No B.S. Fitness Blog – Page 11 – Cape Coral-Fort Myers Personal Training & Nutrition Coaching

February 19, 2016

Healthy Wife…Happy Life: Outside Factors

Are outside factors controlling your emotions and well-being? These can be a job you don’t care for, a boss you can’t stand, a friend who always complains, etc. Negative outside factors can weigh on us and make obtaining optimal health an even bigger challenge. So what should you do?

Give your complaining friends the chance to be more positive around you and stay above the negativity. Don’t throw pity parties for yourselves. Everyone is in control of their current situation whether they want to admit it or not. If you don’t like your job, quit. If your boyfriend/husband treats you poorly, leave. If your kids are horribly misbehaved, put your foot down and change it. Easier said than done? Of course it is…if it was easy everyone would do it.

Here’s how I overcame my biggest negative outside factor: an unsatisfying, stressful career.

I found myself in a pretty miserable spot when I was just a few months pregnant. I was thrilled to be pregnant and had wanted it for what seemed like forever. BUT, big but, I was not happy with my job. It’s funny that sometimes our first job in life is the one we should stick with. I became a personal trainer when I was only 18 years old and in college for my degree in finance. I loved fitness but after graduating college I had 4 different corporate jobs with none better than the rest. I would either love the job and hate the boss or hate the job and love the co-workers — never feeling completely fulfilled and always very stressed out. I took work home at nights and weekends and gave it my all for seven years, thinking that at some point it would get better. I would constantly tell my husband that this just couldn’t be my life and I didn’t know how much longer I could do it for. The stress weighed so heavily on me and when I found out I was pregnant I started seriously doubting how I could raise a child with so much negativity constantly swimming in my brain. So what did I do? I gave up a six figure job to join my husband (in the middle of my pregnancy) in our personal training business. Helping people reach health is so fulfilling, brings a smile to my face, is stress-free, and provides the flexibility necessary for me to be the best mom to my daughter. Money doesn’t buy happiness (so true) but love, a happy marriage, a healthy baby and a stress free mommy sure do!

If you’re thinking I’m crazy to suggest you quit your job, I’m not. Figure out what makes you happy and go get it. Find the friends that add to your life and only hang out with them. If someone/something is weighing you down then get rid of it — it/they are only getting in the way of your BEST YOU. Clean up your outside factors. Then tackling proper eating, exercise, etc. won’t seem so challenging because you’ll be HAPPY.

This week’s homework is to identify the outside factors in your life. The positive ones and the negative ones. Can you change anything for the better immediately? Which ones can you fix in the near term and what need a long term strategy to improve (job, marriage, etc). Identify first then map out your plan for improvement or elimination. Happiness can be reached by everyone you just have to take the steps to achieve it!

February 17, 2016May 25, 2016

Healthy Wife…Happy Life: For Women’s Eyes Only

Hi Ladies! Thanks for laying your eyes on my article series: Healthy Wife…Happy Life. I hope to inspire, educate, entertain, and most of all relate to each of you. I picture an ongoing series of healthful (and helpful) short articles to set you on your way to being the best you. And so you ask, who is this lady and why should I take advice from her? I’m Stephanie Check, a 28 (soon to be 29) year old mother of 5 month old Liv, wife of 28 (soon to be 29) year old Justin, personal trainer, business owner, and above all else a healthy and happy woman.

How did I reach health and happiness to such a level that I feel compelled to share it with the world? I’d say it’s simple, fast and easy but it’s not really. It’s taken me many years to achieve the level of health and happiness that I have now and I can tell you its mental, physical, spiritual, and difficult – you thought I was going to list some other “al” ending word but I threw in difficult. Why? Because I think we all deserve the right to remind ourselves that wherever we start, in our minds, it may be challenging, hard, impossible to not just dream of the BEST YOU but to actually realize that dream.

In a brief nutshell (which I plan to stretch into several articles with recipes, tips, workouts, advice, etc) a healthy you is a happy you. Why? When you’re healthy, you feel good (inside and out). You don’t dread looking in the mirror, trying on a bathing suit, having your husband undress you with the lights on…nope, you start looking forward to these things. Not to mention when you feel good about the outside a likely coinciding fact has taken place with making your insides healthier too. Yep, you can chase after the kiddos, join your incredibly fit girlfriend for a jog and ACTUALLY be able to keep up, and your sex life – no need to ask – it will be worth it!

So let’s end this first article with a question and because I like to answer questions, a few answers! Q: What do you think about when you are alone with your thoughts? Just thoughts about you, not the kids and husband… Do you think about losing weight, toning up, loving your co-workers but hating your job, what you should have eaten instead of what you ate for breakfast, lunch, etc? A: These are pretty normal thoughts for us gals and I’d challenge you to find anyone of us who hasn’t had everyone of those thoughts sometime in our lives. They are largely NEGS though – negative thoughts about yourself and when you have NEGS often they start to really impact your happiness.

Start paying attention to your thoughts regarding YOU. If you find the NEGS creeping into the majority of your thoughts, stay tuned and come back often. What would tickle me pink is for every woman in this world to find the strength, confidence and happiness that I have and I’d love the chance to share my “carrie-isms” with you — that’s a Sex and The City reference just in case any men ignored the title of this article and are reading along (I’d put a winky face here if that wasn’t bad blogging form)!

Until next time then…FOCUS and figure out what NEGS are ruling your mind so we can start eliminating those nasty pests one by one.

Can’t get enough? Here are my tips for having the healthy and happy life you deserve:

Healthy Wife…Happy Life: Outside Factors

Healthy Wife…Happy Life: Time Management

Healthy Wife…Happy Life: Financial Priorities

Healthy Wife…Happy Life: A Healthy Kind of Sexy

October 5, 2015October 5, 2015

My Fit Pregnancy, Delivery and Recovery in Southwest Florida

How I spent 39 weeks growing a healthy baby

I live and work in Cape Coral, FL 33909. My husband and I operate a mobile personal training and nutrition coaching business here in Southwest Florida. We spend our work and free time striving for our own personal health and that of our clients. In January of 2015 I found out I was pregnant with our first child and on September 21, 2015 I delivered a healthy and happy baby girl, Liv Emry Check. She was 6 pounds 11 ounces and 19.5 inches. She has a ferocious appetite, loves tummy time, and snuggling with mom and dad! This blog is an account of my pregnancy and how I believe that a healthy diet and exercise made my pregnancy, delivery and recovery a breeze.

The truth is everyone is different and what worked for me may not work for you, but I feel compelled to share it with all those thinking of having a baby or who are pregnant now. Nothing I did was over the top or all that difficult. I just listened to my body and did what I thought was right. That said, if you’ve never worked out before, make sure to talk to your doctor before jumping into a fitness regimen while pregnant.

If you’ve just found out your pregnant you may be wondering what to do next. A lot of women find themselves in this very predicament. We’ve been told we should eat for two, have lots of weird cravings, and take it easy on working out. It’s true that throughout my pregnancy my diet fluctuated, mainly in the first trimester, and I did take it much easier at the gym, but all in all, not that much changed with my nutrition or fitness. So here goes a brief but detailed account of my pregnancy and some sample ideas for how to eat healthy.

The First Trimester

I was so excited to be pregnant. My husband and I had tried to conceive for about 8 months before it happened. It felt too good to be true that we were actually pregnant and I was nervous to do too much or be too active and have it all be taken away from me. I took it relatively easy through the first trimester. I went from being an active runner to brisk walking instead. I went from lifting very heavy weights and doing high intensity circuit workouts to lifting light weights and taking breaks in between each set.

While I was determined to eat healthy, I had a very real aversion to vegetables and protein during this time. I never actually had morning sickness (with vomiting) but I would feel nauseous just thinking about chicken and broccoli (staples of a healthy diet!). I craved carbohydrates and was hungry all the time. While I did have some junk food (couldn’t resist Cheetos and Cinnamon Toast Crunch), I mainly at eggs and rice throughout the day. I would do ¾ cup of egg whites, a little more than ½ cup of jasmine or brown rice, and one whole egg. Sometimes I’d add some cheese to it too – just depended on my cravings. The eggs were about the most protein I could stomach and as I mentioned, vegetables and me were not friends during the first trimester. I did eat a lot of fruit as well, mainly watermelon and raspberries. So the grand total for the first trimester was 8 pounds. This is more than a lot of women gain in the first trimester and I attribute it to the change in my workouts and carbohydrate intake.

The Second Trimester

Almost immediately as week 14 started I noticed I no longer had nausea or an aversion to protein and vegetables. In hindsight, perhaps my body was avoiding these foods on purpose. I also had more energy and felt comfortable jogging and working out at a more intermediate pace. I started a walk/jog regimen where I would jog for about 2 minutes and walk for 30 seconds to 1 minute. I call this mailbox running as I would pick a mailbox to run to and then another one to walk to! The main issue with continued jogging was pressure on my bladder so that is why I adopted interval jogging. I would only make it one lap around the neighborhood (1.5 miles) and would have to stop home for a potty break. Food was a non-issue at this point. I was able to eat very healthy again. Here is a sample of my typical day of eating:

Meal 1: ¾ c egg whites and 1 whole egg, 1 slice of Ezekiel bread, 1 TBSP low-sugar jam, and ½ cup of raspberries

Meal 2: Post Workout Meal – one banana (frozen chunks), 1 scoop of whey isolate protein powder, 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk – blended into a protein smoothie

Meal 3: 4 oz of lean meat, 4 oz of sweet potato, ½-1 cup of vegetables

Meal 4: ½ cup of Greek Yogurt (sweetened with Truvia), mixed berries, and a scoop of Super Seed Beyond Fiber – it’s good to stay regular while pregnant!

Meal 5: 4 oz of lean meat, ½ cup of whole wheat pasta, ½-1 cup of vegetables

Meal 6: 4 oz of lean meat, 4 oz of a low glycemic carb, ½-1 cup of vegetables, 1 TBSP of almond butter – dessert!

Meal 7: I didn’t always need another meal but if I was hungry I would eat again before bed. For this meal, I would typically have one of our homemade protein treats such as the Pumpkin Pie Paradise Cookie.

So the grand total for the second trimester was 7 pounds (total from week 1 – week 27 was 15 pounds).

Third Trimester

The third trimester was much of the same as the second. I was in a groove of healthy eating and a healthy fitness regimen. All was going well until week 33. At this point I started having signs of early labor and was put on bedrest until week 35. Working out ceased and so did a lot of basic daily activities like cleaning and grocery shopping. I took the doctor’s advice seriously as I did not want to have a premature baby. I wanted to give our daughter the best chance to be healthy. So I listened and kept my feet up!

After week 36 passed the doctor told me I could start to workout lightly again. Jogging was out of the question at this point, mainly because of the baby’s position on my bladder, so brisk walking was back in! Light weights at the gym. I would mainly just do all upper body one day and all lower body the next day, only lifting weights 2-3 times a week (as opposed to 5-6 days a week prior to pregnancy). I stayed active but reasonably so for the size of my growing belly.

My food stayed the same but I noticed I couldn’t eat as much as I could in the beginning. I was running out of room quickly in my stomach! I did not gain any more weight during the third trimester but also did not lose any (which some gals do at the end).

Summary of Pregnancy

I slept great throughout the entire pregnancy with the exception of needing to go to the bathroom more frequently. I ate well and worked out moderately and within reason. I only had brief nausea during the first trimester but spent the rest of the pregnancy feeling very normal and eating normal. I rarely had cravings but always had a few meals each week that were fun meals (cheat meals). We love to go out and treat ourselves to a juicy burger, Mexican food, or garlic knots at our favorite Italian restaurant. Eating healthy all week long is so much easier when you know you will get some tasty treats on the weekend. So that’s how I ate and worked out for 39 weeks, now on to the delivery!

The Delivery

I started having contractions around week 29 so I was very familiar with the feeling of my stomach tightening. These changed to painful contractions at 39 weeks and 2 days (it was a Sunday night around 11pm). I had lost my mucus plug the night before and was wondering when the fun would start! So I stayed at home until 3 in the morning which is when the contractions had gotten to 3 minutes apart. My husband and I arrived at the hospital at 3:15 am and I was 7 centimeters dilated. It took another 2 hours or so to get to 9 cm and then the doctor broke my water to get to 10. I was determined to avoid an epidural during this process and managed to do so, however, I did accept the laughing gas they offered me. This helped tremendously to breathe through the contractions and keep my body relaxed. I then pushed for about 45 minutes or so. It was a true workout, my knees and chin were to my chest, my husband and the nurse held my feet, and I pushed and pushed. I was cut at the end as Liv’s heart rate started to drop and I was struggling to get her out the last bit. So start to finish I was in labor for seven hours. Liv entered this world at 6:09 am and it was the most amazing experience of my life.

The Recovery

So the theme of this article is healthy eating and fitness throughout my pregnancy made it a very easy pregnancy, a pretty easy and smooth delivery, and a speedy recovery. We left the hospital after staying just one night. The doctors and nurses were pleased with my recovery and Liv’s progress. The next day I was out and about at Target to get the right sized diapers (I didn’t know there was a NB size before size 1) and cooking dinner. I pretty much jumped right back into daily life. Four days after coming home, Liv and I took our first walk outside. We made it 1.5 miles (one lap around the neighborhood) and the next day we doubled it! I only took Ibuprofen for a few days after delivery and have been fine ever since. Everything healed so quickly. I’ve started to lift light weights (two weeks post-delivery) again and hopefully around 4 weeks post-delivery I’ll be able to run again. After one week of getting back to normal from having the baby I had lost all 15 pounds that I gained while being pregnant. Now it’s time to work on my composition and put muscle back on. I look forward to squatting with baby Liv wrapped around me!

If you’ve made it this far in the article, thank you! And I appreciate your curiosity in my healthy pregnancy. The end of my pregnancy coincided with the hottest months in Southwest Florida and I managed to not have any swelling or real discomfort. My pregnancy was healthy, happy and blessed and I attribute the majority of this to good nutrition, moderate fitness, and low stress. Baby Liv is a delight to our life, she eats and sleeps on a regular schedule and has done so since we brought her home. Thrilled to be her mom and blessed to have her. I hope this account of my pregnancy helps you with yours. Feel free to post your questions about my food or workouts during pregnancy!

August 17, 2015October 6, 2015

Fitness Meal Planning & Nutrition Coaching

Have you ever heard that your diet determines 80% of your fitness results? Are you busting your butt every week in the gym and not seeing significant changes in your physique? Then you are in need of meal planning! My name is Justin Check, NSCA certified personal trainer and certified fitness nutrition coach. If you’re ready to start eating for function and obtain your best physique possible, then Check Total Health’s meal planning service is your answer!

Our meal plans are custom designed to your body type, schedule, taste preferences, and of course fitness goals. We use these key elements along with the USDA’s recommendations to build a plan for you that balances your calories and macros appropriately throughout the day. Your meal plan package includes a body composition analysis, a macro summary/breakdown for all your meals, numerous macro options with your portion sizes for each meal (so you don’t have to eat the same things over and over again), and a guide sheet on appropriate cooking/prepping options for all your food items…after all, variety is the spice of life!

Meal planning is a process, so plans are typically reviewed and revised every 2-3 weeks depending on results. Weight check-ins are done 2x/week, once on Monday evenings after your final meal of the day (upper range) and once first thing on Friday mornings before you eat or drink anything (lower range). This not only helps to with accountability, but also helps to determine weight fluctuations from your current plan. Nutrition coaching is given throughout the process along with unlimited revisions to your plan until you reach your weight/physique goal.

Have questions about the meal planning process, or are you ready to get started on your new physique? You can email me with your questions or to request a meal plan form and get started! You only get one body…make it a healthy, strong, energetic, fit one!

Justin Check, NSCA-CPT, FNC
Check Total Health
justin@check-yourself.com - questions? or request meal plan form
www.check-yourself.com

August 3, 2015October 6, 2015

Use the Glycemic Index

Glorious carbs carbs carbs! The mind and body craves no other macro-nutrient more than those oh so satisfying carbohydrates…and for good reason. Your skeletal muscle, organs, and central nervous system are programmed to primarily run on carbohydrates making them crucial for optimal physical and mental performance. Have you ever tried going more than a day or two without eating any quality carbohydrates? Lets just say your friends will be buying you a snickers! So for the sake of your body, mind, and friendships make sure you have some carbs in your life, but like most things you need to be picky about which carbs you choose to have…especially when trying to obtain a certain physique. Carbs can be your worse enemy when trying to lose body fat and control insulin levels, which is why you must understand the Glycemic Index to be successful.

Once ingested, all carbohydrates are broken down into the simplest form of energy to the body called glucose and then is either used right away for fuel or stored as glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscle for later use. If you’re not an active person and/or do not have a good amount of muscle mass to sustain then your body’s glycogen capacity is going to be limited, therefore increasing the likelihood of those carbohydrates being sent to fat cells.

*Fun Fact: One of the greatest benefits (in my opinion) of doing resistance training regularly is an increase in glycogen capacity meaning you get to eat more carbs without fueling fat cells!

Another big factor that determines how those carbs you just ate are going to be used and where they’ll go is the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index is a numerical index that ranks carbohydrates based on their rate of glycemic response (their conversion to glucose within the human body). The Glycemic Index uses a scale of 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose (glycogen) is used as a reference point and is given a Glycemic Index (GI) value of 100. The other factor to Glycemic Index is the carbohydrates Glycemic Load. (click here to learn more about Glycemic Load)

*FYI- For most people, higher Glycemic carbohydrates (70-100 GI) should only be utilized pre- and/or post-exercise. Lower to moderate Glycemic carbohydrates (35-65 GI) should then be used for the rest of your meals and tapered down as you become less active and closer to bed time.

Now that you understand what the Glycemic Index is, it’s time to put it in effect and modify your carbohydrate intake accordingly to reach your personal fitness goals. Here’s an example of the carbohydrate structure I follow when I’m trying to slowly reduce body fat and maintain current muscle mass. Again, portion sizes will vary greatly person to person depending on current condition, activity level, and fitness goals.

Meal 1 (breakfast): I have roughly a 50/50 mixture of Low-Moderate Glycemic carbs (45-65 GI) and Moderate-High Glycemic carbs (70-90 GI). For example: old fashioned oats sweetened with a little sugar and mixed berries, or gluten-free/Ezekiel bread with low-sugar jam or a piece of fruit, or plain cream of white rice with a fiber powder. There’s lots of options out there for each…check out the Glycemic Index for more.

Meal 2 (Post-Workout): Moderate-High Glycemic carbs (70-90 GI). Some examples include: banana, cereals/bars, white rice, and white potato. Occasionally a muffin or pastry after a long, vigorous workout.

Meals 3, 4, 5, 6: A blend of Low-Moderate Glycemic carbs (45-65 GI). Some examples include: Long grain rice with mixed vegetables, or sweet potato with mixed vegetables, or old fashioned oats with mixed berries.

Meal 7 (1 hour before bed): NO CARBOHYDRATES! Remember, carbohydrates are used for fuel…if you’re not active or have not been active for numerous hours then there’s probably no need for more fuel!

*Fun Fact!: Fats help reduce the glycemic response of carbohydrates, so adding a little dietary unsaturated fat (nuts, nut-butters, vegetable/nut oils, avocado, etc…) to your meal will help to off-set the insulin response.

This is just an example carbohydrate structure that I follow when maintaining my current weight and trying to very slowly lower body fat. Everyone’s body is different and their carbohydrate needs are different, so start with a similar carbohydrate structure and then adjust according to results. If you’re not losing weight/body fat, then cut portions down slightly across meals.

Have a question about the Glycemic Index or are you in need of help with meal planning and nutrition coaching? Feel free to contact me directly or leave your questions/comments below for a discussion.

Justin Check, NSCA-CPT, FNC
Check Total Health
239.209.7878
justin@check-yourself.com

June 16, 2015October 6, 2015

Top 3 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Body Fat

“I want to lose weight by eating nothing but moon pies, which have significantly less gravity than earthier foods such as fruits and vegetables” – Jarod Kintz

“We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons” – Alfred Newman

A couple of funny quotes that exemplify very well the general mindset and view most people have of food today. For many, what they’re going to eat on a daily basis is an afterthought or not even a thought at all! The result is 2/3 of adult Americans are overweight, of which over half are obese. Heart disease, COPD, and diabetes are at an all-time high, as well as certain cancers. The solution is very simple people…start eating properly!

The eating habits of most people today have gotten so bad that in many cases they can usually see and feel great results just by changing a few simple things about their eating habits. Here’s the top 3 detrimental eating mistakes you’re probably making that are hindering your potential for fat loss.

Not Balancing Calories Properly- Overeating is obviously the biggest contributor to weight gain. A common mistake people make is thinking that eating 2,000 calories/day over 2-3 meals is the same as eating 2,000 calories/day over 5-6 meals. At the end of the day your net calories are the same; however, the impact on your body is very different. Your body can only metabolize/require so many calories/macros at any given time, so any excess calories/macros taken in at that moment will go straight to fat cells. On top of that, when you go more than 2-3 hours without eating you drastically decrease your metabolism because of the thermic effect of food. The easiest way to avoid this is by balancing your calories evenly across all your meals. First determine how many meals you’re feasibly able to eat in a day and then divide your total calories evenly across them (2,000 calories / 6 meals = 333 calories/meal). This will not only ensure that you’re never overeating and sending calories to fat cells, but also that you’re maximizing the thermic effect of food and keeping your metabolism up throughout the day. Humans are meant to be grazers…after all we used to be hunter/gatherers. Try to eat as many small meals/day as you can (5+ recommended)…I eat 7-8 meals/day!

*Tip: wholesome, non-processed food items are typically much lower in calories per serving than processed food items, so you get to eat a lot more without the calories adding up quickly!

Not Controlling Carbohydrate Intake- Our bodies are programmed to run on carbohydrates, which makes them crucial for proper mental health and physical performance. The more active you are, the more carbohydrates your body will require to perform and recover properly. Unfortunately, carbohydrates can also very easily contribute to fat cell growth if you’re not a physically active person. In general, if you’re the average sedentary American who does not exercise regularly then your carbohydrate requirements will more than likely be very low. The problem is we live in a time where people are not only becoming more sedentary, but also consuming much more higher glycemic food items (sugary beverages, refined grains, candy/sweets/baked goods, etc…). These types of food items are like “high octane” fuel to the body, which would only be beneficial in restricted amounts to high performing athletes. The best thing you can do is to eat lower glycemic carbohydrate sources (whole grains- old fashioned oats, brown rice/quinoa, sweet potatoes, etc…) in moderate amounts when you’re the most active and then restrict or even eliminate carbohydrates all together when you’re not being active/exercising.

*Tip: sugar is the enemy to sedentary/overweight people who want to lose body fat. Watch this documentary sometime to learn why!

Not Keeping a Food Log/Diary- How can you control your food intake if you’re not keeping a food log? I’ve been following various meal plans for a long time and I still to this day track my intake almost every day even though I know exactly what I’m going to eat. There’s something about seeing what you consume every day in plain black and white that not only brings a sense of accountability, but also helps you to make adjustments in the future to get your desired results. My favorite food log to use is called MyFitnessPal. It’s very user friendly, easy to navigate, and best of all it’s free! When you fill out your profile it will roughly determine for you how many calories you should be eating/day to reach your weight/body composition goals. As long as you log everything you eat/drink and stay under your allotted calories for the day you’ll see results. It’s also a great tool for ensuring you’re balancing your calories properly across your meals and controlling your carbohydrate/sugar intake.

*Tip: follow a strict eating plan every week by logging your food, but make sure to allow yourself 1-2 “cheat” meals a week so you don’t get unmotivated or burned out! You’ll find that after eating properly all week you won’t be able to eat a large, unhealthy meal without feeling blah afterwards!

We live in a time where the “high octane” food items are plentiful and shoved in our face everywhere we go. Don’t make the mistake of not putting some thought and effort into what you’re going to be eating throughout the day. There is no secret or magical pill to maintaining a healthy weight and low body fat percentage, but a good start is to follow my recommendations above and not make these common eating mistakes that are detrimental to your results.

Have a question or comment regarding this article? Feel free to contact me directly if you need help with fitness meal planning and nutrition coaching.

Justin Check, NSCA-CPT, FNC
Check Total Health
239.209.7878
justin@check-yourself.com

May 29, 2015October 6, 2015

Pregnant and Fit!

If you think being pregnant means the end of working out and feeling good…think again! Meet Stephanie Check, mommy to be at almost 6 months pregnant and still getting her sweat and pump on! It’s a big misconception to think that being pregnant means you can’t or shouldn’t exercise. It’s quite the opposite as a matter of fact. Exercising while pregnant helps increase energy levels, combat gestational diabetes, and keep your muscles strong for an easier labor/delivery. Everyone should exercise!!!

Before you decide to start or continue exercising, there are some things you should know and consider in order to do so properly and safely throughout your pregnancy. Once you’ve discussed with your doctor if it’s appropriate for you to exercise, Stephanie is going to show you her favorite total lower body exercise that you can do right at home. After all…time is of the essence when babies are in the picture!

*always consult with your PCP/OBGYN before starting an exercise program

Exercise Guidelines

These guidelines apply to all; however, safety is priority so make sure to listen to your body and discontinue exercising immediately if you feel unusual pains/cramps, extreme fatigue, shakiness, light headed, dizzy, nauseous, etc. Exercise is controlled stress on the body…controlled being the key word.

If you were previously exercising regularly before conception you may continue to do so as usual throughout your entire first trimester (abiding by the guidelines below)
If you’ve been diagnosed or suspect any medical issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and/or COPD you are not recommended to start an exercise program while pregnant
When exercising while pregnant (especially during the 2nd and 3rd trimester) use caution and do not perform: high impact exercises/plyometrics, exercises that put you in a position where you may fall or have something fall on you, exercises that place stress on the belly/midsection, and exercises where you’re lying on your back for extended periods of time
Do not let your heart rate exceed 140 bpm
Exercise in a temperature controlled climate to prevent your internal body temperature from elevating to high
Avoid holding your breath
Most importantly…listen to your body and use common sense!

Now that you know how to exercise safely throughout your pregnancy, try Stephanie’s very efficient total lower body exercise that you can do right at home.

Total Lower Body Exercise (glutes, quads, hamstrings, abductors)

This exercise is a series of movements that should be done in a sequence where you flow right into the next exercise keeping your knees fluid.

1. Start off in a wide sumo squat stance keeping your weight on your heals, chest up, and shoulder blades back with your weights hanging loosely in front of you (optional).

2. As you come up from your sumo squat, squeeze your glutes in and go immediately into an abductor kick with a 2-3 second squeeze hold at the top of your kick.

3. As you return down back down, go immediately into a narrow squat stance bringing the weights back down in front of your legs.

4. Still staying fluid in your movements, go down into the narrow squat with your chest up, shoulder blades back, weight on your heals. As you come up from your narrow squat, go immediately into a standing superman focusing primarily on kicking your same leg straight back and up squeezing the glute/hamstring and holding for 2-3 seconds at the highest point while simultaneously raising your arms straight out in front of you.

5. As you return your leg back down go immediately back into a sumo squat stance and repeat on both sides/legs until exhaustion!

You don’t have to feel sluggish and weak while you’re pregnant! Don’t be afraid to work those muscles and sweat…your mind and body will thank you. It will also help you get through your labor/delivery with more ease. Just be sure to use caution by following the above guidelines and most importantly listen to your body. If you weren’t physically active and exercising regularly before pregnancy make sure to start off slow by sticking with light to moderate cardiovascular exercise and utilizing strength machines at a fitness center after you’ve consulted with your physician.

Have questions or need help with your exercise/nutrition program? Feel free to contact me directly:

Justin Check, NSCA-CPT, NESTA-FNC
Check Total Health
239.209.7878
justin@check-yourself.com

March 19, 2015October 6, 2015

Warm Up with Yogalates

How often do you actually take the time to do a proper warm up before starting your workout? For most people the answer is seldom, or not at all. I’ve been guilty of it myself in the past. For many years I’d jump straight into resistance training without doing a proper warm up beforehand. Well I profess that I’m now a changed man…and for many good reasons!

Doing a proper warm up not only decreases the risk of incurring injuries, but it also increases: range of motion/flexibility, blood flow to skeletal muscle and vital organs, as well as increases body temperature which makes skeletal muscle much elastic…just to name a few. As you can imagine all of these would be very beneficial to anyone from a bodybuilder to a long distance runner and everyone in between. I can tell you first hand that if you’re one of those people who think that doing a warm up is a waste of time that you’re severely limiting your fitness potential and crippling your long term results.

A proper warm up could include a combination of light aerobics/cardio, stretching, calisthenics, and even breathing exercises. My favorite way to warm up combines all of these elements into a 10-15 minute sequence called Yogalates which is a combination of modern Yoga and Pilates, but don’t be mistaken…Yoga and Pilates are not easy!

Most people think Yoga/Pilates is only for women and the elderly, but as a young athletic man I can tell you that the stretches and poses done in modern Yoga/Pilates are a perfect way to get you ready for a body changing workout.

Typically when you stretch you want to start with the more basic, less strenuous stretches and work from the top down and then gradually work into more strenuous stretches for the larger muscle groups. Here’s an example flow (sequence) of some of my favorite stretches/poses:

Each of these stretches/poses should be held for a minimum of 15 seconds on each side, at least 2 times through.
Remember to stretch until you feel a slight to moderate strain on the target area, hold, and then carefully increase the amount of strain until you’ve reached your maximum range of motion.
Try to “flow” from one stretch/pose to the next and keep your abs in tight throughout.
Try to keep your breathing in pattern with your movements. Exhale on the strenuous part of the movement, inhale on the easier part of the movement.

Standing Side Stretch (L and R)

Standing side stretch

Stand up straight with your feet at your hips’ width. As you inhale, raise your left arm through your side and bend to the right as you exhale. Keep the position with your side muscles.

Triangle Pose (L and R)

Stand up straight. Step to the left with your left foot, same for right side. Rotate your left foot 90 degrees and your right foot about 15 degrees to the left. Bend your left leg 90 degrees. Stretch your arms to your sides, palms up. Bend your torso to the left with your left side facing your left thigh. Stretch your left arm down and right arm up.

Downward Facing Dog Pose

S downward dog it on your heels, lower your head on the mat, stretch your arms forward. Go to the table pose. Push with your hands and straighten your legs. Extend your pelvic bones up and heels down. Let your head hang freely, stretch your waist

Child Pose

child pose Lower your head as you sit on your heels. Stretch your arms forward on the floor.

Cobra Pose

cobra pose Lie on your stomach. Press your palms against the floor at the level of your shoulders. Use your back muscles to raise your head and upper torso, then use arms. Straightening your arms, arch the chest section of your backbone. Look straight.

Bird Dog Pose

Start in table pose on your hands and knees with back flat and abdominal sucked in. Slowly extend your opposite arm and leg straight out until in line with each other. Keep your chest up and abdominal in throughout the entire exercise.

Side Plank Pose (L and R)

side plank Take the plank position. Move your weight onto the right hand. Rotate your torso lifting your left hand from the floor. Keep your legs together.

These are just a handful of my favorites, but there are lots more! I highly encourage everyone to incorporate yoga/Pilates into their weekly workout routine. It’s not just a great way to stretch and get warmed up before your workout either…it’s also great for increasing balance, core strength, range of motion, and relative strength. If you’re interested in trying a one-on-one yogalates workout, feel free to contact me to schedule a session.

Justin Check, NSCA-CPT, NESTA-FNC
Check Total Health
justin@check-yourself.com

January 16, 2015

Key Elements to an Exercise Program

As a personal trainer, my main job is to design and implement exercise programs for my clients that are both effective and appropriate for their fitness goals. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to have the luxury of personal fitness training and if you’re new to exercise it can be very confusing knowing what to do, how much of it to do, and when to do it. So for those looking to start a weekly exercise routine on their own, you must not only understand all the key elements to a well-balanced exercise program, but also consider these 3 things:

Your health history– You have to consider any chronic ailments/conditions that are going to affect your ability to exercise; primarily orthopedic issues, but also any hormonal or CNS issues. In your workout routine, you not only need to cautiously work around these chronic issues to not exacerbate them, but you should also focus on exercises that will help to prevent and reduce future episodes/issues (at least at first). The key is to strengthen without irritating, which takes caution, time and consistency. Understand your limitations first and then carefully improve by increasing slowly.
Your exercise history/current condition– Your starting point is going to be largely determined by your exercise history and type/amount of exercise (if any) you’ve been doing consistently over the past 3-6 months. As a simple example, someone who has not been doing any regular exercise over the past 6 months should probably start off by doing 1-2 days/week of basic hypertrophy strength training utilizing machines and 1-2 days/week of moderate cardiovascular training. This would be as opposed to jumping right into a cross-training/boot-camp type workout where you’re combining those two elements…it’s always best to start slow and gradually increase the intensity level. Doing to much to quickly can lead to injury and discouragement. Now if you have a history of working out or played sports competitively in your past, then you may have a better foundation of muscle memory that will allow you to jump into a routine more quickly.
Your fitness/physique goals– Everyone’s fitness/physique goals are different and you should design your weekly workout routines to be as conducive as possible to your fitness/physique goals. Another simple example, if you’re interested in doing iron-man or triathlon competitions then you wouldn’t want to make hypertrophy strength training the focus of your weekly exercise regimen. Rather, you would focus on cardiovascular training and calisthenics to increase your aerobic capacity and relative strength. On the opposite side, if you’re a smaller framed person looking to build size and strength then you would want to make hypertrophy strength training and power movements the focus of your workout regimen, not cardiovascular training or calisthenics. These are simple examples to the extreme, but regardless of what your fitness goals are it’s important to incorporate all the key elements and types of training into a workout routine that’s conducive to your fitness goals…they all have unique benefits and are all needed for optimal performance.

Once you’ve considered these 3 things it’s time to start experimenting with different combinations of each of the key exercise elements in order to eventually reach your fitness goals…after lots of time, consistency and hard work! Having said that, here are the key elements to a well-balanced exercise program:

Aerobic/Cardiovascular Training- Cardiovascular exercise increases your aerobic capacity by training your heart to become more efficient at pumping oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to the rest of your body and muscles. The greater your aerobic capacity is, the easier it will be to exercise and perform demanding tasks without becoming fatigued. Even the bodybuilder should maintain a certain level of cardiovascular health in order to excel at weight training. There are lots of options for cardiovascular training…however you choose to do it, the ultimate goal is to sustain an elevated heart rate for an extended period of time.
Resistance/Strength Training- Strength/resistance training is not just for bodybuilders and people who want to look muscular. Strength training has numerous benefits for overall health including increasing bone density, lean muscle, basal metabolism, and reducing body fat…just to name some. Try to strength train at least twice a week and make sure you cover every muscle group of the body at least once per week. Free weights, machines, cables, resistance bands, and body weight exercises are all effective at increasing muscular strength. If you are unsure about how to start strength training, be sure to consult a certified personal trainer at your local fitness center.
Flexibility/Range of Motion Exercises- Flexibility is a crucial part of an exercise program and is a necessity for optimal physical fitness and performance. Stretching exercises help improve flexibility and range of motion in the joints throughout the body. People who stretch regularly or practice yoga and Pilates have also been shown to have much lower levels of stress. Just remember, stretching is a type of exercise and you should always warm up by doing at least 5-10 minutes of moderate aerobic activity before engaging in any type of exercise, even stretching. There are studies that show benefits to stretching before and after your workout.
Balance & Core Training- Balancing and core exercises are important to do regularly because they help protect you from injury during strenuous activities. Your core is composed of several sets/layers of muscles ranging from your inner and outer abdominals to the postural muscles of the low back and hips. Your core is the foundation for the rest of your body and is the main cluster of muscles that are used the most for balance, which makes them increasingly more important to train as you age.

Your history and fitness goals are what largely determine how and where you can start in an exercise program. Once you “test the waters” and feel comfortable getting into a planned weekly routine, make sure to incorporate all the key exercise elements into a well rounded exercise program and then adjust the frequency/intensity of each element until you find the right combination that’s right for your abilities, body type, and is conducive to your ultimate fitness/physique goals.

Need help designing an exercise program? Feel free to contact me with any questions or to talk about an exercise regimen that’s right for you.

Justin Check, NSCA-CPT, NESTA-FNC
239.209.7878
justin@check-yourself.com

December 12, 2014October 6, 2015

Cut Out the Processed Foods

Most people know that processed food items aren’t good for them, yet most American’s diet consists primarily of processed food items. Is it a lack of education or just a lack of concern? For the uneducated, I’m going to go over the 4 most common things found in processed foods that contribute to diabetes and heart disease…both of which are a growing epidemic in our country. I’ll also briefly talk about why you should avoid such foods and what to look for in the list of ingredients and nutrition label to make better food choices.

“We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.” ~Alfred E. Newman

The 4 Big Offenders to Your Health

Trans Fats – Trans fats are used in processed foods as a cheaper alternative to butter, lard and coconut oil (saturated fats). You’ll find them in most baked goods, crackers, chips, microwave popcorn and fast foods. Trans fats wreak havoc on your arteries by increasing “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and decreasing “good” HDL cholesterol levels. And unlike saturated fats, trans fats also increase your levels of artery clogging triglycerides, which are estimated to cause 30,000-100,000 premature heart disease deaths in America every year. Check the ingredients list for “partially, fractionated, or hydrogenated” oil. These are synonyms for trans fat.
Refined Grains – Food items containing refined grains include white bread, dinner rolls, sugary low-fiber cereal, baked goods, and white pasta. Choosing refined grains over whole grains can increase your risk for heart attack by 30% and also increase your risk for developing diabetes and high blood pressure. Check the ingredients list on grain products before making your purchase. Better grain choices will have these ingredients listed first: whole wheat, whole grain, or oats. The fiber content should be at least 3g per serving. Avoid food items that list flour as the dominant ingredient…even if its whole wheat flour. Once the grain has been broken down and processed into flour it has lost the health benefits that fiber offers.
Sodium (Salt) – High amounts of sodium are hidden in most of the processed food items you eat. It’s used to increase shelf life (as it is a natural preservative) and also to enhance flavor. Sodium is essential to the body to maintain and regulate numerous metabolic processes; however, only in very small amounts. The average American consumes 3x the amount of the USDA’s recommended daily intake for sodium of 1,500 milligrams. Look at the nutrition label on food items for the sodium content and check the % of your daily value that it contains. If it’s more than 25%, put it back!
High-Fructose Corn Syrup – Another chemically modified compound created to be used as a cheaper substitution for traditional sweeteners. Not only does it cost less to make than other sweeteners, but it’s also 10x sweeter. It’s used primarily in sweet beverages, but can also be found in many baked goods and frozen foods. Research suggests that this liquid sweetener interferes with numerous normal metabolic processes, and raises your risk for heart disease and diabetes. Look for the words “corn sweetener, corn syrup, or high-fructose corn syrup.” If it’s listed high up on the ingredients list…put it back!

Make better food choices by reading the nutrition/ingredients label on all the food items you buy and avoid any that contain high amounts of the above mentioned ingredients. By choosing non-processed or minimally processed food items, you can greatly reduce your risk for many of the leading self-inflicted, killer diseases in America and have a much easier time maintaining a healthy weight.

Be sure to check in regularly to the NO B.S. FITNESS blog for free articles on fitness topics that truly make the difference. Feel free to post any questions/comments you have on the blog forum or on my Facebook business page wall- Check Total Health for a discussion.