Month of Thanks....Day 3

Day 3: Freedom

I am thankful for all of my freedoms, rights and privileges. I am thankful to live in a country where everyone doesn’t have to have the same beliefs and opinions and each individual is able to express their opinions and beliefs through both speech and written word. I am thankful for the freedom to own a house, a car, and a gun. I am thankful for the freedom to pursue higher education and the right to vote. I am thankful for those both past and present, who have served to defend our country, our leaders who have worked to establish our rights, and our fore-fathers who had the insight to create such sound principles which are still vital to being an American today!

Thankful...Day 2

Day 2: Adversity

This may sound odd but there is definitely truth behind it! While it is hard to appreciate the challenges life presents during adversity, looking back I have realized those obstacles have not only made me who I am but have made me a stronger person and taught me valuable lessons. Adversity has helped shape my beliefs, my relationships, and my belief in myself. It is because of the obstacles I have overcome that my self-confidence has soared!

Witnessing divorce first-hand as a child helped cement my belief in never going to bed upset, going the extra mile to show someone you care, and the only way to argue is naked (because making each other strip down to argue will end all arguments and just make you smile). Growing up in a single-parent family, taught me to work for everything you have, independence is a vital attribute, and there is no such thing as “man chores” or “woman chores”. Working my way through college taught me, you can’t always have what you, but to appreciate what you have, sleep is overrated, and NEVER give up. Fighting my way through Grad School taught me to believe in myself and I can accomplish my dreams and goals! I realize adversity is truly just a part of life and am ready to face it head on and am thankful to be able to learn from the experiences.

November....30 Days of Thanks!

Day 1: My Husband

I truly feel my happiness and life is centered around my husband. I am so thankful to have such a loving, hard-working, dedicated husband. I was not looking for a relationship in April 2004, but one date led to another. Then May 2007, while packing to move across the country to Colorado to start a new chapter of our lives together, he asked me to be his wife. A little over two years later, we said the two big words, “I Do” on Megan’s Bay in St. Thomas. Our life has been a whirlwind of adventures, full of thrills, hard work, sacrifices, and more moves than most people make in their lives! However, I wouldn’t change any of it…I am happy beyond words and attribute the joy in my heart and the smile on the face to my husband, the man who tells me he loves me every day, will not go to sleep without kissing me goodnight, and takes the furbabies out for a run in hopes of tiring them out to make my evening easier! I love you and am thankful for you!

Motivation to Workout

Ever have those days, or maybe even weeks, where you just can’t find the motivation to go from your desk, to your car, to the gym?  Or once you make it home from work you just can’t seem to muster the energy to lace up your running shoes to hit the pavement? Here are 5 tips to help you find the inspiration to get your workout in!

1. Visualize your Future Achievements

            Whether it’s crossing the finish line of your first triathlon, hitting a PR in a 5K, losing 30 pounds, or just fitting into your favorite pair of ‘skinny’ jeans, picture what that achievement will look like, how great you will feel, and the massive smile that will be on your face when you meet your goal.

2. Positive Self-Talk

            Ever tell yourself you are “too out of shape”, “too slow”, “too old”, or “this will never work” before a workout? Fight that negative self-talk with positive self-talk, focusing on your strengths, and remember, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”  Remind yourself that fitness is a journey; take it one day at a time, putting one foot in front of the other.

3. Focus on the Why

            Write specific, attainable goals, and post in a place which you will see every day, to encourage you to get your workout in. If you are lacking motivation prior to a workout, spend 5 minutes writing down why you workout and why you won’t give up. Remember, the secret to success is not will-power, but rather “want-power”. Choose to be active because you want to be!

4. Choose Activities you Enjoy

            There a multitude of ways to incorporate fitness into your life. If you don’t currently love your routine, mix it up! To allow you to look forward to your workout choose activities which you enjoy. Use your workout time for catching up with friends if you are a social butterfly or reserve the time as ‘me-time’ if you prefer a quieter workout.  

5. Look Around and Within

            Look for others who are working towards similar fitness goals. If you don’t find any friends or colleagues who have similar training goals and workout routines, check the internet, because chances are there is someone out there working toward similar goals. There are thousands of fitness blogs, along with sites such as DailyMile, DailyBurn, SparkPeople, and numerous others which allow you to record and track your workouts, while interacting and allowing others to see what you are doing.

            If outside sources of inspiration don’t fuel you, then look internally. Remember back to your last workout and how great you felt afterwards, whether you felt refreshed after a yoga class, completely spent after a high-intensity interval session, or energized after a lifting workout. Chances are, thanks to the release of endorphins, you felt better about yourself after the workout, then when you started! So whether its personal improvements or that drenched in sweat feeling, focus on how great you will feel and you will be out the door in no time!

Terrieha Romer is co-owner of RYP Performance, a company specializing in outdoor bootcamps, small group training, one-on-one personal training, program design, and athlete performance training. Terrieha has a Bachelors in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, a Masters in Sports Medicine, and holds several nationally and internationally recognized fitness-related certifications. She is also a former Track & Field Coach and Strength & Conditioning Coach at the High School, Division I, and Division II levels, in addition to working with elite athletes as a volunteer at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

It's Official!!

Its Official....I have torn my right lateral meniscus, just as I had suspected. See, my Masters in Sports Medicine can come in handy at times. After a full history, x-rays, and several special tests, it was confirmed and a plan of attack was devised.

I took the 25gauge needle in the knee like a pro, while my ortho aspirated 43cc's of fluid off my knee and injected a steroid shot. I left the office with a script for anti-inflammatory, 3 weeks of PT, and an appointment to evaluate and discuss surgical removal in August. I also left with strict orders to do no activity which causes any discomfort either during or after activity. So unless the cortisone shot was a miracle drug, I will be sticking only to upper body workouts.

**As a side note, I cannot say enough good things about the orthos at Andrew's Sports Medicine Institute and Orthopedic Clinic. I knew they were truly the best, but the fact that they not only involved me and my wishes in the treatment plan as well as the fact that I felt as important as the NFL star in the other room left me with all smiles!

To celebrate the fact that I will not be doing any high-impact activities, here's a butt-kickin' lower-body circuit for you to do in my place!! Complete 15 reps per exercise, doing all 6 exercises in a row. Take a 2-minute break, then repeat two more times!! *For single-leg exercises, do 15 reps per leg*

Box Hop w/ Squat

Mountain Climbers

Lateral Box Lunge
Burpees
Partially Supported Single-Leg Squats
Squat Jumps
This workout requires no gym-membership and the only equipment you need is a step (a park bench also works great). Workout should take 15-20 minutes total!! 


Let me know your thoughts if you try out this workout, as I love to hear your feedback!!

Grocery Shopping....Not a Cheap Hobby

I have a love/hate relationship with grocery shopping. I truly love cooking and having a stocked fridge and pantry, but I hate spending so much money. My husband and I eat three meals plus snacks each day and only eat out maybe once a week, thus our grocery bill tends to run a little high. While my husband is a routine eater (he literally can eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch everyday for months), I need variety in my life. Here is this week's dinner run down:

1. Stuffed Whole Wheat Shells with Pesto
(Stuffing: Spinach, Basil, Cottage Cheese, Apple & Maple Chicken Sausage & Mozzarella)
2. Black Bean Burgers w/ Avocado on Whole Wheat Buns w/ Kale Chips, Watermelon & Goat Cheese Salad
(Burgers: Black Beans, Roasted Red Peppers, Corn, Garlic, Ground Flax Seeds, & Tomato Sauce)
3. California BLTs w/ Sweet Potato Fries
(Sandwich: Turkey Bacon, Avocado, Tomato, Whole Wheat Bread)
4. Grilled Chicken w/ Grilled Peaches stuffed with Goat Cheese & Honey, Steamed Broccoli
5. Homemade Whole Wheat White Pizza w/ Spinach & Caramelized Onions
6. Zucchini & Squash Pesto Pasta Bake
(Julienne Veggies w/ Artichoke Flour Pasta, Pesto & Mozzarella)
7. Salad Beast
(Loaded with fresh fruit & veggies, topped with roasted chickpeas and homemade balsamic vinaigrette)

This week I also made two batches of homemade granola and homemade dark chocolate almond butter, as well as homemade Larabars. I also have hopes of making macaroons. I also stocked up on our weekly essentials: fresh fruit, almond milk, greek yogurt, hummus, diet mountain dew, and beer :)

This week's total put us at $159 and I am sure we will need to buy a little more DMD and beer before the week is over!! I do buy a number of organic products and believe in humane treatment of animals, thus am a proponent of free-range, no antibiotics, etc. Also, this week had very little meat and our pantry was not too empty. Thus, my love/ hate relationship :)

If you are interested in any actual recipes, let me know and I will be happy to post in the comments. What is your average grocery bill?!?

Workout Mix-Up

This week’s article is for those who are looking to mix up their workouts, those who have hit a training or fitness plateau, those who don’t have a gym membership or can’t find time to hit the gym, and for those who think fitness has to be hour-long, grueling workouts. Below are three not-so novel ideas, but can lead to a new outlook on fitness and a newer, healthier you!

10-minute Blasts:

Find your inner kid, grab a jump rope, and incorporate 10minutes of fast jump rope three times per day to burn over 400 calories (based on 150 lb person and varies depending on conditioning level and metabolism). Another great way to throw in exercise throughout the day is adding in sets of cardio-burst exercises such as burpees, mountain climbers, or squat jumps to spike your heart rate. Try performing sets of 10reps during the commercials of your favorite TV shows or pull away from the computer throughout the day for a quick 30 second cardio-burst which will leave you feeling refreshed! If you’re looking for something less dynamic, hit some nearby stairs three times a day for 10minutes of stair walking to get the legs burning, heart pumping and burn an estimated 272 calories (based on criteria above).

Outdoor Adventure:

Hop off the treadmill or spin bike and take your running or cycling outside. Not only will you burn more calories, but you can enjoy the natural beauty of the ‘Loveliest Village on the Plains’, and meet runners and cyclists of all levels to help you stay motivated. Instead of traditional distance running, hit the track and take your body to a new level with an interval workout. For beginners try 4 sets of 400meter (1 lap) run followed by 400meter walk; more advanced runners try 6 sets of 600meter sprints, followed by 200meter walk/jog. For cyclist incorporate 30 second sprints or hill repeats into your workout. If running or cycling isn’t your thing, take advantage of local trails and spend some time hiking. An hour of hiking at Chewacla State Park can burn an estimated 400+ calories.

While you are outdoors for cardio, don’t forget you can do an amazing resistance training workout outdoors as well. Head to an area park and using only your body-weight and/or a park bench get in a full-body workout. If you don’t make it out of work before the sun goes down, body-weight workouts can easily be done at home with no equipment! Body-weight workouts can be designed for all fitness-levels, even leaving the iron-pumping gym-aholic out of breath and a little sore the next day.

Out of the Zone:

Finally, go outside your comfort-zone and try something new. Try a new class at your gym, get in the pool and start swimming laps, treading water or pool running. No worries if you don’t have a gym membership, look into area leagues for team sports or grab a friend/spouse and hit the tennis courts. Don’t worry if you don’t know the rules, running around the courts volleying the ball back and forth will provide a great workout, or take it up a notch by running suicides or doing a cardio-burst exercise between volleys.

Terrieha Romer is co-owner of RYP Performance, a company specializing in outdoor bootcamps, small group training, one-on-one personal training, program design, and athlete performance training. Terrieha has a Bachelors in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, a Masters in Sports Medicine, and holds several nationally and internationally recognized fitness-related certifications. She is also a former Track & Field Coach and Strength & Conditioning Coach at the High School, Division I, and Division II levels, in addition to working with elite athletes as a volunteer at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Five Fitness Myths Debunked!

MYTH: More protein = big muscles.

Increased protein does not correlate to extra strength or muscle size. In fact, just like carbohydrates, excess protein can be stored as fat. Exercise, rather than excessive protein intake, is the key ingredient to increasing muscle size. While our bodies do require protein to repair and build lean body tissue, the quantity required is much lower than most think. The general recommendation is 0.8 – 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. Thus, a180pound male would need 65-98 grams of protein per day.

MYTH: Women who lift weights will get bulky.

Women do not have enough testosterone to develop bulky muscles. On average, women produce at least 10 times less testosterone than men. If it were easy to “bulk-up” every male at the gym would look like a body builder!

MYTH: Longer low-intensity exercise burns more fat than high intensity.

Weight-loss is a simple equation: calories in versus calories out. While it is true only a small amount of fat is utilized when exercising at higher intensities, it is also true the rate of caloric expenditure and the total number of calories burned are much higher compared to exercising at lower intensities. Therefore, the total amount of fat utilized (‘burned’) during higher intensity exercise is greater than the fat burned during lower intensity exercise.

MYTH: Abdominal exercises lead to a flat stomach.

Despite the late-night infomercial propaganda and the countless gym-goers who devote 20 minutes a day to crunches, a flat stomach is not achieved from abdominal exercises.  For most people, the key component to getting that desired 6-pack, or greater definition of the abdominals, is a reduction in body fat. Everyone has a 6-pack, it’s just a matter of it being covered by a layer of fat, as unfortunately the human body finds the midsection an ideal spot for fat storage. Numerous studies have shown that when enough calories are being burned to lose weight, fat is reduced from the entire body, not just in the area being exercised.

MYTH: Late-night eating causes weight-gain.

Weight-gain is only achieved through consuming more calories than you burn. Studies have shown there is no correlation between weight-gain and the time of day we eat. If your daily intake of food results in a caloric surplus, you will gain weight. Whether you eat your final meal at 5pm or midnight, it all goes back to a simple equation: calories in versus calories out.

Terrieha Romer is co-owner of RYP Performance, a company specializing in outdoor bootcamps, small group training, one-on-one personal training, program design, and athlete performance training. Terrieha has a Bachelors in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, a Masters in Sports Medicine, and holds several nationally and internationally recognized fitness-related certifications. She is also a former Track & Field Coach and Strength & Conditioning Coach at the High School, Division I, and Division II levels, in addition to working with elite athletes as a volunteer at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Fat Burning Zone is a Myth!

This week’s article discusses the myth of the ever-so popular ‘Fat-Burning Zone’. This myth, which specifies the specific heart rate range you must exercise in to ‘burn fat’, is so prevalent manufacturers of cardio equipment proudly display these age-based ranges on their machines.  However, the fact is, during exercise your body uses both fat and carbohydrates as fuel, thus both fat and carbohydrates are ‘burned’.

Exercising at a very low intensity, such as walking, results in fat being utilized (‘burned’) as the primary source of fuel. As exercise intensity increases the contribution of fat being utilized decreases, and the carbohydrate contribution increases. Because fat is the primary source of fuel utilized during low-intensity exercise, it is often assumed that low-intensity exercise is best for burning fat, thus resulting in the ‘fat-burning zone’ myth. However, while it is true only a small amount of fat is utilized when exercising at higher intensities, it is also true the rate of caloric expenditure and the total number of calories burned are much higher compared to exercising at lower intensities. Therefore, the total amount of fat utilized (‘burned’) during higher intensity exercise is greater than the fat burned during lower intensity exercise.

The key point for weight loss is: ‘Calories In versus Calories Out’. The calories consumed must be less than the calories burned. Also, when looking at fuel sources from a weight loss perspective, it matters very little whether the calories burned are from fat or carbohydrates.

            A great way to perform high intensity exercise and decrease your body fat percentage is to incorporate interval training into your cardio training program. Not only does interval training allow you to improve your fitness quickly; it is also more effective than continuous exercise for burning lots of calories during exercise and increasing your post-workout metabolic rate.  For your next cardio workout, try incorporating 8-12 reps of 30 seconds max effort (increasing speed, resistance, or incline), followed by 2-3 minutes at your moderate pace.

Terrieha Romer is co-owner of RYP Performance, a company specializing in outdoor bootcamps, small group training, one-on-one personal training, program design, and athlete performance training. Terrieha has a Bachelors in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, a Masters in Sports Medicine, and holds several nationally and internationally recognized fitness-related certifications. She is also a former Track & Field Coach and Strength & Conditioning Coach at the High School, Division I, and Division II levels, in addition to working with elite athletes as a volunteer at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Please email any questions and all correspondence to : getstarted@rypperformance.com

Fresh Idea

I have struggled with the idea of writing a niche-type blog for over a year. Not because I don't have the knowledge, passion, education, and experience. Instead, that is the exact reason I have struggled, I don't want to be just another "healthy-living" blog. Despite the fact that I read these types of blogs on a daily basis, I actually am often times annoyed, as these blog authors put forth info that is just their personal experience and do not actually know or understand the science (physiology or biomechanics) behind aerobic (running, cycling, etc) or resistance training; yet hundreds of readers take their advice and implement incorrect strength training programs, run the wrong way, and write race training plans based on what someone else did. This is not to say I know it all, because I don't, but I have spent the last 10 years learning, spending thousands of dollars on grad school and numerous certifications, hundreds of hours to continuously sharpen my skills and keep my certifications current, and countless hours training clients and coaching athletes!
{Stepping off my soap box now....}
I have decided that when I blog it will be about exactly what I want to blog about, if that's about fitness, nutrition/recipes, work, or just a few short sentences about what I did during the day then so be it :)