Check Out the New TriValleyWellness.com!

Hi Folks!

Thank you so much for becoming followers of the TriValleyWellness.com blog.

As you know, not long after I started writing this blog, it came to an abrupt halt. There were two reasons for this:

1. My core business (fitness training and specialty group classes) slowed down significantly in the summer of '09, and that required me to turn my attention to that business (which puts a roof over my family's head!)

2. It was simply too difficult to keep up with generating both a daily blog and a weekly wellness video.

Since that time, my training business has rebounded, both my kids are now in school six hours a day and I have combined the blog and video into a single Vblog that I'll be changing out every few days.

I'm now in the process of re-launching the new and improved TriValleyWellness.com website, and I encourage you to visit and share your thoughts and recommendations.

Here's the link: http://trivalleywellness.com/

Thanks again for your loyalty!

The Red Zone

If you're trying to lose body fat and you've already implemented the major recommendations I've listed here (eating small, frequent meal/snacks of nutrient-dense food; following a balanced, challenging and progressive fitness program) it may come down to how you eat in the last third of the waking day.

What makes the last third of the day so important? Well, the closer you get to bed time, the more influence the calories you take in will have on your daily equation (in versus out or eaten versus burned). So, while it's not that easy to create a 500 calorie shortfall (which equals a pound of fat loss each week), it's very easy to consume 1500 calories too many (a few slices of pizza and a couple of beers will more than cover that margin.)

If you did the quick math in your head just now, you know that three days of being good can net out with one "whoops!" day to leave you with a big goose egg for the four days - no weight lost after more than half a week of being on your best nutrition behavior!

What's frustrating for many people who are working out hard and eating pretty clean and light during the week, but get a little crazy over the weekend, is that you can easily counteract the effects of the week with a weekend of indulgence.

I tell my clients to have a mid or late afternoon snack with fat, fiber and protein (fruit and a cheese stick or small hand full of nuts are good choices), then have a big glass of water before dinner and keep dinner a very small portion of 2/3 veggies and 1/3 lean protein. The no more calories after dinner!

If you do that, you'll start to see that stubborn fat finally hit the road.

New Pilates Class in Livermore!

Check it out... http://tvtevents.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-pilates-class-at-cosmic-dog-yoga.html

Is it a snack? A meal? Who cares?

This is one of mine and my kids' favorite "modular meals":

Stacey's Garlic Paremsan Baked Pita Chips dipped in

Knudsen Lowfat Cotttage Cheese

plus

Broccoli and Cauliflower tips dipped in Sabra Garlic Hummus

It's got it all - protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber. And it's very low in calories.

Add some nuts or cheese and fresh berries and it's perfect for a sunset park picnic!

Darell's Victory

Earlier this year, I got the opportunity to work with a company conducting a three-month employee weight loss contest. There was lots of enthusiasm and a surprisingly high percentage of employees (nearly 70%) signed up at the start. I visited the site weekly with nutrition and healthy lifestyle small group coaching and led weekly exercises classes. I also offered e-mail support for those who had questions along the way.

Darell (pictured above before [left] and after [right] the contest), was the one person who took advantage of everything. He showed up for all the classes. He implemented the eating changes. He asked additional questions about how to improve his workouts. He ran changes by me that he'd made to some of his eating practices for my feedback. And because his company subsidized my services, he didn't spend a dime on that guidance.

How did Darell do in the contest? He won - and by a pretty fair margin. He lost nearly a fifth of his body weight in fat and six inches in his waist in three short months.

So what makes Darell different than so many people out there who try and fail to lose weight over and over and then finally give up altogether? Well, I'd like to believe that the guidance and motivation I provided were critical elements in the mix. But that was available to all the employees.

Darell simply believed it was important enough to devote his time and energy to this effort. He wanted a better life now, while he was still young. He wanted to serve as an example to his friends, his family and his coworkers. But most of all, he just wanted to have control over his health and wellness.

I was glad to be a part of that.

Reps? Sets? Loads? Who Cares?

Not me.

Well, let me be more specific: reps, sets and loads, while important tools in the strength training toolbox, are simply that - tools. They do not define the ultimate goal. They are pathways you can use, but they shouldn't be your main focus.

What do I mean by that? Here's the strength training equation:

Relative intensity x time under load = muscle training productivity

That means that there is some combination of a percentage of maximum load the muscle can bear and the total time the muscle will bear that load that is optimal for training either for muscle power, muscle endurance, or some combination of the two.

So, while a jockey or tennis player might pick a load that he/she can handle for 20+ reps but stay a few to several reps short of complete muscle exhaustion, a sumo wrestler or football lineman might work with a load he can only press a handful of times. They have different purposes so they approach strength training differently. And there's basically an inverse relationship between how much weight you lift and how many times you can lift the load. So each of those variables (load vs. number of reps in a single set) has the nice quality of pretty much defining the other.

As for volume (number of sets), the more you do, the more aggressively you'll be training the muscles. There's a corresponding growth/strength increase relationship with volume, to a certain point of diminishing returns. Over training is a real pitfall to avoid for bodybuilders and power lifters, but that's the subject of another post.

The bottom line is that if you go into the gym planning to do three sets of 10 reps, you're missing the point. Do you want to get stronger, bigger or have more muscle stamina? Both?

Then pick a load you with which you can do somewhere between 8-12 reps, and go as close to failure (exhaustion) on each set, for one to three sets per muscle group. If you're executing with consistently excellent quality, each set should have a drop off of at least a few reps.

And if you're really hitting the muscles hard, one or two sets should be plenty.

A Challenge to Face the Truth

One thing that I know saddens and frustrates a lot of trainers is their clients' unwillingness, in some cases, to be honest with themselves. There are predictable excuses for many people that have pretty obvious translations. Here are a few:

"Diets don't work for me" = (I don't have the discipline to consistently eat healthfully)
"I don't have time to exercise" = (Other things I enjoy doing are more important to me.)
"I'm too old for that stuff" = (I've earned the right to blow off what I don't really want to do.)

But these avoidance tactics actually just make us feel even less powerful, because deep down we know that a challenge is the only way to grow, and we were built to grow. Denial and self delusion are just little tricks we need to play on ourselves because we're too smart to ignore an unpleasant but controllable situation without them.

Sounds harsh? Here's a direct challenge:

If your waist is much more than half your height in inches, you are probably at least overweight, if not obese. If you're completely honest with yourself, you probably have a good idea about roughly how much weight you could stand to lose. If it's around 30 lbs, try this - get a couple of long pillow cases, and put two gallons of water in each. Tie off the ends to make a handle behind the knot, and find a nice long hill or a few flights of stairs. Go up and down a few times, hoisting a weighted-down pillow case over each shoulder.

That's how much harder on your heart another 30 lbs would be. Now imagine how losing the thirty you currently have to spare would feel. And imagine how much less of a load you'd put on that heart you've grown so fond of (and dependent on).

Isn't it time to start being honest with yourself?


Check your own body fat using the online calculator listed third on the "Cool Tools" section of this page: http://trivalleywellness.com/hiddengems.html

Fitness Checklist

I like lists. They clarify and reduce waste (time and energy). This one can also reduce your waist. Take a look and see what you're doing from the list below, and what you're not. The missing items could be your bridge to success:

1. Drink enough water to keep your urine pale to clear.

2. Get in up to five hours of cardio each week (lower intensity) or at least 90 minutes at very high intensity.

3. Strength train with large, full body compound (moving at more than one joint at a time) movements, whenever possible, 2-3 times a week.

4. Challenge yourself so that when you finish a workout, you couldn't repeat it.

5. Eat more veggies than any other single food group.

6. Get .5 - .75 grams of protein per pound of ideal body weight each day.

7. Spread that protein as evenly as possible across the waking day.

8. Get 6.5 - 8 hours a sleep each night.

9. Make sure your calories are as rich as possible in protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber.

10. Be honest with yourself about how you live and what you expect your body to look, feel and perform like as a result.

Work vs. Facebook (and other distractions)

Ok. I admit it. While I'm not exactly hooked on Facebook, it has become a bit of a habit. Currently I'm on it more often than I floss but not as often as I use the bathroom. I think I'm safe from an immediate intervention, don't you?

So my big plan to catapult my new website, http://www.trivalleywellness.com/ to astronomically high daily traffic has been (temporarily) stymied. But not my resolve to make it a long term success. In fact, because of the energy that I get from re-connecting with old friends, I'm actually more devoted than ever to making the website a success. Starting another bar band (after swearing I was too old to do that again) has had a similar effect. I'm having a blast and I want to harness that passion and direct it back toward enriching the content and promoting the website more aggressively.

Since I work for myself, I spend almost all my time either with clients, teaching Pilates classes or with my (two younger) kids. So the website development is slow, even though it's central to my long-term business growth plan.

But my kids will only be this young once. And I'm sure this is definitely the last bar band I'm going to be in (probably). And I'm sure this Facebook thing will peter out to a manageable level soon, don't you think?

Meanwhile, I'm happy, energetic and feeling inspired. Good thing I don't have a boss (or a three month review coming up...)

Weight Lifting with Still Sore Muscles?

Ever wonder whether you should strength train when your muscles are fatigued from a previous workout? Not sure what the protocol is? Simple - don't. Here's why: The soreness/fatigue in your muscles is a signal your body is sending you that the muscles you broke down in your previous workout have not been completely rebuilt.

And that's the purpose of the workout in the first place - to rebuild the muscles with slightly greater capacity than they had before. Hitting them again before the fatigue or soreness has left interrupts that critical process. So your next workout is not only not as pleasant, but it's not particularly productive either.

So wait another day or two. It's for the best.

Jazz Up Your Salads and Veggies

Ever tried these? They are simply roasted and seasoned, thinly sliced almonds. Years ago one of my clients mentioned she had made string beans with toasted almond slivers the night before, and teh image stuck in my head. Since I'm pretty lazy, I noticed these in the produce section the next shopping trip and opicked them up.

Now I use them in salads, on top of all my veggies, and even sometimes in cottage cheese for a nice taste/texture kick.

Give them a try!

Oil and Water

Don't do what doesn't work for you.

How do you know what doesn't work? Is it difficult? Is it painful? Is it a hassle? No, none of these qualities, in my mind, qualifies as a deal-breaker. Exercise is hard (especially at first), eating a disciplined, healthful diet may seem uncomfortable until you realize the benefits of increased energy and a leaner body. And meditation can seem boring and unnerving if you have trouble (as most do) quieting the mind and settling in for the longer haul.

It's more a question of "right fit". Are you better for it? Do you experience positive growth as a result of your involvement or actions?

Maybe the job or the relationship you're in at the moment is not the right fit for you. Maybe your lifestyle is easy but draining or dragging your spirit (and your body) down slowly. Most of us experience one or more of these situations at least once in our lives.


My advice? Learn as much as you can from the situation. Don't judge it (the person, the relationship, the job or the activity). Perhaps it's just not right for you.


If you move on, then you'll be able to do it with a sense of peace.


There's no subsitute for that.

Stiff Back in the A.M.?

Try this:

Before you get out of bed, push back the covers and pull one knee gently but firmly into your torso, exhaling completely on the pull. Then repeat on the other side. Then pull both knees in and hold for 10 seconds, breathing normally but deeply. Next, lying on your back and with your arms at your sides, roll your shoulder blades and upper back off the mattress, sliding your palms forward across the mattress top and gently return to a relaxed supine (belly up) position. Repeat four times. Then get up normally.

This should give you a chance to gradually increase the circulation in your back muscles while expanding your mobility before you raise your torso off the mattress, which can be hard on the back when your body is not warmed up.

Should You Work Out When You're Sick?

As a general rule, no. If you have a virus or bacterial infection and are at the very tail end of it with at least 90% energy, strength training at less than full intensity might be OK. Use your judgment and listen to your body. But aerobics and oxygen-intense cross training should wait. You won't suffer by waiting another day or two. And your body shouldn't have to decide whether to focus on recuperating fully from an illness or rebuilding itself after a tough workout. If it has to, it will do both poorly.

Better off playing it safe and making sure you're 100% before heading back to the gym (or the court, road, the trail...)

Food Diary: Day 7

7:30am - Trader Joe's Hi Protein Kashi cereal with nonfat milk, nuts and raisins

8:15am - Non fat latte

11:45am - Chicken veggie soup, 2 power pancakes

2:00pm - 4 skinny slices of prime rib (fat trimmed)

2:30pm - Broccoli with hummus

4:45pm - 1 slice whole wheat french toast (batch made with 1 yolk/3 whites) w/no topping

6:30pm - Trader Joe's banana chips (1 cup)

7:00pm - Low fat cottage cheese with 4 baked veggie flax seed chips
No workout today

Food Diary: Day 6

5:30am - 5.5 oz. V8, 2 tbsp of Knudsen low fat cottage cheese, handful of Quaker Oat Squares

7:30am - Non fat decaf latte, 2 power pancakes, a few grapes, small handful of trail mix

9:30am - 1 power pancake, grapes

11:15am - Handful of cheerios, 2 big strawberries, 2 swallows of nonfat milk

1:15pm - V8, protein bar, chicken veggie soup

3:30pm - Tangerine, handful Quaker Oat Squares

5:30pm - Spinach salad with carrots, tomatoes and 4 skinny slices of prime rib

6:00pm - No sugar added fudgecicle

Did a short strength workout and taught a Pilates class with band resistance work

Food Diary: Day 5

5:30am - 6 oz. V8

7:00am - Kashi high protein cereal w/strawberries, bananas and mixed nuts

9:30am - Non fat mint mocha (1 tbsp of Trader Joe's mint cocoa)

Noon - Anderson's split pea soup, 3 slices of Trader Joe's prime rib

12:30pm - Trader Joe's "Everything" pretzel slims
2:30pm - 2 Power pancakes http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2008/03/flat-belly-recipe-power-pancakes.html

3:30pm - Protein bar

4:30pm - Chicken veggie soup http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2007/12/savory-soup-and-simple-too.html


Short, high-intensity cardio workout

Food Diary: Day 4

7:45am - 6 oz. V8, Greek yogurt w/honey, high-protein Kashi and trail mix

10:15am - Low fat latte

11:45am - 4 Chicken pineapple meat balls and Soy Crisps

12:15pm - Veggie sushi

1:00pm - Trader Joe's "Everything" pretzel slims

4:30pm - Strawberries and banana w/Greek yogurt and honey

7:15pm - Broccoli with hummus, 1/4 chicken breast w/feta and spinach, 4 grapes, 1/4 tsp soy nut butter

No workout but taught corporate Pilates class w/strength training

Food Diary: Day 3

5:45am - 2 swallows V8, 3 swallows non fat milk

7:15am - banana

7:30am - 2 pieces french toast (3 white-to-1 yolk ratio) with low fat Greek yogurt & honey, a handful of grapes and 2 tbsp soy nut butter

9:15am - tangerine

10:00am - Non fat latte (decaf)

12:15pm - Korean noodles with beef, carrots, mushrooms, cabbage and bean sprouts

3:30pm - snap peas, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, almonds and grapes (2 cups total)

4:30pm - Clif Z-Bar

6:40pm 1/2 chicken breast with feta and sauteed spinach

No workout but I taught a semi-private Pilates class at noon and worked with a boxing student (mitt drills) in the evening

Food Diary: Day 2

5:15am - 2 swallows V8, 3 swallows milk

7:30am - Nonfat latte, 1 cup Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 banana, 2 tbsp mixed nuts

10:00am - 4 Chicken pineapple meatballs (Costco)

11:00am - Broccoli and cauliflower w/tomato basil hummus

1:30pm - 4 Chicken pineapple meatballs, 6 each of snap peas, cherry tomatoes and baby carrots
1 stick of string cheese

2:15pm - 1 cup Trader Joe's baked flax seed chips

3:00pm - 2 tangerines, 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt with honey, handful of trail mix

4:45pm - 1 cup eggs with feta cheese, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes

8:15pm - herb tea

Activity - Today I hit the heavy bag, strength trained and taught a semi-private Pilates class