Month: January 2016

Five ways to conquer that early morning workout

Fitting it all in: How I work out at 5 a.m.

Guest Blogger – Jen Bondurant [read about Jen’s six week weight loss challenge HERE!]

With week two of Orangetheory Fitness Columbus’ 6-week Weight Loss Challenge in the books, I have recommitted to working out at 5 a.m.

First, I am not a morning person. Not. At. All. I literally fantasize about staying in bed until noon and then lounging on the couch and sipping coffee for another hour or two. Likewise, I grew up in a family of self-proclaimed night owls, and I have always seemed to naturally gravitate toward staying up late at night. Screen Shot 2016-01-27 at 11.04.17 PM

But…I also know that in order to make healthy, active choices for myself and my family, my routine cannot afford many lazy days or late nights. One of those healthy, active choices is working out at least five days per week. Since my husband also regularly works out and our children are too young to be left unaccompanied, let alone join us; the only way to hit my workout goal is for at least two of my days to be before work.

Do I like waking up at 4:30 a.m.? Absolutely not. Do I love how I feel at 6 a.m. when my workout is finished? Unequivocally yes! So, before every morning workout, there is an epic battle between my motivated self and my lazy self. I honestly believe, however, that anyone can stick to a morning workout routine. How do I conquer the battle? Here are my 5 best tips.

1. Schedule and prioritize.

My husband and I set aside time every weekend to talk through our upcoming week and schedule our workouts. It is often difficult to make time to work out and there are many sacrifices. Most weeks it feels like a challenging chess game as we juggle work, daycare drop-off and pick-up, kid activities and life generally. But by Sunday evening, we sign-up for our classes and put all our work outs into a shared electronic calendar. Committing to my workouts for a week at a time has definitely made me much more likely to maintain my 5-day target.

2. Eliminate excuses.

Prepare the night before and go to bed early. I head up to bed at least 30 minutes before I actually want to be falling asleep. I lay out my workout clothes and everything I need (water bottle, towel, etc.) at night. Not only do I make less noise when I am getting ready (which my hubby appreciates); but also, I am out the door much quicker (which means more sleep). Additionally, I hate the thought of looking at my clean workout clothes because I opted to skip out on my workout.

3. Set a “fancy” alarm.

While I don’t use multiple alarms (mostly because my husband would despise the multiple interruptions), I do give my alarm a motivational title. Currently, my alarm for my 5 a.m. OTF workouts is labeled “You can do this! [orange emoticon] #keepburning.” It may seem silly, but it really does help motivate me. Try it!

alarm

4. Think about why you do it and how you feel when you’re finished.

No matter the reason for my alarm, my natural thought when it goes off is an excuse for NOT getting out of bed. So, I have conditioned myself to think about two things instead: (1) the healthy role model I want to be for my kids, and (2) the feeling I have at 6 a.m. when my metabolism is rushing and I have the whole day ahead of me. Over the years, my inspiration for early morning workouts has changed, but the effect remains the same. By focusing on the results, I am more motivated to do anything to get there.

5. Water, water, water.

When you wake up, drink a cup of water first thing and splash some on your face while you at it. Not only does immediately drinking water help remedy the sleep dehydration, but the splash on my face accelerates feeling awake.

Bonus: Find a group of people who inspire you. At OTF Dublin, the 5 a.m. workouts are my favorite session. The trainer is fresh and the other members are some of the most focused people I’ve met. The energy is so inexplicably high, it’s truly palpable. I actually look forward to being a part of this group.

The bottom line for me is working about at 5 a.m. is all about commitment. The more you go all-in, the more likely you are to make early morning workouts part of your routine. Find what works for you and make it a habit!

morning1

Thanks Jen! Hoping this convinces more of us to get up early and start our day off right, at least a few days per week. Often, our morning mantra is…

Drink coaster from Zazzle.com

One last tip. Get to bed early! That 4:30 alarm will be going off before you know it and you NEED your sleep! For previous blog posts relating to this topic, visit…

Photo credits: OrangeTheory Fitness, ShutterStock.com, Zazzle.com, LivingFitColumbus

Kick that cold in the a#s!!!

Recovering quickly from the seasonal cold [and other icky stuff]

We are not doctors. Not even close. But we like to think we are all healthy, active people so our advice is worth something, isn’t it? Even if you eat right, sleep right, exercise, wash your hands… you’re probably still going to get sick at some point. And being that it’s cold & flu season, several of our running gals have been ‘down for the count’ lately.

Taking care of yourself during those first few days can have a major impact on how quickly your body recovers from an illness. Here is what WE do when the nasty [insert germ title here] takes over.

R&R. Its hard for some fitness lovers to pump the breaks, but SLLLLOOOOOWW down for a bit. Get more rest. Go to bed early. Take a break from your training routine. A few days of missed runs is not going to hurt you in the long run, but pushing through it (meanwhile choking up a storm during your workout) will likely just prolong the illness. Use your cold as an excuse to rest & relax!

Fluids. Duh. We all know you’re supposed to increase your water content when you’re ill, but what about juicing!? “For a cold, I try to avoid OTC medication & treat myself with rest & fluids… I love cold pressed juices, especially the ‘Zinger’ from Native which is apple, ginger & lemon,” raves one of our runners. “Other than that, I treat myself to a big bottle of water (like Smart Water) that feels fancy and keeps me a little more inspired to keep drinking fluids. I’ll also drink a ton of hot water with lemon slices.” We stopped to check out the new Zest Juice Co. in Dublin this week and one of the owners chatted with us for a few minutes. Even though some cold-pressed juice labels warn ‘persons with weakened immune systems’ we verified that didn’t apply to the common cold. If you’ve just got some sniffles and a cough, then chug up!! We also confirmed from various sources (Zest owner and even a few OBs) that even though the labels mention pasteurization, these juices are safe during pregnancy as well. Yippee!

Homeopathic Remedies. Oils are big these days, so no surprise that many fitness lovers choose this natural route. One runner stated, “I’m really into oils for helping our colds. I’ve been using Doterra oils for about a year and we’ve been relatively healthy! Currently, I am diffusing OnGuard and Lavender for immune function and calming (in the Petal Diffuser); as well as rubbing on blends of lemon, lime & melaleuca oils on our glands and behind our ears if we are feeling a bit under the weather.”

Petal Diffuser - Large.jpg

Extra Vitamins. Several of us stock up on extra nutrients including OJ (pulp-free, of course) & Vitamin C. And if you’re not already taking a multi-vitamin, now would be a good time to start! Some of our favs are below.

Those were our runners’ common cold-fighting tips and should be enough to get you over your next one quickly. So skip the Sudafed, hit the hay and feel better soon!

Image credits to the company websites referenced above.

What can YOU do in 6 weeks?

That is the question for two of our Living Fit Run Club regulars, who are participating in Orangetheory Fitness Columbus’ 6-week Weight Loss Challenge, starting today. For both Peggy and Jennifer, motivation has been lacking lately (more on that to come), so this challenge seemed like the perfect way to jump start the new year toward their personal FIT goals.

The challenge itself is pretty simple: you must attend at least 3 sessions per week at your Orangetheory home studio and weigh-in at the studio both at the beginning and at the end of the challenge. You cannot attend more than one OTF session per day, but you are free to engage in other exercise. The Grand Prize is $1,000, and a male and female prize of $250 for each Columbus studio (Dublin, Hilliard and New Albany).

Let’s meet our runners & recap their goals…

Get to know Jennifer:

Jennifer and her husband Andre live in Dublin with their two children, Cole (5) and Claire (3). She is a Columbus native and works at the Ohio Supreme Court as an attorney with Disciplinary Counsel. When Jennifer is not working or trying to keep up with her kids’ activities, she loves all things outdoors. Jennifer has been an OTF Dublin regular since her first visit in August 2014; however, for the last six months she has not been attending sessions as much as she would like. Jennifer’s 2016 FIT goals include 3 duathlons this summer and the Detroit International Half Marathon in October.

Jennifer’s FIT goals:

Partipate in OTF Dublin’s 6-week Weight Loss Challenge
Lose 25 pounds
Get back into a regular FIT routine that includes healthy food choices, OTF, hot yoga and running

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Jennifer (on right) enjoys running, yoga, biking and various other fit activities

Get to know Peggy:

Peggy is an almost 59 yr old mother and grandmother. Her daughter, Teresa Gellenbeck, encouraged her to become a member of the Living Fit Run Club and also introduced her to Orangetheory. She has attended OTF Dublin twice previously and enjoyed the crazy, challenging workouts. After becoming too sedentary over the past several months, Peggy has joined the OTF challenge and will be attending sessions at least 3 times per week, eating clean, giving up alcohol and preparing for whatever run/walks in which Living Fit may be participating.

We’ve featured Peggy previously in a post, Featured Success Stories – Fitness After 50.

Peggy’s FIT goals:

Participate in OTF Hilliard’s 6-week Weight Loss Challenge
Lose 12 pounds
Firm and tone (especially my saddlebags!) to feel & look better
Regain and maintain the Living Fit lifestyle

Peggy enjoys run/walking, light weight lifting & exercising for a cause! Pictured here, she completed the Cap City Half wearing this Pack H20 backpack.

Peggy and Jennifer will check in with us on their OTF Challenge journey, so stay tuned. We will be blogging, posting updates on social media & sharing their before and after photos [at the conclusion of the challenge].

Good luck ladies!

Want to learn more about OTF? Check out this article from The New York Times about what makes the Orangetheory workout so unique: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/03/nyregion/orangetheory-workout-new-years-resolution-fitness.html?_r=1

OTF challege

Fit Momma Monday: First Trimester Side Effects

Several of our Living Fit gals either are or have been pregnant while running & staying fit so we wanted to start a forum for giving some fit mom advice! Keep in mind we are just enthusiasts and not experts, please consult your doctor before developing a plan that works for you. We hope to feature these postings on various Mondays through out the month, send us ideas if you have any!

My Pregnancy: Five First Trimester Side Effects & How I Stayed Healthy Through Them!

Guest Blogger – Christine Loncaric [read more about her HERE!] Screen Shot 2016-01-11 at 4.12.12 PM

I’m Christine – a runner, yogi, and all around active momma! I have a 2.5 year-old daughter, and am pregnant with baby #2, due in June!

The first trimester of a pregnancy is exciting, but filled with a lot of changes – you are carrying around the most wonderful secret, but also dealing with some rapid shifts in your body & hormones. Now that I have entered the second trimester most of these side effects have diminished, and it feels like a good time to look back on the first few months of my pregnancy.

1. FATIGUE

I started feeling the regular first trimester fatigue sinking in around week 7 of my pregnancy. I felt normal through most of my work day, but by the time 4-5pm hit, I was ready to sit, or even sleep. With a normally busy life, and a toddler at home, this was definitely an unwelcome change! There were days that driving home from work and fixing dinner for my family felt like climbing a mountain. A couple things kept me going during the week: early morning workouts and access to a gym at my workplace. With shortening winter days (it’s dark before I get home from work) and the tiredness I felt in the evenings, I had to consistently move my workouts to the morning or lunch time. I try to follow a “do the opposite” rule for myself during pregnancy: If I’m struggling with energy level during the day, despite sitting and not exerting much at work, I commit to a lunch time workout, or a 30 minute walk during a chunk of free time in my schedule. If I feel completely exhausted and have been on my feet chasing a toddler all day, I let my body rest without guilt. This serves me well during all stages of pregnancy.

2. CRAZY HORMONES & MOOD SWINGS

This is an ugly truth for me during the early months of pregnancy. I would be happy one minute, and anxious or frustrated (for seemingly no reason!) the next. Since becoming a mom a couple years ago, running and yoga have been my favorite way to clear my head and relish in some “me time.” I knew that in the midst of my unpredictable pregnancy hormones it was more important than ever to carve out time for myself. I found a pre-dawn yoga class I love and joined a running group in my neighborhood, which gave me a couple days of workouts I could do early morning. It has been amazing to stay active and not have to jeopardize time with my family. The biggest adjustment was moving most workouts to the morning, before the evening fatigue set in!

3. BLOAT

I love my body and everything it can do, but it can be frustrating to go from a fairly flat belly to a lumpy one. It’s not just vanity, but comfort too – skinny jeans with a button just aren’t comfortable all day when it looks like you ate too many burritos for lunch. Luckily, I work in a casual environment where boyfriend jeans or loose fitting tops are the norm, but my changing midsection was very obvious to me in my tight workout gear. A yoga class should be a place of zero judgement, but it is important to me that I feel good in the clothes I wear to a studio so I can have a mindful, focused practice. My husband surprised me with a pair of Align yoga pants [pictured below] from lululemon athletica which have been my favorite thing to put on lately. They have a higher rise and feel wonderful on my growing belly – perfect for the transition from bloat to bump. I was also given a pair of Maternity Chaturanga Tights yoga leggings from Athleta for Christmas that I can’t wait to put to use! Align Pant

Align Pant from lulu pictured above

4. NAUSEA & CHANGES IN APPETITE

Morning sickness and food aversions are the norm for a lot of pregnant women. I am fortunate that I never actually got sick, and my nausea was usually a sign that I needed to eat something. Again around lucky week 7 I stopped wanting any kind of raw vegetable, which threw a wrench in a diet usually filled with big salads for lunch and dinner. It would have been easy to fall into the carb trap (bread & crackers always sound good!), but instead I moved from raw to roasted veggies. I roasted everything – broccoli, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cauliflower, green beans, etc. – and loved it all. I always keep a jar of my favorite pesto sauce in the fridge, so veggies, a lean protein, and pesto become a staple for me. It served double duty – foods that appeased my food aversions, and healthy foods that are good for both baby and me.

5. CHANGES TO WORKOUTS

Staying fit throughout my pregnancy is a priority of mine, but being mindful of my body and growing a healthy baby comes first. My first doctor’s appointment was around my 9 week mark, and even though I’ve been pregnant and had a healthy baby before, I still wanted to check in with my OB/GYN to make sure I was making safe decisions. My doctor knows how the importance of my active lifestyle and encouraged me to keep up my normal workouts with one big change: Hot yoga had to go. My favorite classes are at Harbor Yoga where the heat and intensity are high–temps can rise near 100 degrees with a high level of humidity. I am now sticking to heated classes that don’t go over my body temperature and have always felt appropriately challenged and safe. I’ve been to heated classes at Balanced Yoga and Go Yoga that I love, and plan to check out a pre-natal yoga class at those studios soon. As for running? My OB encouraged me to run to 7 mile race I had already registered for (it’s in one week!). Her comments are always reasonable and rational to me – if my belly feels heavy, try a maternity belt. If running gets too hard on my ligaments, slow down and speed walk. Other than that, I listen closely to my body. I stay hydrated and am not afraid to step back on intensity level or weights during weekly boot camp classes, but am still moving a lot and even trying new workouts (I tried my first Orange Theory Fitness class during my first trimester!). It can be hard for me to admit when it’s time to scale back, so I feel so thankful that I have a doctor who has helped me brainstorm ways to stay active and fit.