Q: What do you get when you cross a knee injury with an active person?

A: A very crabby lady who is prone to fits of tears for no apparent reason.

I’m sidelined. Big time. Short story: while skiing for the first time at the age of 19, I lost control on the bunny slopes and my knee went one way while my ski went the other. (darn binding. and darn skiing.) So, uninsured I took what the ER docs told me was an ACL tear and stuck that in my back pocket and went on with my life. Sure, there have been incidents of strain and the knee gives occasionallly given my activity level- but since I don’t play soccer or basketball, I never even thought of fixing it.

Fast forward to February and picture me coming off a huge fitness achievement- completing a half marathon in 2:02. Yes, yes, I was on top of the world. My recovery week was fine. Then I started getting back to my normal activities and during a routine drill one day in boot camp my knee went “pop” or “crunch” or some other icky sound and I felt it give in a way that didn’t feel right.

Diagnosis: ACL tear PLUS miniscus tear. (medial, if you care)

Recommendation: Surgery

If you know anything about the knee and about knee surgery – you may know that an ACL repair or reconstruction is a nightmare. You spend 6 weeks in a big straight cast on crutches. You can’t do anything on it for a couple months. Rehab takes time. It takes a solid 9 months to get back to normal. But, normal on a different knee – where there is no guarantee that you will be able to run long periods or play sports.

I have to admit- I am struggling with all of this. My normal activity level has been drastically reduced. I use exercise as a stress reliever- and now I feel more stressed because I am afraid to do much and don’t like my fitness alternatives (swimming bores me to tears. thank goodness for cycle classes- but cycle everyday?). I have gained weight because my body is used to me burning through most my calories and now I can’t. The diagnosis and recommendations keep me up at night. Don’t these doctors have a 2 year old? How could they possibly suggest the ONLY way to fix this is through surgery? Not to mention the monetary difficulty I would have if I couldn’t teach and run my business for 6 months.

So where does that leave me? Well, the surgeons can put their knives away for now. I am in rehab and got fitted for a nifty brace that takes up most of my leg. However, I can still remain active, and most important to me I can still RUN. I can’t imagine my life without running. To me, running is my therapy and often clears away my worst mood or thought.

I also have had to face my own reliance on the endorphin’s exercise releases and the impact on my mood! My poor husband doesn’t know what to do with me. My good fitness friends get me though. I couldn’t imagine going through all this without the support of good friends who have gone through injury before. Oh, and awesome instructors who help me along the way.

So, I’ll turn it on you. Tell me when injury sidelined you. How did you get through it? It sounds cheesy- but I am a person who if I don’t exercise in some way for more than two days in a row starts to crawl the walls and yelling at cute puppies. It’s bad. I need you all to tell me it will be ok!

You know what I feel when I see an overweight kid?  Two things: 1. sad for the kid and 2. irritated at the parent.

Yes, I get judgy-judger when I see it.  I can’t help it.  You know why?

The kids are NOT to blame.  I blame the parents.

I try to use this blog as a positive place for support and ideas, but if there is one thing that really gets me going, it is seeing a poor kid who gets made fun of, teased and who can’t keep up with the other kids because he/she is overweight.  It is already tough enough being a kid.  Why do we insist on making things harder for them?

We have many jobs as parents: guardians, teachers, referees, playmates and- ROLE MODELS.  Children live what they learn.  We have such a unique opportunity in life to hand down values and habits that can make a child a healthy adult.  Why do some people throw that opportunity away?

What our unhealthy choices are leading to are a generation of kids who won’t live to be as old as our generation will be.  We are growing kids who will have Type 2 diabetes in high school and heart problems in their 20′s because of poor health and nutrition.  We are raising unhealthy kids who will soon be unhealthy adults raising their own kids.  We are killing off ourselves because of convenience and laziness.

I won’t just put out a problem and no suggestions on how to fix it.  If you are struggling with your own weight and health- consider the following:

- Invest in a nutrition course through your local parks and recreation or hospital.  Learn what foods are good and what foods are bad for your body.  Aim for balance and education- there is no need to turn vegan overnight.

- Find a friend who enjoys exercise and ask them to help you find some fun ways to get more activity.  As I’ve mentioned in previous posts- you don’t need to be a gym rat to get exercise.  You can walk, swim, dance or even do tai chi if it makes you happy.  The idea is that you just need to be moving more and sitting less.

-Encourage your kids healthy habits.  Sign them up for sports lessons or if they enjoy dogs, help them walk dogs in the neighborhood.  It doesn’t have to be hard core sports for a kid to be engaged and active.  Do a family bike ride after dinner once per week.  Have a family dance party every night before bath.  Be silly and engage your kids.  They have more energy than they know what to do with- they will be grateful to get moving!

-COMMIT to yourself that you will get healthy.  Your kids following suit will be a natural byproduct of your commitment.

Remember- you can always start over.  You can recommit to your health or keep repeating your health mistakes to leave a lasting legacy for your kids to remember you by.  The choice is yours.

Although I am not a big fan of Nutri Grain bars, I do really dig their commercial.  It shows a split screen as the viewer watches a woman’s meal choices throughout her day.  On one side of the screen you see her start with a donught, parlay that to a big burrito for lunch, grabbing for a cookie during a meeting and then munching mindlessly on the couch at night.  On the other side of the screen, it shows her alter ego starting her day with a Nutri Grain bar, eating a light salad for lunch, grabbing a fruit cup during that same meeting and then ending her day without snacking on the couch.

What does this commercial say to you?  I love the message of it.  To me, it says- one smart move leads to another.  When you start your day off right- whether it is with a workout or a healthy meal, your inclination to stay the course increases.  How many times do you start your day, week or even month off wrong- with a decadent meal or skipped workout- and think- well, hell- there goes my diet.  I’ll start again “tomorrow” or “Monday” or “next Month.”

I challenge you to go easier on yourself when you don’t stay the good health course.  Instead of beating yourself up over your big Mexican fiesta meal at lunch, just go light at dinner and MOVE ON.  Don’t derail your healthy intentions and plans because you had one bad meal.  Don’t be that lady in the commercial who mindlessly munches the wrong things all day because her day started off wrong.

Oh, and please, don’t start your day with Nutri Grain bars (sorry Kellogg!)  You need more balance and calories than that.  Try for a balanced meal of oatmeal, berries and tea or an egg, wheat toast topped with some cottage cheese.

Motivated by some feedback from my mom (see, I still listen to my mom even though I am an wise old woman) and friends with moms in the same boat- I wanted to address the other side of the exercise story.  See, my most recent post on avoiding gym intimidation offered what I thought was some quick advice for the person who used to go to the gym and maybe recently had a baby or lost the routine and is looking to get it back. While I write for a general new mom audience, I realize that there are others who read this blog for recipes and some other posts that don’t fit that category.  Since I can speak to more than one audience- this post is for you- the I-do-not-want-plan-or-even-think-about-ever-joining-a-gym crowd.  The question is- how can you get exercise if you do not belong to a gym?

1. Walk.  It’s free and it is one of the cheapest modes of exercise that exist.  The only costs are for a good pair of walking shoes ($70-100) and maybe an iPod if you wish to download your favorite music to keep you company.  Walk on trails.  Walk in your neighborhood.  Walk at a brisk pace.  Look for hills if you live near any and walk up and down those.  Walking burns the same amount of calories as running does (per mile) so set a good brisk pace and aim to walk 4-5 days a week.

2. Swim.  You can find pools through your parks and recreation department or city.  You probably have access to pools you weren’t even aware of.  Swimming is not only easy on the joints, it is a great calorie burner.  Thirty minutes of moderate intensity swimming for a 150 pound woman burns 450 calories!  That type of calorie burn is nothing to shake a stick at.  Get in the water and get your swim on.  Breast stroke and a quick freestyle stroke burn the most calories.

3.  Sign up for classes through your parks and recreation center.  Where I live, there are so many options of exercise classes to take.  There are classes that focus on the older population and for those who are nursing injured joints or need a lot of modifications.  Often you can work to try a trial class for free to see if it fits your needs.  The commitment is small- typically 10-12 weeks and you get to know the others in your class since class sizes are small.  You can find a variety of offerings from tai chi to yoga to jazzercise to zumba.

4. Find a friend.  Networking sites like meetup.com offer you a chance to find other people who are your age and share a similar interest.  You can find adult exercise groups that get together to walk, hike, bike, swim or do yoga.  If one doesn’t exist, then start one of your own.  It just takes a little organization and an open mind to find new activities once every couple weeks.

5. Join a studio fitness group.  There are small fitness studios all over specializing in yoga, pilates, cycling, you name it- and the studios are often small and offer a lot of personal attention.  For someone who feels that the traditional gym is too much, a small studio space can offer some level of comfort as you get to know others who attend the classes or workout there.  It seems less intimidating when people know who you are and are there to help.

6. Women only gyms.  Total Women Fitness and Curves are departures from your traditional big box gyms.  They cater to women only and offer a place to workout with women who have injuries or joint problems and need modifications.

7. Fitness DVD’s at home.  Whatever type of activity you fancy, there is someone who made a DVD to teach you in the comforts of your own home.  You can rent them out of your local library and if you have Netflix or some other DVD rental system you can find them there so there is no extra out of pocket costs associated with exercising at home.

If you are really out of practice and the thought of doing any of these things seem insurmountable, then my suggestion is to start with #1 or #2- walk or swim for a month.  Aim to do 30 minutes of moderate intensity (meaning, you can still talk, but you are working hard) 3-4 days a week.  Those 30 minutes can be broken up into two 15 minute segments at the beginning if that is easier.  You want to gradually build it up though, so that your endurance can build and your body can adjust.  You may find as you get stronger and can walk or swim greater distances, your self confidence may improve and ideas #3-7 don’t seem so preposterous.  All I hope that you do is MOVE.  Exercise doesn’t have to look for you the same as it looks for others.  It just has to get your heart rate up a bit and get you moving.

I take for granted the idea of walking into any health club, jumping on a machine (or, much closer to reality, stepping into a group fitness class) and just working out.  It seems easy and effortless- especially hidden behind my iPod speakers and my head down.  However, it recently occurred to me that one of the biggest obstacles for people to get in shape is actually getting over the gym intimidation factor.

When this lightbulb of an idea flashed before me- it became clear.  The hard bodies, the impossible machines with hundreds of unknown buttons, the weight plates on the weight machines that can throw your back out.  I understand how one might feel about working out there.  What should you do if the gym intimidates you?  Here are my tips:

1. Hire a trainer. Yes, dig deep into your pockets and invest in 5 or 10 sessions with a trainer.  They know how to use the machines, know many of the club regulars and can help introduce you to an exercise routine AND others who are just like you.  If you can’t afford a whole package, even one or two sessions can help ease any minor discomfort with the machines and help get you started on a promising exercise program fit for you and your goals.

2. Splurge on a few new workout outfits. Need something to motivate you past the hard bodies on the treadmill?  Indulge yourself and go get some new gear.  If anything will motivate you, if only for a short while, a new outfit will.

3.  Enlist a friend to go! Studies show working out with a buddy leads to higher success rates sticking to an exercise routine and sharing the gym unease with a friend who might know how to turn on the rowing machine may make the gym seem less unfriendly.

4. Take a group fitness class. This is my preferred method- let someone else figure out the music and the routine and motivate you.  You can slip in and out if you wish!  For me this works on days I don’t feel like engaging with anybody.  Other than the pleasantries I exchange with a few friends in class- I get in and get out mostly unnoticed.  Once the music starts and you are working, there is no time to be intimidated -only time to work hard and get your workout in.

5. Take it outside. So you don’t like exercising indoors.  Go to a track and walk.  Find stairs and run up and down them. Go to the pool and swim laps.  Don’t use the fact that you don’t like the gym to be what keeps you from getting exercise.

6. Get over yourself. Yup, I said it.  You know what?  I like to believe most people will help me if I ask or if I am indeed clueless.  Get it out of your head that all those people on that row of treadmills are looking at you as you figure out the machine and ask someone to help you.  Stop thinking everyone is going to think negatively of you and your extra baby weight you are still carrying or whatever.  Since when do you let what others think get in your way?  (sorry, that is my tough love trainer side coming out… but seriously- get over yourself!)

Do you have a story about overcoming this particular obstacle or another tip?  Share here!

One year ago this week I took my first Baby Boot Camp class.  I remember the class well as it was my first introduction to a “moms club” of sorts that I finally related to.

Before I had a baby, I worked in an environment where I was surrounded by people like me.  I had a lot of friends at work and my job included exciting things like travel and events that kept me busy.  I wasn’t used to quiet or “alone” time.  Those first few months with a new baby were lonely compared to my previous life.  The truth is, I like being busy and enjoyed the constant hum of my old life and four months into my new role as a mom, I was itching to meet other moms like me.

Then I discovered there are moms groups out there.  Well, what a treat!  I signed up for a few of the events appropriate for a very young infant and embarked to find my new tribe, my new posse.  However, as each event passed, I became more disheartened.  I wasn’t clicking with other moms like I thought I would.  I didn’t share their passion for being a full-time, stay at home, my-world-revolves-around-little-Suzie talk they had.  I would quietly observe women at these playdates bemoan the fact they had no time to workout while giving their kids cookies to be quiet and drinking Coke to stay awake.  I know I provoke eye rolls from some people when I tell them I don’t feed my kid junk and I don’t drink soda.  I know even more that I annoy some people when I preach the virtues of exercise and including that into their routine.  After each of these events I would come home more depressed wondering where my new circle of moms would be.  I knew I wasn’t alone, I just didn’t know where these women were.

Then I joined Baby Boot Camp.  I remember feeling immediately relaxed after my first conversation with the owner.  After she put me at ease, I was even more pleased as the moms there introduced themselves to me, asked me about my baby and made conversation with me during the workout.  Up until that point, most of the moms types of events I had attended were existing cliques that, like high schoool, I needed to break into.  That wasn’t my idea of support and friendship.  At Baby Boot Camp, the conversations that took place while we exercised were open to everyone.  When a few moms want to meet after class to take the kids to the beach, everyone was invited.  This was a group I like

I cherish the group of women I have come to know as my own posse.  Each time I am struggling with something new G-love is doing to confuse or overwhelm me, I talk to another mom who immediatley puts me at ease or gives sound advice to follow.  I learn about different healthy recipes to feed my family and go running with some of the moms on the weekends.  I feel like myself when I am at boot camp, which was a more comfortable feeling than I had at other organized mom events.  Baby Boot Camp is so ingrained in our routine, that on days where I don’t teach or go to class, G-love and I both feel out of sorts- like something in our routine is missing.

The icing on the cake to all of this, besides franchise ownership and the opportunity I have had to meet so many moms is definitely the fact that I am in the best shape of my life.  I think back to those sweet days of my twenties where I worked out 2 hours per day training for triathlons (and back then I thought I had no free time!) and I am far healthier now than I ever was then.  The workouts we do are not a stroll in the park.  I can out burpee or out push-up many men and feel like I can lunge for miles.  Besides those accomplishments, I am training for a half marathon and will be linking arms with four of these fabulous boot camp moms to cross the finish line of the Camp Pendleton Mud Run in a matter of weeks.

What are you waiting for?  I know some of you reading this can relate and need this- stop making excuses!  I’ll see you in class soon!

For many, the first glance of the ‘+’ sign on the pregnancy test stick has a myriad of meanings: elation, fear, discomfort, joy, anxiety, exhaustion and peace.  Many expecting moms also take happily to the whole “eating for two” mantra and even early on in the pregnancy when extra calories are not needed, they indulge on all sorts of fun cravings from calorie harmless pickles to calorie packed cookies.

Before I move on to the idea of working out while sporting your cute bump, let me just make this very clear- pregnancy is not a green light for full gorging!  In fact, “eating for two” is not even appropriate.  The average pregnant woman only needs an additional 300 calories per day starting in her second trimester.  300 calories is equivalent to a cup of oatmeal and handful of almonds, or 2 servings of tortilla chips.  Always remember that the more weight you gain during pregnancy is more weight you will have to lose after you give birth!

So how do you avoid unnecessary or excessive weight gain while you are pregnant?  Here is one way: Exercise!

Yes, you with the cute baby bump and glowing skin.  You don’t get a free pass for 10 months (UNLESS your doctor has told you otherwise!!). In fact, there are many glorious benefits to exercising while pregnant.  Here are a few:

- Avoid unnecessary weight gain. You still need those extra calories, but exercise helps you control your weight at a time when you might feel more out of control with your eating habits.  Studies have shown that women who exercise while pregnant are less likely to gain excessive weight.  Additional studies have shown women who exercise at least 3 days a week for one hour are more likely to carry to term and deliver a baby at a healthy weight.

- Prepare for labor and beyond. Exercise helps strengthen muscles you will need to carry your big bump upstairs and heave yourself into your car.  It will also strengthen your core muscles which you use during childbirth.  After the second trimester you are no longer supposed to do supine (laying down on your back) exercises for your core- but you can do plenty of planks and standing abdominal work to strengthen your abdominals and lower back muscles.

- Increase your energy levels. Just when you think all you want to do is lay down to nap, exercise can help increase your energy more than a nap might.  What gives?  Exercise releases endorphins which help increase energy level and help positively influence your mood.  Pregnancy is a scary and stressful time for some.  Exercise can help decrease the anxiety with these powerful endorphins.

- Feel better about yourself. Nobody exercises because they hate the results.  People exercise because they like the way they feel about themselves when they are done.  When your belly is expanding and you are gaining weight in odd places- why not do something that helps improve your appearance and the way you feel about yourself?

- It’s GOOD for you! You know my schtick.  I am here to sell you on exercise because it is good for you.  It reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes (including gestational diabetes), cancers, etc..  It helps create healthy habits for you to pass down to your kids.

OK- so I sold you.  You are pregnant and you are ready to take on the gym!  Here are some precautions to consider:

- Pregnancy is not a time to start a new fitness routine. If you were doing something before you were pregnant, chances are a modified version of it is safe during pregnancy.  However, if you are new to working out- walking and swimming are your options for a safe and effective way to burn calories.  Remember to stay hydrated throughout and following a workout as you will use more fluids during pregnancy for the baby.

- Bring it down a notch. Wear a heart rate monitor.  I don’t have a magic number like others for your heart rate- but you know yourself.  Take note of your perceived effort- are you working at a level 9 on a scale of 1-10?  Bring it down to a 6 and stay there.  Now is not the time to push yourself.  Make sure you properly warm up to give your muscles extra time to respond.  Pregnancy releases a hormone called relaxin which is great for your expanding uterus but not so great for some other ligaments in your body.  Take it easy to avoid injury to joins like the shoulders and knees.

- Slow and steady wins the race. It reduces your risk of injury and keeps you safe.  Go on walks with your spouse or friend, take an aqua aerobics class, go for a light swim. Many yoga studios offer prenatal yoga and it is a great place to meet other expecting moms.  My own Baby Boot Camp workout is safe and effective for prenatal women and is best for women who worked out before they became pregnant.  Just do something- getting started is often the hardest part!

This is a time where your doctor’s input and supervision is extremely important- so consult her/him before you start, let any instructor or trainer know you are pregnant and enjoy!

Recently a few of the moms who attend my Baby Boot Camp classes asked individually what they could do to boost their weight loss.  They have it right- they are coming to class 3-4 times per week, eating right and can’t seem to shake those last 5 pounds that stick to us like super glue.

Sound familiar?  Maybe you don’t need to motivate yourself to lose a lot of weight- maybe you have been doing it right all along.  How do you lose the last of the jiggle, the remainder of the unwelcome weight that came with growing and subsequently birthing a baby?

As Emeril used to say- you gotta take it up a notch.  (BAM!)  What you did to lose the weight initially is no longer doing it for you. When I hear this from clients and my moms, a few things come to mind.  First- how much more weight are you trying to lose?  For some, it is a legitimate 10 pounds that wasn’t there before and is not coming off with calorie reduction and exercise.  For others though, it is a phantom 10 pounds that is more like 3 pounds and is more the client not liking the new body she is left with postpartum.  It is important to be realistic.  Many of my moms and clients are in their 30′s and 40′s.  We are no longer in that golden era of eating whatever we want and not worrying about the impact.  Our metabolism slows down as we age, making weight loss and maintenance harder.

When I get to the bottom of what it is the client really is looking to do- drop unnecessary weight or really shed those stubborn last 5 pounds- it is time to take a look at the diet.  Is she really counting all her calories?  I had a client once who was doing fantastic- working out hard, doing all the right changes to her diet.  However, she wasn’t seeing the results she should have.  When I prodded a bit more into what it was she was eating- she finally mentioned that she was having a bowl of real ice cream every night.  It was her reward for really going the distance on her “get healthy” plan.  She reasoned it was reward for hard work, taking care of a baby all day and night, working out 5 days a week and cutting out all the other bad things in her diet.  She even was proud because the ice cream was the real deal- the type with only 3-4 ingredients on the label.  She justified she was getting good fat and calories because she was avoiding all the artificial ingredients in many diet ice cream bars. When we examined the actual calorie content of her daily reward- she was truly shocked to learn just how much damage she was doing to her diet by adding this extra 500 calories of treat to her diet nightly.  She cut that back to once per week (according to my 80/20 principle) and saw results almost overnight.

Remember everything you put in your mouth contains calories!  Your latte has calories, the 5 peanut M&M’s you inhale while on the run have calories.  Even the honey you add to your afternoon tea has calories.  I recommend adding a calorie cushion to your daily totals- about 200 should do it.  It will help you account for everything you are taking in daily.

When you are finished examining your diet- it is time to look at your workout.  This is where I came in with my moms at Baby Boot Camp. These gals are in great shape and can probably run circles around many “fit” people who just go to the gym and hop on the elliptical machine a few times a week.  However, your workout can get stale too.  Your body does get used to the intensity eventually.  It is up to you to add intensity and variety to continue to see results.  What does this mean?  It means investing in a good heart rate monitor and learning what your ideal ranges are for training.  Once you get that in line, it means making a move harder if you can breeze through it.  Many of my moms who are there to really train often have to seek out ways to make a move more intense- maybe doing an extra set of stairs or adding plyometrics to a regular move.  It is all meant to shock the body some more and help increase your calorie burn.  For many of my moms, a regular squat is easy.  However, when you hold that squat and pulse low at a 90 degree angle for 30 seconds holding a medicine ball and do shoulder presses during the same squat- the intensity immediately raises and you are working harder and burning more calories.  If you find yourself falling into this- consult a trainer or fitness instructor for help on ideas on how to progress moves (make your moves harder).  Additionally, try a new workout- a zumba class or a cycle class maybe.  Sometimes you just need to do something different!

So if you are faced with the overall discouragement that comes from a fitness plateau- take a close look at your diet and exercise before reaching for the ice cream.  You’ll be surprised what honest evaluation will do to help you get to the next level!

This plyometric move needs no equipment and will get your heart pumping quickly.  It is a great move to use doing a quick circuit or outdoors if you have an even surface.  If you have knee or ankle problems- this is not the move for you.  Do this move for 1 minute intervals.  As your cardio fitness improves, so will your ability to do these for longer!

Directions:

1. Stand with both feet shoulder distance apart with knees slightly bent.  With a cone or other marker, designate a spot 2-3 feet laterally (to one side).

2. Start with bent knees and jump up and over toward your marker.

3.  Land with soft knees (knees slightly bent) and rebound back to your starting spot.

Tips: Keep your knees high, and always land with soft knees and with your knees and toes facing the same direction.  Imagine you are jumping over some sort of knee height tightrope as you get over to the other side.  Keep your knees behind your toes as you land and rebound back up.

Remember! If you have knee or ankle problems- do not attempt this move.