Weekend Slip Ups

It’s common for people to slack on their fitness and nutrition goals during the weekend, even for hard core do it by the bookers! And let me clarify by saying that the weekend starts on a Friday and can last as long as through Monday morning!

Friday’s are notorious for lunches at MiCasitas with friends or co-workers and dinners out with the family at one of the many local hot spots. Not to mention that “It’s the weekend baby!” Many people go out Friday and/or Saturday nights for a drink or two. Then you know little Susie has a birthday party at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday followed by George’s cookout at 6:00 p.m.! We can’t forget about the before church breakfast or after-church lunch. And to top it all off, it’s 5:30 a.m. Monday morning and you are snuggled up in your bed, missing Boot Camp.  All week long you were good!  You ate all the right things at the right times.  You did your cardio workouts and you weren’t late, not once, for your sessions with your personal trainer.  Now you killed all that hard work with one weekend and there’s nothing left but the guilt.

Not everyone slips to this extreme but we can see how easily it happens.  The fact is we’re human and we’re not perfect.  I honestly don’t see how anyone could eat clean every day and not have any slip ups, EVER.  I can’t fathom it!  That’s why I didn't bother hiding from you when I saw you at MiCasitas Friday.  

When I meet with a new client I offer suggestions for nutrition and how to incorporate a healthier way of eating into a lifestyle.  A lifestyle means “A way of life or style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group” or just being more conscious of your body and actively making better choices for it.   I explain how protein, complex carbohydrates (good carbs), fruits and veggies can work for you instead of against you if done right.  Of course everyone’s goals are different and that is always taken into consideration.  

Food (and water of course) is our source of energy and essential nutrients. Our bodies do not manufacture essential nutrients fast enough to function properly on its own so the bottom line is that we need to eat. For a sense of balance I always suggest that you allow yourself a FREE day! One day to do whatever you want. Eat what you want. Sit on the couch ALL day if you want. I don’t care! It’s YOUR day! Do with it what you please. The rest of the week you should be right on point by eating a variety of nutritious foods, drinking lots of water, being physically active and exercising regularly. If you do this you will rid yourself of the guilt later for completely blowing it!

Let me summarize and simplify by explaining how our bodies are like cars. How we maintain our bodies depends on how it operates. Yes, our cars can and will operate with little to no maintenance while they are new but as you begin to put more miles on it, you will need to take better care of it. More maintenance will be required. But unlike cars, when our bodies get old we can’t trade it in for a new model.  By following some simple suggestions provided below, you can still enjoy your weekend without feeling like you need a magical morning after pill.

EATING/DRINKING:

• Choose from the lighter menu when eating out. Most restaurants offer these options now. When in doubt, do a little work in advance and search the restaurant’s website for menu options and nutrition facts laying out the details of your meal. Here are a few links to help you out:

http://www.dietfacts.com/fastfood.asp

http://caloriecount.about.com/restaurants-mc1

http://consumerist.com/2007/01/the-ultimate-chain-restaurant-nutrition-guide-who-is-hiding-information-about-the-food-and-who-isnt.html

• Cookouts are usually filled with cheesy carbs, white stuff and fatty meats. Drink a glass of water before you eat. If fruit or veggies are available, snack heavily on them to fill you up. By the time the cheesy carbs and fatty meats are ready to eat you won’t want to eat as much.

• Stay away from sodas, sweet tea, juice, beer or foo foo drinks like Margarita’s and Pina Coladas. They are filled with sugar and loaded with calories. Drink diet soda, unsweetened tea (with a stevia or something), wine or a light beer if you must! But you can never go wrong with a big juicy glass of water!

• AVOID THE CAKE! I repeat, back away from the cake. That includes ice cream!  

BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE (any body movement carried out by the skeletal muscles and requiring energy):

• If you go anywhere to do anything, try walking a little more.  If it’s within walking distance and you can get there within a reasonable amount of time… WALK! JOG!  Whatever, just do it!

• Skip the drive thru! Park, get out of your car and go in and get it!  

• Find the furthest parking spot you can see and park there. Those extra steps add up!

• Where there is an elevator, there will be stairs! Take the stairs!

• The more you do for yourself, the better off you will be. I know we are all hard up for time, but if you can find the time to be more active you should be.  

EXERCISE (planned, structured, repetitive movement of the body intended specifically to improve or maintain physical fitness):

• You should incorporate 60-90 minutes of exercise into your daily routine at least 5 days a week consisting of cardio and muscular strengthening/endurance exercise.

• Run, walk, swim, bike, skate, hike, play sports, be competitive! Move your body!  Cardiorespiratory exercise is what’s best for your heart! When cardiorespiratory fitness is low your heart has to work harder to do even the simple things. You must condition it to be able handle more with less effort.

• Build muscle! Get stronger! Do exercises using your own body weight, lift free weights or use weight machines. Anyway you spin it… you need to lift something. Do exercises which focus on large muscle groups such as lunges, squats, pushups, dips, etc. I suggest breaking your muscles groups into halves. Focus on lower body one day and upper body another. Alternate your halves every other day to provide at least 48 hours of rest time for your muscles.  

• Mix it up and you will have for yourself a recipe of awesomeness!    

Life is short! Enjoy it! Have fun, eat, laugh and be with the people you love. Just make sure you take care of yourself so you can be around longer to enjoy more time with your loved ones. It’s not just about quantity. It’s about quality too! More years on Earth may sound great but you don’t want to just be alive ailing in a bed somewhere. You want to be able to get up, move freely and do stuff, without illness.

Maintain your car and it will drive for miles and miles!