Cleansing your….

Cleanses.  The newest fad in the ever-changing fad industry.  The definition of a cleanse is a liquid fast, aka no food.  Somehow these are sweeping the nation as the best new thing your body definitely needs (I hope you hear the sarcasm).  However, a cleanse is like any other fad, it is a DIET.

Cleanses are widely publicized by the rich & famous.  Take one of my favorites Yolanda from the RHOBH (If you don't know the abbreviation, this part will make no sense so kindly skip down to the next paragraph).  The B just got done with serious treatment via port-a-cath for Lyme disease which was in her brain.  What was her first thought?  Now I need to starve myself & drink all these gross juices which give me no nutrients & have diarrhea for at least a week straight.  Smart, really smart.

Cleanses are just like any other crazy diet, depriving your body of things causing you to lose weight.  Off the cleanse, back on goes the weight.  Now don't confuse my hatred of cleanses with a hatred of juicing.  I think juicing is an excellent tool to help continue your balanced diet, however I do not believe these should take the place of meals.

 

So let's disprove some of the common beliefs about cleanses…

Myth 1:  Your GI system needs a break from food to rejuvenate & function at it's highest capacity

Fact:  Your GI system was created to process & break down actual food & nutrients.  Juicing & drinking concoctions actually deprives yourself of daily nutrients sending your body into starvation mode.  This will lead to a temporary weight loss aka water-weight & in some severe cases can cause you to gain numbers on the scale as your body tries to preserve anything & everything, preventing actual starvation

Myth 2:  Colon cleansing is necessary since undigested foods cause mucus build up therefore producing toxins

Fact:  There is no scientific proof that toxins are produced due to undigested food, however a colon cleanse may help with chronic constipation due to the repeated reflexive contractions in the bowel due to repeated bowel movements…..aka constant pooping which I do not have time for.

Myth 3:  Cleanses help to improve your mental outlook

Fact:  If you mean help your mental outlook by helping you understand what starvation feels like, then sure.  But otherwise blood sugars are down, nutrients a low & dehydration is becoming an issue, not a very clear way to think.

Myth 4:  Cleanses help to rid your body of sugar, which is a toxin.

Fact: I love this one.  Sugar is sold as this evil ingredient.  Not if it's natural, people!! Fruit has plenty of sugar.   I'm pretty sure the trees the fruit comes from don't have some hidden agenda to poison us with more sugar.  All in moderation natural sugars are good, its what gives us energy.

Myth 5:  I must take supplements during certain types of cleanses to help replace the nutrients I'm not gaining from food.

Fact:   I mean this one is hilarious.  So I'm not going to eat any food to try & get clean, but since I am not eating any food I still need to make sure I'm getting the correct vitamins that usually come from FOOD.  Also, if you are taking supplements you are still placing artificially created substances into your body.  Isn't the entire point of a cleanse to get clean??  Supplements are totally counterintuitive to that idea.

Myth 6:  You NEED to cleanse in order to help keep your body functioning & clean.

Fact:  You know what our bodies need?  They need a balanced diet with plenty of vitamins and nutrients.  They don't need chronic diarrhea, starvation, dehydration & deprivation (almost a perfect alliteration lol).  You are not cleansing anything…..in fact you are dieting!

Hope this myth buster addition of PracticallyFit has helped clear up any of you who are thinking of jumping on the cleanse train.  In my opinion if you are feeling the need to do a cleanse you probably need a good, sweaty work out & a spinach salad.  That should do the trick!

Turkey Fat

Ahhhh good morning readers! It's been a while….Just relaxing with a pumpkin spice chai tea latte and with the newest dog addition, Olive!  So let's talk about everyone's favorite time of the year coming up, the holidays!

I'm not the biggest fan of what Thanksgiving has turned into.  Instead of being a holiday to spend with family/friends giving thanks for all of our blessings, it has turned into "all the things I don't need but really want & will push any living thing out of the way to get" holiday.  In addition to all the hype surrounding the sales, which now begin on Thanksgiving day as if Friday wasn't enough, it has become the obesity epidemic's poster holiday.  Yuck, absolutely yuck.  GET A GRIP AMERICA….idiots.

Now Christmas is more my style.  A season, not just a day.  The magic of Christmas with the belief in Santa & the birth of Jesus is truly inspiring & uplifting.  Not to mention there is no emphasis on stuffing yourself to the point of having to undo a top button on the ol britches.

However, the holidays can be stressful.  Duh a time where your whole family gets together is bound to be stressful.  Trust me my grandmother (Omi) is famous for pointing out pounds gained or zits at the Christmas table.  But the holidays can also be stressful due to the over abundance of food & parties.  My job can be the worst.  Patients always feel the need to bring in tons-o-food during the holiday to say thanks.  It's the thought that counts, right???  Wrong, if I eat another Christmas cookie or chocolate covered something I will vomit.  Just say thanks, or bring a card.  Okay, just kidding some treats are nice, but I don't like cake, remember that.  Self-control, not easy during the holidays.

To combat the usual holiday flab that is impending, I am committing myself to a moderately healthy holiday.  Yes, I will indulge is more sweets and tasty homemade food than usual.  But I am drawing the line!  No more lbs. in November or December.  Now how to do this???

First, institute a family way to exercise.  I have kindly ask if my family would all like to do the Turkey trot on Thanksgiving.  A fun, family event & a sure way to bond and have great stories later.  Those who do not care to get off the couch on the holiday, no problem.  It is your holiday, you do whatever floats your boat.  I on the other hand will be running 5 miles, so I will not be in a diabetic coma come 6pm.  Christmas is easy this year.  We will be in Cleveland with my younger cousins, so sled riding & ice skating will be some fat-burning fun.  Get the kids out to play!

Second, control yourself.  Like you've never seen pumpkin pie before??? Chill out, 1 piece will suffice.    What makes holiday parties so much different than any other party throughout the year when it comes to eating?  Sweets are not my downfall, my downfall is Omi's home cooking & cheese.  I could eat like a thousand cheese cubes at a holiday party.  Hello cholesterol!  Don't look at it as depriving yourself or else you will just crave it more, look at it as "hey I'm full, I probably don't need that third piece of fudge."

So this holiday commit yourself to a healthy you, stuffing yourself silly never made anyone feel good right?  Practice your healthy habits throughout these holiday months and I promise come January the new years resolution won't be to shed the pounds like it has been every other year!  Welcome to the holidays everyone!

Olive, Harry's new baby sister!

Accountabilabuddy

For my readers who enjoy South Park the title & picture above is for you.  And those of you who are like what the f**k is an accountabilabuddy, ignore the South Park reference & just read the following blog.  Accountability.....a way to make us responsible for our actions or lack of actions.  It can be a character trait, you feel accountable to yourself therefore you do what you need to do.  However, when it comes to health & fitness a lot of us have a hard time making ourself the person to be accountable to.  Hence an accountabilabuddy.
An accountabilabuddy is someone to keep you in check.  If you have someone else that is relying on you, you are more likely to follow through and stick with the program.  I think it's really easy to say well why do I need to work out today?  Who will know if I don't?  Or if I swing through the drive-through I can still lie to myself about being healthy.  And you are right, if you don't work out, or you swing through the drive through you are only hurting yourself!  But if you had a buddy there WOULD be someone you are letting down.
Having a work out or health buddy is a great addition.  I love working out & sharing health tips with my girlfriends.  If I am meeting someone for a run, a yoga or spin class I am 100% going to go.  If I don't I've not only let myself down but also my friend.  My hubby and I also help to keep each other accountable by running together & sharing the burden of healthy food prep.  Colin is NOT a morning person, but if I get up to run he'll get up with me to keep me company (also keeping him in shape).  And for food, I do the healthy grocery shopping & makes the meals. 
I also have a couple friends that I discuss healthy eating with on a regular basis.  It not only helps to keep my eating habits in check, but I also learn great new tricks and recipes.
So if you are feeling bored & in a rut, instead of giving up grab a friend!  You and your accountabilabuddy can enjoy a feel good work out or meal while also spending some QT.  I bet you'll find you are less likely to flake out on that work out if you've got your bff counting on you!

Go for the goal

 How do you keep yourself wanting that fit & healthy lifestyle????  How do you keep yourself wanting & working for that rockin' bod??  Most of us would probably answer with something like, do I have a choice?  But you do.  You could totally give up....why not?!?  You could let yourself become sedentary, eat whatever you wanted & just give up.  It's an option.  For individuals like me, it's not an option.  I choose to have healthy eating habits & exercise because I deserve it and my body CRAVES it.  But at times we all hit those walls.  Where you say to yourself, I absolutely CANNOT go to the gym today.  If I eat another green vegetable instead of chips I might die.  It's called burn out!!! And it's normal, everyone deals with it.  We get burnt out with jobs, friends, exercise, eating, etc....it happens.

How do you combat when it happens??  Sometimes I persevere, I push on & just tell myself to tough it out.  Sometimes I give in and have a day where I eat crap (I pay for it later though when I feel like total sh*t).  And sometimes that feeling of giving in or giving up is exactly what you need.  However, if you are running into this too often you may need a change in thought.

Goals.  Goals are my favorite way to combat the burn out & that bored feeling.

Recently, I have uncovered a feeling of calm that I have never known.  So much that the calm has almost made me anxious as stupid as that sounds.  But I realized for the majority of my life my entire being & purpose has revolved around goals.  I have found myself, for the first time in my life, goal-less.  First there was getting into college, college, getting into PT school, then graduate school, 10 Ks, the marathon, half marathons, the wedding & now....nothing.  And also recently I had found myself tired of the routine...get up, work out, work, come home, sleep, repeat.  Time for a challenge.

Goals are a great way to get rid of the boredom & give yourself a new challenge.  I set goals for my patients every day & watch them slowly & steadily achieve.  I see how achieving one small goal can be life-changing for my patients.  And you don't need to be a patient to have goals.  It can be 1 goal, it can be several goals.  They can be physical, mental, nutritional, whatever floats your boat!  The most important thing is that they are realistic & something that is important to you.  When starting something new I like to start small and set short term goals.  Upon reaching that first goal I can set another.  That feeling of achievement will empower you to want to do more.  Long term goals allow you to make lifestyle changes & improve you.

I know for 2014 one huge goal for me is getting my RYT 200 hour completed, so I will finally be a certified yoga instructor.  That's a huge long-term goal.  Now for the short term I'm a little stuck....I'll have to think, maybe another race, maybe a triathlon????  What to do, what to do.......Try setting a short term goal for yourself if you are in that burn out era like I have been.  Then try a harder challenge & set a long term goal.  What are your goals???  How do you want to challenge yourself to improve you???

Stressed to the max

Part of living a healthy lifestyle is keeping your mind healthy along with your body. This is an area where I do NOT excel. I frequently spread myself  too thin trying to do it all, work, exercise, chores, marriage, friends....the list could go on and on.  I rarely leave  time to just relax and clear my head.  Being type A there is a constant "to do" list in my head, so shutting it all off is extremely difficult for me!  However, in order to make time for some mind health I must reach a breaking point where I'm about ready to explode. SO NOT HEALTHY!

Approaching 27 (this Thursday!) I am finding myself, as I've said in previous blogs, becoming more confident with myself.  Along with this growth,  I am realizing the power of a healthy mind.  Without a healthy mind being successful in other areas of life especially general health is next to impossible!

This weekend I had a horrible rush of anxiety while on a quick weekend trip to Boston for a wedding.  Thank goodness I was surrounded by wonderful family (it's funny how when u have great in-laws how they feel just like the family you grew up with) & also surrounded my ever-loving husband, whom all re-assured me that this was normal & it was okay to feel anxious especially with how busy we have been.  This was our third weekend in a row traveling & our schedules have been CRAY.  In addition to a crazy schedule, work has been wild with all the new Medicare changes, lots of private pay patients & of course my lovely blog.  We also have some good changes possibly coming and although they are good stressors they still help to produce stress.  Back to the family....this public display of sharing led to a family meditation session.  We are totally weird right?  But hey it really helped.  This weekend helped me to reconfirm my budding realization of how important a healthy mind is to overall health & your being.

Harry is laying at my feet in a deep puppy sleep & I am envious of his innate ability to not have a care in the world.  So tonight, as I sit here with a glass of red wine, some soy candles, a furry dreaming foot warmer, & the soothing sounds of the Lumineers in the background I am giving myself the benefit of relaxation.   I am surrounded by a world of blessings, a great husband, great job, great family/friends, the list goes on & on....and if I allow my "to do" lists to get the best of me I don't ever get to really appreciate or enjoy these blessings.  If there's one thing my procrastinating hubby has taught me it's not to sweat the small stuff, most things can be done tomorrow.

Whether it be therapy, yoga, meditation, or the simplicity of 5 minutes of silence to focus on our breath, we all deserve time to de-compress & exercise our most important muscle...the mind!  Cheers to my readers this week, I challenge you to find time to exercise your mind this week & find out what is eating you from the inside out and really standing in the way of being a happier you.

Bust that core on the foam roll

Another foam roll video!  This time using the foam roll to work your core!  Firm up those abs for the last weeks of summer!

Got Posture??

Check out this video for some good posture stretches using the trusty ol foam roller!

Crossfit smoshfit

Crossfit.....If you don't know what it is let's start there.  Crossfit is a minimalist program, consisting of basic exercises using basic equipment.  High repetitions & maximum capacity is the name of the game. Crossfit marks the world that we live in, a world of crazed fad work outs.  There are so many programs to choose from Insanity, P90x, TRX, etc.  These structured work outs are designed to push you to your max.  However these regimens generally give little instruction and keep me in business with many injuries especially to the low back.  Most people who end up injured are people who jump into these work outs looking for a fast way to drop the fat & increase muscle.  But instead of seeing those much sought after results, they end up in my physical therapy office with crazy injuries & back to where they started.

Now I'm not here to bash these work outs or say you shouldn't do them, because like any work out I think they can be great.  I am simply writing about this so the average joe can know what to do & what not to do.  The fact is when you hear about a new work out it sounds exciting to try, but there are some rules to live by to prevent the classic "tried it once never going again" feeling.

1)  If you are a sedentary person, i.e. you don't really engage in activity.  Getting the bright idea to just jump into Crossfit, which is a high intensity work out, is NEVER a good idea.  To start something like Insanity or Crossfit you have to be in some sort of shape before you start.  Begin any sort of exercise, walking, elliptical trainer, light weights, etc.  Make sure you can stick to a work out plan with these beginner activities 3-4x/week for 12 weeks first!  If you can stick to it and all is going well (meaning you are progressing yourself & challenging yourself), then it may be time to branch out.  12 weeks seems like an eternity once you get the motivation to start, however I know you will thank me later when you aren't injured from jumping into something that was too difficult from the start.

2)  Any time you try a new work out it's a good idea to do your homework.  Simply throwing yourself into a class or regimen will leave you sore and confused & not to mention you probably looked like an idiot during the class.  I was practicing behind a girl in yoga the other day who clearly had no idea what she was doing!  I couldn't help but think I should give her my card after the class because it was apparent that she was going to end up with a knee injury if she continued on this way.  Do some research! You wanna try yoga, Crossfit, whatever, look it up!  The internet can be a beautiful thing, learn the basics online like the structure of the classes.  This will help you to know what to expect.

3)  Admit you're new!  If you are new to a class, studio, or work out in general let the instructor know.  Most of the time the instructors have 20-30 other students they are trying to watch so they may not catch what you are doing incorrectly.  But if prior to the start of class you let the teacher know, "Hey I'm new to this class."  The instructor should be more tuned into checking you out to make sure you aren't performing something incorrectly or compensating.

4)  To completely conflict with my last point....You have to look out for you.  I have been in exercise classes where the instructor's form is the worst form I've seen ever!  If you know they are doing something incorrectly, don't be the sheep following the shepherd! Motify.  Most Crossfit injuries I see are from lifting incorrectly, lifting huge amounts of weight, or jumping.  Despite what the instructor is showing you, good form is the key.  If you do 100 repetitions in bad form you might as well have stayed home & eaten a cake because it didn't count for squat.  10 reps in great form is better than 1,000 anything in bad form.  For lifting & jumping, make sure you are hinging at the hips & if you feel something in your low back, stop, reset & then try again using your legs not straining your back.

5)  In the same respect if you know you have old injuries that will flare-up if you do the right aggravating movement, don't do them!  I have to be especially careful here.  I love to push myself, and I hate feeling like I didn't push myself to the max.  However, I have 2 knees that have each gone through surgery, and I have a very physical career where a back or upper extremity injury could leave me using sick time.  I have to listen to my body!  Certain twists in yoga, or certain jumps in a conditioning class are not for me.  I have to pick a different pose or exercise for that 60 seconds & challenge myself in a different way.

With injuries prevention is the key.  Good form is your best prevention & if you don't know the correct form, ASK!  Trying a new work out is exciting, but in the same respect you must take care of your body.  You may get through 1 class injury free, but that may be your lucky break.  Straining & bad form will catch up with you, and I have seen some debilitating, life altering injuries from just simple lack of knowledge and carelessness.  Protect your joints & your back, and you will be good.  Jumping into a high intensity work out or trying a new work out is fun & exciting, but always remember to take care of you!

Foam roll it!

The foam roll is one of my favorite exercise tools!  It's good for everything.  Check out my video to introduce you to the foam roll.  I also show you the most common way to use it, and that's by foam rolling those sore legs!  After a good run I perform each of these techniques for about a minute to help combat soreness & decrease my risk for overuse injuries like tendinitis.  Great way to start the week!!!

Have your cake & eat it too.

Desserts.  One of life's most phenomenal gifts, a sweet treat at the end of a good meal.  Yet, desserts are one of the most controversial subjects in the diet & health food world.  Should we, or shouldn't we???? The debate (like other debates on what we should cut out of our diets) makes me sick.  If you cut it out, you are just going to want it more, just like an ex-boyfriend.  Depriving people of something they want has never worked in all of history.  But how to eat dessert and not pay for it later in unwanted pounds or stomach aches?!?!?!  HOW????  My always favorite (however annoying) answer is MODERATION. But to change to a different tune, because moderation does not always work for the average American bear, let us discuss desert options which will not send you into a sugar coma or to a weight loss specialist.

Making good dessert choices is your answer to this always puzzling issue.  Yes there are good dessert choices.  

My personal & first choice is a glass of red wine or a great craft beer.  We have all heard the benefits of a glass of red wine:  1) antioxidants, specifically polyphenols which protect the lining of blood vessels 2) resveratrol...what??? Ingredient which prevents blood vessel damage, reduces bad cholesterol (LDL), & also prevents blood clots  3)  There's is tons of animal research which has shown red wine can do anything from protect the stomach lining to diabetes prevention.  Have a glass!  Now craft beer has also been shown to have similar positive effects on the cardiovascular system.  However, craft beer also contains fiber & B vitamins!  1 glass of either option is a good alternative!

Ice cream substitutes:  FRO-YO!!! A huge american trend right now, and a great sweet treat!  However if you load your cup up with candy & chocolate you pretty much kill the healthy part of the dessert.  Try some honey & berries or other fruit to sweeten it without the empty calories.  I'm in love with Greek fat free frozen yogurt!  Another great ice cream substitute is soy ice cream.  Less sugar, no dairy overload, & yet satisfying.  One of my personal favorites are the soy ice cream bars from Trader Joes (90 calories & available in chocolate, my pic of them wouldn't upload boooooo)!

Dark Chocolate:  70% dark chocolate bars gives you a lot of the positive effects of red wine, specifically antioxidants!  They also satisfy my ever present chocolate craving.  To keep yourself in check with serving size try to buy bars which are pre-wrapped to control your portion size.

The last option is fat-free candies.  My personal favorite is RedVines (oldie but a goodie).  Yes, all candy is empty calories aka no nutritional value.  But if you have a craving for something sweet you could sit down & have 5 of these RedVines & only consume 140 calories!








Take these bits of advice & try enjoying a not-so-guilty dessert this week!  Until next time....

Paddle it

Here's to trying something new.....
I am always an advocate for changing it up.  It's easy to get bored and dread your work outs, it happens to everyone, trust me!  The truth is if you are bored with your work out you are probably half-assing it anyways, so time for a new challenge.  If you are sick of the usual walking/running route, yoga class, or whatever throw yourself out there and try something new.

A couple good suggestions on how to choose what to try:
1)  Living social or Groupon:  these are awesome!!!  Thought you
might want to try a circuit training class but they are too expensive? Get a groupon!  They will slash your prices big time and you can get a taste without buying the entree.  I wish I would have thought of this idea.....millions.
2)  Ask a friend:  whenever I need a switch I pole my girlfriends and see what they are into.  That's how I got into hot power yoga and it's my biggest obsession.  If I'm sick of the usual running route I'll ask Colin or turn on my "Map my run" app and just go.  These always need to new adventures.
3)  Research:  check out twitter or Facebook for various exercise pages.  Check a Shape/Self magazine for suggestions.  They always offer amazing options.

Warning:  It IS something NEW.  So there is always a chance you may not like it.  For example, I recently tried to branch out and try a new yoga studio.......didn't work out so well.  But hey I got a new experience and a cheap class!  If you don't try it you'll never know.

In addition to my not so positive trial of a new yoga studio, I recently tried paddle boarding.  My friend, Lisa, convinced me to buy a paddle boarding living social and try it out with her.  Lisa is like my go to "let's try something new for exercise" friend.  I figured yea I'll give it a shot.  Totally amazing!  We had an amazing day, great work out, got a little sun, absolutely nothing to complain about.  Well.....I guess I can only complain about when I slid down the embankment and busted my a$$.  No serious injuries just a hell of a battle wound that looks amazing on my R outside butt cheek, just in time for a beach weekend for the 4th.....obviously.  All negativity about my comical fall aside, paddle boarding made for a great core, butt, leg & arm work out.  And not only was the work out great we got to have a girls day & hand out on beautiful Lake Norman.  Totally worth the Living Social.

I'm 1 for 2 recently with trying something new, but hey you never know until you try.  If you are bored with your work outs & are dreading going to the gym try any of my tips and change it up!  Feel free to message  me or post on anything new you've tried.  Also, if you need suggestions let me know I'll try to rack my brain to help!

Battle wounds!

Lisa!!!

Don't have weights? No problem!

Check out the video above for a couple quick weight-bearing exercises.  These exercises use your own body weight as the resistance!  Easy if you are on the go.  One error, however, the cameras view of side plank shows my hand slightly in front of my shoulder, make sure your hand is directly under you shoulder to prevent any strain.  Also, with all these exercises make sure not to strain your neck!  Enjoy!

Backstreet's back!

Whoa 10 days of being a road warrior throughout the northeast and I am spent!  Sorry if I went off the radar without notice, but sometimes you just need to turn it off! We did and it was so worth it.  So welcome back readers, or more appropriately welcome back to me.  Now it's back to work this week, the beginning of our kitchen demolition, & a return to the blog world.  However, not without a little write up/reflection of our fantastic, but crazy trip!

We, well to be politically correct Colin, had a great trip planned for us.  He does all of our trip planning.  First off Colin LOVES trip planning & second of all he works at a computer whereas I run around with patients all day and do not have the luxury to look up restaurants in Maine & get paid.  So nonetheless Colin planned what on paper looked like a fantastic trip to the northeast.  Full of hiking, kayaking, running, great restaurants, phenomenal craft beer, & a tour of Maine/Vermont.  This trip looked like the ideal mix of good food & drinks with the added bonuses of adventure & activity.  Great way to prevent gaining the lbs while traveling.  Yea great unless you get rain, freezing cold, & a mountain of speed bumps in your plans to derail the activity!  Literally, remember the picture of the Griswold's from Vacation in my "On the Road Again" blog?  That is what this vacation turned into.  All jokes aside we got dealt a bit of a crappy hand with weather & other travel issues, but we did make the best of it & turned it into an amazing trip!

Wedding #1, beautiful Julie & some of my Kappa girls

When life throws you lemons you make lemonade, right?  That's exactly what we did and for a Type A person like myself sometimes this can be a very stressful task.  We had a plan, a great plan, however you can't control the weather or people's houses being sold (we'll get there), so we had to make the best of the hand we were dealt.  This trip came about due to 2 of my close friends getting married on back to back weekends in the northeast.  To sum up the trip: it began with our plane getting delayed and not arriving to Boston until 2AM the first night.  My bag got lost, which led to no sleep because we had to go back to Logan to get the bag.  Colin's grandmother's house (our place of stay the first few nights) got sold right before we left, found alternative places to stay which led to strange encounters with awkward B&B owners.  Rain, rain & more rain, which caused us to eat, drink & eat some more.  Whale watching cancelled, rescheduled but still no whales.  Immense fog & rain in Acadia.  Heard Acadia has some of the most beautiful views in the country, maybe next time?!  Different bed every night & cold & wet the entire 10 days.  That pretty much sums it up.  And don't confuse my sarcasm with negativity.....

"View" from the top of Cadillac Mtn in Acadia Nat'l Park

While the paragraph above sounds like Clark & Ellen Griswold were running our vacation, as the plan slowly fizzled day by day Colin & I said screw it!  No more plan, we will do whatever we feel like!  I definitely was a little bummed about not hiking, running or kayaking but you know what?  For the first time in a LONG time I chilled out!  I got 2 runs in during the 10 days (in between rain fall), and I let my body rest!  We ate great food, including so much lobster you could barf & sampled every craft brewery in the Northeast! AMAZING!  10 days of lack of structure did not kill me, neither did lack of activity.  We conformed to the surroundings & had a phenomenal time with each other.  

Allagash brewery tasting!

Being flexible is not one of my strong points, never has been.  But this trip allowed me to feel that it is possible to be flexible and not die.  The old saying "you can't change the weather," was the motto during this trip and it was true.  So what if all the trails are closed in Acadia, you can still enjoy the ride with your significant other & appreciate the surroundings.  This trip was a sign from somewhere that I needed a break!  Prior to the trip I had been working my regular full-time job, a couple weekends, was/am seeing several patients privately, & was still keeping up the regular work out routine!  Talk about spreading yourself to thin.  No wonder my passion of blog writing took a backseat these past couple weeks.  The universe was definitely saying "Ashley slow down, you are going to hurt yourself."  If the universe doesn't intervene I don't slow down, so thank you world!

lobstah rolls! yum!

Now after the 10 day road trip it is back to reality.  I am back into a kitchen renovation (which obviously is having complications), work, private patients, exercising & life in general.  No more weekends working though I took the hint that I needed a break.  Although I'm back to the real world (really happy to be back too :)  )I am trying to keep in mind how flexible I was on that trip & how life didn't unravel in front of me.  Maybe feeling stressed & trying to plan everything isn't the right thing all the time?  Maybe I need to take a piece from my own blogs and be practical about what can be accomplished in 24 hours?  Things will always find a way to get done.  Practical & flexible.......that's my take away from our crazy but amazing trip to Maine.







Check out some of the pics below of our chronicles through New England!  Side note, you may notice my outfit is the same in about every picture, no these weren't all on the same day.  In fact I was freezing and that was the best I could do.

Allagash brewery tasting & tour

Oysters!!!

freezing in Acadia

lobstah mac n cheese

more lobstahhhh

My second run in Burlington, VT

Wedding #2. Gorgeous setting!

Thank me.

I started my day this morning with a hot power yoga class at my favorite studio.  I figured what better way to start a relaxing Sunday, especially after attending an all-day beer fest yesterday.  Sweat it out!  The teacher this morning was new to me, but he maintained the same message that this specific studio preaches, "Love yourself."  That got me thinking that this message could be an excellent Sunday blog post.

The theme of love yourself, while cliche, is very appropriate for the average adult.  We spend very little time loving who we are and double the time critiquing who we are not.  This is true on a mental, physical, and professional level.  "I'm not skinny," "I don't make as much money as I want to," "I can't believe I said that, I'm so dumb."  The negativity is contagious & rampant in our lives.  What happened to being grateful for who we are?  If you can't love yourself, how are you every going to be happy in your life?  Think about the things that matter, "I am employed," "I am healthy," and "I'm a good person."  These are thoughts which help cut out the fluff that so often brings us down.

As I entered into my late 20s, I found myself being less occupied with those superficial negative thoughts.  In my early 20s I would've been consumed with the superficiality of everything, especially looks.  I spent more time critiquing my body & looks then I ever did just enjoying the young care-free look of my early 20s.  It has been an interesting shift.  I find myself being more comfortable in my own skin physically, and cutting out more & more of the drama mentally.  I no longer occupy my thoughts with who said what, or how fat these jeans make me look.  My focus has shifted to enjoying my life & the young professional I have become.  Finding days to hang with my hubby & puppy, run a leisurely pace just to enjoy the weather, or get exactly what I want at a great restaurant not thinking about the calories.  Overall to enjoy the life that I have worked so hard to create is what occupies my thoughts.

Along with loving yourself, my favorite yoga studio ties in another message and that is "thank yourself."  This is something that as adults we NEVER do!  And I mean never!  When was the last time you thanked yourself for simply showing up to work?  NEVER, and you should!  You could've called in sick and skipped that day, but you didn't.  If I had a "light" work out or didn't push myself hard enough I would beat myself up.  Why not just thank yourself for simply getting in a work out?  You could've skipped it all together.  Hence the title of this blog thank me.  It's time for us adults to start being grateful to the person who keeps it all together, me!  This message during my yoga class really resonates with me and I find myself happier for it.  If I'm having a bad day at work, or had a very complicated patient, instead of going to negative town I spin it around & say "Thanks, Ashley, for dealing with that complicated patient you did a great job."  Thank yourself for doing the laundry, thank yourself for eating healthy, thank yourself for that treat of ice cream, thank yourself for finishing that stupid project your boss made you do.  It doesn't matter what it is, but you should be grateful to yourself for the things you do every day.  This week I want all of us to try and not only love ourself, but be thankful for the little things we do that make us who we are.  I promise that it will help you enjoy your life more & help you to feel a little more confident in your own skin!  It's a new month, start this month off being a little more thankful & loving to the most important person in your life, ME!

On the road again.

Road trips.  One of my favorite ways to travel, let's just get in the car & go.  Colin & I actually fell in love doing a cross-country road trip.  Literally cross-country, he flew out to LA to move me back to Syracuse, NY so I could finish my senior year of college.  A urinary tract infection rocked that road trip & left me in horrible pain, with a fever, & unable to drive the entire time.  And being the good guy that he is, Colin drove the entire 3 days until we could get into Cincinnati where I could see a doctor & come back to life.  Poor Colin, but hey that shows you it's real love right?!  Back to road trips, eating while on the road is tough!  It's something I definitely struggle with, I mean who doesn't love an excuse to dip fries in a Wendy' frosty?! Yes, dip the fries in the frosty, a favorite high school tradition.  With summer coming up road trips with friends, family, or significant others are bound to be a downfall, or are they?

From that unforgettable road trip, at the grand canyon, no flash on the ghetto disposable camera

My "trustworthy" driver.  Not everyone can handle 3 straight days of driving with a sick g/f.

Road trips should be exciting, exhilarating, an adventure! Not a time to gorge on fast food, going into a diabetic coma, resulting in a stomach ache the entire time.  There is a way to make healthy choices while on the road.  First step is easy, plan ahead!  I know it's easier said than done, but really, plan your meals.  Get out the door, hit the grocery & stock up on healthy snacks, beverages & food that travels well.  A favorite of ours is trail mix or a fruit/nut mix from Trader Joe's or Costco.  Throw the bag in the car so you are healthily satisfied when you have the munchies.  For even better control get prepackaged snacks like Trader Joe's individually packaged fruit/nut mix, prepackaged/pre-cut apple slices or carrot sticks.  Easy!  And for a meal something that travels well, a PB&J on whole wheat bread with almond butter or light peanut butter.  If you're bringing a cooler try a pre-made salad or tuna with crackers (tough to eat if you are the driver I know, but for the passenger it's great!).  Beverages are the easy part, water in my Nalgene bottle & occasional stops for a skinny Starbucks treat.

Now, the above tips are great for a short road trip like we took this weekend; however, more than a couple hours drive & more than 4 days on the road, & you could definitely be in some trouble.  Unless you are my grandparents who can pack food for a 10-14 day trip in a cooler (not even lying & legit like whole meals), you are going to have to stop for food/drinks.  This is when it's easy to fall off the bandwagon.  You don't have to fall off that wagon though, you have tons of healthy-ish options in front of you, you just need to make them.  Let's start with fast food....

Start with a good option, Wendy's, McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, & Subway are all great options!  They all have healthy options on their menu, between salads, wraps, & apple slices you are set.  It's in your control to make these choices.  This weekend, with no time to pack more than snacks I chose a 6 in sub from Subway on whole wheat bread!  Filling, satisfying, but not consumed with calories.  When faced with a comparison of a quarter pounder with cheese & a salad, think about how you will feel after that 1/4 pounder & that will be enough to lead you to the wrap.  Also, don't be fooled by the salad option, beware of the dressing!  You really only need about 1/4 to 1/2 of the packet, portion control is key here!  Lastly is the drink, it's vacation if you need a frosty because it's Wendys, I totally understand, go ahead.  Just choose the small, it will be just enough to curb your craving for heavenly, processed chocolate.  Same concept applies to pop (or soda for non-midwesterners) super size me....no thanks, I'll take a small.  Cut your sodium, sugar & caffeine intake by 1/2.

Gas Stations....this is my last point to cover & then I will leave you to enjoy a beer after a long holiday weekend.  Gas stations are my biggest downfall.  I love a good gas station coffee (extra sweet from the machine), peach rings, & Combos.  Everything I listed there is enough calories for 2 meals.  When stopping for a potty break or actual gas there is no need to get a snack every single time.  Time your stops, hey we have a 10 hour drive we are going to stop twice, so maybe in the first stop you splurge on the peach rings & then you should be set for the rest of your trip with your snacks.  

A lot of what we eat on road trips is habit.  We are bored in the car or we were used to eating like that when we were kids, so occupy your time & make sure you are hydrated.  De-hydration drives people to think they are hungry.  Don't be a VICTIM ;) .  Also, don't deprive yourself on these Griswold-esque vacations in the family truckster, enjoy yourself.  Just remember if you eat like sh*t, you will probably feel like sh*t, and that is not what anyone wants when they are on vacation!

Arm Flab be GONE!

Today's video post is dedicated to free weights & fighting arm flab! Great for the summer attire that everyone is gearing up to wear!  2 sets of 10 repetitions (roughly) 3x/week and you will be ready for those strapless tops!  Side note, my you tube site wouldn't let me post this today, so hopefully the quality doesn't suck! Enjoy these free weight exercises!

To be organic or not to be....

I've had a lot of questions from readers about healthy eating.  With all the different types of products out there, I think healthy eating can be a confusing thing for people.  Very often healthy eating gets masked by trendy fads and people get blinded to what really matters.  This is especially true when it comes to organic vs non-organic food.  Organic, it sounds cool, it's more expensive, & therefore must be better for you than non-organic food.  But is it?  And is it necessary all the time???

Organic means that the food was not produced using synthetic pesticides & chemical fertilizers.  Sounds great!  No extra chemicals, or additives, definitely better for you right???  Actually no, the nutrients in organic & non-organic foods are the same, however with organic foods you save yourself the exposure to the extra chemicals.  This safety measure is really only helpful if you are going to eat the outer layer of the fruit or veggie.  Things like apples, tomatoes, grapes, etc where you are going to eat the outside layer are a good choice for organics, however fruits & veggies you will peel like carrots, potatoes, banana, pineapple, etc, no real need to pay the extra fee.  Some will argue that pesticides penetrate the outer layer and still contaminate the produce, however in various tests its been found that only trace residue is able to penetrate the skin, if any at all.  In my mind, a $6 pineapple vs a $2 pineapple is a no brainer for my budget.  I will pick the $2 non-organic pineapple & risk the trace residue any day!  Nutrients are the same, taste is the same, non-organic it is!  Now when it comes to leafy greens, I definitely tend to splurge a little and go with organic.  They last longer, taste fresher, & have no barrier against pesticides, so organic is the only way to ensure that they safe for me & the hub.  Now, don't be confused I am specifically talking about fruits & veggies in this post, organic vs non-organic meats are an entirely different story!!!  We'll tackle meat another day.....

Be sure that when grocery shopping you are also checking the labels.  Don't be blinded by the crafty marketing of the signs that separate Organic & Non-organic, check the label!!!  If the label does not say USDA Organic, you may be paying more for something that isn't even actually organic!!  It's sort of like when a hanger says a size small, but then you look at the tag in the shirt & it says it's a large.....lies. If you are going to splurge and get the organic make sure it is actually organic!

My rule of thumb is if we are going to eat the produce whole, outer covering included, probably go with the organic (if it's not too overpriced).  If it's a piece of produce where the outer skin is going to be peeled or removed, it's safe to go with the cheaper non-organic.  Trader Joes & Aldi are more affordable groceries where you can purchase a mix of organic & non-organic foods.  If all else fails, and you can't decide look at your budget that day & it may help you say "hey we can risk the pesticide exposure this week."  Or if you won the mega millions maybe you can splurge and go entirely organic!  Either way, I hope these little tricks & tools help all of you in your grocery shopping for the upcoming holiday weekend!  Until next time, my practically fit peeps......

Movie Night

Movie night, a time to relax and get away, but also a time to overeat and most of all overeat crap with no nutrition.
3 of my girl friends and I made a date to go see The Great Gatsby last night.  One of my favorite books put into onto the big screen, and while I have some critiques about the movie, overall I would say it was pretty true to the book.  The book is a wonderland of scandal, drinking & epic parties (kind of sounds like college), and the movie does a great job portraying that.  Anyway I digress.....I love going to the movies, especially to be mesmerized by someone as hot as old Leo (you had me from Titanic).  However racing to a movie on a Tuesday night, after work, leaves me starving with a feast of unhealthy options in front of me.  No time to eat dinner before my 4some date with Leo, so off to Walgreen's we went to pull the old fashioned "sneak your candy & drinks into the theater" trick.  Never too old for that, plus the movies are OUTRAGEOUSLY overpriced.  So my first choice was which candy....

Healthy candy is a huge oxymoron, however it is possible to make smarter choices with candy.  I chose Junior Mints.  Junior mints are a fabulous choice if you are looking for the lesser of evils.  Dark chocolate coding & a creamy, refreshing, peppermint filling.  Relatively low calorie with all the benefits of dark chocolate.  One of my friends found a needle in a haystack with dark chocolate covered raisins!!!  Huge find, not only satisfying the sweet tooth, but also giving you some great fiber!  When it comes to candy look for candy that's not totally empty with calories, but in addition to low calorie, if you can find something with relatively low sugar & benefits of something as amazing as dark chocolate you have hit the jackpot!  Now onto popcorn.....

I love popcorn, especially at the movies.  It's like an American tradition, how can you not have popcorn with your movie?!?!  However, did you know that the average, buttered medium movie theater popcorn packs an average of 900-1000 calories! Well there goes 1/2 your calories for the day!  And that fact doesn't even mention the sodium you are absorbing.  So last night when it came to popcorn, my friend and I split a medium popcorn with no butter.  Pretty good choice.  No butter or extra salt eliminates roughly 1/4 to 1/2 of the sodium & calories.  But your other ally here is portion control.  Between the 2 of us we only ate 1/2 the bag, then the bag was folded up & pushed under the seat.  Another option would be to get a small & only eat half, but again I had no dinner so I was a little too hungry to settle for a small.

Portion control at the movies, is easier said than done for sure, but it is your greatest strength when trying to make healthy choices.  Since there are so few healthy choices at the movies, the least you can do is minimize the damage!  Don't choose the giant 64 oz soda, go for a small, you don't want to have to pee in the middle of the movie anyway.  You don't need a XL tub of popcorn, chances are you will be satisfied with a small or medium.  Sometimes not even giving yourself the option of overeating is your biggest win at the movies!

It is possible to stay practical & continue your path to fitness even when headed to the movies.  Even while mesmerized by Leo DiCaprio you can still feel good that you are 1 step closer to one of his Victoria's Secret girlfriends.  And you probably look better than the worst choice ever for Daisy Buchanan, Carey Mulligan,  I mean really you guys couldn't find someone who was actually beautiful & captivating????   Again I digress......You may not love the movie you see, but at least you can feel better about your nutrition when making practical choices!  So when seeing this summer's big Blockbusters choose your food wisely & you won't be paying for it later!

Sprains, Strains, & Automobiles

About 2 weeks ago I noticed a tightness in the front of my R hip & groin.  Not any pain, just so tight with the occasional pull to let me know that I was not totally healthy.  "A hip flexor strain, ughhhh," was my thought.  Let's pause and have a little bit of education regarding strains, sprains & what have you.

my strained hip flexor

Sprains & strains are actually 2 very different injuries with similar treatments.  They are injuries to various types of tissue throughout the body.

Strain:  injury to muscle &/or tendon fiber usually from overuse or overstretch
Sprain:  injury to the ligaments within or surrounding a joint usually from a quick dynamic movement.
A tendon is what connects muscle to bone, think Achilles tendon.  A ligament connects bone to bone, think ACL.

In my opinion the majority of the time strains & sprains are more painful than actual fractures or tears, yuck!


Now, if there's anything I really hate it's being injured!  How did I possibly strain this hip flexor you ask?  Who knows?!? It could've been the 5 mile run I did 2 weeks ago where I literally raced myself because I felt so amazing.  No I'm not competitive at all, wink wink.  Now for once in my life I was my own good patient.  I have been stretching, icing, & most important of all, resting!

REST, so annoying.  That's the thing I hate most about being injured the rest part of it.  Especially with a large muscle group like the hip flexor or adductors, rest is your best friend.  Ms. PracticallyFit, herself, rested this week.  In the past week I have done 1 yoga class to help stretch it out, that's it.  I am definitely going a little stir crazy.  But to prove my own point I do feel better, and feel ready for a nice slow & steady run here in a couple days.  Rest is something I preach to my patients, but it is by far the hardest thing for me to practice myself.

Rest.  by:  Harry

If you are experiencing consistent muscle tightness with occasional pain or discomfort it is possible you have a mild strain to a tendon or muscle group.  Your body is warning you, listen to it!  My best advice is to act now! Rest, stretch, & ice daily.  Don't be fooled by the power of these 3 treatments.  If you aren't smart in the early stages, you could progress to a severe strain or even worse... a tear!  With a mild strain you are only looking at maybe 1-2 weeks of rest, with a severe strain you are looking at like 6-8 weeks!! My worst nightmare.  So act early and save yourself the pain and frustration.  Rest, ice, stretch....then ease yourself back into your work outs!  You will feel better than before & be ready to hit the pavement again!

Work Work outs!

To go along with this week's blog check out my advice for exercises to do at work.  Try them out & get a little movement into that work day!  Also a cameo from everyone's favorite black lab, Harry!

Battle of the Office Bulge

Office jobs, something I'm totally not familiar with, kind of like co-ed high school.  See I went to an all-girl high school, so my idea of "normal" co-ed high school is basically American Pie, although my husband assures me that's not even remotely accurate.  I digress, office jobs, the opposite of what I do.  I spend my day treating patients, demonstrating exercises, & walking all over our clinic.  I average 5-8 miles of walking per day & if I float over to the hospital to help out that distance can double!  That doesn't even include the work out my arms or legs get with exercise demonstrations & manual therapy. So in a way I'm lucky, I can get a mild work out just by showing up to work that day.  However, the majority of America is not that lucky.

Less than 20% of jobs in the US require any sort of physical activity, which means most of us are sitting the day away.  Blah!! Boring, and soooo not healthy.  But hey you can't pick your job based on how fit it makes you, can you??  Sure you can! Bring that fitness to you!

If you are a worker bee at a desk all day you are already at a disadvantage for a healthy lifestyle,  so take matters into your own hands & move more!  This leads me to the challenge of the week for all my sedentary workers out there:  MOVE!  Below are my tips for getting some exercise & staying healthy despite your seated occupation, use this week to give them a try!!

Tips for moving, even though your job is stagnant (hopefully not literally):

1.  Walk every hour:  Even if it's just a trip to the little boys room getting up and walking helps to keep the blood circulating & the muscles awake (so to speak).  Walking often does not allow the body to go into a rest mode, keeping the metabolism going.  Obviously some light walking allows you to have some minor cardiovascular activity & a slight caloric burn.  Can't walk every hour?  Even every 2 hours is better than what you're doing now!

2.  Stretch:  Feeling tired? Shoulders &/or hips are tight from sitting too long?  Perform some light stretching to keep those joints loose!  Even if it's just taking a deep breath & raising both arms up over head, that works!  Roll those shoulders, circle your head/neck, stand up and do a hamstring stretch, anything will help.

3.  Pack you lunch:  Being healthy at work does not just have to do with how much you move, it's also what you are putting into your body!  It's a fact that those of us who order off menus weekly or daily consume more calories & are more apt to picking unhealthy choices during the day.  So take an extra minute at night & pack that lunch so you are already prepped for healthy food choices.

4.  Breath:  Stress piles up at everyone's job.  Trust me I get behind on paperwork, patients & have a million things to do most days & if I don't stop and breath I am mentally exhausted.  This stress can lead to unhealthy snacking throughout the day & missed work outs due to fatigue at night.  Don't let yourself reach a stress level of 10, take some deep breaths, close your eyes & move on!

5.  Desk set-up:  Just because your have an office job does not mean you are locked to sitting at that desk all day.  Try sitting on a medicine ball chair to keep the core engaged, improve posture & work your legs.  Try a standing desk and see if this keeps you moving more.  If these are not options, get an ergonomic assessment either from your company or a physical therapist.  If your desk space is not ergonomically correct you are at even more of a disadvantage due to the poor posture you are maintaining in order to work!  Getting that office set up properly will improve your posture keeping the correct stability muscles engaged, also good posture prevents unwanted strain on the spine.  Good office set up = core engaged, healthy spine & overall improved outlook on your day!

Give these tips a try this week & I promise you won't be disappointed!