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!

Am I Building Muscle?

When people say they want to “tone” their muscle, what they really mean is that they want to build their muscle. Toning is not a real thing - it is purely a marketing word for women. The truth is that your muscle can only decrease or increase in size - you can’t “tone” it.  

What Muscle Does

So, what does muscle actually do? And why might you want more of it?

First of all, having more muscle will allow you to do more in your daily life.  Not only will your workouts be better, but having muscle will help with everyday tasks, such as carrying the groceries or mowing the lawn.

Second, having more muscle is a guaranteed way to prevent injury.  It can help strengthen your bones, ligaments, and tendons, while lowering your risk of bone loss, fractures, and osteoporosis. 

Third, having more muscle increases your metabolic rate, helping you burn calories at rest.  

Last, but not least, having more muscle will give you that lean look that you are looking for! 

How To Build Muscle

Say goodbye to questionable hacks and so-called shortcuts — the easiest ways to build muscle are lifting weights and eating in a caloric surplus!

To gain muscle, you’ll need to eat enough protein and calories to put your body into a mild caloric surplus. This is called bulking, and it can increase your muscle mass and body fat together.   That is normal!  Aim to eat at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight daily to avoid gaining too much fat. 

However, eating more won’t magically give you more muscle.  You’ll also have to train to ensure the additional calories are being put towards building muscle rather than stored as fat.  You will need to do some strength training that hits all major muscle groups 2-3 times a week.  

How To Tell If You Are Building Muscle

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if you’re actually gaining muscle from your workouts. 

You may be building muscle if:

• You’re getting stronger: There’s a strong correlation between muscle growth and strength, so if you track your weights and notice that you can lift heavier, you’re likely building muscle! 

• Your body composition is changing:  Take photos to assess body composition changes over time.  I would recommend photos every other week but not more than that since changes are usually slow and small.  Keep in mind muscle and fat WEIGHS THE SAME (1 pound is 1 pound).  But muscle takes up less space, so even if the scale is the same weight, you are actually leaner if you have muscle in the place of fat.   Use a tape measure to track your waist measurements.  

• You have gained weight:  Unless you are an advanced bodybuilder, you are probably gaining both fat and muscle at the same time.  This is why we bulk first then cut later.  Don’t be discouraged if you gain fat with muscle - that is part of the process! 

• You have an increased appetite:  Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat and can increase your metabolism, so if you find yourself hungrier, it may be because you have built more muscle! 

Building muscle takes time and hard work - and knowing how much to eat can be hard to navigate.  I’d love to help you with that journey! Email me at happyhelen@gmail.com today!

How to Lose Belly Fat

Anyone can have belly fat — and what is super annoying is that not only does it affect appearances, but it comes with a plethora of health problems. While the subcutaneous fat located just below the skin merely poses cosmetic concerns, the visceral fat around internal organs is associated with health issues such as abnormal cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. 

Why Does Belly Fat Happen?

What exactly causes belly fat? When overeating and under-exercising, you’ll end up with unused calories. Everything has to go somewhere, so your body will store this energy as fat, likely in the belly, hips, thighs, and butt.

Who Has Belly Fat?

Anyone can have belly fat - it doesn’t discriminate.  However, it’s particularly common among older women, as the lower estrogen levels caused by menopause can cause the body to disproportionately distribute fat to the abdomen.  It’s a physiological change that nearly all women experience during menopause — even those who have never had much fat! The body can often transition from storing fat in the hips and thighs (creating a pear shape) to the abdominal area (resulting in an apple shape).

 Aging men also struggle with belly fat as well.  The change is slower and steadier for men than women, as men of all ages are already more likely to store fat in their abdominal area.

You can also blame your genetics, as people with certain genes are more likely to store fat around the waist.

What Can You Do About Your Belly Fat?

While belly fat may seem unavoidable (unfortunately, you can’t change your genetics or stop the aging process), the good news is that it’s not hopeless.  There are a few things you can do to combat this problem.  

First, not surprisingly, have a healthy diet.  Eat unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, and plenty of protein. Cut out sugary beverages, watch your portion sizes, and consume limited amounts of sugar.

Doing a bunch of abdominal exercises can help build your muscles, but it won’t help you get rid of belly fat.  You still need to be in a caloric deficit to lose fat regardless of what exercises you do. That being said, if you build ab muscles, they will pop out more when you lose the fat! 

You will want to have a solid plan of resistance training to build muscle and increase your metabolism, but you can also add other physical activities that are fun for you!  This could be hiking, biking, swimming, or any sports you love.  After all, having an intense workout routine that gets you results isn’t any good if you can’t follow it.  The most important part is being able to be consistent.  

Results tend to be faster in the beginning when starting a new workout and food routine — however, belly fat is notoriously stubborn.  If you hit a plateau, and you notice your caloric deficit is too low (for instance, 1200 calories for women is too low and not sustainable long term) - you will want to reverse diet out of this while changing your exercise routine. It’s always good to create new stimuli so your body doesn’t keep adapting.  

In terms of a reverse diet, consuming an extra 150-250 calories per day while keeping up strength training will increase your metabolism and help your body burn more fat in the long run.  Similarly, switching training gears for a few weeks can prompt your body to burn more fat and get you past that plateau.  For instance, if you’ve been lifting sets of 8-12, you can switch to a strength phase of heavier weights at sets of 1-4 reps. 

Above all, be compassionate toward yourself! Plenty of people have belly fat — and it’s not easy to get rid of. If you need some help reducing your belly fat, contact me at happyhelen@gmail.com today!

Key Concepts of Sustainable Fat Loss

I can make anyone lose weight. All I have to do is restrict your food and make you do two hours of cardio a day. But how long can you do that for before burning out or binging on snacks?

Here are some key concepts of sustainable fat loss, along with 10 steps on how to change for the healthier!

• Diet is everything.  You can workout everyday but not lose fat if you don’t change your eating habits.  The only way to lose fat is to create a DEFICIT — burn more than you eat.  BUT it’s not that simple because the choice in food and the emotions we attach to eating can be hard to navigate.  Eating 1500 calories of natural whole foods vs pizza and chips have two different results.  

• You can’t be eating at deficit for the rest of your lives - your  body WILL push back at some point.  If you are eating 1000 calories a day, one day your body will hold onto fat and you can’t lose anymore. THAT’S why you also need to lift weights to increase your metabolism.  Building muscle will allow your body to burn fat at rest.  Exercise is also how we change our body composition for the better - if you just lose weight without any muscle, you can also be skinny fat.  Muscle also protects your JOINTS! 

• The only way to create sustainable, life-long changes is to change your entire lifestyle.   If you lose 100 pounds over 10 years vs 3 months, I promise you those 10 years will create some amazing life-long habits to keep the weight off.  The longer it takes for you to get there, the more lasting the impact.  SLOW CHANGES ARE THE MOST LASTING ONES.

• There is no “best” method of weight loss for YOU.  No doctor, no trainer, no therapist, nobody can tell you the BEST method that works for your body.  You have to figure that out for yourself.  Because no one person is the same.  There is only trial and error of what works for your body and mind.   People can guide you, give you suggestions, but only YOU can decide if you are going to commit to it and if it works for you.  

• The actual weight loss is the easy part.  The hard part is keeping it off for the rest of your life while feeling energetic, happy and healthy.  And the only way to do this is to be open minded, try new things, and realize this is not a quick process.  It is not unusual to spend years trying new things to find out what works best for you.  

10 STEPS TO CHANGING YOUR BODY COMPOSITION FOR A HEALTHIER YOU:

1. Track your food on an app like My Fitness Pal.  Yes, it’s tedious and no, you don’t have to do it forever.  But without writing it all down, you will not be 100% aware of what you are putting in your body or the macros it contains.  After tracking for 2-3 weeks, you can start to examine your macronutrient breakdowns of carbs/protein/fat.

2. Aim for 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight.   It should feel like you are always eating protein.  Eat protein first before carbs for all meals/snacks. This step is EXTREMELY important if not one of the most important things most people have to focus on. 

3. Meal Prep on Sundays.  Sorry, there is no easy way to have long-lasting body composition changes without cooking and eating healthy.  You can buy meal plans or go to some weight loss clinic to give you the food, but if you want to keep it off the rest of your life, you will need to learn to cook for yourself.  Even if it’s a few simple recipes that you can call your “home base.”

4. Figure out your HOME BASE meals.  Pick a few recipes that you enjoy and that are made of all whole, non processed foods, with both protein and veggies.  Beef, chicken, turkey are all great choices.  Any veggies but aim for some green veggies too.  Eating healthy does not have to be BORING or NOT TASTY.  You have to experiment and find ones you like.  Those few recipes will be your HOME BASE.  Anytime you have weeks or weekends of not-so-great eating (like weddings, vacations, holidays), go back to HOME BASE on Sundays and start next week with those healthy recipes.

5. Following weeks or weekends where you are eating a lot of sugars/heavy carbs - cut out anything processed for a few days to a week - anything from a box, plastic bag, booze, sugars, no take-outs, etc.  The purpose of this is to give you an awareness of how much your body can change in terms of how you can feel just by eating ALL non processed foods. Your body needs to get rid of some of that inflammation.  Take a before and after pic of that week - same angle, same lighting, same underwear.  I promise you you will see body comp changes for that one week  - not to mention feeling better.  This will demonstrate to you the power of unprocessed foods, even if it’s for a short period. Not only that, we are teaching your body to associate how it FEELS with whole, natural foods after a sugar/processed food binge. You may need to do this a few times to get the mind-body connection.

6. Make sure you get daily N.E.A.T.  

7. Lift weights or do some sort of resistance training (bands, TRX).  Make sure the effort is at least 7 out of 10. 

8. Drink water.  Drink twice as much as you do now to see how it feels.  Your body holds onto more water the less you drink!!!  

9. Get 7-8 hours of sleep.   

10. Consistency trumps everything.  If you do well one week and then don’t revisit for 2 weeks, you won’t see results.  It’s better to be consistent for 1-2 days a week over a year, then 5 days a week for half the weeks of the year.  

If you feel like you are doing all 10 steps and not seeing results, it is probably due to a few things:

1. You are still eating in maintenance or surplus while not burning enough calories per day. You need to go longer without unprocessed foods.  I promise it’s not forever.  Once your body reaches a point where it feels like it's in a deficit (but on HEALTHY whole foods) then you can slowly be more relaxed and add stuff back in.  But sometimes that initial jump start needs to be longer - with unprocessed foods. 

2. Increase your daily NEAT combined with a longer period of unprocessed foods until your body responds.  I like to use NEAT vs cardio because if you do too much cardio to create a deficit, your body can adapt quickly and it stops working.  You don’t want to get to a point where your body can only lose weight by running 2 hours a day and eating less calories.  That’s why this is a slow process! 

3. Do not forget to do some resistance training as part of this process.

Everyone is different - these are just guidelines that work well for the general population.   If you can afford it, hire a trainer who can customize your plan and guide you through the process and give you accountability. 

Slow and steady wins the race.  If you want to lose weight quickly, then eat nothing and do 2 hours of cardio a day.  If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you know what to do now :-)

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!

Should I Do Intermittent Fasting?

While most diets tell you what to eat and what not to eat, intermittent fasting (IF) focuses on WHEN to eat. But what exactly is IF, and how can it help you?

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

IF involves only eating during specific times each day or week. Fasting might not seem natural, but our bodies are actually equipped to survive for long periods without any food. Remember the prehistoric hunters and gatherers? Whenever they couldn’t forage or hunt any food, they fasted.

When you eat, enzymes break down your food into molecules. For example, carbohydrates are broken down into sugar, which provides your cells with energy. If your body doesn’t use that energy, your fat cells will start to store that sugar (with the help of insulin). Fasting lowers insulin levels, allowing fat cells to release stored sugar.

Types of Intermittent Fasting

Alternate-Day Fasting

Alternate-day fasting is exactly like it sounds: you’ll eat normally one day and fast the next. (If you can’t make it 24 hours, don’t worry — you can eat a small meal of fewer than 500 calories.)

Daily Time-Restricted Fasting

Eating within an eight-hour window each day is more comfortable, sustainable, and easy for beginners to pick up. If you already skip breakfast and don’t have post-dinner snacks, you’re already practicing the 16/8 method of IF.

Eat Stop Eat

This form of IF involves fasting for 24 hours once or twice each week. You can also start with daily time-restricted fasting and work your way up to a 24-hour long fast.

5:2 Fasting

5:2 fasting involves eating normally five days a week and only consuming 500-600 calories the other two days.

The Warrior Diet

If you decide to follow this diet, you’ll need to eat a few raw fruits and vegetables during the day and a large meal with whole, unprocessed foods in a 4-hour window in the evening.

Spontaneous Meal Skipping

Occasionally skipping meals can offer some of the benefits more structured IF plans do.

Regardless of which method you pick, eat a healthy, balanced meal during your non-fasting periods.  Also, don’t fast for an extended period, as it can be dangerous and trigger your body to start storing fat.  If you feel unwell, it’s okay to eat! You can always try fasting again another day.

What Are The Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting?

These days, we can simply head to the fridge or order takeout, so there’s no need to hunt or gather.  We also have larger portions and are more likely to stay up later (and snack!) than older generations because we have phones to keep us awake and throw off our circadian rhythm.  With all the sitting and snacking around the clock, it’s no wonder obesity, diabetes, and heart disease rates are high. 

I don’t necessarily recommend IF for weight loss, unless you are someone who eats or snack after 8pm frequently.  But IF can be beneficial for many other health reasons, including reducing inflammation.  Lowering your overall inflammation can help manage symptoms of arthritis, asthma, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.  You may also experience improved blood pressure, cholesterol, memory, and brain function when fasting.  There are potentially even benefits of fasting for longevity.  Personally, when I fast, I feel more energetic, happier and have better mental clarity.

However, I think one of the greatest benefits of fasting is the mental component.  It is good for us that every once-in-a-while we have a separation of ourselves from what we eat.  Most people have a lot of psychological and emotional attachments to food that may or may not be healthy.  Also, realizing that not eating for an extended period isn’t going to kill you, can in fact, help you more than you realize.  

Ready to learn more? Contact me at happyhelen@gmail.com today!

Change Your Eating Habits for Optimal Health

Your eating habits can affect everything from your blood pressure to your teeth’s enamel, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they are a key factor to your health. By examining our eating habits, we can understand why we overeat, why we eat the wrong foods, and how we can adapt our habits to encourage optimal health.

Poor meal planning is one of the most common culprits behind poor eating habits. Leaving meal decisions to the last minute increases your risk of eating drive-thru fast foods or having dinner out.  Not only do restaurants have large portions, but their food also contains more sodium and hidden calories.

5 Ways To Change Your Eating Habits For The Better

1. Keep Track Of What You Eat

To be more aware of your eating habits, start with logging everything you eat.  Use an app like My Fitness Pal to make it easy.  It lets you scan barcodes, add popular restaurants and save your favorite recipes.   

You’ll likely realize that, between mindless snacking and misestimated portion sizes, you’ve been underestimating your food intake. Once you know exactly what you’re eating and when, you can start changing your habits.

2. Do A Kitchen Makeover

When it comes to making healthy food choices, your environment matters more than your willpower.  After all, if you don’t have any cookies in your house, you won’t be able to eat one, no matter how much you want to.  By removing certain foods from your pantry, fridge, or freezer, you can make it easier for yourself to eat healthier foods and avoid unhealthy options.

Throw away or donate any super-processed foods or foods you consistently overeat. For foods that you can eat in small quantities when alone, you can either reduce their available quantity or move them somewhere where they’ll be out of sight and difficult to reach.  Finally, put nutritious foods in the center of your fridge or pantry, making them easier to see.

3. Set Aside Dedicated Time For Eating

If you’re distracted while eating, you won’t be able to pay attention to physical cues like whether you’re full. Set aside time that’s just dedicated to eating. This means turning off the television to prevent mindless eating and setting down your phone.

4. Plan Your Meals Ahead Of Time

When you have nothing healthy to eat and you are hungry, chances are you will more likely get take-out or grab a processed food that’s around.  Not only that, if you are tired or stressed, you are more likely to mindlessly eat whatever is available.  This is why planning your meals ahead of time is so important! Make sure you know what you’re going to eat later, so you aren’t tempted to eat out. 

5.  Being Mindful 

There’s no one-size-fits-all way to improve your eating habits, so finding something that works for you may take a little trial and error. In addition to the options listed above, you can try these mindfulness techniques.  

• Eating slowly: This will help you be better attuned to your hunger. If you eat too fast, you may not even realize your hunger has been satisfied until you’ve completely cleared your plate.  If you need a little help slowing down, take a breath or put your fork down between each bite.

• Creating a list of cues: Once you’ve filled out your food diary, you can identify environmental cues or emotions that drive you to eat when you aren’t actually hungry.  Common triggers include feeling bored, entering the kitchen and immediately spotting snack foods, and watching television. Once you’ve discovered your cues, you can take steps to avoid them.

If you need help with your fitness journey, contact me at happyhelen@gmail.com today!

Benefits of Using an Online Personal Trainer

Working with a personal trainer can help you get back in shape and meet your fitness goals. Not only will your trainer teach you the basics and help you establish an effective workout routine, but they can also provide invaluable support and encouragement to help you stay motivated.

However, in-person training isn’t the only option available these days. When you hire an online personal trainer, you’ll get the same benefits as you would working with someone in-person, plus a few others. Here are a few benefits of using an online personal trainer. 

It’s Safer

Masking and social distancing are some of the best ways you can slow the spread of COVID and protect yourself and those around you.

When working with a virtual personal trainer, you can work out when and where you want in the safety of your home. You won’t have to worry about wearing a mask or keeping your distance, so you can put all your energy toward exercising! 

It’s More Flexible

Booking one-on-one, face-to-face appointments with a trainer can be challenging with everyone’s busy schedules. Not only will you have to coordinate your schedules, but you’ll also likely have to commute to the gym where they work or wait for them to come to you. 

Online personal training eliminates in-person meet-ups and commuting times so you can work out on your own schedule. Plus, if you travel or move a lot for your job, you can stick with your personal trainer, no matter where you are!

You’ll Have a Wider Selection of Trainers

Without any location restrictions, you can find a trainer who is an expert in the area you want to focus on, whether they live within commuting distance from your house or in another state. You’ll also be able to find someone whose personality you’re compatible with — not just someone with whom you’re geographically near.

It’s Customizable

Online personal trainers are just like in-person trainers. They’ll give you individual attention, create personalized plans that take your goals, lifestyle, and ability into account, and adapt your workout plans so you can continue to get the most out of your training.  Your online trainer can still identify specific exercises and a routine to help you reach your fitness goals more effectively. 

It’s More Affordable

One-on-one, in-person training sessions often carry a hefty price tag. Luckily, online training sessions are usually significantly less expensive than in-person ones. When you opt for virtual training sessions, you’ll cut back on costs while still reaping the same benefits you’d get from in-person training sessions.

Your trainer won’t spend as much time directly supervising you, but they will still be able to teach you how to perform workouts properly and encourage you when you need it the most.  Your trainer can still adjust your workout plan as you go and give you individual attention.  With technology these days, you can easily upload your workout videos to your trainer via an app and your trainer can give you immediate feedback.  As long as you’re dedicated to your workout routine, you can get the same results, in-person or not.

If you need an online personal trainer to help you establish an effective workout routine and keep you on track to achieve your fitness goals, contact me at happyhelen@gmail.com today!

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!

What’s More Important for Weight Loss: Diet or Exercise?

If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ve probably heard conflicting advice. Maybe your friend swears that dieting is more important for weight loss, while your gym buddies argue that exercising is the way to go….but who’s right?

Exercise

People often push exercise as the answer to weight loss. Everyone from fitness coaches to Coca-Cola says that if you exercise enough, you’ll lose weight. Exercising can help you burn calories and gain muscles, which will raise your resting metabolic rate.  

While it’s true that exercising can help you lose weight, you probably won’t lose as much weight as you’re expecting. Exercise only accounts for 10-30% of your total energy expenditure, while digesting food uses around 10% - so, why exercise?

Despite the limited immediate effect exercising has on weight loss, it’s still important for a variety of reasons. Exercise builds muscle, which speeds up your metabolism and accelerates fat loss. Studies have linked exercise with lower risks of developing cognitive impairments, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. Exercise can reduce your blood pressure and the risk of type 2 diabetes, along with preventing heart attacks and strokes.

But behaviorally, those who exercise are also more conscientious about what they eat - which leads to the next part.  

Diet

Most health experts would agree that your diet is more important for weight loss.  After all, food is responsible for all of the calories we gain, while exercising only makes up 10-30% of your calorie expenditure.

In a study published in PLOS One, researchers found that the Hadza — an indigenous group located in Tanzania — burn the same amount of calories each day as today’s average Westerner.  While an American might spend a large portion of their day sitting behind a desk, the Hadza have a very active lifestyle and spend their time hunting and gathering all day.  Despite the lifestyle differences, Westerners and the Hadza burned the same amount of calories. 

Researchers concluded that our body adapts to the amount of calories we expend — and that there is also a max we can potentially burn regardless of how much physical activity we do — which means it can be hard to lose weight by exercising more.  And that the Hadza are healthier thanks to their eating habits.

What you put in your body matters, but a restrictive diet is not without its drawbacks. Unfortunately, it’s easy to underestimate portions and overeat.  It can also be difficult to avoid processed foods.  Restrictive diets can be difficult to sustain long-term and can result in harmful eating habits like binge eating. Your body may even conserve fat, stop non-essential systems, and release chemicals to make you think about food when you’re on a diet. 

The Perfect Combination

So, is dieting or exercising more important for weight loss? If you are purely looking at it in terms of short-term weight loss, then generally speaking, the answer is diet.  It’s very difficult to lose weight without changing your diet.  And plenty of people have lost weight by not changing a single thing to their workouts (myself included).  However, long-term success in keeping off your weight most likely will involve an exercise component.

Your diet alone can’t build muscle, can’t increase your endurance, mobility or bone density.  You still need to exercise to do that.  If you want to live a long life, you still need to do some form of physical activity.

There’s no one-size-fits-all way to lose weight and it is different for everyone, but a combination of both dieting and exercising is the most effective way for most people.  

Need help losing weight? Contact me at happyhelen@gmail.com today!

Do You Need Cardio to Lose Weight?

If you’re trying to lose weight, one of the first things you may be considering is doing some cardio. But actually - research shows that cardio is not necessary to lose weight and not only that, it is not a great strategy for long-term fat loss. So, if you were dreading those long runs, swims, or bike rides, don’t worry! With a combination of proper nutrition and resistance training, you can lose weight more effectively than with cardio alone.

A Combination of Exercise and Diet Is Best

Studies have shown that a combination of exercise and a healthy diet is the most effective way to lose fat. In one study, overweight postmenopausal women were placed on a diet-only program, an exercise-only program, or a combined exercise and diet program. Women in the exercise-only program only experienced 2.4% fat loss, while women in the diet-only program saw 8.5% fat loss. Those in the combination program experienced an impressive 10.8% fat loss. 

Some of you may have heard of HITT (high intensity interval training) as an effective way to burn fat.  Now while HITT cardio does burn calories and work type I muscles more efficiently than LISS (low-intensity steady-state) cardio, resistance training is actually better for long-term fat loss. Resistance training burns calories, builds type II muscles, and increases your resting metabolic rate, making it easier to manage your body’s fat ratio over time.

Resistance Training vs. Cardio

Let’s discuss the difference in terms of resistance training vs. cardio for fat loss.  Yes, if you compare side-by-side someone who does an hour of running vs. an hour of resistance training - yes, the cardio will burn more calories in that hour.  But the reason why this does not work for long-term fat loss is because over time, your body adapts to cardio, which means you have to keep doing more and more of it to have the same result.  I have personal experience in this- I was a marathon swimmer which means I swam anywhere between 3-6 hours in one session in the ocean.  I swam about 20-30 hours a week.  I did LOTS of cardio but guess what — my body never lost a pound! My body adapted to that cardio very quickly.  Just ask yourself - are you REALLY going to be doing 3 hours of cardio a day for the rest of your life to keep the same weight? 

Resistance Training for Long-Term Fat Loss

Building muscle is one of the best long-term strategies to long-term fat loss. When we build muscle, we increase our metabolic rate and burn more calories at rest.  Not only that, having muscles prevents injuries, protects our joints and increases our quality of life.  You don’t need to be lifting like a bodybuilder to have benefits — you just need some progressive loading that’s done safely.  However, building muscle and strength is something that requires patience to see over time - which means you have to trust the process! 

Some clients panic because when they start lifting, they gain muscle and fat and the scale goes up.  THAT IS OKAY! It’s very hard to gain muscle without fat.  Also diet is key — it doesn’t matter cardio or resistance training, a proper balanced nutrition will always have a huge impact on what happens to your body.

When starting your resistance training regiment, complex multi-joint resistance exercises are the way to go.  These are movements like deadlifts, squats, overhead presses -  as they use many joints at once and recruit more muscle movement.  This increase in muscle movement will increase caloric expenditure as well.  Muscles use around 7 to 13 calories per pound of muscle while fat only uses 2 to 5 calories per pound of muscle.  Of course, everyone is different but the point is - the more muscles you have, the more calories you burn doing anything! 

If you want to lead a healthier lifestyle and need a little help with your resistance training, reach out to me at happyhelen@gmail.com today!

Should You Hire a Personal Trainer?

Spring is here, vaccines are being distributed, and gyms are starting to re-open. It’s the perfect time to resume working out! Getting back in shape can be an intimidating task, but it doesn’t have to be. If you hire a personal trainer, you’ll receive valuable support and guidance as you work towards your fitness goals.

Hiring a personal trainer is one of the best investments you can make! Here are a few ways having a personal trainer can be beneficial. 

They Can Help You Get Started

Starting a workout routine is one of the most challenging steps of your fitness journey. It can be overwhelming and even paralyzing. There’s so much information out there, and it can be hard to sift through all the videos and articles to find out which exercises are best. A personal trainer can point you towards the exercises that are best suited for you and give you the starting push that you are looking for. 

They Can Teach You The Basics

In addition to deciding what exercises to do, you also have to worry about learning how to do them correctly. A trainer can help coach you on the proper form and technique so you don’t injure yourself and get the most out of each workout. They can also help you find the right intensity, frequency and duration for your workouts, so you can continue to make progress safely and effectively.

They Can Help Keep You Going

If you need some encouragement or accountability, getting a personal trainer is the perfect solution! Most people who begin exercise programs stop because they aren’t making progress or they are not motivated in doing their workouts. Having a trainer will provide an extra layer of accountability. They’ll remind you of your goals and provide motivation when you need it the most. Most importantly, they have the knowledge to make adjustments to your workout plan so that you can continue to see encouraging results. 

They Can Provide Individualized Attention and Personalized Plans

When you hire a personal trainer, you’ll receive individual attention - it’s all about you! Your trainer will consider your goals, lifestyle and ability to create personalized plans to reach your goals in the best way possible.

For example, if you’re planning to participate in a triathlon, your trainer can help you put together a plan with proper exercises and nutrition to peak on your competition day. They can adjust your training volume, intensity, and frequency so you show up on race day ready to succeed!

If you have old injuries, your trainer can suggest alternative exercises that won’t aggravate them. If you’re recovering from surgery or are pregnant, they can modify the workouts and tailor it specifically for you. 

If you’re ready to get back in shape and want to reap all the benefits of having a personal trainer, contact me at happyhelen@gmail.com today!

5 Reasons Why Diets Just Don’t Work

Diets are alluring. They promise that if you eat the “good” foods and avoid the “bad” foods, you’ll lose weight. The truth is, most diets don’t work in the long term. They’re not sustainable and often result in weight gain over time. Here are a few reasons why diets aren’t effective and can sometimes be harmful to your body!

1. They are a form of starvation

Dieting deprives your body of nutrients and may even lower your metabolism. Your body will stop your non-essential systems, conserve fat, and produce chemicals that make you think about food. It can be frustrating, but it’s just your body trying to protect you.

2. They can result in harmful eating habits

Dieting changes your relationship with food. Instead of viewing food as something that can give you enough nutrients to enjoy your life, food becomes something you’re forbidden from eating or something you have to eat. Not only that, picking the “right” foods and staying away from the “forbidden” foods can be stressful. You may also crave “forbidden” foods so when you reintroduce them, your brain’s pleasure center will light up more than usual, which can lead to binge eating. 

3. They are not sustainable

Studies show that 95 percent of people who dieted returned to their initial weight.  And two-thirds of that 95 percent will gain more weight back than they lost! When you diet, you’ll face more resistance as you lose weight, and you’ll probably return to your previous weight when your body tries to correct itself. 

4. They are bad for your mental health

Categorizing food as “good” or “bad” can result in an unhealthy relationship with food. Food is fuel and completely cutting out foods you love can result in unneeded stress. But if you end up adding those foods back into your life, you may overindulge. And overindulging can lead to feelings of guilt for not having enough willpower to stick to your diet. You have to learn that your diet won’t fail just because you skipped a day. It’ll fail because your body isn’t made for dieting. 

Many diets encourage behaviors that may lead to an eating disorder. The National Eating Disorders Association has stated that 35 percent of dieters will progress to pathological dieting. Of that 35 percent, 20-25 percent will go on to develop an eating disorder. 

5. Everyone is different

Diets don’t work because everyone’s different. There’s no one-size-fits-all way to eat! You know your body best. Try to focus on listening to its cues. Take the time to check-in and think about whether you’re full. If you realize you’re still hungry, eat more! If you realize you’re full, it’s okay to stop eating, even if you still have food left on your plate. 

Want to find out more about intuitive eating? Contact me at happyhelenfitness@gmail.com today!

Four Reasons Why Strength Training Will Help You With Weight Loss

Most people who are hoping to lose weight often only focus on cardio workouts for fat loss. While cardio is certainly an effective method of weight loss, incorporating strength training into your workouts can help you lose the weight and keep it off! Here are some reasons why strength training can help you get to your goals: 

1. The afterburn effect. Burning calories at a faster rate than usual doesn’t have to stop when your workout stops. With the afterburn effect, your body’s metabolic rate will remain elevated as you recover after your strength training session. During the 24-48 hours following your workout, your body will burn more calories than usual as it works to repair muscles, remove lactic acid, and restore oxygen levels. 

2. It can improve your metabolic rate. Your body uses more calories to maintain muscle than to maintain fat. Since strength training builds muscle, your metabolic rate will increase over time. With an increased muscle mass, your body will burn even more calories while you’re working, sleeping, going about your daily activities, or doing nothing other than breathing! 

3. It can reduce belly fat. According to a study published in 2014 that tracked over 10,000 men for more than 12 years, weight training is more strongly associated with less belly fat than aerobic exercise. 

4. It changes your body composition. Strength training builds muscle, and muscle is denser than fat. You can weigh the same on the scale but the person who has more muscle looks leaner.  Ultimately, when women want the “tone” look, they actually mean muscle - because the muscle is what gives your body definition.  

Are you ready to add strength training to your weight loss plan? If you’d like a little help with creating an effective strength training workout, reach out to me at happyhelen@gmail.com!

Tips for Tackling New Year’s Resolutions

Happy New Year! It’s a brand new start to a fresh new year and you tackle it with gusto every January.  Every year you decide this is the year you will make some healthy lifestyle changes….and by February they are out the window.  How can we change this so that you keep up your goals throughout the entire year? Here are some tips to help keep the momentum going all year round.

1. Write your goals down. Post them in a place you see every day! Written affirmations have shown to be extremely effective, but you need to see them on a daily basis in front of you and not just ideas in your head.

2. Find friends to share goals with. For instance, if you are looking to do Whole30, find some friends to share in the challenge with you.  You can keep each other accountable and give motivation! 

3. Set smaller goals.  Instead of tackling the goal of 50 pounds, try smaller daily goals like “Take a 20-minute walk daily” or “eat a serving of veggies at each meal.” Small behavioral changes lead to bigger results later on.  

4. Be realistic about your own obstacles and find ways around them.  For instance, if you know you are too tired at the end of the day to workout, then restructure your routine in a way you can workout earlier in the day.  It may sound obvious but stop trying to do the same thing each time hoping for different results just because you feel like you should.  For instance don’t go straight home after work if you know once you are on the couch you’ll never get up again. The solution could be go for a walk, go to the gym, or do your workout outside before you even enter your house.

5. Remember why you are doing it. Is this really important to you? How much are you willing to put it as a priority over other things? Remember anything worth doing takes work, patience and time.

6. Get a trainer.  Your own personal trainer can get you back onto a new routine or give you the accountability you need at this time.  Your trainer can not only give you customized workouts best fit for your goals but also make sure you do them! 

Looking to start your new year’s goals but need some help? Contact me at happyhelen@gmail.com for your 2021 workout and nutrition plans that will propel you into success! 

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!

5 Tips to Surviving the Holidays

The holidays are filled with fun parties, work gatherings and festive occasions involving lots of FOOD! Especially since sweets are available at every corner, here are some tips on how to survive the massive amounts of food this season:

1. In a meal, eat your protein and fats before carbs. Carbs are the most filling and we tend to eat the most of, so make sure you get your protein and fats in before you eat the carbs.

2. Instead of eating all the sweets available sample a little of each. 

3. Keep drinking water. Keep hydrated throughout all the holiday eating. Drink some seltzer or water between each alcoholic beverage to avoid over drinking.

4. Don't attend a holiday party on an empty stomach.  Eat a little before you attend as being hungry makes you over-indulge. 

5. Take a walk after a large meal. Studies show taking a walk after large meal promotes digestion and improve sugar levels. Even a 15-minute walk helps!

Lastly…ENJOY! This season only comes once year, so it’s okay to indulge with your friends and family as you see fit. Especially since having quality relationships with your friends and family are important for your overall health, don’t restrict yourself too much! Just keep everything in moderation and don’t eat to the point where you feel uncomfortably full or sick. Happy Holidays!