WEEK FIVE...

Nikki shared last week the many challenges and pressures she has been facing recently during her lifestyle change journey.  Her concerns are common - we live in a fast paced and “quick results” society, purchasing many gimmicky infomercial products and supplements, while watching The Biggest Loser and expecting the same unrealistic results.  We forget that the weight didn’t increase overnight and our lifestyles of busyness and eating out are contributing to the problem – creating a cycle of frustration and disappointment.  During this process we will be focusing on her lifestyle as well as exercise and nutrition – trying to focus on “balance” to support better overall health and wellness – not just a number on the scale.

Nutritional Homework

This week our nutritional topic was the introduction of basic nutrition. This week we focused on understanding the difference between good carbs (whole grain breads & pastas, brown rice, oatmeal, fruits and vegetables) and bad carbs (white flour products such as bagels and bread, white rice and sugar – including different types of sugars).  We also discussed the “glycemic index” which is a ranking system (go to glycemic index.com for more information) of carbohydrates and the rate at which carbohydrates digest which can affect weight management and help manage diabetes.  Nikki will focus on replacing her current carbohydrate intake with “quality” carbohydrate options to better fuel her body and stabilize her blood sugar throughout the day.

 

Exercise Homework

This week I focused on progression to her circuit.  We incorporated a compound movement (works multiple muscle groups) into her program such as a step-up-n-press (stepping on step-ups with a shoulder press motion) which burns more calories while also adding a few more exercises to her circuit.  She is continuing to perform this routine two times per week.  She is still in the process of building her endurance for cardio (adding 5 minutes to her total time each week) she is currently at 40 minute sessions.

Nikki’s Comments

Jodi and I had a good conversation this week about my need for two things: balance and control. As I sat and listened to her self-proclaimed “tough love” approach – I knew she was right on. My life is too hectic. In all my running around trying to be productive, I’m getting nowhere fast! We are all pushed in this society to go, go, go. And consequently, we’re sleep deprived, eating out way too much, overstressed, and really sacrificing a higher quality of life – or at least I am. And even though I know this is a vicious cycle that will negatively affect my weight loss journey, it’s a difficult issue for me to correct. I’ve always been a people pleaser – and don’t like to let others down if they invite me to do something. And as an adult, I’ve become an extreme night-owl, using the quiet time to check items off my daily list (even writing this, it’s nearly midnight). I just figured it was my stage of life with young children, but I remain committed to this healthy lifestyle change and know this is worth the effort to reign in. I need to set some boundaries to protect my own health. I need to work in more downtime at home. And I need to take control of my family’s weekly meal and activity schedule. If I don’t, no one else will. That in itself is a good reminder – this is no one else’s responsibility. This journey is my own. And the outcome is mine to achieve. My success will be driven by these two things – no one said it will be easy, but I’ve got to restore balance and reclaim control!