The “minimum effective dose” effect

I’ve been talking a lot about moderation this month, so far mostly about food … but guess what? 

Moderation ALSO applies to exercise and your workouts.

The old days of “no pain, no gain” are definitely in our rear-view mirror. Instead, it’s about the “minimum effective dose” for results.

That means getting just enough exercise to maintain or improve your fitness, without overdoing it (especially when it comes to long or super-intense workouts).

More is definitely NOT better, for so many reasons. 

Some of those reasons might surprise you:

• It can set you up for injury

• Your body needs time to recover between workouts 

• It can lead to burnout

• It can make you feel hungry 

• It can make you tired, which means you’re less active the rest of the day, burning fewer calories than would have without exercising, and

• Doing too many long or super-intense workouts is not good for your heart

The key is to find the right mix for your fitness level, your goals, and your likes/dislikes.

Your fitness prescription (recommended by the AHA):

• Strength training that hits all your major muscle groups at least twice a week.

• For cardio: 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity every week, spread out over the course of the week.

• PLUS … health experts recommend cutting back on how much time you spend sitting or lying around.

If it sounds confusing – it isn’t! 

It works out to just 5 x 30-minute moderate-intensity sessions (walks, jogs, cardio machines, classes, etc.), OR 3 x 25-minute higher-intensity workouts a week, and two strength-oriented workouts.

Of course, you always want to check with your doctor before you start a new exercise or fitness program. And, if you need help or have questions, set up a consultation. We are here to help!

Eating “skills” vs dieting

If you had to grade yourself today – right now! – on your eating and nutrition skills, would you get an A, B, C … or …?

(haha: I’m talking about “healthy” eating here, for the record.)

Most of us think of eating/nutrition as something we should just automatically KNOW about …

… or we even label them as virtues.

EXAMPLE: I can’t even count how many times clients have told me they have been “good” or “bad” when it comes to food. 

But there really ARE skills involved – things like meal planning, grocery shopping, meal prep (aka cooking!), knowing which foods fill you up, which ones make you feel hungry, etc.

Understanding portion sizes is also a skill. In fact, I just released my latest ebook to help with this, The Handy Portion Guide. Get your copy here: The Handy Portion Guide.

Some of us were never taught these things growing up! Or we’ve been taught so many conflicting things, it’s hard to know WHAT to believe.

Focusing on building these skills is a GREAT mindset switch. 

It is empowering (vs. restricting) because it’s not about deprivation – it’s about creating a healthy and fit lifestyle that you actually enjoy.

A few more learnable skills (obviously this depends on your goals & lifestyle):

• Finding 3-4 breakfast options that taste great and keep you filled up till lunchtime

• Knowing how to meal prep during busy weeks

• Protein: understanding how to make sure you’re getting enough for your goals

• Veggies: finding ways to work them into your meals (most of us don’t eat enough of them!)

• Getting great at once-weekly grocery shopping (& streamlining it so you can get in and out fast)

• Discovering snacks that satisfy you AND don’t derail your progress

Taking time to master these kinds of skills will move you closer to your goals … and give you a foundation that will last you a lifetime.

Just something to think about!

PS: My personalized coaching program can help you pinpoint the skills you need to manage your menopausal symptoms, lose inches, and feel strong – and then put those skills into practice. Learn more here: www.alignment-studio.com.

Moderation doesn’t work

 

I’ve got some controversial news for you today – but hang with me! 

“Moderation” is one of the biggest buzzwords in wellness right now. 

But guess what?

It doesn’t work …

Because almost everyone does it wrong. 

The fact is, what looks like “moderation” to one person might be something completely different for someone else. 

For food, your definition of “moderate” can depend on what you grew up eating, your current eating habits, or even your mood.

Just as one example: what’s a “moderate” amount of pizza? 

If you conducted a poll, you’d probably come up with a huge range of answers … from an entire pizza all the way down to one slice.

(This isn’t even taking into account the “extras” people eat or drink with their pizza.)

All of this is backed up by science. 

A major study found that when people ate according to the old saying, “everything in moderation,” they ended up with a less healthy diet than people who ate a smaller number of healthy foods.

PLUS: they ended up with bigger waists and a higher chance of developing diabetes.

So, how do you do moderation correctly? 

It requires a focus on HEALTHY choices and habits – most of the time. 

Which goes back to the four pillars of health I was talking about the other day:

• Eating the right amount of healthy foods

• Regular exercise

• Getting enough quality sleep, and

• Taking time for rest, recovery, and mental health

Here at Alignment Studio, we can help you find the “sweet spot” when it comes to what moderation means for you. You can learn more here: www.alignment-studio.com

Get off the yo-yo rollercoaster

Have you ever been here before?

Something sparked you to set a new health goal that you were REALLY excited about. 

Maybe you:

• stepped on the scale after the holidays 

• had a big event coming up (reunion, wedding, vacation, etc.)

• were unhappy with the results from your latest doctor’s visit

• watched an inspiring movie … or were wowed by someone else’s transformation

• or even had some kind of wake-up call

So you committed to clean up your eating, start exercising, and/or make some BIG CHANGES when it comes to your self-care.

And then you go at it … HARD! 

And things are going great. 

But then something unexpected pops on your schedule …. or you eat a little “off your plan” … or you skip a workout ….

And that one miss turns into another, and another, and another. 

And before you know it, you’re completely off track and upset at yourself.

A few weeks or months (or even years) go by, until the next time you find yourself back on that very same rollercoaster ride.

It can be a really painful and frustrating cycle to get stuck in. 

But, I do have some really good news. It makes perfect sense that you kept falling off track ... because it’s almost impossible for ANYONE to keep up that level of intensity and still live a normal life!

Don’t get me wrong: Having a new wellness goal is FANTASTIC … and healthy!

BUT it’s even BETTER to find a way to work on your goals that won’t drain as much time and energy from your everyday life.

In a way that sets you up for success, rather than sure failure.

PLUS, there’s a bonus: when you find a happy middle ground, you won’t find yourself on that confidence-sucking rollercoaster ride anymore.

That’s because you’ll actually be able to maintain all the results you’ve earned. (YES!!)

Finding this sustainable middle ground is key to your success … and something we actively work on with our clients. It IS possible to achieve amazing results without disrupting your entire routine, and it’s what we specialize in.

If you’re ready to jump off that rollercoaster for the last time, our personalized coaching is for women just like you who are motivated for major results – that last a lifetime!

You can learn more by booking an initial consultation HERE.