing how this exercise puts less pressure on your joints and gives your whole body a major calorie-burning workout. In the article, 9 Benefits of Working Out With A Jump Rope, we explained its fatburning powers: “Jumping rope is a crazily effective fat burning exercise. You are strength training and enjoying cardiovascular stress at the same time. THis recipe is great for crunching calories and feeding your far burning furnace.” June 2020 - Motivation can become a challenge
for anyone during their fitness journey. One of the best ways to stay motivated is to increase your knowledge about the adverse effects of avoiding exercise. That’s why in June, we shared the article, The Link Between Obesity and Sitting Down Too Long. A startling fact shared in that article was: “Fact: Sitting down for long periods of time shortens your life span. ... Jobs or hobbies that require you to sit for extended periods of time also significantly increase your risk of: • Cancer • Heart Disease • Diabetes • Metabolic Syndrome • Obesity July 2020 - At 2Inpsire, we try to pay attention to all aspects of fitness, including sleep, exercise and diet. In July, we talked about diet in our article, How to Deal with Food Cravings on a Healthy Diet. In the article, we talk about how one of the most important things you can do to avoid food cravings is to eat regularly: “Hunger is one of the biggest causes of cravings. So, one of the best ways to prevent cravings is to avoid getting hungry.
Regular small healthy meals and snacks taken every 3-4 hours should do the trick. It will keep your stomach full and prevent you from adding extra kilos as a result of overfeeding the body.” August 2020, Parks, Recreation and Keto with Phat Girl in the Kitchen, Monique Breau In August, we had the honor of interviewing keto-diet devotee, Camp Gladiator silver member, and parks & recs professional Monique Breau. I asked her what advice she’d give to people who were reluctant to start getting fit, and she said: “Just get out of your own head and experience life. Stop living your life from the sidelines, and just begin. Begin somewhere. Little bitty steps will eventually add up to bigger accomplishments. It’s just like a paper towel roll. If you take one piece of the roll off every single day, by the end of that roll, you’re going to wonder, “Wait, how did I use them all at one time?” This is the same thing. You may start off with a five-pound weight, and eventually get to lifting 30-pound weights. You build that 7
endurance slowly but surely, and you make it a lifestyle. Just start somewhere, whether you’re watching something on YouTube, or on POPSUGAR, or Instagram Live. There are so many outlets and avenues. Even Dollar Tree sells workout tapes. Challenge yourself. Take baby steps. Walk to your mailbox if you live in a
subdivision, instead of driving to the mailbox. But just start somewhere, and you’ll be so proud of yourself 30, 60, 90, 120 days out. Don’t try to make it a quick fix. Because a quick fix, that’s done for vanity. It’s not reality.” To find out more about Monique, visit her website, phatgirlinthekitchen.com.
Exercise for Depression and Anxiety The Natural Way to Boost Your Mood and Control Stress
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According to Harvard Medical School, a review of studies stretching back to 1981 concluded that regular exercise can improve mood in people with mild to moderate depression. They also found that it might play a critical role in treating people with severe depression. Harvard is just one of the many organizations and foundations looking into the impact of exercise on depression. Study after study has shown that exercise can be a very real and effective part of combating both anxiety and depression. Before we move on, let’s take a quick look at the definitions of anxiety and depression. Anxiety Disorder
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There are actually many different types of anxiety disorders and a range of symptoms. However, a general definition of an anxiety disorder is one that is “characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear, where anxiety is a worry about future events and fear is a reaction to current events. These feelings may cause physical symptoms, such
as a racing heart and shakiness.” (American Psychiatric Association) Depression Depression is a “common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.” (American Psychiatric Association) Okay, now that we have a general definition of both anxiety and depression, let’s talk about how exercise can help. It’s important to point out that in many cases exercise can reduce or get rid of depression. However, exercise may not cure depression or anxiety disorders. It can help, it can reduce the need for medication, and in many cases it can eliminate the need for medications. Depression and antianxiety medications are expensive and come with side effects. Exercise
can be free and there are no side effects. It also improves your health. It’s easy to get started and the benefits can last a lifetime. So on that note… let’s start by talking about the benefits of exercise and how it can help beat depression and anxiety. 10 Ways That Exercise Can Help Depression and Anxiety 1. Exercise Releases Positive Hormones. For a long time, researchers, mental health experts and doctors have known that exercise has a positive impact on emotions and mental health. What
they didn’t know was why. They’ve discovered that when a person exercises, their body releases several different categories of chemicals. These chemicals include neurotransmitters, endorphins, and endocannabinoids.
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2. Strengthened Immune System.
and improved systems generally work together to improve every aspect of When you’re under a great health. Many people who deal of emotional and struggle with depression mental stress, your body and anxiety also struggle has a stress response. It with insomnia. This lack releases cortisol. In life or of sleep only worsens death situations cortisol symptoms of depression. is helpful. With chronic Exercise has been shown stress, depression, and to improve sleep quantity Neurotransmitters are anxiety this constant flow and quality, which can chemicals that help of cortisol can have a have a dramatic impact on your body’s systems damaging effect on your your mental wellbeing. communicate with body. It slowly depletes one another. There are your immune system. 5. A Confidence Boost. a number of different When you exercise you neurotransmitters, and actually help your body Regular exercise shows they each have their better manage the effects you what you’re capable own job. You might be of stress. Exercise also of. You learn that your familiar with some of them reduces the amount of body can do amazing including dopamine and cortisol released into your things and you feel more serotonin. These both system. confident and in control influence mood and how over your life. And after your body and mind 3. Increased body exercising for a while, respond to certain stimuli. temperature. you may also see physical Exercise improves this results, which is often a process. Do you sweat when fun benefit. you exercise? Generally Endorphins are known speaking, most people 6. Productivity. as “feel good” hormones. find that when they They’re released during exercise not only does One of the common times of stress, including their circulation improve symptoms or side effects physical stress or exercise. because your muscles of depression and anxiety They help relieve pain need more oxygen and is that you might feel and create a feeling of your heart beats faster, disconnected from the pleasure or euphoria. their body temperature world and dispassionate Endocannabinoids are actually increases a bit too. about your life. Exercise also part of the stress This has a calming effect can be that activity that response that’s triggered on the system. Exercise makes you feel productive. with exercise and impact can be soothing. several systems including 7. Social Connection. appetite, pain-sensation, 4. Better sleep. mood, and memory. If you choose to exercise All of these hormones with others, it can help
you create a community so you feel more connected.
level. You’ll see mental, emotional, and physical improvements. 8. Self Care. What Types of Exercise Can Help Self care is important with Depression and and it often gets set Anxiety? aside when we’re busy, exhausted, or just too The truth is that just about upset to think about it. Yet, any type of exercise can making yourself a priority help improve depression helps you learn to set and anxiety. However, boundaries and it makes there are some activities you feel better about and sports that have been yourself. Exercise is part of studied and shown to a good self care habit and help. We’re going to talk mindset about ten of them here. 9. More Energy.
If you have a treadmill and would prefer to exercise indoors, then that’s an option too. Work your way up until you’re walking about 30 minutes a day. If you’re thinking about The faster you walk, the an activity that’s not faster your heart rate. on the list, give it a try. However, the most It’s important that your important step is the first physical activity be joyous, one. Go out and walk for and if you are having fun, ten minutes today. Get that’s half the challenge. started.
People with depression and anxiety often cite a lack of energy as one of the more predominant and frustrating symptoms. You just don’t feel like doing anything. Yet, if you 1. Walking can exercise, even just a little bit, you’ll gradually It seems like such an easy gain more energy. You’ll be able to not only exercise each day but also have energy for some of the things you need and want to do. 10. Better Overall Health.
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Finally, let’s just mention that people who exercise not only live longer, but they also live better quality lives. Exercise improves your health at every
thing and such a small thing, yet walking can have a dramatic impact on your mental and physical health. If you haven’t exercised before or it’s been a long time, this is a great place to start. You might even start by simply walking for ten minutes around your neighborhood.
2. Hiking Hiking gives you the
ability to take a walk in nature and to vary your terrain. Instead of spending thirty minutes on local sidewalks, you’re now on trails with hills, winding paths, and roots and rocks to maneuver. If you have good trails near your home, this is a terrific option. Again, you might try the gradual approach and begin with ten minutes of hiking. Slowly increase until you’re hiking about thirty minutes. It’s also important to note that you can combine hiking with walking. You might hike on the weekends for example, and walk during your week. 3. Jogging/Running Jogging is an option for those who like to move a little faster. It’s important to point out that almost anyone can jog. You don’t need to go fast – it’s not a race. The point is to move your body, increase your heart rate, and create a positive habit. You can even alternate between walking and jogging.
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You might jog for 3 minutes and walk for 1 minute. Create a system that works for you and strive to work up to about
20-30 minutes of jogging each day. Can you take a day off? Of course. However, many people find that creating this daily structure helps them stick to an exercise schedule. 4. Cycling Cycling provides many options. You can get a stationary bicycle and exercise indoors. You can jump on a mountain bike and explore nearby trails and roads. You can also get a road bike or a cruise and pedal around town. You get to decide what works best for you and how you’d like to enjoy this exercise.
classes that you can take as well. Work your way up to between 30 and 60 minutes of cycling. 5. Swimming Many pools are now open because the days are warmer. This opens up the opportunity for swimming as an activity. And of course there are gyms and facilities with indoor pools. If swimming lanes isn’t for you, consider some type of water aerobics instead. 6. Team sports
If social connection is important to you, you might try a local team sport like softball or You can buy a used bike at basketball. Some local your local resale store and leagues can be really save money too. Just make competitive, so it’s sure to wear a helmet if important to make sure you’re cycling outside. Oh, you find a team that fits and there are spinning your personality. If you’re
prone to anxiety, then a highly competitive team may not suit you. Have fun. Between practices and games, it’s a good way to get exercise. 7. Dancing There are a number of home workout programs that are dance focused. You can certainly rent or buy a DVD and get down in your living room. You can also try any of the many dance fitness classes. You don’t have to be a skilled dancer to have fun and benefit from these classes. Try Zumba, Soul Sweat, and Barre if you enjoy moving your body to music. 8. Yoga Yoga is a centuries old practice that has been shown to improve strength, endurance, flexibility and mental well-being. Not only can you stream yoga classes right from your computer, chances are there are many yoga options in your community as well. This can be a daily practice and sessions are usually 30-60 minutes in length. 9. Tai chi 13
that helps reduce stress and anxiety. It’s often described as meditation in motion. It takes you through a series of flowing movements that are both graceful and mindful. You have to focus and let go at the same time. You can practice at home or you can find a group or local class.
that make you smile and that you generally enjoy. Exercise shouldn’t be a chore, it should be something that fulfills you and helps you embrace the ten benefits we talked about. The Social Aspect of Exercise and How to Embrace It
10. Get outside in nature
One of the benefits of exercise that we mentioned earlier was social connection. When you’re feeling anxious or depressed there can be a bit of a challenging circle. Being around others can cause anxiety and yet you might also feel disconnected. Exercise can help in a few different ways.
Finally, consider simply getting out into nature. The sun and fresh air have a positive impact on mental and emotional health. Moving your body in nature is good for you. You might play Frisbee, golf, go horseback riding, or roller skate.
The key is to find activities Tai chi is a Chinese practice that are fun. Activities
Exercise gives you the
ability to be around others without having to immediately forge relationships. In essence, it gives you the ability to ease into socialization with little pressure. There are also a number of opportunities to tap into the social benefits while getting your exercise. Exercise Clubs
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A Plan/Goal with Friends A third option is to organize a daily plan with your friends. For example, you might create your own walking group. Every day you meet with your friends and walk together. It’s a way to bond with your peers and to hold one another accountable for daily exercise.
that your body will perform better during exercise and recover better afterwards if you have good nutrition. So this tells us that nutrition can have a very real impact on your brain chemistry, your body, and your mental and emotional health.
Rather than spend dozens In your community you If you’re feeling of pages talking about may have a number of disconnected or you how to eat well and different exercise groups want to spend more giving you a diet plan to and clubs. For example, time with friends and stick with, we’re going to you might be able to find engaging with the world, provide a nice list of tips a local hiking or running then opportunities and habits to embrace. club. You can find them are available for you. You can embrace the tips on Craigslist, Meetup.com, Please keep in mind that that resonate with you or search online. Look for social engagement isn’t and gradually take steps the activity you enjoy and important for everyone, so to improve your diet and local clubs. For example, please don’t feel like you nutrition. “running club, Austin” will have to embrace this part produce a list of potential of exercise. Next, we’ll take 1. Cut Back On Sugar running clubs in Austin. a look at how nutrition can impact your exercise, Sugar is in so many things. Small Group Training depression, and anxiety. It’s in ketchup, it’s in your coffee, barbecue sauce, Many gyms, community Nutrition Matters mayonnaise and of course centers, and facilities in any baked goods. offer small group classes. Studies are showing that The FDA recommends The training might be there’s a link between not consuming more something like CrossFit, or inflammation and than 50 grams of sugar it could be dancing, cardio, depression. Inflammation a day. That’s about 12.5 or some type of boot can be caused by a teaspoons. Start by camp. The class size is number of things tracking your sugar. usually kept to less than a including stress and dozen so everyone can get the foods you eat and How much do you actually individualized attention the fluids you drink. eat each day? You can and guidance from the Sugar is one source of keep a piece of paper trainer. inflammation, but there with you and write down are others. We also know the sugar grams as you
consume them. Don’t worry about cutting back right now, just get a baseline. Once you have a number, you can then take small steps to cut back.
it’s too easy to turn to fast calories and these usually 3. Eat Clean, Whole Foods come from a vending machine or a box, or a Whole foods are foods that drive through. If you plan are free from processing. your meals, and take They don’t come in food with you so that you You can cut back by 5 a box generally. They always have options, then or 10 grams a day or a are free from additives, you’ll be able to make week – whatever seems colorings, flavorings, and nutritious choices. doable for you. You’ll find preservatives. They are that as you reduce your straight from nature and 5. Celebrate Your Good sugar intake you’ll also are basically good for Food Choices reduce your cravings. You’ll you. Of course, if you’re improve your energy and like most people then We all make food choices inflammation levels may you can probably stand that aren’t great for us, and also decline. to eat a few more fruits it’s easy to dwell on them. and veggies. Strive for We all make mistakes. 2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids five servings of fruits and Instead of letting those veggies each day, mostly mistakes haunt you, let Another ingredient veggies. them go. Focus on the that can help with good food choices that inflammation and also 4. Don’t Get Hungry you do make. Celebrate to improve mindset are them. Pat yourself on the Omega-3 fatty acids. You Plan your meals so that back. You might even can find them in fish oil you can eat every couple keep a journal of all of the and supplements are easy of hours. If you allow good choices and positive to take. Consider taking yourself to get too hungry, actions you achieve.
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about 500 mg a day.
6. Pay Attention to Alcohol Consumption Alcohol is sugar and we’ve already talked about sugar. It’s also a depressant and it is a source of inflammation. None of these things are good for you. That doesn’t mean you can’t have the occasional drink. However, it’s a good idea to cut back and to pay attention to how much you consume and when you consume it. Let’s also point out that you’ll feel much better exercising if you don’t have alcohol in your system.
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How to Get and Stay Motivated
payoff.”
It may take a longer course So let’s be real honest for of exercise to alleviate mood a moment. It’s difficult for disorders such as anxiety or anyone to get motivated depression. But the immediate to exercise and to stay effects are tangible — and motivated. If you’re dealing psychologists are in a unique with depression and/or position to help people get anxiety, it can feel nearly moving.
impossible to put one foot in front of the other and to So while exercise may not get your body moving. We be the cure for everyone’s know this and understand. depression, it does offer immediate benefit and It’s also important to know it helps long term. It is that when you make protective effect against exercise a regular part of feelings of depression. your daily routine, you’ll To reap these benefits, it reap the benefits much needs to become part of more quickly. How long your every-day routine. does it take to see results? The following tips will 7. Probiotics It depends. help you get, and stay, motivated to exercise. Probiotics are great for Chances are you’ll feel your digestive system. better almost immediately Make It Fun There are also a number after exercising. Will that of studies about how feel good feeling last? Find activities that you they impact your brain. You’ll probably still deal enjoy. So often when we You can get probiotics with the challenges of think about exercise we from supplements, from depression and anxiety. think about running on a yogurt, kombucha, However, the American treadmill or circuit training sauerkraut, and a number Psychological Association at the gym. If those aren’t of fermented foods. (APA) wants you to know activities that sound fun, this… then you enjoy then Food is fuel for your body. they’re not right for you. Have fun with it. Eat whole The exercise mood boost offers Move your body. Smile. near-instant gratification. And foods and make delicious often the best time to exercise meals for yourself. Workout When You Have is when you’re feeling your Enjoying food is one of the the Most Energy worst. They say that, “Failing pleasures in life. It supports to exercise when you feel bad you to be at your best Some people are morning is like explicitly not taking an when you’re exercising people, some aren’t. The aspirin when your head hurts. and when you’re not. best time to exercise is That’s the time you get the whenever you generally
feel the most energetic and motivated. Work it into your day. We’re talking about twenty to thirty minutes. Plan it when you’re most likely to succeed. Set Realistic Goals One of the reasons that people struggle to exercise daily is because they set unachievable goals. Start yourself off right and set goals that you know you can achieve. For example, you might go for a ten minute walk every day for a week. Next week, you might add five minutes to that. This is much easier to accomplish than trying to walk for an hour a day from the very first day. Get Support There are many ways to get support. You might take a class that has peer and coaching support. You might get support from your peers, join a local therapy group, find a family member or two that supports you or even jump on social media and join a group. It’s much easier to get motivated when you feel like you have good people cheering you on. 17
Track Your Results
Schedule It
Consider keeping a record of your successes. We talked about this with food and you can also do this with your exercise. If you walk ten minutes today, write it down. If you run a 10-minute mile, write it down. Some people are motivated by quantifiable results and numbers or successful results can be exciting.
If you like to follow a schedule, simply blocking off time to exercise can help you get it done each day. Add it to your calendar.
Journaling Your Experiences/Feelings Another option is to write down how exercise makes you feel. Then, on days when you’re struggling to get off the couch, you can look back at how great exercise makes you feel. Your own words can be motivation.
Variety Versus Routine Some people thrive on routine and like to do the same thing every day. Others need variety. There is no best approach – do what works for you. Reward Yourself for Your Efforts Are you reward motivated? Do you find that small treats help you do what needs to be done? If so, consider building in small rewards for your accomplishments. For example, you might buy yourself a new pair of
running shoes if you run 20 or more times this month. Identify a few tactics that you think may work for you and give them a try. It’s important to be patient and forgiving with yourself. Learn how you respond to stress and what motivates you. Then embrace those positive and supportive tactics. Regardless, there will be some bad days, so the following tips will help you get through them. Tips for Managing Bad Days Anything Is Better Than Nothing If you can’t get yourself to go for a run, then go for a walk. If you can’t make it to the gym, go for a jog. Do something physical and positive. Any exercise is better than no exercise at all.
yourself. However, make a promise to yourself that you will exercise tomorrow. Phone A Friend
some actionable steps… something you can take action on right away. Grab a pen and some paper or turn on your computer.
Write down the answers to Reach out when you need the following questions: help and support. Find people that you can turn 7 Questions to Ask to and give them a call, Yourself Before You Get send a text message, or Started DM them on social media. 1. What Physical Remember The Benefits Activities Do I Enjoy? Remind yourself of the benefits of exercise. Don’t allow yourself to get so wrapped up in the negative that you aren’t able to find one positive nugget to focus on. This is where a journal can be really helpful.
2. Do I Prefer Group or Individual Activities? 3. What Programs Best Fit My Schedule? 4. Do I Have Physical Conditions That Limit My Choice of Exercise?
It’s important to stay focused on the long term and on continuously 5. What Are My Goals? taking positive steps. Sure, you’ll have bad days, but if 6. Does My Doctor the good days outnumber them then you’re moving Approve of My Plan? Cut Yourself Some Slack, forward. It’s also important But Just A Little to keep in mind that 7. Do I Have Support at exercise may not cure your Home and If Not, How It’s important to learn to depression and/or anxiety. Can I Find the Support love and forgive yourself. It does offer benefits, but You’re not perfect and it’s not always the only I Need? you’re human. Cut yourself option. You might benefit some slack. If you just from talking to a doctor or To your success! don’t have it in you, then a combined approach of take a deep breath and medication and exercise. do something nice for We want to leave you with 18
Exercise and Community with Keto Dieter Nicole Ryan
Today in our Meet and Greet interview we have Nicole Ryan, a full-time fashion lifestyle and keto blogger living in the gorgeous state of Arizona. Nicole’s true fitness journey began in 2019 when she discovered her favorite obsession, Burn Bootcamp. She’s a busy mom of two and you can usually catch her heading to sports practices, scheduling photo shoots and meetups, creating content or sharing the latest fashion trends and keto finds on her social media accounts. She swears her energy is fueled by her keto lifestyle and of course, bulletproof coffee. 19
Dennis Postema: Tell me how you got here—what was your motivation to get started on this journey? Nicole Ryan: I heard some people talking about living a keto lifestyle and I started asking questions. I asked about the benefits of keto and asked why in the world anyone would ever want to stop eating bread and pasta. Repeatedly, the answer I got was that the benefits were more energy, less bloating, and weight loss. What appealed to me was the idea of feeling good. I wanted more energy. No more midday crash. That was really the biggest driving force. And of course, if you can shed just a few extra pounds, I think anybody’s on board with that, right?
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Dennis: What do you think about people saying that keto is a fad diet?
substitutions, which is super easy to do.
In a nutshell, I’m able to still eat all the things Nicole: Some of my closest that I was eating before. friends have actually There are so many options told me that keto isn’t a available for you that are forever thing. That it’s not easy to make, that are just something I can do for a few clean ingredients. So the rest of my life. But I there’s no reason to look just think, well, why not? at it as a fad. It’s a lifestyle. I mean, it’s not a fad diet, I travel frequently and it’s certainly a lifestyle. If my family isn’t keto, but you look at it as a fad diet, if you’re committed, you you’re never going to be can make it happen. We’re successful with it because on the road and there’s everything that you’ve literally nothing around. dropped, everything that I only see a McDonald’s, you’ve worked so hard to so I get two double achieve, is just going to cheeseburgers without come back and you will the bun and a side salad gain a significant amount too. I mean, you make it of weight. work.
It’s crazy to wrap your brain around eating a diet that’s high in fat, low in carbs and has moderate protein. But when you think about traditional I think that once my body eating, especially when started to kick into ketosis, you work out, they really it’s like I just had this push carbohydrates. natural energy that leveled Yet when I transitioned out. I no longer needed to keto, I could do such to have that energy drink intense workouts like Burn where I’d get the jitters. I Bootcamp and HIIT. It’s was ready to go. That’s one certainly different living of the things that I love a keto lifestyle, and you the most about making have to make sure you that transition is just are meeting your macros, being able to have some but you’re still able to steady energy consistently enjoy all the things aside throughout my entire day. from carbs. But you make
Dennis: Can you tell us a little bit about Burn Bootcamp? Nicole: I had a couple of friends who went to Burn Bootcamp when I was about four months postpartum after having my second boy. When you have kids, you put on a few extra pounds. And it’s usually harder to lose the weight the more kids you have, unless you’re really lucky genetically. My friends encouraged me to go to Burn Bootcamp with them, since there was a two-week trial, but I just
didn’t feel ready. I think I felt intimidated because all my friends were in great shape and I was on the struggle bus over here, doing some at-home workouts, but not really pushing myself because there was nobody watching or holding me accountable. I finally went to the bootcamp and by the end of the first session, I totally understood the appeal. My husband says we’re like a fitness cult because there is just such a strong sense of community. And the thing that I love the most is they do offer some coed classes, but it’s mostly women.
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Before COVID, when you’d go to the gym to do Burn Bootcamp, they offered a floating floor, which has less impact on your knees, which is totally a seller for me. At the start of every workout, you’d walk around the room and give every single person in the room a high five before you even start moving. The days that we have partner workouts, you introduce yourself. They offer free childcare for your kids if you have them. Everyone knows you. The trainers know you by first name. Their
energy is through the roof. They’re so empowering. They’re uplifting. They offer one-on-one training and focus meetings so you can discuss anything that you may be struggling with, whether it’s nutrition or form or anything like that. You have such a great support system. Their mantra is empowering women, lifting them up
spiritually, and physically. Helping them mentally overcome those hurdles and celebrate milestones. But it’s the sense of community and all the people that you’re around that is so contagious that you don’t want to miss a camp. It makes you feel like you’re a part of something bigger, and
they’re big on mindset. You train your mind, your body will follow. Dennis: Can you explain a little bit about how focusing on mindset helps? Nicole: The best part about Burn Bootcamp is you have someone holding you accountable. The trainers will walk around and they’re pushing you the entire way, reminding you that you can do this—that you can do anything for thirty seconds. When you have someone coming over and pushing you past where you’d normally push yourself and holding you accountable and lifting you up, it gives you this positive mindset.
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to commit to, because first of all, the keto flu is a real thing. I mean, you’re completely changing what you’re putting into your body, so if you don’t do your research, you don’t transition yourself into this type of lifestyle, you’re going to get sick. Second, on top of doing research, you need to stock your pantry. Get those things that would normally entice you out of your pantry, at least for the first three weeks. This will be really critical in your success long-term, because if you see those Oreos, you’re going to eat them. So all of those things that you typically would love to eat that are sugary, the things that you can’t have, clear them out. Out of sight, out of mind.
Nicole: I have a snack drawer designated within our pantry and we have a snack drawer for the kids. As far as meals, I still make the same things, but I’ll just substitute out pasta or bread. For pizza night, sometimes we’ll have traditional pizza, or I love a crustless pizza casserole. It’s so easy and even my husband’s like, “This is phenomenal.” Cauliflower’s your best friend when you’re on a keto diet. You could have cauliflower with about everything. Any time we’re having rice or pasta, I’ll just sub it out.
For breads, there are so many different low-carb wraps that you can have that can fit into your macros for the day. Maybe 3 grams of carbs for the wrap or those cheese These bootcamps were wraps that are amazing the first time in my life that Third, prep your food. It’s too. There are so many I ever actually bought into easier to just grab some different things available the idea that if you train hard-boiled eggs, some that you can just sub out. your mind, your body will cheese, some veggies, Even when we have tacos, follow. It’s totally mental. pepperoni, some lunch it’s the cheese wraps that meats and stuff like that, you can make into a taco Dennis: What are some when you have it prepped bowl. of the tips that you give in front of you. people who are thinking Anything that we make, about starting keto? Dennis: How do you even on the fly, it’s easy to empty your cupboards make those substitutions. Nicole: I think the most when your family doesn’t important thing is to do do keto? How do you Dennis: What’s your guilty your research first and manage blended meal pleasure? make sure that this is planning? something you’re going Nicole: Well, I love
chocolate. I’ve been able to still incorporate some chocolate into my diet through Atkins and SlimFast, since they make some keto bombs and stuff like that. I make them myself too. They’re so easy to put together.
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energy. So it’s really just maintaining and staying consistent with what I’m doing. That’s what I want to do for the long haul. I just want to be healthy and be able to keep up with my kids.
Dennis: If you could go And you have to reward back in time and give yourself occasionally, yourself advice about because otherwise you’re fitness, what advice just going to cave at some would you give twentypoint, if you don’t dabble year-old you? in a little bit. There are also a lot of different types of Nicole: I wish I felt like keto diets, like those that this then. In college, are super strict, and they I wasted a lot of time won’t even have any kind lying on the couch and of butter if it’s not from a vegging out. So I’d want grass-fed cow, yet then to make sure that twentythere’s dirty, lazy keto. I year-old me understood mean, there’s so many how important fitness in different versions. What’s general is. How fitness important is finding what brings mental clarity fits you and your lifestyle and is such a release of and what’s going to drive endorphins. results. I also would have taught Dennis: Do you have any myself about how to immediate or short-term read food labels and the goals or long-term fitness importance of proper goals? nutrition. Just being more in the know about what’s Nicole: I think just staying in your food. consistent. I really like where I’m at right now To find out more from a physical standpoint. about Nicole, visit Mentally as well, you Nicoleryanblog.com. notice a difference if you You can also find her on stop working out. Your Facebook and Instagram mind is clearer [when where she shares recipes, working out]. You’re fitness tips and more! happier, have better
Nicole’s favorite keto meal: Anything casserole related is honestly my favorite meal because it’s easy to just throw together. Crustless pizza casserole is a game changer. It is so good. That’s definitely one of my favorites. We also recently bought an Instant Pot and we’re obsessed with making pork carnitas, shredded chicken ... anything along those lines, I’m all about it.
4 Ideas for Fast Workouts That Don’t Require Equipment No equipment? No excuse. Bodyweight moves are some of the most effective exercises you can do. Here are some ideas to get you going.
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you can do! They tone your thighs and your glutes, and when repeated, they can get your heart going too. You can do narrow squats and/or wide squats depending #1 Planks on the part of your leg From a standing position, you want to work. You can crawl forward on your also alternate. Squat low, hands into a plank posstand up and step to one ition. To add to the diffiside, and then squat again, culty, complete a push-up. repeating so that you are Otherwise, hold the plank stepping in and out with for a few seconds before both of your legs. You can crawling back up and into also turn it into a cardio a standing position again. move by standing in a Make it harder by turning wide squat position and it into a burpee (jumping quickly shuffling your feet. once you stand back up). Mountain climbers are a #3 Running great plank cardio move: Even if you don’t have a just get into a plank postrail or time to find one, ition and alternate legs as running in place can be you bring your toe up to very effective. Start with your hand. high knees. Stand straight and run in place, lifting #2 Squats your knees at least hip Squats are some of the high. Hold your palms best lower body moves down and out in front of
you, trying to touch them with your knees each rep. You can also switch to butt kicks, where you attempt to make your heels touch your bottom with each rep. Alternate for a fast and fun cardio routine that’s just as effective as a real run. #4 Jumping Jacks The classic jumping jack remains a staple in many cardio routines. It works your legs, your arms, and your core all at once. Go quickly but be sure to keep your form. If you want to make it more difficult, get down into a plank position and do plank jacks, jumping with your legs out and then jumping again to land back in the plank position. Squat jacks are also a fun and effective move.
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How to Keep Hunger at Bay When Cutting Calories Most of us know to lose weight, we have to burn more calories than we consume. Generally speaking, a deficit of 500 calories per day will result in about a pound of weight lost per week. But as we also know, when cutting out calories we can feel hungrier than when we were eating more. So what is the secret to keeping hunger at bay when on a weight reduction plan? Actually there are two: staying hydrated and eating fiber-rich foods. Staying hydrated
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your body digests the simple carbohydrates in the drink (sugar) you will be hungry again.
keeps you feeling full longer, thus reducing the urge to snack on unhealthy foods.
If the hunger pangs go away after drinking a glass of water and waiting, then you were just thirsty. If you are truly hungry, the water will not stop the hunger you are feeling and you should probably eat something. Now let’s talk about what that something should be.
Other health benefits besides helping you lose weight include keeping you regular, reducing cholesterol, keeping sugar spikes under control.
Eat fiber-rich foods
There are two types of As odd as it may sound, fiber: soluble and insolthe hunger pangs you uble. Both are beneficial. are feeling might not be Spinach, broccoli, tomahunger at all. Sometimes toes, watermelon, apples, they are a signal that you beans and peas are all are dehydrated. To find good sources of soluble out if you are really hunfiber. The skins of fruits and gry or not, try drinking an hulls found in seeds and 8-ounce glass of water and grains, like whole-grain wait 20 minutes. bread and brown rice, are good sources of insoluble Drinking water - plain or fiber. In the case of apples, carbonated - is the best. if you eat it with the skin Stay away from other on, you get both kinds of types of drinks which can fiber. be loaded with sugar and calories. They may satisfy The main purpose of you now, but as soon as eating fiber is because it
Once eaten, soluble fiber and the other foods eaten with it turns to a gel-like substance, thus slowing down digestion of everything you ate. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool so it can help push foods through your system faster as it makes its way through the digestive system. By staying hydrated with water and eating a diet high in fiber, weight loss, or weight management once at goal, becomes easier – still not easy, but easier. You will be able to lose weight with fewer hunger pangs, which makes sticking to a healthy diet more enjoyable.
Why Lack of Sleep Can Lead to Weight Gain
Is there really a connection between lack of sleep and weight gain? Are we talking about getting up during the middle of the night to eat and thereby losing out on sleep? If not, so what is the connection between the two? Actually, lack of sleep can cause many health-related issues of which weight gain is just one. And there are two main reasons for it: sleep deprivation and bad food choices because of the alteration of appetite due to a shift in hormones. 28
Sleep deprivation When sleep deprived, the body’s metabolism system doesn’t work right, so it is not burning calories as efficiently as it could. Research has shown the issue seems to come from a change in glucose tolerance or the body’s ability to turn food into glucose and get it to the cells where it can be used for energy. Being sleep deprived, glucose tolerance can diminish as much as 40%. If calories are not being processed, they are stored as fat, leading to weight gain. Bad food choices The other part is the bad food choices we make when sleep deprived. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation causes an increase in the hormone ghrelin, which controls our appetite and a decrease in leptin, which tells us when we are full. Sleepily we grab a cup of coffee or two … or three, along with a donut for some quick energy. That sugar rush caused by the sugar in the donut and in your coffee, if you added 29
some, soon wears off and before long you are back looking for more food. The issue is you are not looking for carrots or even apple slices with peanut butter – something that would be good for you – no, you are back for another donut or something that will give you the sugar rush again, has a lot of calories, and absolutely no nutritional value. The long-term result of this eating behavior is weight gain, even to the point of obesity. Typically, those that are sleepdeprived eat about 300 calories per day more than when they are rested. In a week, that is a pound of weight gain just from not getting enough sleep. Fifty-two weeks, fifty-two pounds!
And it wouldn’t be as bad … but still not good, if you hit the gym sometime during the day to burn off as many of those calories as you could, but being sleep deprived, you are too tired to exercise, so the weight just keep piling on. A typical adult needs at least 8 hours of quality sleep per night to avoid sleep deprivation and the change in hormones. Between the combination of taking in more calories and the body’s ability to efficiently burn them altered (coupled with a lack of exercise due to tiredness) the end result is weight gain – and in some cases, a lot of it.
Quick and Easy Snack Ideas to Fuel Your Workout
There’s nothing worse than heading out to the gym on an empty stomach. While many people enjoy fasted cardio, it has been shown that your muscles need a quick dose of protein after a workout in order to go into repair mode without excessive soreness. That means your pre and postworkout snacks should definitely be carefully planned in order to give your body what it needs.
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This is a great way to kick off a great workout session, and there’s no guilt! Be sure to avoid fruit smoothies with added sugar. Opt for fresh instead! If you have to go with dried or dehydrated options, make sure there is no added sugar or other ingredients in them.
The protein is also extremely good for you, and it’s what your muscles will need after being pushed during your session.
#3 Protein Powder While it’s certainly not the only pre or post-workout option, protein powder is certainly a popular goto for people looking to fuel their active lifestyles#2 Fatty Nuts -and it’s no wonder why. Cashews and almonds Protein powders have are just two types of nuts been specially formulated #1 Fresh Fruits that have been shown to to give your body what it The natural sugar in fruits support a healthy lifestyle- needs for a good workout. can help you power -and they’re extremely through your workout. filling! If you need a quick Some are specifically The carbohydrates found fill up before or after design to be enjoyed within are the body’s goyour next workout, look before or after the gym. to source for fuel. Grab a no further than a bag of They contain amino acids serving of fresh fruit before whole roasted cashews and other essentials your daily workout and or whole almonds. These that will go straight to you will quickly be able nuts will prove to be very rebuilding your muscles to put it to work for you, filling thanks to their and refueling your energy immediately burning away healthy fat content, and too. Again, just watch for the carbs contained in they are oh-so-delicious. added sugar. your pre-workout meal.
