How Do I Get Started With My Fitness Goals?

How has your New Year’s goals been since January? 3 months has passed for 2024 already and there’s still time to achieve your fitness goals. However, that’s much easier said than done!

You may have said, ‘New year, new me,’ and set some fitness goals on New Year’s Eve with the best of intentions, but it turns out that following through — and even just starting out — can be tricky. But don’t worry! We’ve all been there, and I’ve got some tips that will help you see some progress on your fitness goals in no time!

Tips for Getting Started With Your Fitness Goals

1. Set Small, Measurable Goals

One of the biggest mistakes people make when setting fitness goals is starting too big. Yes, ambition is a great thing, capable of getting you all fired up, but it can also quickly lead to demoralization. After all, if your initial goal is overwhelming and unrealistic, chances are you’ll feel discouraged when you don’t make as much progress as you’d hoped.

Instead, it’s better to start with smaller, more achievable targets. For example, instead of heading into 2024 with the goal of losing fifty pounds, you might decide to go for a ten-minute walk each day. Instead of resolving to run a marathon this year, you might start with a 5K, then a 10K, and maybe a half marathon.

2. Get A Gym Buddy

Going to the gym can be a hassle. Forcing yourself to wake up early to head to the gym before work takes a lot of willpower, and finding the energy to hit the gym after a long day is equally challenging. That’s why having a gym buddy can make all the difference.

Not only will a gym buddy add accountability (you can easily ignore your alarm and sleep in if you were planning on working out alone at the gym, but you probably wouldn’t want to leave your friend hanging!), but they can also make the entire process more fun. You’ll be able to workout, socialize, and receive the motivation and support you need. It’s a win-win!

3. Schedule Time On Your Calendar

Life can get really busy. With all the hustle and bustle, it’s easy to let fitness take a back seat, so scheduling dedicated time for your workouts is a must. Treat your fitness routine like any other appointment. In the same way you’d mark a coffee date or a doctor’s appointment in your calendar, you should also carve out a special slot for your workout sessions. This helps create a routine and ensures that you prioritize your health and well-being.

4. Prioritize Protein

Many people forget that getting in shape isn’t just about working out. Nutrition also plays a significant role in achieving fitness goals — and that means eating protein. After all, not only can protein help when it comes to muscle repair and recovery, but it can also help you feel full for longer, which can support any weight loss goals.

Not quite sure what to eat? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! You should try to include lean sources of protein like chicken, fish, beans, and nuts to support your fitness endeavors.

5. Get A Trainer

If you want to meet and even exceed your fitness goals, the best thing you can do is hire a trainer.  Not only can a personal fitness trainer assess your current fitness level, but they can also tailor a workout plan to help you meet your specific goals. With their expertise, guidance, and personalized attention, you can establish a safe and effective workout plan or level up your current one.

A trainer can correct your form, offer tips, and provide accountability. They’ll also know when it’s time to switch up your workouts for variety and can offer invaluable advice when it comes to your diet. Sounds pretty great, right?

If you’re ready to tackle your fitness goals, get in touch with me today at happyhelen@gmail.com today!

Why Am I Not Losing Weight?

There’s nothing more frustrating than hitting a weight loss plateau or being unable to lose weight in the first place. However, there are plenty of reasons why you might not be seeing the results you want, ranging from your exercise routine to your stress levels to your diet.

Weight loss isn’t easy. In fact, it can feel like navigating through a confusing maze of conflicting information and setbacks. So, even if you’re giving it your all, you still might not be hitting your weight loss goal.

Putting in the hard work but not seeing results can feel discouraging and frustrating, but the good news is you’re not alone — and you’re not destined to stare at a scale that hasn’t budged forever. There are several common weight loss mistakes that might be holding you back, so making a simple change can result in a major difference.

You might struggle to lose weight if:

You’re Exercising Lots But Are Ignoring Your Diet

Everyone knows exercising can help people lose weight and get in better shape. However, you can’t out-exercise an unhealthy diet. An extra lap across the pool or weight lifting session at the gym won’t automatically balance out unhealthy eating choices. Ultimately, your weight comes down to 30% exercise and 70% diet, so you must carefully examine your nutritional intake.

Your Workout Needs To Change

Repeating the same workout routine for an extended period can lead to plateaus in weight loss progress. Over time, your body will adapt to repetitive movements, meaning the effectiveness of your workouts will diminish. To avoid this, incorporate a variety of exercises into your routine and change the intensity and duration regularly.

You Have A Sedentary Lifestyle

Spending hour after hour sitting at your desk or in front of a screen can put a damper on your weight loss efforts, leading to reduced calorie burn and a slower metabolism. Of course, you can’t help it if your job requires you to sit at a desk all day, but you can incorporate movement into your daily routine.

But don’t worry! You don’t have to uproot your entire day. Small changes can make a major difference. In fact, something as simple as standing up and stretching once an hour can result in a 13% boost in metabolism!

You Aren’t Sleeping Enough

Sleep might never cross your mind as a factor behind weight loss, but a lack of quality sleep can impact your hormones and, by extension, your metabolism. Aim for seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night to support your weight loss goals and overall well-being.

After all, if you’re awake longer, you have more opportunities to eat, less willpower, and poorer decision-making skills. On top of that, the North American Association for the Study of Obesity has found that people receiving less than four hours of sleep a night are 73% more likely to be obese than those getting seven to nine hours a night.

You Are Too Stressed

It’s easy to dismiss stress as an unavoidable part of everyday life, but chronic stress can derail your weight loss goals. You might be too overwhelmed to plan out well-balanced meals if you’re constantly stressed. Instead, you’ll choose convenient options like fast food or microwave dinners. You may even end up stress-eating! Plus, chronic stress can impact you on a hormonal level. It can release cortisol, a hormone that can promote fat storage in the abdomen.

You Aren’t Eating Enough

It may seem counterintuitive, but eating too little can actually hinder your weight loss journey. Severely restricting your calorie intake can result in a fast initial weight loss, but it will slow down your metabolism over time, making it more difficult for your body to burn fat efficiently. Instead, your body’s survival instincts will kick in, causing you to store additional fat, not lose it. Significantly cutting back on calories can also impact your thyroid, blood pressure, and period.

What’s more, maintaining a low-calorie diet isn’t a walk in the park. It’s all too easy to become bored or hungry with a strict diet. Drastically cutting calories can even lead to binging cycles and a poor relationship with food in general.

You’re Depending On “Avoid” Lists

Some people swear by strict “avoid” lists that tell them what they can and can’t eat or even go so far as to demonize certain foods. However, labeling foods as “bad” can lead to misinformation, resentment, and an unhealthy relationship with food. You may avoid “off-limits” foods yet seek comfort in other unhealthy foods. Or, you might experience feelings of guilt and deprivation. Either way, “avoid” lists can wreak havoc.

Instead of completely cutting out foods you enjoy, try to eat in moderation. Watch your portion sizes, but allow yourself to enjoy the occasional treat. It’s all about finding a healthy balance and taking a thoughtful approach to your diet.

Your Diet Is Too Monotonous

If you try a new diet and see some progress, it’s easy to fall into a pattern and eat the same foods every day, but that’s a mistake. Having a monotonous diet can lead to boredom, cravings, and complacency. Plus, you’ll likely miss some vital nutrients. So, try incorporating a wide range of fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, and healthy fats into your diet, and don’t be afraid to experiment with your meal planning or recipes!

You’re Eliminating Entire Food Groups

While completely cutting out carbohydrates, proteins, or fats from your diet may seem like a good plan on the surface, eliminating entire food groups can actually deprive your body of essential nutrients, leading to imbalances. Your body needs nutrients, and each food group helps meet those needs! Instead, try to create a well-rounded diet containing various foods from across the food pyramid.

Ready to turn things around and conquer those weight loss hurdles? While changing your workout routine and diet can be a challenge, you don’t have to do it alone!

I’m ready and willing to help you lose weight. Reach out to me today at happyhelen@gmail.com to get started!

Why Eating High Protein Helps in 99% of Most People’s Goals

Achieving fitness goals isn’t necessarily easy — and most people overlook one important factor, making meeting goals even more difficult. The key is protein!

This vital macronutrient is composed of amino acids and can be found in everything from your muscles to your bones to your hair. If you don’t eat enough protein, you may feel weak or hungry, experience stress fractures, and have mood changes, muscle weakness, or brittle hair and nails.

Luckily, most adults in the U.S. consume enough protein to avoid protein deficiency, but many would benefit from a higher protein intake. However, that doesn’t mean that you’re looking at meal after meal of meat. Things like milk, yogurt, beans, cheese, eggs, nuts, and baked potatoes are also excellent sources of protein that can help you meet your goals.

A high-protein diet can help you:

1. Lose Fat

Losing fat is one of the most common goals people have — and most people go about it all wrong. They dedicate 100% of their energy to working out and none of their attention to their diet. The truth is that exercise can only get you so far. You also need to think about what you’re eating.

There are a lot of myths about protein floating around out there, but the reality is that having a high-protein diet can help you lose fat, as the nutrient can help you feel full sooner, reduce your cravings, and keep your metabolism and muscle growth up, meaning you’ll burn more calories throughout the day. Plus, if you’re trying to lose weight, continuing to incorporate protein in your diet will ensure that you lose fat and not muscle.

2. Build Muscle

If you want to develop muscle, strength training can certainly help — but you can’t neglect your diet. Since the amino acids found within protein are the main building blocks of muscle (not to mention bones, organs, skin, and nails), a high-protein diet can help you achieve muscle growth. Remember, it’s all about balance. You’ll need regular exercise and a healthy diet to see the results you want.

3. Get Stronger

Getting stronger takes time, regular workouts, and a high-protein diet. After all, when you chow down on protein-rich foods, you’re giving your body the amino acids it needs to repair and grow your muscles after your workouts. What’s more, protein plays a role in the production of many hormones involved in muscle growth and repair, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and testosterone.

4. Improve Bone Density

Most people automatically associate increased protein with increased muscle and strength, but did you know that upping your protein intake can also help improve your bone density?

For one, protein provides your body with much-needed amino acids that act as building blocks for your bone tissues. Without sufficient protein, your body wouldn’t have the resources it needs to repair and strengthen your bones. Plus, protein helps increase calcium absorption, meaning your body can more effectively use the calcium in your diet. It’s also worth noting consuming more protein can help you maintain a healthy bone density as you age, reducing your chances of osteoporosis, breaks, and fractures.

5. Recover Faster

Working out can take a lot out of you, your muscles, and your tissues, but having a protein-packed diet can be a game changer! Not only does protein provide the amino acids your muscles and tissues need to repair and rebuild the tiny tears that occur during intense workouts, but it can also help reduce muscle soreness! With a protein-rich diet, you’ll feel like yourself in no time at all!

6. Improve Sports Performance

If you’re looking to improve your sports performance, eating more protein is a no-brainer! After all, we already know that more protein can lead to more muscle and strength yet less fat. But it’s deeper than that.

Increasing your protein intake can also help with muscle repair, meaning you’ll be ready to take on your next training session and accomplish your athletic goals faster than ever! Plus, protein can provide you with the energy and power you need to push through fatigue and bring your all.

Want to smash your fitness goals out of the park? It’s all about that high-quality protein intake! If you’re unsure of where to start, don’t worry. I’ve got your back! Reach out to me today at happyhelen@gmail.com for help incorporating more protein into your diet and reaching your fitness goals!

Why Don’t I do Aesthetic Goals or Scale-Based Weight Loss Goals?

In my 7 years as a personal trainer, I’ve never seen a client happy long term with their health and fitness journey when they have an aesthetic based goal.  For one, how do we measure what “looking good” looks like? Too subjective and vague.  But okay, you argue, what about a number on the scale to work towards? This is usually what most clients ask for help for - figuring out how to lose X pounds on the scale.  The problems with using scale as the SOLE WAY to measure progress are these: 

1. Your body weight changes daily.  If you track your weight everyday for 1 month, you will see it goes up and down DAILY.   It can fluctuate up and down even if you are doing everything perfectly.  Which leads to #2…

2. Perfection does not exist.   No one eats perfectly everyday for the rest of their lives.  Which leads to #3…

3. Example of a typical scenario: A client eats “perfectly” for 2 months and then goes out for a birthday meal.  The next day she steps on the scale and is up 5 pounds due to more carbs, salt and water.  She loses her mind and decides to throw out all the 2 months of hard work away because of what she read on the scale.  She couldn’t believe all those months of hard work still equated to a higher number.  But what she’s missing are all the benefits of the last 2 months — feeling stronger, gaining muscle, preventing injuries, having better sleep and energy, etc.  Not to mention having a consistent workout routine! 

4. When you lose fat and gain muscle, your scale number can stay the same or go up.  

5. Scale isn’t the full picture of your fitness journey.  It’s one data point. 

6. It’s not really about the number.  Hear me out! We have conditioned ourselves to associate a number on the scale = happiness in our body image.  Which are not facts.  You can be happy with your body at many different numbers (there is a range for health) and body composition as long as the following happens:

• People want to feel good about themselves in their clothes but they think the ONLY way to get there is through losing X number on the scale (which is how we address it through performance based goal vs scale based goal)

• People want to move around functionally and not be in pain

• People want to be capable of doing fun things in their lives, without embarrassment or judgment of others 

There are also many mental health hurdles that happen when you are overweight that you associate with your own self-worth that needs to be further examined by a professional therapist.  But ultimately my point is that it has nothing to do with a single number on the scale, but more the inner hangups of your mind of what that means for yourself.   We are human! 

To be clear, I am not saying the number on the scale doesn’t matter at all or that we shouldn’t lose body fat.  If you are 300 pounds then yes, numbers do matter for a variety of health reasons.  What I am saying is when you make a single number on the scale as your sole goal, or picking goals that are ONLY looks base, you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of ups and downs with food and exercise, and as a byproduct you will end up hating the fitness journey….probably for the rest of your life.  

I want you to enjoy the process and actually like working out and fueling your body.    When you enjoy something, duh, you do more of it! 

Performance based goals associate positivity with your body image.  You are appreciating it for all it can DO.  When you love your body, you will subconsciously start doing all the right things for it — eating better, sleeping better, moving more, etc.  At least, way more than if you hate your body and have an emotional meltdown due to what the scale is telling you.

How this works: You, a client, comes to me who is 20 pounds overweight and wants to lose that weight —  I say, great, how about we pick a goal of “personal best in your barbell squat” to work towards? 

The next 3 months we focus on getting some best and heaviest numbers on the barbell squat (while also strengthening your body overall and doing other lifts).  We also work on food to help you perform your best.  

What does this do? It makes you focus on how strong you are, it makes you focus on the fun of trying to PR, and you shift your mind away from “OMG I HAVE TO LOSE X NUMBER.” 

And guess what? You have fun in the process and you will naturally lose some fat from being a healthier you.

Sometimes we have to shift our focus in another way to get to the result we want.  It’s performance based so we have the evidence and data to support your progress and replicate this moving forward.

Are you ready to pick a performance goal? Email me at happyhelen@gmail.com!

The Pros and Cons of Ozempic: The Weight Loss Drug

Ozempic was developed in 2012 and first placed on the market in 2018 to help diabetes patients control their blood sugar. However, these days, Ozempic is being touted as a magic injection for weight loss.

In the second half of 2022, we saw the #OzempicChallenge going viral on TikTok. Rumors about celebrities using the drug for weight loss also began to swirl, and we saw many people bringing it up online, in our personal lives, and even at the Academy Awards. You’ve also probably seen a commercial at one point or another and gotten the Oh! Oh! Oh! Ozempic jingle stuck in your head.

It seems like there’s no escaping Ozempic! But if you’re not sure exactly what Ozempic is, don’t worry! I’ll go over all the basics, including its pros and cons, so you can decide whether it’s the right option for you!

The Basics of Ozempic

Ozempic (semaglutide) mimics glucagon-like peptide-1’s (GLP-1) effects, meaning it can help regulate blood sugar levels while suppressing appetite. For those looking to lose weight, Ozempic and other semaglutide medications like Wegovy seem like a dream. They can simultaneously slow down the emptying of your stomach and decrease your appetite, meaning you’ll feel less hungry, feel full faster, eat less, and lose weight. Plus, the injection process is simple.

Ozempic is injected once a week into the stomach, thigh, or upper arm. Once injected, Ozempic will stimulate insulin release in the pancreas whenever your blood sugar levels are high. It will also reduce how much sugar your liver releases and slow the digestion process. Not only does this mean it will take longer for your stomach to become fully empty, but you’ll also feel full for longer, which could lead to a smaller appetite and weight loss!

Just note that Ozempic isn’t for everyone — and you should consult a medical professional before taking Ozempic regularly to go over your medical history and the drug’s potential risks and benefits in depth.

The Pros of Ozempic

Ozempic is popular because it has a lot to offer those looking to shed some pounds. If you decide to take Ozempic, you can expect:

• A suppressed appetite: Since Ozempic mimics the effects of GLP-1, your appetite will be smaller than usual. You’ll feel fuller faster — and for longer, so you’ll be one step closer to saying goodbye to overeating.

• Moderate effectiveness: There’s no denying it; Ozempic can be an effective weight loss tool. Studies report Ozempic users losing an average of 13.5 pounds in just 26 weeks. (For comparison, those not on Ozempic only lost 2.5 pounds in that same time frame.) And the best part is that participants maintained much of that weight loss. After one year on Ozempic, you can expect to weigh an average of 11.5 pounds less.

• Increased insulin sensitivity: Since Ozempic was originally created to help type 2 diabetes patients, it’s hardly surprising that it can boost insulin sensitivity. However, it’s also worth noting that improved insulin sensitivity can promote weight loss, as insulin resistance is associated with blood sugar spikes after eating, weight gain, and extreme hunger and thirstiness.

• Convenience: Ozempic is an incredibly convenient option for weight loss. While you might need to take other weight loss medications daily, you only need to inject Ozempic once a week.

• A boost for someone who needs weight loss to be able to walk/move: If someone is not able to walk due to obesity and losing some weight will help that person move again, then this can be life changing.

The Cons of Ozempic

Ozempic has some benefits, but it also has drawbacks you need to be aware of, from the cost to its side effects. Before you start taking Ozempic, you should know that:

• It’s moderately effective: Yes, this was a pro, but it’s also a con, especially if you’ve heard how Ozempic completely transformed someone. Remember, Ozempic users lose an average of 11.5 pounds in a year. It’s certainly an accomplishment, but it might not be as impressive as stories would lead you to believe. Most people losing significant amounts of weight while on Ozempic also change their eating, exercise, and lifestyle habits.

• It is expensive: It’s also worth noting that Ozempic isn’t cheap — especially if you don’t have a good insurance plan. While those who qualify for insurance coverage can get their hands on Ozempic for $25 per month, you’ll need to be ready to shell out around $900 per month if you aren’t covered by insurance. Put simply, it can be a major investment!

• It comes with some side effects: Many medications have unpleasant side effects. In fact, according to Doctor Cecilia Low Wang, roughly one in five people stop taking medications due to side effects — and Ozempic is no different. When taking Ozempic, you may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects.

• It doesn’t mix well with alcohol or fats and proteins: Since Ozempic slows the digestion of fats and proteins, you may experience indigestion and bloating if you eat a food with both fats and proteins, such as meat. Additionally, since drinking alcohol while taking Ozempic increases your risk of low blood glucose and the severity of common side effects like nausea and diarrhea, you might need to cut back on or completely avoid alcohol while on Ozempic.

• Its long-term safety is unknown: Since Ozempic only hit the market back in 2018, it’s still relatively new. There’s a lot we don’t know about it, including its long-term safety. For all we know, it introduces additional risks when used over many years or decades.

• It isn’t a one-and-done situation: Ozempic won’t magically make you lose weight and keep it off.  You’ll still need to make lifestyle changes with exercise and food.  You’ll likely need to keep up with injections indefinitely, as those who stop taking Ozempic usually regain weight quickly without sustained lifestyle changes. Given how much it costs, its side effects, and its unknown long-term safety, this can be a major drawback of Ozempic.

Lifestyle Changes = Sustainable Weight Loss

For some people, Ozempic is a good option that sets them on the right path to losing weight. For others, it can have a slew of adverse side effects and only result in moderate weight loss. It boils down to this: Ozempic is not a magical injection. Taking it won’t make you lose weight and keep it off without some lifestyle changes. You still need to be aware of your food quality and incorporate some strength training in your life to avoid muscle loss.

If you need some help with your nutrition or workouts, reach out to me at happyhelen@gmail.com today!

What’s The Difference Between Processed, Minimally Processed, and Ultra-Processed Foods?

When it comes to foods, you’ve probably heard the terms processed, minimally processed, and ultra-processed tossed around — and there’s a clear hierarchy. Minimally processed foods are better for you than processed foods, which are better for you than ultra-processed foods. What’s unclear is what differentiates the three from one another. For example, where is the line drawn between processed and ultra-processed foods?

If you’re a little confused, don’t worry! I get it — and I’ve got you covered.

Minimally Processed Foods

Of the three types of foods we’re discussing today, minimally processed foods are the closest to unprocessed foods and don’t contain any added fats, salt, or sugar. Minimally processed foods are only slightly altered from the natural plant or animal to simplify transportation, storage, and preservation and ensure the food remains safe to eat.

Take fresh lettuce, for example. Before being sold at the store, it may be pre-washed, cut into smaller pieces, and packaged. Similarly, milk is pasteurized and refrigerated before being sold, while we often buy meat that has already been trimmed of fat and vacuum-packaged. Other examples of minimal processing include grinding, fermenting, drying, roasting, boiling, and freezing.

We see minimal processing for many fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, and whole grains — and most of it’s completely healthy. After all, cutting broccoli into florets, drying fruits, or freezing meat or seafood counts as minimal processing!

Processed Foods

Processed foods differ from minimally processed foods in that they have added salt, sugar, fat, or starch ingredients. Typically, processed foods contain two to three components (or more) and are ready to be eaten without additional preparation.

These foods undergo additional processing like canning, bottling, and non-alcoholic fermentation to ensure they are easier to prepare and have a better storage life or flavor. (Think freshly made bread, canned fish, salted nuts, certain cheeses, beans in brine, and some smoked meats.)

Ultra-Processed Foods

Ultra-processed foods are exactly what they sound like. They’re foods that have been highly processed. Instead of merely including additional salt, sweeteners, or fat, ultra-processed foods contain artificial colors and flavors as well as preservatives that increase palatability, preserve texture, and lengthen shelf life. NOVA, a well-known diet classification system, says that ultra-processed foods are “snacks, drinks, ready meals, and many other products created mostly or entirely from substances extracted from foods or derived from food constituents with little if any intact food.”

Like processed foods, ultra-processed foods are typically ready to eat without much additional preparation. However, unlike minimally processed foods and processed foods, ultra-processed foods require several processing steps and ingredients, such as bulking agents, color stabilizers, hydrolyzed protein isolates, emulsifiers, maltodextrin, fructose, modified oils, and humectants.

Chicken nuggets, hot dogs, veggie burgers, energy bars and drinks, sweetened breakfast cereals, ice creams, white bread, soft drinks, frozen meals … the list goes on.

Why Processed Foods Are So Appealing

Chances are you eat a lot of ultra-processed foods each day — and you’re not alone. In fact, ultra-processed foods make up roughly 60% of the average adult’s diet, and it makes sense.

We love these foods because they taste good. They’re relatively cheap and are ready to be eaten with little-to-no additional prep, meaning you can save time and even gain essential nutrients. Yes, even ultra-processed foods provide vital nutrients like protein, iron, and various vitamins. For example, fruits and vegetables frozen immediately after harvest will retain most of their vitamin C. Some foods can even be fortified with specific nutrients, such as iron, B vitamins, folic acid, iodine, and vitamin D, to prevent everything from rickets to goiter.

Additionally, processing via pasteurization, cooking, or drying can sometimes slow or destroy the growth of harmful bacteria, while emulsifiers can make our foods more appealing to eat. Notably, emulsifiers prevent peanut butter from separating into solid and liquid parts.

Why Processed Foods Should Be Eaten In Moderation

Processed foods aren’t inherently bad, and you shouldn’t avoid them altogether. However, you’ll want to be careful when it comes to ultra-processed foods. When possible, you’ll want to opt for foods in their least-processed form because ultra-processed foods:

• Can harm your health: Eating too much ultra-processed food can lead to high blood pressure, breast and colorectal cancer, and even impaired cognition when you’re older.

• Don’t contain as many nutrients: Processing of any kind can remove or destroy nutrients. Peeling off the outer layers of fruits, vegetables, or whole grains removes fiber and phytochemicals, while heating or drying foods can destroy additional vitamins and minerals.

• Can increase your risk of weight gain: What’s more, eating too many processed foods can lead to weight gain. This is especially true for ultra-processed foods, as they contain a high ratio of calories to nutrients yet aren’t usually particularly filling. The result? You’ll probably eat or drink a lot before you begin to feel full, all while consuming lots of calories. In a study published by Cell Metabolism, the group on an ultra-processed diet consumed roughly 500 more calories per day than those on the unprocessed diet when allowed to eat as little or as much food as they wanted. The ultra-processed group also gained two pounds on average over fourteen days, while the unprocessed group lost weight.

If you’re trying to lose weight or get in shape, you need to pay attention to what you’re eating. Limit your intake of ultra-processed foods and listen to your body. However, nutrition can only get you so far. You’ll also want to exercise!

It’s a lot to keep track of, but I’m here if you need some help! Reach out to me today at happyhelen@gmail.com to get started!

Eating for Optimal Hormone Health

Our body has countless hormones traveling through us at any given moment. These chemical messengers deliver messages to our organs, telling them what they need to do to keep our bodies functioning in tip-top shape. Hormones play a major role in everything from our mood to our metabolism, but they can become imbalanced! 

However, you’re not at the mercy of your hormones — and you don’t necessarily need to resort to hormone supplements just yet. Instead, it’s time to take a closer look at your eating habits. But before we dive into what to eat, let’s first review some common hormonal problems.

Types of Hormones

Some hormones you need to know about include:

• Cortisol: Produced by your adrenal glands, this glucocorticoid hormone is released during times of stress. Cortisol helps your body regulate blood sugar, fight infections, and access fast energy in stressful situations.

• Dehydroepiandrosterone: Dehydroepiandrosterone (a.k.a. DHEA) is a precursor to estrogen and testosterone. It’s produced by the liver and adrenal glands, and its levels peak during early adulthood before declining with age.

• Estrogen: We’ve probably all heard of estrogen, but if you need a quick refresher, it’s a category of sex hormone that promotes breast tissue development, protects bone health, impacts skin health, controls the menstrual cycle, and helps develop female secondary sex characteristics. It comes in three primary forms: estrone, estradiol, and estriol.

• Ghrelin: Your stomach is primarily responsible for producing and releasing ghrelin, or the hunger hormone, though the small intestine, pancreas, and brain also release some ghrelin. This hormone’s main role is to regulate your appetite. So, when your stomach is empty, it will secrete ghrelin, which then travels through your bloodstream and affects the hypothalamus to let your brain know you’re hungry. When you’re full, your ghrelin levels will decrease. 

• Leptin: Leptin plays the opposite role of ghrelin. Instead of signaling when you’re hungry, leptin tells your brain when to stop eating. Known as the fullness hormone, leptin is released by adipose tissue and helps your body maintain its normal weight.

• Insulin: Without insulin, our bodies wouldn’t be able to turn food into energy. This vital hormone transforms glucose into energy before distributing it throughout the body. A lack of insulin can cause glucose to build up in the bloodstream instead of going to the cells, leading to diabetes.

• Melatonin: There’s a reason many people who have difficulty falling asleep or are suffering from jetlag turn to melatonin. It’s known as the “sleep hormone” because it can help with circadian rhythms and sleep. Our brains naturally produce melatonin in response to darkness, signaling it’s time to sleep. However, melatonin production declines as we get older.

• Progesterone: Progesterone plays a major role in pregnancy. In the first ten weeks of pregnancy, the ovarium corpus luteum secretes progesterone, and the placenta secretes the hormone later in the pregnancy. Progesterone is also involved in menstruation, as it thickens the uterine lining to prepare for a fertilized egg to implant. If no eggs are fertilized during the cycle, progesterone levels will decrease and the uterus will shed the lining.

• Testosterone: Testosterone is a steroid hormone that encourages male secondary sex characteristics to develop. However, it isn’t just found in men! Testosterone supports muscle, bone development, and sex drive for everyone.

• Thyroid Hormone: The thyroid hormone is primarily responsible for controlling your body’s metabolism but can also affect your weight and body temperature. Your hormone releases two main hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). While T4 doesn’t impact your cells, T3 does — and organs like your liver or kidneys can transform T4 into T3, allowing it to affect your cells and metabolism.

Three Common Hormonal Imbalances For Women

Women, in particular, often struggle with hormone imbalances, which can majorly affect their lives. Common hormone issues women experience include:

1. High Cortisol

High cortisol levels can be caused by everything from stress to adrenal gland tumors to pituitary gland problems to medications.

Symptoms include weight gain, muscle weakness, high blood pressure, headaches, acne, cravings for salty and sugary foods, mood swings, low libido, memory difficulties, and more.

To lower your cortisol levels, try to prioritize your sleep, exercise regularly, reduce your caffeine intake, and even try fish oil supplements. Do anything you can to relax, whether that’s doing breathing exercises or going for a walk. However, as with most things, your diet can make a massive difference!

Try to avoid foods with high amounts of added sugar, as this can raise your cortisol levels. Instead, turn to a whole-foods diet as much as possible. Try eating dark chocolate, whole grains, legumes, lentils, whole fruits and vegetables, fatty fish, bananas, garlic, nuts, and seeds to keep your cortisol levels in check. It may also be worth drinking green tea, as it contains L-theanine, which is linked to lower stress levels. Also, don’t forget to stay hydrated! You should already drink water throughout the day, but it’s crucial if you have high cortisol levels.

2. High Estrogen

Estrogen dominance, or having too much estrogen, is a fairly common problem amongst women — and it can have significant consequences on you and your body. 

Symptoms include migraines, fatigue, weight gain, and gallbladder issues, but it can also cause you to experience heavier periods, mood swings, uterine fibroids, PMS, irritability, breast tenderness, and feelings of bloatedness.

Luckily, if you have high estrogen levels, you’re not alone — and you’re not stuck with it forever. Simple lifestyle changes can help lower estrogen levels. Exercise more. Meditate. Sleep better. Cut back on alcohol — and don’t forget about your nutrition!

Avoid processed foods, sugar, and refined carbohydrates, which can increase estrogen levels and symptoms. Instead, try to eat foods that promote lower estrogen levels and improved estrogen breakdown, such as:

• Cruciferous vegetables: If you have high estrogen levels, vegetables in the cruciferous family are your go-tos! While your mind may immediately jump to broccoli and cauliflower when you hear the word “cruciferous,” don’t worry if broccoli and cauliflower aren’t your speed. Bok choy, kale, brussel sprouts, arugula, and cabbage are also cruciferous vegetables.

• More fiber: Fiber bonds to excess hormones, so if you don’t have enough fiber, your body won’t be able to remove estrogen from your body. Instead, your body will reabsorb the excess estrogen, leading to estrogen dominance. Need some tips on increasing your fiber intake? Try eating psyllium, chia seeds, or fresh ground flax seeds!

• Organic fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy: Going organic is good for your body for so many reasons. Organic fruits and vegetables have fewer pesticides, more beneficial nutrients, and are better for the environment than their conventional counterparts. Likewise, organic meat and dairy offer more nutrients and less toxins while also benefiting the environment.

• Probiotic-rich foods: Your gut microbiome needs to be in tip-top shape to efficiently clear estrogen in your bowel movements. The good news is that eating probiotic-rich foods like sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir, kimchi, and natural yogurt can help!

3. Low Thyroid 

Located in the front of your neck, your thyroid is small but mighty. It’s responsible for creating T4 and T3 hormones to control your metabolism. However, your thyroid may not produce enough thyroid hormone. 

Symptoms include headaches, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, depression, and anxiety, but that’s not all.  Low thyroid hormone can also cause forgetfulness, constipation, swelling, dry skin, thinning hair, and irregular, painful, or lengthy periods.

If your thyroid hormone levels are too low, you’ll want to increase your intake of thyroid-supportive nutrients. Eat selenium (Brazil nuts, liver, meat, seafood, spinach), vitamin D (eggs, oily fish, sunshine, supplements), zinc (meat, buckwheat, oysters, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds), and iodine (prunes, iodized salt, seaweed, oysters, corn).

Whether you have low thyroid hormone, high cortisol levels, or too much estrogen, nutrition can be one of the best medicines. Knowing what to eat for optimal hormone health isn’t easy, but don’t worry! I’ve got your back! Reach out to me today at happyhelen@gmail.com to start tackling your hormone problems.

How to Get 100g of Protein a Day

One of the hardest things I tackle with my clients is getting high enough protein each day! Most people tell me, “Oh, I get enough protein, I have a Greek yogurt at breakfast.” If you are getting 40g of protein a day, you are barely getting enough for keeping you alive, not for optimal health and daily life. If you do ANY physical activity at all, forget it! No wonder it’s so hard to lose fat if you are eating mostly carbs that only makes you hungry in a few hours. As a woman, this will catch up with you over time. Women actually need MORE protein as they get older so let’s load them up!

Whether you are trying to build muscle or lose fat, getting a minimal of 1g of protein per pound of body weight will be one of the key solution to your goals. In order to build muscle, you need a high amount of protein - as you probably know. But if you want to lose fat, you need protein to keep you FULLER LONGER and increase that metabolism. Protein takes more energy to digest, so it can also increase your metabolic rate. Not to mention if you build muscle, you speed up your metabolism as well.

Here are 5 different ways to mix and match proteins options for everyone! Remember you can use these proteins to add to salads, even smoothies, and paired with yummy seasonings or veggies!

1.

Meal 1: 1 protein shake - 20g 

Meal 2: 4 eggs - 24g 

Meal 3: 1 can of tuna - 30g 

Meal 4: 4 oz salmon, 1 cup brown rice - 28g 

Total = 102g

2.

Meal 1: 5 oz Greek yogurt, 2 eggs - 28g 

Meal 2: 3 oz ground turkey - 20g 

Meal 3: 8 oz ribeye steak - 57g 

 Total = 105g

3.

Meal 1: 4 oz smoked salmon - 24g 

Meal 2: 5.4 oz chicken thighs - 40g 

Meal 3: 1 cup brown rice, 6 oz cooked shrimp - 43g 

Total = 107g

4.

Meal 1: 1 thick-cut bacon, 3 eggs - 23g 

Meal 2: 15 chicken nuggets - 45g (or spread this over 2 meals)

Meal 3: 8 oz Chilean sea bass - 42g 

Total = 110g

5.

Meal 1: 4 eggs, 3 egg whites - 40g 

Meal 2: 2 chicken sausage links - 26g 

Meal 3: 4 oz chickpea pasta, 2 oz of 90% ground beef - 41g 

Total = 107g

I’ve helped so many clients with their fat loss journey through nutrition coaching. If you need help with your nutrition, email me at happyhelen@gmail.com!

Why Cardio Isn’t Working For Your Fat Loss

Cardio is excellent for boosting your mood, building stamina, keeping your arteries clear, and strengthening your heart. But you know what it isn’t ideal for? Fat loss.

Unfortunately, the idea that cardio is the best way to lose fat has been flying around for decades — and people have been blindly subscribing to this idea. However, the truth is that cardio is not the way to go if fat loss is your goal long term. Here’s why:

Why Cardio Won’t Cut It When It Comes To Fat Loss

1. It Won’t Burn As Many Calories As You Think

Cardio doesn’t burn as many calories as people think it does. Most trackers are wrong because your metabolism changes on a daily basis - so how can any single wrist tracker know how your body changes each day? Most people start cardio workouts believing they’ll quickly burn calories and shed body fat — and yes, you can burn SOME calories through cardio. Heck, you may even lose 20 pounds 3 in months by running 5 miles a day and eating 1200 calories. However, long term - ask yourself, is this sustainable? What happens when my body adapts to this cardio? Then what?

Not only that, it takes an extremely high workload to burn a significant amount of calories through cardio alone.  For instance, an hour off high intensity cardio may burn off one cookie-  if you are lucky.  You would need to be on the treadmill for 6 hours everyday at this rate! It is a common mistake to hit the treadmill or do some laps at the pool and think we’ve  burned more calories than reality, which generally means you’re more likely to eat more calories than actually burned.  

To make matters worse, it turns out that activity trackers generally overestimate calorie burn. Some fitness trackers overestimate calorie burn by up to 93%, so if you try and eat back what you think you’ve burned, you won’t be able to enter a calorie deficit and lose fat. Instead, you may actually gain weight. 

2. It Can Increase Your Appetite

On top of that, cardio can raise your appetite disproportionally to how many calories you actually burn. Let’s say you spend thirty minutes swimming laps at the pool. You’ll probably feel extra hungry when you get out, which can lead to consuming excess calories later on in the day. 

3. You Adapt to Cardio - Quickly 

The main reason why cardio for fat loss doesn’t work long term is because you adapt to cardio QUICKLY! Meaning overtime, you’ll need to keep increasing the cardio workout to burn MORE calories.  Can you do 6 hours of cardio a day? And even if you can somehow do this, your body will still adapt to it eventually.  

Cardio also won’t build muscle-  it actually pairs down muscle. So on the other hand, if you incorporate strength training into your routine and increase your caloric intake, you’ll be able to build muscle to increase that metabolism. More muscles mean a higher metabolic rate. You’ll burn more calories by merely existing, as muscle tissue requires more calories to function than fatty tissue. So, you can say hello to increased calorie expenditure throughout the day, whether you’re watching television or taking a nap. In the long term, keeping fat off will be much easier if you build muscle vs. pair down muscle with cardio. 

4. It May Cause You To Overlook Your Diet

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that cardio is the be-all and end-all when it comes to fat loss, which means it’s all too easy to sweep your diet off to the side. By over-relying on cardio and doing no resistance training, most people gain the weight back within a couple years.

Lose Fat Effectively With Me!

Cardio has its place and its health benefits, but it won’t work if your goal is fat loss long term. Instead, you’ll need to focus on your food intake and turn to resistance training. We need to get that metabolism roaring! By focusing on resistance training and your food choices, you’ll be attacking the problem from both ends. Over time, you’ll lose fat, your metabolism will speed up, and you’ll see results you can actually maintain.

Ready to lose fat? Contact me today at happyhelen@gmail.com!

How Eating Fewer Calories Is Hurting Your Fat Loss Journey

It may seem counterintuitive, but the truth is that consuming fewer calories can actually slow your fat loss journey.

When people want to lose fat, they automatically jump to reducing their caloric intake. And it makes perfect sense! Fewer calories in = more fat loss, right?

In theory, yes. But the truth is that eating fewer calories can negatively impact your fat loss journey, not to mention your overall health!

All About Calories

Before we dive into how consuming fewer calories can hurt your fat loss journey, let’s first go over how calories and metabolism work.

Put simply, a calorie is just a unit of energy. It’s equivalent to the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a gram of water by 1°C (1.8°F or 4.1868 joules) and serves as a measurement of the energy content of food and drinks.

For many people trying to lose fat, calories are automatically the enemy, but the truth is that our bodies need calories for everything we do, from breathing to circulating blood and digesting foods to fighting off infections. However, if you eat and drink more calories than you expend, your body will store the excess as body fat, causing you to gain weight.

So, how many calories do you need? It depends on your age, size, physical activity level, environmental temperature, dieting behaviors, and hormonal status! As a general guideline, the average man should consume around 2,500 calories daily, while the average woman should consume roughly 2,000 calories daily to maintain a healthy body weight.

To estimate your specific calorie needs, you’ll need to determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR), calculate how many calories you’ll need to maintain your current weight, and think about how many calories you’ll need to consume to lose weight (this number should be somewhere between your BMR and daily caloric requirement).

The Impact Of Eating Fewer Calories On Fat Loss

When people want to lose weight, they often turn to diets and drastically cut back on their caloric intake. However, this approach can be counterproductive. In fact, research examining The Biggest Loser shows that metabolism will significantly slow after a dramatic weight loss — and regaining that weight won’t return your metabolism to its previous levels.

A low-calorie diet can decrease the number of calories your body burns by up to 23%, so keeping the weight off will be EVEN MORE DIFFICULT! People will need to stick with extremely low-calorie diets, which is unsustainable in the long run.

Why does this happen? Our bodies are just too good at adapting! If you deprive your body of calories and don’t consume enough calories to meet your basal metabolic needs, your body will think you’re going to starve and automatically start conserving calories. Its survival instincts will kick in and slow your metabolism to save energy, meaning you’ll burn fewer calories per day and begin converting extra calories into fat. Which is the opposite of what you want….

Your body’s metabolism works hard to create a new balance when you consistently don’t consume enough calories, which can lead to weight loss plateaus. No matter how little you eat, you won’t be able to lose any weight. It’s frustrating and discouraging — and it happens to nearly everyone.

When 65 dieting women were analyzed, their bodies burned 50 fewer calories per day on average — and those who were overweight or obese used hundreds of fewer calories a day. Every 10-calorie drop in BMR meant one more day to achieve their weight loss goal, meaning the greater the change in BMR, the longer it took to reach weight loss goals. So, if your metabolic rate drops and your fat loss journey slows to a crawl or comes to a complete halt after a calorie reduction, don’t worry! It’s completely normal.

Luckily, you can overcome metabolic adaptation and continue your fat loss journey in a few ways. For example, reverse dieting (slowly increasing your caloric intake while lifting weights) can raise your metabolism and restart your fat loss. Similarly, frequent exercise and other lifestyle changes can keep your fat loss journey going smoothly.

Lose Fat The Right Way

Losing fat and keeping it off is tricky, especially given how our metabolism reacts to restricted-calorie diets. And that’s not the only way severely restricting your caloric intake can affect your body! Following calorie-restricted diets can also cause you to feel fatigued, reduce your fertility, weaken your bones, and prevent you from getting enough protein, vitamin A, calcium, biotin, thiamine, and other nutrients.

Need help losing fat in an effective, healthy, and sustainable way? I’ve got you covered! Reach out to me today at happyhelen@gmail.com to get started!

Reverse Dieting 101

Many people think eating less is the key to fat loss, but believe it or not, that’s not always the case.  Sometimes you have to eat MORE to lose fat! 

This is a process called reverse dieting. But what exactly is it, when should you do it, and how does it work?

What is Reverse Dieting?

If you eat fewer calories than your body consumes, you’ll lose weight — but it doesn’t last forever.  Your body will start preparing for survival by reducing your basal metabolic rate (BMR).  You’ll use less energy as your body won’t require as much fuel.  Additionally, your digestion will slow to help your body absorb as many nutrients as possible.  Eventually you will stop losing weight, even if you are overweight and eating very little calories.  

I’ve seen it happen frequently with clients — someone who is 30-50 pounds overweight and eating less than 1000 calories a day who cannot lose anymore weight despite how little calories they eat.  Our bodies are smart and will adapt to anything you give it! 

The problem is as your body adapts to the lower calories, it becomes harder to lose weight as your body is holding onto the reserves to preserve energy.  This is why you need to reverse diet, which is to increase your calories slowly.  Increasing your caloric intake can raise your BMR, meaning your body will expend more energy each day, regardless of what you’re doing. Your digestion will return to normal, and you’ll have more energy available for workouts.

However, you can’t jump straight into a higher-calorie diet, especially if you’re coming off a restricted-calorie diet.  To avoid significant fat gain, you’ll need to add calories slowly and strategically WHILE lifting weights. 

Lifting weights is an important part of reverse dieting since building muscle is the key to increasing your metabolism.  When done correctly, reverse dieting will help you get out of the fat loss plateau while allowing you to eat more food. It’s a win-win!

Why Would Someone Need To Reverse Diet?

A few reasons:

You’ve Already Cut Back Your Calories But Aren’t Losing Weight

If you’re following a highly restrictive diet but have hit a weight loss plateau, reverse dieting will be the key to turning this around.  It may seem counterintuitive, but slowly increasing your caloric intake while lifting weights will boost your metabolic output and restart your fat loss.  

You Want To Put On Muscle

Want to gain muscle and improve your body composition without gaining too much fat? Eat more calories and lift weights! The key is to do strength training with the reverse diet to get the maximum benefits of eating more calories.  Otherwise, those extra calories may be stored as fat instead of using it towards muscle growth.

How Do You Reverse Diet?

If you’re planning on reverse dieting, there are a few things you need to do to set yourself up for success.

First, you’ll need to choose a method for tracking your food intake. I like to use My Fitness Pal app.  Track all your food for a week or two along with your weight on the scale to find out what your maintenance calories are.  Your maintenance calories are the calories you consume daily/weekly where your bodyweight does not go up or down. 

No online formula or calculator will get it right for every person because everyone is different, so you will need to experiment to find your maintenance calories for a few weeks to know for sure.

Once you figure out your maintenance calories, then each week, slowly add 50 calories per day.  MAKE SURE YOU ARE LIFTING WEIGHTS!

For example:

1700 calories a day maintenance to begin.

Week 1: 1750 a day

Week 2: 1800 a day

Week 3: 1850 a day

This is not an absolute— you may find you can only add 50 calories every other week instead, or 100 calories every 3 weeks —  it depends on your metabolism and your activity level.  

Finally, you need to monitor your progress and make adjustments when necessary. You can weigh yourself daily or weekly, take progress photos, or measure your waist or hips to see changes in your body composition. 

While some people can increase their caloric intake weekly without gaining much fat, others need more time.  You may realize you can only increase your calories every 3-4 weeks.  

It is common, if not welcomed, to gain 2-4 pounds in reverse dieting before it plateaus.  It is EXTREMELY difficult to gain muscle without fat, and most people will not be able to do this.  So expect some fat gain as part of the process and don’t panic! 

Wondering if reverse dieting is the right solution for you or planning on trying it out but not sure where to start? I can help on both fronts! Contact me today at happyhelen@gmail.com to get started!

The Benefits of Losing Weight Through Lifestyle Changes

Losing weight is one of the hardest things that anyone ever has to tackle in modern America.   After all, the education around nutrition is terrible, with processed foods surrounding us daily that is convenient and accessible.  Then on top of that, corporate companies are marketing to us with messages saying processed “gluten free/dairy free/vegan” can be healthy - when really, processed foods are not actually healthy for you.  

Then there is the fitness industry out there telling women to do a bunch of cardio to “tone” your muscles (you can’t tone muscles, you can only build or lose) so then we are spinning our wheels, doing a bunch of high intensity exercises and eating food that actually, in the long term, makes us gain weight.  Then we jump straight into an intensive fad diet that requires severely restricting calories, eliminating a whole macronutrient, or drinking meal replacements — and while they may initially shed a few pounds, the weight often comes back.

It may sound obvious but it needs to be said over and over - long term, the only healthy way to lose weight and keep it off is through lifestyle changes that are gradual and slow.  This may take years of work.  You may swing in one direction and back again, but it’s okay, it’s all part of the process.  

But why? If the end result is the same and you lose the weight regardless, why do it the slow way? Here are some benefits of lifestyle changes through exercise and nutrition.  

The Weight Stays Off 

Do you want to lose the weight and keep it off or gain it back in a year? Should be obvious.  But the longer it takes for you to lose the weight, the longer you will SUSTAIN that weight.  If it takes you 5 years to lose 100 pounds, I promise you will most likely keep that weight off than someone who did it in 6 months.  This is due to behavior modification.  It takes a while to create new habits and behaviors - it could be months or years, but once we create a new habit- it STICKS around! So we need that time to build that behavior for it to stick.  But once we do, it’s routine! 

More Energy

The balance of proper exercise and nutrition will leave you with more energy throughout the day.  With body composition changes, you will get better respiratory function, improved sleep quality, and overall reduction of pain.  Exercise boosts your energy levels and leaves you with a wonderful sense of high as those endorphins kick in.  Those who exercise in the morning will often report their high energy throughout the day.  Short term diets rarely result in a long term, sustainable energy to keep up with your work and family.  

Higher Self-Esteem and More Confidence

The benefits of losing weight via lifestyle changes aren’t just physical. You will also likely have a much higher self-esteem and confidence.  Not only will you be in better shape, but you’ll also have the accomplished feeling of taking control of your body. It can be really empowering! 

When you make lifestyle changes, you can also break out — or avoid — the devastating cycle of weight gain and loss that comes with fad diets. You won’t have to worry about your slow metabolism, raised blood pressure, a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease, lower self-esteem, destroyed motivation and all the other adverse effects that come with yo-yo dieting.

A Better Mood

Using lifestyle changes to lose weight can also boost your mood, as working out releases endorphins, a.k.a. those feel-good feelings! It not only reduces stress and pain but also improves your sense of well-being.  A balanced non-processed meal will give you less inflammation through your body and brain - which can result in a “half-full” outlook on life.  There is a reason why therapists recommend exercise for mood elevation - it is a better drug than antidepressants.  

Better Sleep Quality

Since being overweight can affect your metabolism and interfere with your sleep & wake cycle, these lifestyle changes can also help you sleep better — and longer! With poor sleep comes within a myriad of health issues - so better sleep can reduce your risk of other conditions that may impact your sleep quality, such as osteoarthritis, asthma, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

There are many studies to show that consistent exercise will improve your sleep quality and decrease daytime sleepiness.  Those who exercise regularly will take less time to fall asleep and won’t spend all night tossing and turning. 

Lower Blood Pressure and Reverse Type 2 Diabetes

You can prevent and even eliminate diseases through lifestyle changes. For instance, through food and exercise, you can reverse both high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.  There are many studies to show that through diet and exercise, people can come off their medications and no longer be considered a diabetic.  The right type of food can manage your blood sugar levels throughout the day.  But if you do it through short term fads and diets, it’s much harder to keep the weight off.  You can often gain MORE of the weight back.  

A Longer and Overall Healthier Life

It is not a surprise that making lifestyle changes through exercise and nutrition will help you live longer.  Someone who exercises often, eats balanced meals and sleeps well will most likely to live a longer life than someone who sits on the couch eating processed foods all day. Not only that, your quality of life has improved.   You are in better moods, have better energy, free of diseases and feel more confident about yourself.  What’s not great about that? 

Need a little help? I’ve got you covered! Reach out to me at happyhelen@gmail.com today to learn more!

Best Workout Program for Seniors

When you hit a certain age, your body might not feel quite like it used to, and the fear of falling or injuring yourself may be weighing on your mind. However, exercising will be even MORE important than ever as we age! 

Seniors can drastically enhance their quality of life by being active.  Regular exercise will not only give you more energy and reduce stress, but it can also boost brain function and even counteract diseases like diabetes and osteoporosis! Sounds great, right?

Workout Programs For Seniors

So, what types of exercises should you be doing? Think mainly of exercises that focus on functionality and balance. You should consider doing these functional movements several times a week: 

Squats

Squats are suitable for people of any age, but they’re particularly beneficial for seniors. Just think of all the things we do in everyday life that involve our core and lower body — getting off the couch, standing up after using the bathroom, sitting down at the table for dinner, or even squatting down to pick something off the ground. The list goes on!

Unfortunately, these things only get more challenging as we get older only because we STOP being as active.  However, doing squats can strengthen your core and legs. You’ll experience a higher quality of life and can maintain your independence for longer.  For example, instead of relying on a grab bar by your toilet or assistance from someone, you can engage your core and lower body to stand up on your own.  

What’s more, squats can help you burn calories, build your obliques, and improve your flexibility. Plus, squats can help lower your risk of knee or ankle injuries since they strengthen your legs’ bones, tendons, and ligaments.

Deadlifts

Lifting heavy objects off the ground is a significant source of lower back injuries, but you can’t avoid picking things up forever. You’ll need to deal with groceries, laundry baskets, or even grandkids. Enter deadlifts - an exercise that involves bending at your hips to pick up a weighted barbell (or dumbbell) off the ground before standing up.  

Regularly doing deadlifts can help strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, core, and back. Plus, they can prevent your back from giving out while lifting light or even heavy objects from the floor. If that isn’t enough to convince you to start incorporating deadlifts into your workout routine, they can also reduce lower back pain, raise bone mineral density, and boost your metabolism!

Overhead Press

Overhead presses are also great for seniors hoping to stay in shape and make their lives a little easier. However, whereas squats and deadlifts mainly target the core and lower body, overhead presses work the chest, shoulders, upper back, and arms.

More muscular arms and shoulders means an easier time when grabbing a mug or dish from that top shelf! 

Balance Exercises

Toddlers constantly fall and bounce back up almost immediately, but it’s not the same with older adults. Every 11 seconds, a senior goes to the emergency room due to a fall-related injury.  The good news is that regular exercise incorporating balance can reduce your likelihood of falling by 23%.

Some of the best exercises for improving balance include:

• The Tightrope Walk: Want to improve your balance, core strength, coordination, and posture? Do the tightrope walk regularly! This exercise is exactly what it sounds like: you extend your arms to the side and slowly walk in a straight line as if you were on a tightrope. When you raise your foot, hold it for a few seconds before taking your next step.

• The Tree Pose: A popular yoga move, the tree pose involves balancing on a single leg while resting your other foot against the side of your thigh. You can then press your hands together in front of your chest or above your head. If you aren’t 100% comfortable, you can also hold onto a chair with one hand for balance.

• Lunges: Lunges will not only help shape and strengthen your quads, glutes, hips, calves, and hamstrings, but they can also increase your core strength and prepare you to prevent potential falls.  After all, if you lose your balance while walking, it’s natural to take a step backward or forward to try and prevent a fall.  

Don’t be afraid to have something nearby for stabilization when performing these balance exercises, whether that’s a chair, a wall, or another person. 

Exercising as a senior offers countless benefits, and it’s not all that different from what you may have done in the past.  Just be sure to focus on exercises that target functionality and balance, and don’t be afraid to start out slow and take breaks.  If you need some help designing and executing the perfect workout program for seniors, contact me today at happyhelen@gmail.com.

Can Stress Make You Gain Weight?

Stress is a common scapegoat for weight gain. How many times have you heard someone say, “Oh, stress is causing my weight gain”? Probably quite a few times.

However, it’s not quite that simple. But before we get into why that’s a massive oversimplification, let’s first break down what exactly stress is.

What Is Stress?

Stress is an unavoidable part of life. It’s a state of mental or emotional strain caused by difficult circumstances. Anything from a work deadline to a sick family member to a long commute filled with traffic jams can make you feel stressed.

However, stressors don’t just result in feelings of stress. They also signal your body to release more cortisol, a natural stress hormone. Increased cortisol will send you into fight-or-flight mode, which is excellent for situations where survival is at stake. But it’s not-so-great for those everyday stressors. After all, cortisol is responsible for regulating your metabolism, so an increase in cortisol can slow your metabolism and increase fat accumulation, especially in the abdominal area.

Can Stress Actually Make You Gain Weight?

Sure, stress causes an increase in cortisol, which can slow your metabolism, but that’s not the complete picture. Stress can be a trigger in causing your behavior to change.

High cortisol levels not only increase your appetite (which can lead to overeating) but it can also cause cravings for fatty, sweet, and salty foods. So, while you might usually reach for a well-balanced meal, you might opt for comfort food, such as french fries, pizza, or mac and cheese, when stress eating. Combined with the overeating and slower metabolism, it’s hardly surprising that people gain weight when stressed.

What’s more, high stress levels (or even the stressors themselves) can prevent people from working out the way they used to. You might brush off a trip to the gym to stay late at work to finish a project or skip your daily walk to spend time taking care of a sick family member. But that’s not all. Stress also inhibits muscle recovery after strenuous resistance exercise, reducing the effects of your exercise routine.

On top of that, stress and higher cortisol levels can cause you to lose sleep — and sleep-deprived people are more likely to gain weight. In fact, sleep-deprived people will consume 385 calories more per day than those who are not sleep-deprived. Plus, they’ll be less likely to be physically active throughout the day, leading to weight gain.

The good news is that we have the power to change our stress! Once your stress is under control, your cortisol and insulin levels will decrease, you’ll be less likely to reach for fatty and sugary foods, you’ll sleep better, and your weight will improve.

Here are a few easy ways to reduce your stress levels:

• Exercise: Exercising is an excellent way to blow off steam, raise your endorphins, and reduce stress levels. Plus, a good workout will make it easier to fall asleep, which can help you manage stress. Everything from taking a walk to joining a game of pickup basketball to hitting the gym can help reduce your blood pressure and stress hormones.

• Meditate, Do Breathing Exercises, Or Practice Yoga: Meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga can help reduce stress. Plus, they can also increase the number of endorphins in your body.

• Get More Sleep: Stress can make falling asleep difficult, but getting a good night’s sleep is essential. Not only will you be able to more easily handle your stressors the next day, but you’ll also be more patient. Try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night.

• Prioritize Yourself: Self-care can do wonders for stress levels. So, next time you feel stressed, read a book, connect with nature, listen to your favorite song, or take a relaxing bath.

• Examine Your Stressors: Write down everything that makes you feel stressed and think about what you can do to eliminate them or who you can turn to for help.

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but stress-related weight gain doesn’t have to be! If you need some help with your diet or exercise routine, contact me at happyhelen@gmail.com today!

Should You Bother With New Year’s Resolutions?

The new year is a time for renewed hope and motivation.  So, it’s not surprising that people resolve to make changes for the better in the coming year every January — whether that’s exercising more frequently, quitting smoking, saving more money, or dedicating time in their busy schedules towards self-care.

Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to give up on New Year’s resolutions. Maybe last year, you decided you were going to give up soda. Only, come February, you were back to drinking three cans a day. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone! Just 12% of those who make resolutions keep them — which has led many to wonder if they should even bother with establishing New Year’s resolutions.

While making a resolution may not seem worthwhile if you’re statistically unlikely to keep it, you should still make a resolution each year! People who set resolutions are a whopping ten times more likely to change their behavior than those who don’t. If you happen to be in the 12% who manages to keep their resolution, you’ll experience a boost in your sense of self-efficacy and a better lifestyle.

The good news is that keeping New Year’s resolutions isn’t impossible. When it comes to sticking to your resolutions, you’ll want to:

1. Choose something that matters to you. If you don’t care about your goal, you won’t be truly committed to achieving it and will lose motivation quickly. So, the most important step is choosing a resolution that matters to you.

2. Be specific. Specificity is key. Vague resolutions like being more productive or getting in shape are difficult to measure and difficult to achieve, so you should opt for a more concrete goal like lifting weights 3 days a week or cooking at least four meals a week.

3. Stick with one resolution. Make sure you don’t fall into the trap of over-committing yourself. You don’t have to turn your life around completely in 2022, so establish one resolution and concentrate your energy on achieving your goal. You’ll be more likely to succeed when your attention isn’t pulled in ten directions at once.

4. Start slow. Shifting from eating out every meal to cooking every meal from scratch won’t happen overnight, and trying to force such a significant change in a short time can lead to frustration. Likewise, overdoing it at the gym can lead to discouragement or injury, so don’t be afraid to take small steps toward your goal. You can set yourself up for success and avoid the discouragement that comes with never hitting your goals by starting with small, manageable goals and working your way up to your resolution.

5. Find support. Your journey to achieving your New Year’s resolution doesn’t have to be a solo excursion! Find someone who can hold you accountable and help you stay motivated — whether it's a friend with the same goal, a mentor, a support group, or a personal trainer — and schedule regular check-ins with them.

6. Keep track of your progress. It can be easy to lose motivation if you don’t track your progress. Consider keeping a journal or using an app to track your progress. That way, you’ll instantly know how far you’ve already come and how far you have to go to reach your goal. You can make sure you’re on track to reach your goal and adjust your habits if you aren’t. Record your successes, your struggles, and the reasons you want to accomplish your goal, and reflect on how you can overcome any obstacles to achieve your goal.

Sticking with your New Year’s resolution is easier said than done, but it will be worth it in the end. If you need some help or accountability to reach your fitness goals this year, contact me at happyhelen@gmail.com today to get started on your 2022 resolutions!

How Your Steps Impact Weight Loss

When it comes to losing weight, you’ve probably heard that following a strict diet or starting a cardio-packed exercise routine is the way to go. Sure, that approach definitely works short-term.  However, do you want to lose weight AND keep it off? That’s where keeping track of your steps comes into play. 

Yes, a caloric deficit is what you need to burn fat, and most weight-loss strategies rely on decreasing the number of calories you consume (via dieting) or increasing the number of calories you expend (via exercising, notably cardio) to create a calorie deficit.  That being said, behaviorally, it’s not always as simple as calories in and calories out, or we’d all be doing it perfectly! 

The key to long-term weight loss AND keeping it off is a change in lifestyle choices. And one of the lifestyle choices that will generally help most people is making sure you get enough movement each day.  

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) has been shown that over time, it helps with weight loss, change in metabolism, and overall better health.  NEAT includes all movement outside of exercise, so that could be cleaning the house, running errands, walking the dog, walking to work, fidgeting, or anything that is not sedentary.  Studies show that it is more beneficial to have daily movement throughout the day than it is to be sedentary all day but then do a 30-minute cardio workout.

Whatever you decide to do with your health and fitness journey, keep in mind these habits need to be maintained for the rest of your life to have the same results. Most people’s lives ebb and flow with different transitions, so it’s normal to go in and out of different workout routines. That’s why the habit of daily movement and steps is more important than your 30-minutes of steady state cardio because at least behaviorally, it much easier for most people to keep up daily walks & movement consistently. Not to mention you actually burn more calories if you move all day long.

Taking 10,000 steps a day is an arbitrary number, but most clients I know who work from home or at a desk job have a hard time getting even 5,000 a day.  You can use 10,000 as a specific goal that will help you stay motivated and hold you accountable. But if you aren’t already taking 10,000 steps each day, don’t worry! Figure out what your base line is for each day, and make sure you are consistent in those daily steps before you slowly increase each week.  JUST KEEP MOVING!

Ready to start increasing your steps per day and losing weight? Contact me at happyhelenfitness@gmail.com today!

Back to working out? How to ease back into your routine without getting injured

It’s been at least 3 months since your gym has been open and you feel out of shape. You may have done some exercises here and there but nothing as consistent as when you were in your old routine. However, now that things are reopening, your are worried that you may injure yourself getting too quickly back into it. Here are some tips that will help you ease into a solid workout routine safely.

1. Start with body weight exercises. Instead of loading that heavy dumbbell, start with some body weight exercises to ease back into the harder stuff. 

2. Do 2-3 times a week. Don’t go balls out working out 6 days a week off the bat. You may feel excited that work off the COVID weight, but start with 2-3 days a week and gradually build into more days.

3. Add in some N.E.A.T. N.E.A.T. Stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis, which is all your daily movement outside of exercise. Instead of one dedicated hour of workout a day, you actually increase your metabolism and burn more calories if you move constantly throughout the day. 

4. Do a solid 10 minute warm-up. Warming up is probably one of the best ways to NOT get injured. Warming up increases blood flow so your body is ready to do the hard workout ahead! 

5. Stretch after working out. Do some solid stretching for your entire body post-workout. It will loosen up your muscles and give you the flexibility you need to prevent an injury.

6. Hire a trainer. Having a professional who can guide you safely into the workout will prevent you from accidentally overloading incorrectly or not moving in the optimal way for your body. 

Need a trainer to provide you with the accountability and safety you need during COVID times? Contact me today for your consultation session! Email happyhelen@gmail.com today.

6 Ways to Boost your Immune System Against COVID-19

The world is in a very strange time right now, filled with anxieties and uncertainty for all of us. If you are worried about getting you or your loved ones sick, here are a few easy ways to boost your immune system to keep you safe and healthy.

1. Eat immune system boosting foods. The following foods have shown promising effects against the common cold, the flu and respiratory infections. Eat healthy foods such as: citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes, shellfish, beans, almonds, hazelnuts, peanut butter, turmeric and tea.

2. Sleep 7-9 hours a night. Sleep is when your body replenishes new cells and fights off infections. Infection-fighting antibodies and cells are reduced when you don't get enough sleep.

3. Take supplements like elderberry and garlic.

• Sambucus, aka elderberry, has consistently demonstrated its anti-viral power. One study on 60 people with influenza showed recovery in 2 days versus 7-8 days for the control group. Another study of 312 air travelers taking capsules containing 300mg of elderberry extract three times per day found that those who got sick experienced a shorter duration of illness and less severe symptoms.

• Garlic may help with illnesses by stimulating the production of immune system protector cells (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4417560/). Other studies have show that garlic demonstrated potent anti-viral ability with viruses including inlfuenza, rhinovirus, HIV, HSV-1 and even HPV.

4. Reduce stress. Stress lowers your immune system and makes you more susceptible in catching any kind of viruses and illnesses. Mediate for 5-10 minutes a day to decrease stress or anxieties from the news or what's happening around you.

5. Work out consistently with moderate intensity. The risk of catching a cold or the flu drops if you exercise moderately, according to Mary P. Miles, PhD. Miles is an associate professor of exercise sciences at Montana State University and the author of an editorial about exercise and immunity published in Exercise and Sport Sciences Review. But, Miles says, don't go overboard- if you have a intense exercise session, it temporarily depresses the immune system.

6. Drink lots of water. Water helps carry oxygen to your cells, which helps with daily functioning. It also works in removing toxins from the body, so drinking more of it could help prevent toxins from building up and having a negative impact on your immune system.

Want to boost your immune system with an online workout customized to your ability and needs? Email me at happyhelen@gmail.com for your first free virtual training today!

March Steps Challenge: Benefits of Increasing Your N.E.A.T

Most people these days have a pretty sedentary life. You get up, get in a car, sit at a desk for work, get back in a car, come home, sit down. Studies show the average American does about 5,000 steps a day.

Researchers compared the average step counts from the U.S. with other countries:

• United States: 5,117 steps. That is about 2.5 miles.

• Switzerland: 9,650 steps = 4.8 miles.

• Japan: 7,168 steps = 3.5 miles.

So let’s increase our daily movement, aka N.E.A.T!

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or participating in exercise.

Studies show that NEAT helps with resistance in fat gain in regards to overeating. In a study of non-overweight volunteers, those who did more NEAT were less likely to gain excess fat if there were excess calories taken in on any given day. Without activating daily NEAT, those excess calories may result in fat gain. This is because of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), an enzyme that converts fat into energy source. By increasing NEAT, your body uses LPL as energy fuel instead of storing it as fat.

How to increase daily NEAT if you work a desk job:

1. Stand instead of sit all day.
2. If you have to sit, set a timer every hour to get up and take a lap around the office.
3. When you take a call, pace around the office.
4. Park your car further away. Or even better, walk, bike or take public transit to work.
5. Play with your kids. Take your dog for a walk.
6. Clean or do daily tasks around the house.
7. Go for a short walk post dinner. It will also help promote digestion.

Come join my March Steps Challenge! We are going to battle it out to see who can get the most movement in a day. You just need a fitness tracker like Fitbit, Garmin, Smartwatch, etc. It can also sync with Apple Health if you have your phone with you all day. Download Stridekick and find “HappyHelen” to find me and I will add you to the challenge!

How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

It's now almost February and take a look at what you've done in the last month. Have you held up your fitness goals? Are they still intact or did you make some attempts and give up?

The top 3 main reasons why most people's new year's resolution's fail and how to fix them:

1. Goals are too unrealistic. This is the biggest problem. People set unrealistic goals that are more for long-term than short term goals. For instance, if you want to lose 100 pounds as a goal, it's too overwhelming and big of a goal to tackle at once - so after a month, when you potentially may have lost only 1 or 2 pounds, you get discouraged and move on.

   Solution: Setting small, short-term goals along the way is a great way to keep up your motivation and use to check off progress.

2. You are trying to do too much at once. The other problem is that most people set a bunch of goals to achieve and find it very stressful to try to do it all at once. Or maybe, you can keep it up for a month, but pretty soon, trying to accomplish multiple goals means that one will fall short along the way. You only have so much time and energy in a day to devote to each one, which makes it unsustainable for long term success.

   Solution: Focus on one resolution at once. Figure out how much time you have realistically outside your job and personal life to dedicate to your goals.
   

3. You are not ready for a change. Examine your resolutions. Are you the one who want these resolutions or are they influenced by others? Maybe it is your friends, family or even social media making you feel like you SHOULD do it, but you don't really want to.

   Solution: Ask yourself: how much effort and time are you willing to take on to achieve your goals? Are you willing to give up something else to make room for your goal?

If you feel like you need accountability and direction, hiring a personal trainer can give you the guidance you need. Your trainer can help you set realistic goals and help you make gradual change to success. Everyone needs outside help – so don't be afraid to ask for it! Email me at happyhelen@gmail.com to discuss a new you for 2020!