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Want to feel stronger, but don't know where to start? Start here.

It's a very common theme among those who seek my training services. "I just feel week. I give out easily. My joints feel wobbly. I have no stamina. What do I do?" Unless you have a physically demanding vocation or actually workout on a regular basis, you most likely feel the same way.

The thought of what it might take to get stronger is certainly daunting. Scanning the fitness pages of Pinterest or fitness magazines you see so called "beginner" workouts that involve fancy moves that you know you could never do. The thought of doing an exercise on an exercise ball is scary ("won't it pop or fling me across the room??"). And you're just not sure if certain routines are right for you or if you'll even like it. 

As a fitness professional, let me tell you that not all beginner strengthening routines are right for you. In fact, many that I see should be promptly torn up and thrown into the garbage. One of the problems that I see with certain routines is their lack of balance. Some beginner routines cater to different body parts, like the abs or the gluts. If you do a routine that is unbalanced like this, you'll end up overworking certain body parts and creating deficiencies in other areas. Another problem that I see with some routines is not beginning with a good foundation of critical strength and technique. You'll jump right into lunges without learning to do a proper squat first, or mountain climbers on a ball without learning to do a proper plank first. You need a trainer that knows the body as a system of joints that are all designed to function and move a certain way. When you know the functionality of the body, you can be sure to get stronger in all the right ways. 

So here's where you should start if you're a beginner and want to feel stronger everywhere.

Let's start by getting your core stronger. Your core is the pillar of your body, the foundation of movement for your limbs. It's not just your abs, but also includes your back and hips. The core's main job is to brace and protect the spine & pelvis from excess movement and to transfer energy to your limbs. A strong core is a rigid core. It should be good at bracing front to back, side to side and against rotational forces. These are the best beginner core exercises:

Plank - strengthens your core by making it brace against front to back forces (Start by holding for 20 seconds and build up to one minute)

Side planks - strengthens by teaching it to brace against lateral, or side to side forces (Start by holding 10-15 seconds per side and build up to 45 seconds per side)

Birddog - strengthens the core by teaching it to balance and brace against rotational forces. (Start by holding each side for 15 seconds and building up to  three 15 second holds per side)

Let's learn about strengthening your legs. Your hips and knees are obviously the main joints of your legs and it's important to strengthen the muscles surrounding these joints. Your gluts and hamstrings make up the posterior, or backside, of your leg and help to stabilize the knee joint and give your leg a strong push back or kick off from the hip. Your adductors and abductors ( IT band) are your inner and outer thigh muscles, respectively, and work to stabilize the knee laterally. Your hip flexors and quad muscles run along the front side of your leg and help to flex and brace the hip and straighten and stabilize the knee. (Seeing a trend at all? The knee should be a stable joint and lots of muscles are working to make that happen! Similarly, you're hip should be strong and stable, yet still able to move in a large range of motion...flexible.) These are the best beginner leg exercises that challenge all of the muscles and functions I just mentioned:

Bodyweight squat - a foundational move that everyone needs to master, it strengthens your gluts, quads, hamstrings, adductors & abductors. (Begin with 8-15 reps and build up to 3 sets of 15 reps.)

Split squats - strengthens your quads, gluts, adductors and abductors and prepares you to do a proper lunge in the future. (Start with 8-10 reps per side and build up to 3 sets of 15 per side)

Bridges - strengthens your gluts and hamstrings to give support to the hip and knee joints. (Begin with 10-15 reps and build up to 3 sets of 20)

Let's finish by learning about the upper body. Think of your upper body as your chest, shoulders, shoulder blades and upper back. Everything needs to be trained equally, however it's not a bad thing to train your upper back and shoulder blades a little more than your shoulders and chest. Just about everybody I see has poor posture due to weak shoulder blade muscles and upper back muscles, and tight chest muscles. Most training routines you see will involve a lot of shoulder and chest exercises (like push-ups and presses), but not very many back exercises. Shoulder pain anyone? To get the picture of a functional upper body, your chest muscles should be open yet strong, your shoulder joint should be able to move with big range of motion, your shoulder blades should mostly stay fixed back and down but be able to move freely, and your large lat muscles should be strong. These are the best exercises for your upper body:

Prone swimmers - strengthens your shoulder blade muscles and improves shoulder range of motion. (Begin with 10 reps and build up to holding 2-3# weights in each hand and do 3 sets of 10 reps)

Elevated push-ups - strengthens your chest, the forward pushing muscles, and being elevated allows you to practice good technique with a full range of motion. (Begin with 8-10 reps and build up to 3 sets of 12-15 reps)

Bent-over rows - strengthens your upper back muscles. (Begin with a 10-15# weight and 8-10 reps. Build up to 15-25# for 3 sets of 12.)

Military press - strengthens the overhead pushing muscles of your shoulders (Begin with 5-15# for 8-10 reps and build up to 15-20# for 3 sets of 12.)

Now what about stamina? Well, we've hit every major body area, but there's certainly more to feeling stronger than just lifting heavy weights. Having stamina and general conditioning for your heart and lungs definitely makes you feel stronger, too. Do I recommend lacing up the running shoes and hitting the pavement? NO! Just lift your weights faster! What I mean by this is, do the exercises listed above as circuits, or different groups. Move from one exercise to the next without stopping in between. You might have to memorize the exercises. Go as quickly as you can through each circuit of exercises without losing your perfect technique. If you do each circuit 2-3 times through without stopping, you WILL feel the cardio effect (heart rate up, lungs heaving, sweat pouring...fun!). 

I recommend doing the circuits of strengthening exercises that I listed above for about four to six weeks, progressing a little bit each time you do them. If you do this routine three times per week, YOU WILL FEEL STRONGER EVERYWHERE! I can guarantee it. You can say goodbye to the wimpy, weak body, wobbly joints, and heavy breathing you feel just walking out from the grocery store. Hello strong body! It's a good feeling. 

(Obviously, you shouldn't stop there. Contact me at megan@dahlmanelite.com for a custom workout routine to get you in the best shape you've ever been in.)

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All About Cheat Meals

I like to sum up eating for a trim and fit body very simply: eat regularly and eat your PRO's. It's important that you fall into a regular rhythm of eating meals that consist mostly of lean protein and lots of fresh produce. Healthy fats and whole grains are important as well, but if you can make the bulk of your diet protein and produce, you will feel so much leaner and stronger. I guarantee it. 

Of course, if you follow these nutritious guidelines, it eliminates a lot of the so-called "fun foods". Delicious pasta dishes, beer and wine, chips and dip, desserts, lattes, soda, fancy pastries and breads, and any other craveable foods are out. Bummer. Often, when you begin a healthy eating regimen, all you can think about is when you'll get to eat the "fun food" again. "When can I cheat?"

The most important thing with creating a healthy eating lifestyle is that you do your best to re-engineer your brain so you're not craving these foods all the time. If all you can think about is diving into a big bowl of ice cream or chowing down on a bag of chips, it's gonna be a giant uphill battle to your body composition goals! Get your mind off of it. You need to redirect your focus when the cravings begin. Go for a walk, play a quick game on your phone, do 10 push-ups, strike up a conversation with a friend. And stop watching those cooking shows and looking at recipes on Pinterest! Generally, cravings have nothing to do with physical needs for nourishment.

Also, the more lean protein and fresh produce you eat, the more your brain will crave these foods instead. It's a great place to be. I know that if I go more than a day without some giant servings of leafy greens I start to get a little desperate and feel gross. You need to get here.

However, it's nearly impossible and not necessarily healthy (mentally) to never again eat foods that deviate from nutritious guidelines. Most people are aware of the phrase "cheat meals"...essentially full meals or just instances that you cheat, or don't stick to the rules. It's important to allow yourself cheats. The reason is mostly psychological. I believe we were created to enjoy and delight in the many amazing flavors of food that surround us. I always picture heaven as a huge Christmas dinner with the most amazing foods, and the emotions and feelings that come with dining with friends and family. Nothing better than that! But, when we obsessively restrict what we can eat for a long period of time, these desires may start welling up in us, the cravings becoming so strong that we end up completely binge eating. (Picture yourself waking up feeling bloated, guilty, disgusted and wondering how all of your hard work and discipline could just fly out the window so quickly. Not a fun place to be.)

You will be much more successful with your long-term fitness goals if you allow yourself to eat foods and drink beverages that deviate from the guidelines in a controlled manner. You need a plan. And with a plan, you can have something to look forward to when that chips and salsa craving rears its ugly head on a Wednesday afternoon.

Here are some guidelines for "cheat meals":

 One option is to have a full "cheat day". Choose one day each week that you allow yourself a break from the rules and the planning to enjoy foods you really like. For most people, it makes the most sense to designate one weekend day to this. (Beware that you don't turn both weekend days into cheat days!) This is helpful, because you can look forward to that one day when you know you can have that food you desire. Every other day of the week needs to be spot-on with your nutrition. 

Another option is to space it out, and choose several meals throughout the week to break the rules. In order to see body composition changes, you must make sure these meals don't total more than 10% of your weekly meals. So, for someone eating 4 times per day, 7 days a week, that's only about 3 meals per week. Not very many! A chart to keep track may be helpful.

"Cheating" is anything that deviates from eating healthy and nutritious. Having a piece of candy is just as much of a cheat meal as having a burger and fries, even though the calories are vastly different. The point is to keep unhealthy foods (no matter the quantity) in a completely separate category in your mind. You need to be at a place where you don't want to nibble on candy or chips all day long. Remember, it's not about the calories. Ultimately, it's about creating a healthy eating lifestyle that will last for the longhaul. It may take some brain re-wiring to accomplish this.

Missing or skipping a meal is also "cheating". It's very important, especially in the beginning when you're learning to eat better, that you eat on a regular basis. When you skip a meal, you're missing an opportunity for your body to be fed with good nutrients. Again, remember, it's not about the calories. We tend to think skipping a meal is not as bad as eating a bad meal. It is, when you're learning to eat right. 

To make sure that your cheat meals don't completely undo all your hard work from the rest of the week, watch your portion sizes. Practice eating less of something that's not as good for you. Instead of eating a full burger and plate of fries, eat half the burger and only a handful of fries. Instead of eating 3 or 4 pieces of pizza, have 1 or 2 pieces and a side salad. So if you're choosing to eat something that isn't a part of your guidelines, simply eat less.

On cheat days or with cheat meals, drink more water than you normally would. Typically, foods that we crave are higher in sodium and fat. Drinking a lot of water will help stave off some of that bloated feeling you get when you eat unhealthy.

Don't let cheat days or cheat meals derail you from your forward progress toward your goals. This is key. This is the mindset of "well, I already ate a piece of cake, so I might as well eat the whole thing." When you have a cheat meal, the very next meal that you eat should be perfect. If you have pancakes and sausage for breakfast, make sure it's a grilled chicken salad for lunch. Don't lose your focus. I've talked to many clients that eat something bad for breakfast on Saturday and then the rest of the weekend was just downhill from there. They never regrouped and got back on track. Having a plan ahead of time for when and where you'll let the rules slide is pivotal in whether or not you'll totally fall off the wagon. 

Finally, no, you don't HAVE to have cheat meals or cheat days. You know yourself best. If you don't think you can handle one cheat meal without triggering all your previous food cravings and going on a binge, then maybe it is best to stay focused for now. Just beware, being 100% compliant is nearly impossible for the long haul. It's good to develop the discipline and control to encounter an unhealthy meal, to know when you've had enough, and to really enjoy it without guilt. 

If you are trying to lose body fat and gain muscle mass, then reining in your eating habits is necessary. About 90% of the time, you should be eating lean protein, lots of produce, healthy fats, and some whole grains. For the other 10%, your cheat meals or cheat days, having a good strategy is imperative. Make sure it's no more than 3-4 meals per week, don't overeat, drink lots of water, and get right back on track as planned. With these strategies, you will be able to take a breather from the rules and still be able to see forward progress toward your physique goals.

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So Maybe I'm Really Boring...

I have been having a lot of conversations lately with people about consistency. If you've been following along with my training strategies for any length of time, you know that I like to harp on the importance of being consistent. I even went so far as to say that consistency is the true magic pill that will lead you to your health and fitness goals. (Read all about the magic pill here.) In a nutshell, if you can stick with a workout program or nutritional habit long enough, you WILL see a difference.

The trick is figuring out how to actually be consistent. Trainees will ask me, "I don't know how to be consistent! What's the trick?" I have to admit, this question stumps me. Being consistent is not something I struggle with, because I think at the end of the day I'm a really boring person. I am the queen of ritual and tradition. My weeks look incredibly similar from one week to the next. Spontaneity scares me (unless it's "quick, get a sitter and let's go out!") For me, there is a certain comfort and familiarity associated with doing the same thing time and again.

My workouts always happen on the same days. I strength train every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, generally before noon because I know my motivation and energy levels are really low in the afternoon/evening. I do some form of active recovery, like yoga, every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. If activities or schedules get busy, everything shifts over a day, but I rarely (maybe twice per year) miss the three strength training workouts each week. 

I eat as nutritiously as I can Monday through Friday afternoon, following the guidelines of protein and produce with every meal and light on the starchy carbs. But, every Friday night we make homemade pizza on the barbecue and sample different local microbrews. Breakfast and lunch on Saturdays typically follow healthy eating guidelines, and then we might go out to dinner where I'll choose a chicken burger or wrap with a salad. Sometimes we go to a Mexican restaurant and I'll order fajitas (lots of meat and veggies), and it's hard to pass up the chips and a margarita (oy!) On Sunday mornings my husband almost always makes Dutch Babies (oven pancakes) with bacon, but the rest of the day is healthy eating. I only drink alcoholic beverages on the weekends. 

Both my workout habits and my eating habits have worked really well for me. If it's a weekday, I'm eating spot on and getting a workout in. If it's the weekend, I'm more relaxed in both areas, but never overdoing it. With this strategy, I never have to plan out my cheat meals...I know it's always going to be Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday morning with a couple caloric beverages. I also never have to plan out my workouts at the beginning of the week...if it's a Monday, Wednesday or Friday, I have to workout. No questions asked and no excuses. 

Now, I know the thought of having your weeks so scheduled and predictable is horrific for some of you. You don't know what you're doing today, let alone having for dinner on Friday night. And you don't care to know. I get that. Like I said, I'm pretty boring and you're probably way more interesting than I am! 

However, if you're having a hard time finding a consistent routine and you feel like every week is more chaotic than the last, it might be helpful to learn from my example. What would this mean for you? It might mean getting up at (gasp!) 5:30 three days per week before work or before the kids begin to stir to make those workouts happen every time. It might mean resisting eating out during the week and saving it for the weekends. It might mean committing to having the same breakfast smoothie every day, no matter what. It might mean creating a menu of five healthy, easy-to-make weeknight dinners that you always have the ingredients for. 

And it might mean becoming a predictable, steady, and boring person. But that's totally fine, because if you can create a consistent routine with your eating habits and your workout habits you will have a healthy and trim physique... and that's not boring at all!

[dahlmaneliteblog-blog]

Swimsuit Ready? No? Then read this...

We are now at the tail end of April and swimsuit season is right around the corner. (Cue the dramatic soundtrack...dun, dun, dun....) Does this scare you? Does the thought of donning a skin tight, midriff-bearing suit frighten you to tears? Or maybe you're not a swimsuit type of person, but you always feel self-conscious in your shorts and tank tops. Well, even though summer is almost here, don't throw in the beach towel quite yet. There is a lot of body composition changing that can be done in just a couple short months. So, let's get started.

1. The first thing you must do, starting right now, is to tighten down the hatches...your mouth hatch, that is. You need to get serious about how you're eating. If you're like most people that would be inclined to read a training blog, you probably think you eat healthy "for the most part". So, it's all the other parts that are sabotaging your swimsuit figure.  

You need an eating plan. Know exactly when you'll be eating during the day. Write down the times if you must. If you weren't planning on eating at 4:30 in the afternoon or 9:00 at night, then don't. This should hopefully help eliminate the mindless grazing and snacking. I recommend planning to eat breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, and then dinner at regular intervals throughout the day (e.g. 8:00, 12:00, 3:30 and 6:30).

Eat the right things. It doesn't make sense to have a meal timetable, but then eat bars, crackers and dip, lattes, nuts, and pasta. Woah. Certainly not summer attire friendly. You need to eat lean protein and fresh produce every single time you eat. And, if you're really serious about seeing your figure change, replace most of your fruit with vegetables. This means that you should be eating eggs, chicken breast, ground turkey and fish all day long, and eating copious amounts of vegetables...any and every kind that you can get your hands on. Become a veggie lover. Not necessarily a vegetarian, but a veggie lover. I'm serious. You WILL see your body change. Also, take 4-6 capsules of fish oil everyday, and use olive oil for your cooking and salad dressings.

Stop eating crap. You know what I mean. The list could be miles long, but whatever the junk is for you, stop making excuses and delete it from your diet. For most people, this includes lattes, mochas, soda, energy drinks, beer, wine, mixed drinks, crackers, dips, chips, cheeses, chocolate, candy, ice cream, muffins, scones, pizza, burgers, fries, burritos, pancakes, syrups...shall I continue? Do you indulge in any of these things more than 3 or 4 times total per week? Well, I probably just solved the summer figure problem right there. If you're serious about wanting to feel comfortable in your clothes this summer, you MUST stop eating this stuff now.

Still worth it? Then let's continue...

2. Now that we've addressed your bad eating habits and you have become a veggie lover, the second thing you need to do is workout. And I don't mean go for a jog every other day or sign up for barre class...I mean WORKOUT. Move your muscles, challenge your limits, break some sweat, get a little sore, and then do it all over again.

If you're starting from scratch, start with 2-3 days per week of full body training. Move slowly at first, making sure the movements are performed perfectly. Spend lots of time recovering after each workout, since your body will most likely be very sore from the shock of starting a new routine. Spread out your workouts throughout the week so that your body has a chance to recover in between sessions. This workout is the perfect place to start.   

If you have a decent history of resistance training, you may need to crank it up a notch to see some changes. If you're already training 3 days per week, try 4 or 5. Increase your weights. Move faster and through more complete ranges of motion. Incorporate some power training. Add metabolic finishers to the end of your workouts. If you need a workout idea, give this one a try. Here are some more ideas for getting more out of your workouts.

Most people would like to go into summer feeling "toned" and "lean". You must build some muscle mass to feel this way. Get those workouts done and commit to never missing a single one. 

3. When you're eating habits are on track and workouts are on the calendar, the final thing you need to do for a summer ready figure is to just commit. Dropping a size or tightening up around the middle does NOT happen overnight, so you have to stick with the plan for a while. Most people are incredibly motivated for about one week. They do everything right and then realize it takes a lot of work. So they give up. Lame. 

One of the best ways to stay motivated is to give yourself a time-frame...a clear starting point and a clear ending point. Promise yourself that you will ride it out until at least that end point. You'll probably be discouraged for the first couple weeks, but changes will be happening under the surface so keep going. I suggest seeing how much difference you can make starting May 1st and going until July 1st. That's two months. A lot can happen in that time.  

So, with summer coming, don't give up and resign yourself to wearing cover-ups. Make a firm commitment to stay disciplined for the next two months. Be honest with yourself about how you eat, and cut out the junk, focusing instead on lean protein and vegetables. Ramp up your workouts, promising to never miss a single one. Remember, it may seem discouraging at first, but stick with it. By July 1st you could be proudly beach-bound.

If you want to know what it takes to finally get really lean, read this. Your summer-ready journey may just lead to a new you altogether.

[dahlmaneliteblog-blog]

Feeling Confused About The "Cars"? (What you really need to know about carbs & cardio.)

For some reason, a world of confusion and mixed information surrounds both carbohydrates and cardio. Perhaps you currently find yourself not knowing what to believe about these two topics. Here's what you need to know...

Carbohydrates

In the world of nutrition, carbohydrates are the buzz word right now. Of course protein is definitely a close second (even Special K is jumping on the protein bandwagon!), but there is probably more "press" surrounding carbs. Are they good? Are they bad? Are some of them good? Should we cycle them or time them? Should we even care? 

Carbohydrates are your body's main source of immediate energy, and can be categorized as either simple or complex based on how many sugar molecules are connected together. Whether the carbohydrate is simple or complex, all carbs are broken down into a simple molecule before it can be absorbed and used by the body. Once they are broken down and absorbed, they go to the liver to fill energy stores there, and then they enter the bloodstream and travel to other cells of the body. Your muscles can store carbohydrates in them, in the form of glycogen. These glycogen stores are what give your muscles the energy to move and function, especially in a workout (you want big glycogen stores!). If these storage units are already filled up, carbohydrates can be converted into lipid molecules and then stored as fat.

Insulin plays a big role as a vehicle for carbohydrates. Healthy levels of insulin production and proper carbohydrate usage and storage are determined by many factors, including types of carbohydrates consumed, general diet, activity level, body fat, body type, genetics, and much more. Many diseases and health risk factors today are associated with improper carbohydrate consumption and insulin production. 

So what do you need to know?

In general, it is best to stay away from simple forms of carbohydrates, like refined sugars found in sweets, treats, sugary drinks, etc. They digest very quickly (since there isn't as much to break down), spike your insulin levels, and then leave you feeling hungry not long after. These types of carbohydrates are more likely to be stored as lipids (fat) since your body wants to store them somewhere right away. 

When you do eat carbohydrates, choose forms that are more complex, take longer to digest, and inherently have more nutrition packed in them. Vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains are good choices. 

If your goal is to lose significant body fat, you should try timing your consumption of simpler forms of carbohydrates...the starchier carbs. First thing in the morning and within three hours following an intense workout is the best time for you to eat whole grain bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn and sugary fruits like berries. 

If you have a fairly lean frame and have minimal body fat to lose, consume a moderate amount of these starchier carbohydrates throughout the day...just make sure they are a good source of whole nutrition (i.e. still stay away from refined sugars). You can still benefit from timing your carbs, but it is not as important for you. Your meals should still be based around protein and produce.

If you're trying to get leaner and have a rigorous training schedule with very intense workouts 4-7 days per week, consider carb cycling. The simplest form of carb cycling is to consume a larger amount of carbohydrates throughout the day on your hard training days. On your off days, or your light training days, stick to consuming the simpler, starchy carbohydrates first thing in the morning and immediately following a workout. So throughout the week, you may have 3 or 4 high carb days and 3 or 4 low carb days. This ensures that you'll have adequate energy for your tough workouts without sabotaging your body composition goals.

Hopefully this clears up some confusion about carbohydrates. Figure out which category you fall in. You may actually fluctuate between categories, too. Personally, I have a fairly lean frame and don't worry as much about timing my carbohydrates, but when I want to feel even leaner (swimsuit season!), I focus more on carbohydrate timing. Or you may find yourself entering a season of rigorous training and need the extra energy from carbohydrates to complete your workouts well. Carb cycling is a great way for you to eat without risking gaining any fat at the same time. 

Cardio

Cardiovascular training is typically referring to any type of training that elevates your heart and respiratory rates to encourage these particular systems to function more efficiently. With good cardio training, you experience the benefits of having better stamina, getting "winded" less, and feeling more conditioned in general. Traditionally, types of cardio training include running, swimming, rowing, cycling, or using an elliptical machine...any form of repetitive exercise that steadily keeps your heart rate elevated for a period of time. Recently, HIIT (high intensity interval training) and circuit training have become more popular as new forms of cardio training.

Now, with cardio, the first thing is to ask yourself why you want to do it or need to do it. Do you want to improve the conditioning of your heart and lungs? Do you need to lose bodyfat? Do you want to be more fit in general? Or do you want to run a 5k or a marathon? 

I would guess that the majority of individuals are desiring some sort of combination of losing bodyfat and becoming more conditioned overall. You want to get in the best shape of your life. Am I right? If this is you, steady state cardio training should not be part of your routine. Why? Recently, lots of research is showing that steady state cardio has minimal effect on a person's body fat. You're more likely to lose muscle mass than lose fat, which creates a downward spiral. With less muscle mass on your frame, your metabolism declines and you burn even less body fat. It's a bad combination. Your heart and lungs may adapt and improve at first, but after a couple weeks of steady state training, they've reached their limit of adaptation to that form of exercise. So if you want to feel lean, strong and well-conditioned, steady state cardio is not for you. (That should lift a huge weight off your shoulders...you don't need to go running!)

If you want to get in the best shape of your life, your highest priority should be strength training. Building muscle mass will increase your metabolism and help burn body fat. If you strength train "metabolically", you can condition your heart and lungs at the same time. This type of training looks like circuits of strength training exercises that are performed quickly with minimal rest. Metabolic strength training builds muscle mass, conditions your heart and lungs, and burns a ton of calories during the workout. (If you've ever done the Spartacus workout with me, you know what I'm talking about.) After a metabolic strength training session, you have no desire to go spend 30 minutes on an elliptical. Trust me. 

If you already strength train hard 3 or 4 days per week, but want to do more, you should try HIIT or interval training. This means taking your traditional form of steady state cardio (running, elliptical, rowing, etc.) and going as hard as possible for a short period of time and then passively or actively resting for a short period of time. This burns a good amount of calories and greatly challenges your cardiovascular system because it has to ramp up and then recover multiple times. 

It's important that you don't misunderstand me...I'm not a steady state cardio hater. I used to run all the time and truly enjoyed the rhythm and the challenge of running for miles on end. If you have goals of running in a race, whether a 5k or a marathon, you need to run. Your body must become adapted to that specific style of endurance. If you like to zone out and mentally relax by going for a jog or a bike ride, do it. That's important. You just need to be aware that it probably won't help you get in the best shape of your life. Make sure you're strength training and doing metabolic conditioning, too. 

Carbs and Cardio are definitely buzz words these days, and the information surrounding them can be confusing. But, hopefully you've learned that carbs are not necessarily good or bad, they just need to be consumed properly for your goals and body type. Likewise, cardio has its place. Determine what your training goals are and decide whether or not you should be going for that morning jog.

[dahlmaneliteblog-blog]

Are you a bodybuilder? Well, you might be training like one...

What do your strength training workouts look like? When you walk into a gym, what is your strategy for lifting weights? You may not realize it, but most people train like bodybuilders, and you could be too. 

For years, the most popular strategy of weight training has been to focus on a specific area of your body and work it with several different exercises in order to build every single aspect of each muscle. This strategy has led to having back days, bis/tris/pecs days, shoulder days, and leg days. For example, Monday might be a shoulder day, so you do as many shoulder exercises that you can think of, like military presses, reverse flyes, deltoid raises, pullovers, etc. Your shoulders will be jello and the thought of just putting on your seat belt to drive home from the gym is scary. But that's ok, because tomorrow is leg day. Does this sound familiar?

This style of training was popularized by bodybuilders. A bodybuilder's goal is to create maximum hypertrophy in every single muscle fiber that can be seen. Hypertrophy is muscle fiber growth. Having big muscles that pop is the endgame. So they spend countless hours training individual muscles like the rhomboids, then the traps, then the upper traps, then the lats, then the erector spinae, etc. (This would be a back day.) This type of training is tedious and exhausting. It could take you an hour or two to spot train all of these individual muscles. On a back day like this, your legs and core would get minimal work and your cardiovascular system would most certainly be ignored. So you would have to do separate ab workouts, separate cardio workouts, and on and on. So much work!

So why is this popular? Because bodybuilders looked ripped! And, we like being able to do an exercise for that one specific muscle, especially that "problem area", and make it burn. Oh, that makes us feel so accomplished!! But, there are several problems with this style of training.

1. This type of training should be left for actual bodybuilders whose only goal is to have big muscles, not strong muscles. To be truly strong, you must train your body how it's designed to function and move. You need to work many muscles at the same time and in conjunction with each other. You need to think about being strong for a certain movement, and not just that muscle by itself. 

2.  Training like a bodybuilder doesn't even touch your heart and lungs. When you slowly and methodically spot train muscles, your heart rate rarely gets elevated and your breathing rate stays pretty low. In order to improve your "conditioning" you would have to do extra cardio workouts. Why not do it at the same time as your strength training?

3.  You greatly risk injury and overtraining certain muscles when you focus so hard on them individually. People don't realize that bench presses, flyes, push-ups, chest presses, and deltoid raises all train the pectorals and anterior deltoids. If you did 3 sets of 8 reps of each of these exercises in a workout, that would be 120 loaded reps for just these muscles...and that's a conservative estimate. Ouch! Plus, injuries can occur when the opposing muscle groups aren't equally trained. I'm sure you've noticed the beefy guys walking around the gym with their shoulders hunched forward. They spend hours upon hours bench pressing and working their pecs without much thought to their backside. I bet if you asked any of them, they experience some sort of shoulder pain.

4. It's terribly inefficient on multiple levels. Not only do you have to train your other body parts and systems separately, but you have to take so many breaks in between sets of exercises for that muscle to recover enough to do it again. We end up with people hogging squat racks and weight machines because they're sitting there waiting to go again. A workout may last a solid hour or longer and consume five or more days of your week. That sounds horrible, even coming from someone who truly enjoys working out.

5. Even if you incorporate a "cardio" day, you miss out on some other MAJOR aspects of fitness. Are you working on your balance? How about coordination? What about agility, power and speed? And flexibility? When you train like a bodybuilder, you might look muscular, but you sure don't become very fit overall. Most people start weight training to simply look better, but when you train correctly you realize how awesome it feels to also move like an athlete. 

6. Girls are guilty, too. If you're a woman, you might be thinking that you definitely DO NOT train like this. "I don't have back days or biceps days...that's just my husband/boyfriend!" But if you've ever chosen a list of strengthening or toning exercises based on how much they'll firm your butt or whittle your abs, then you're training like a bodybuilder. If you head into the gym and spend 20 minutes doing 8 different ab exercises, then 15 minutes doing a bunch of butt and thigh exercises, then a few arm exercises, finished up with 20 minutes on a cardio machine, you're training like a bodybuilder...you just don't realize it. In all my years training, I have never had a woman ask me to help them look like a bodybuilder. They usually adamantly say the opposite!! You might be training like one already!

Bodybuilding is a sport that requires a very specific style of weight training. Somehow, we've been convinced that training like a bodybuilder will make us become fitter, leaner versions of ourselves. This is not true. It's tedious, inefficient, and completely misses the boat if your goal is to feel strong, and move and look like an athlete. 

If you don't want to be a bodybuilder, you need to rethink your training. When you go to the gym, you should have a total body routine that hits every area of your body. It should target large muscle groups with movements that push, pull, squat, lunge, rotate, and stabilize. If you're an intermediate or advanced trainee, you should incorporate some power and plyometric movements. You should work on your stamina and cardio with strength circuits or supersets...exercises done back to back using different muscle groups with minimal to no rest. You should push your flexibility and balance. And don't worry, this style of weight training combined with proper nutrition will build your muscle mass and get rid of body fat much more effectively than the spot training style of bodybuilding. 

Unless you're signed up for the next bodybuilding competition, stop thinking and training like the next Miss/Mr. Universe! Train like an athlete...you'll enjoy the difference.

[dahlmaneliteblog-blog]

Recovering Well From Your Workouts (required reading!)

This is required reading for all of my clients. Why? Because I know how hard I push them. I know I ask a lot of their bodies, pushing past physical boundaries and reaching new levels of strength and power. And I know that as hard as I push my clients in their workouts, none of it matters if they don't learn how to recover and rebuild.

When you train, you damage your body. And the harder your training session, the more damage you cause. Not only do your muscles undergo thousands of microtears, but your central and peripheral nervous systems are greatly stressed, and your body's general levels of inflammation are increased. The combined effects of your "workout damage" is what causes soreness and fatigue.

I know this seems counter-intuitive ("I don't want to hurt my body, right?!"). However, when you expose your body to safe and controlled levels of damage, your body grows from it and gets stronger. Your muscles heal, laying down new muscle tissue, growing in size and strength. Your nervous system adapts, rebounding quicker after the next bout. And your body's chemical processes become more efficient. 

But, none of these positive adaptations to exercise will occur if you don't provide a perfect environment for healing. It's during the recovery process that you get stronger and more fit, not during the workout itself. 

So, here are some very important instructions to recover properly. It's not enough to just walk away from your workout, grab some water and hit the shower. 

1. Don't neglect to foam roll. After every single workout, before your workout, and even during off days, spend some time rolling out your muscle tissues. This encourages good muscle fiber alignment and loosens up adhesions in the tissues. Treat your foam roller like your best friend that happens to be a masseuse. It is nearly impossible to over-roll your muscles.

2. Stretch. Your cool down routine always needs to include lots of foam rolling followed by some quality static stretches. Each stretch needs to be done properly to make sure you're actually stretching what you think you are (e.g. if your pelvis isn't anchored during a hip flexor stretch, you'll simply be stretching some deep abdominal muscles.) Hold each stretch for a full 30 seconds, right at the point of discomfort. (If you happen to have a high amount of joint laxity, stretching is not as important for you. You should focus more on foam rolling. A good strength coach could tell you if your joints are hypermobile.) 

3. Sleep well. While you sleep, your body produces higher levels of growth hormone than it does at any other time. Growth hormone is necessary for muscle repair. Not only will your body generate higher levels of growth hormone, but your body's production of cortisol (the bad stress hormone that leads to fat storage and many other negative effects) goes way down. Most adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Are you getting that?

4. Eat well on a regular basis. Your body will recover and feel rejuvenated much more readily if you provide it with lots of good nutrition. Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats and some whole grains day-in and day-out is important to having a body that will heal efficiently. You'll have a much harder time getting stronger and feeling recovered after workouts if you have a diet full of junk. 

5. Think about your post-workout nutrition. Your goals immediately following a workout should be to replenish your glycogen stores (the carbohydrates stored in the muscles), decrease protein/muscle breakdown, and increase protein synthesis (collectively known as protein turnover). When these factors are in place, you'll limit your soreness and fatigue and ensure that you have enough energy and "oomph" for your next workout. Carbohydrates and protein need to be available to do this. You have a relatively small "window of opportunity" to consume these foods so they're optimally used...only about two hours.The best way to consume carbohydrates and protein within this two hour window is in liquid form because it's usually easier to ingest after a tough workout than a whole food meal. It's also digested quicker, getting those nutrients to your waiting cells faster. So after a really hard workout, have a protein smoothie ready to go. I recommend starting with a shake that has about 30 grams of carbohydrates and 15 grams of protein. You can sip it during your workout and immediately after. (We can certainly get into the nitty-gritty of what kind of protein powder, and what kind of carbohydrates, but the important thing is that you have some sort of these nutrients readily available. A simple shake with 1/2 scoop (a full scoop is usually about 30 grams) of chocolate protein powder and one banana is perfect.) 

We do have a post-workout shake exception, though. If your primary goal is to lose significant body fat and your workouts are typically less than one hour, you probably don't need to have the shake. Instead, when you eat your next meal just make sure you include a serving of starchy carbs, like a handful of rice, quinoa, whole grain pasta, sweet potatoes or whole grain bread. Eat your lean protein, produce and healthy fats like normal. These starchy carbohydrates will help to replenish those depleted glycogen stores and the protein will aid in protein turnover. But, if you have really tough workouts that are pushing an hour or longer and leave you really wiped, the immediate post-workout shake is a good idea.  

(*Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are helpful for recovery. These supplements can be taken if you notice you're having a difficult time recovering from workouts, but you don't want the added calories of a big post-workout shake.)    

6. Drink lots of water. You really need to be drinking water all day long, no matter what. But on top of that, sip on water throughout your workout, and then drink another full bottle of water after your workout. Being dehydrated will totally sabotage your recovery efforts, not to mention make you feel ill and light-headed.

7. Try some form of active recovery on your days off. Moving your body encourages healthy blood flow and prevents your soft tissues from stiffening up. Make it easy though, and not another workout. Yoga, a light jog or walk, going for a bike ride, or even doing your dynamic warm-up routine with some foam rolling is ideal. Performing an active recovery workout in between your tougher workouts will ensure that you're not stiff, sore and fatigued when you need to workout again. 

Don't forget, it's not during the actual workout that you get stronger...it's during the recovery process. It's tempting to just drop that last weight and walk away from your workout, happy that it's done. But, you will likely lack energy for your next workout, not to mention experience unnecessary soreness and fatigue. So, foam roll, stretch, drink water and have a post-workout shake if you need to, and then make sure you're sleeping and eating well in general. Incorporate some active recovery workouts to recover even more fully. These recovery techniques will ensure that you're getting the most out of your workouts every time.

[dahlmaneliteblog-blog]

The Magic Pill

We are lazy people aren't we? Well, I suppose in some aspects. We crowd our daily lives with a million chores, responsibilities, appointments and activities. The typical American hardly sounds lazy. But, when it comes down to what really matters and what is really important, just like everything else, we want a quick and easy solution. That magic pill.

"I don't have time to devote to eating healthier, shopping better, exercising regularly, and putting out all the effort to get where I really want to be. If I could just take some supplements or cut things out of my life instead of add things in (i.e. starving myself and eating way less), then I would do it." Have you thought like this? Probably. 

Let me tell you what that magic pill is. It's consistency. It's not an actual pill or magical weight loss herb. And it's not the latest and greatest workout routine or piece of equipment. The solution to whether or not you'll ever reach your health and fitness goals is your consistency. 

Consistency is the key to whether or not a diet will work. And most diets do actually work, believe it or not. A diet fails when you're no longer able to stick with it for the long haul. Obviously, if you ate spinach and chicken breasts at every meal you would certainly lose body fat. But how long are you going to be able to sustain that regimen? A week? Two weeks at most? Certainly not long enough to be happy with the results. But, if you're able to eat in a way that you can maintain that eating pattern for a year or more, oh yes, you'd be thrilled!

Consistency is also the answer for whether or not an exercise routine will work. I'll just say it...P90X works. Crossfit works. (If you know me, I'm a bit of a hater of these...) The problem with these routines is that it is incredibly difficult to be consistent at it. (P90X expects you to do it 5 days/week for an hour at a time. Crossfit consists of gnarly workouts that have no real progression. The problem with both is that they're very hard and you're very likely to get injured, so you quit.) If you want your workouts to help you shed body fat, build healthy muscle tissue, improve your cardiovascular health, and make you stronger and more energized in general, you need to find something that you can do on a regular basis for months without quitting. The average trainee will skip workouts right and left, and wonder why they're frustrated and not getting anywhere. You may do three workouts one week, one workout the next, skip a week, then two workouts the next week. This is a bad! You should never expect to see any change in your body when it's so hit or miss.

Frequently, first timers with a strength program want to know how long it will take to see results. In my experience, when someone starting out sticks with a regular workout routine for three straight months without missing a single workout (these aren't identical workouts for three months, but involve planned progressions and exercise changes) they WILL notice a difference. If you're two or three weeks into a new workout routine, don't expect to see much change. You might feel a little better, but it takes a while for the mirror to catch up. Don't quit!!!

Now, I would be amiss to not mention a caveat here. Sometimes people can be too consistent, as in stuck in a rut. Have you been in the same step aerobics class three days per week for five years? Have you been eating the same bowl of granola for breakfast and your afternoon yogurt every day for two years? If it's working for you, great. If you're happy with where you're at, how you feel and how you look, awesome. But, if you're looking for some sort of improvement and you're stuck in such a deep rut, it's time for a change. Try a different workout routine, try eggs for breakfast, sign up for a spin class...anything! 

If you have weight loss goals, strength building goals, or general health goals, you MUST be consistent. Don't be lazy. Put in the work. Find an eating plan that you adhere to without fail. Begin a workout routine that's entirely doable so you never skip a workout. And once you begin something, follow through with it for several months to give it a chance to work.

No, there's not a little magic pill that you can just swallow that will make you instantly skinny without changing anything else in your life. Your "magic pill" for having the body you desire is consistency. So, don't give up!

[dahlmaneliteblog-blog]

Health Foods?

It's the beginning of a new year and it's hard to ignore the general shift towards eating healthier. Perhaps it's because everybody just gorged themselves over the holidays and they feel ill. Or perhaps it's because people like to set goals for themselves for the new year. Either way, it's good that everyone is thinking about good nutrition.

But, what is good nutrition? What are health foods? If you're paying attention to the commercials in the last few days, eating healthier involves eating whole grain cereals (like Special K or Kashi GoLean), prepackaged diet meals (like Lean Cuisines or Healthy Choice), frozen light breakfast sandwiches, various yogurts, and granola bars. We certainly get the impression that if you just eat these "healthy" foods you will be fulfilling your plans for eating better.

Wait a minute...let's compare two different "healthy" days, and you can 

decide which is better for you. 

Day One: 

Breakfast: Kashi GoLean cereal with skim milk

Lunch: Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice frozen meal with a Diet Coke

Afternoon: Skinny Vanilla Latte with a Larabar

Dinner: Spaghetti with whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread and small side salad with ranch dressing

Dessert: Skinny Cow ice cream bar

Day Two: 

Breakfast: Two hard boiled eggs, handful of cherry tomatoes, banana

Lunch: Mixed greens salad with cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, avocados, grilled chicken and balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Afternoon: Handful of carrots, celery, broccoli dipped in hummus with half an apple dipped in peanut butter

Dinner: Roasted pork tenderloin with roasted asparagus, onions & zucchini

Dessert: Piece of dark chocolate with decaf green tea

Alright, let's put your analysis skills to work. Which of the two above days looks healthier? Day one incorporates all of the "health" foods that are continually advertised to you. When most Americans try to clean up their eating they tend to go from the unhealthy packaged food to the healthy packaged food. They choose foods that say "light", "fat free", "heart healthy", etc. But it's not necessarily the best option overall. 

Day two incorporates real food. It includes lots of fruits and veggies and real protein. Nothing came out of a package (except for maybe the peanut butter, hummus and dark chocolate). Consistently eating like day two will improve your health and your physique far more than any of the "health foods" on day one. 

Ask yourself if you're guilty of falling for the popular health foods. Do you eat granola bars for breakfast? Is that skinny vanilla latte a staple of your day? Is your lunch a packaged afterthought? 

Clean it all up once and for all. Get rid of the packaged "healthy" foods and eat real food. If you're thinking about eating better in the new year, make sure you do it right!

[dahlmaneliteblog-blog]

Make Deep Health Your Goal for 2014

The other day I read about a concept that really rang true with me, and it was the concept of deep health. It was Precision Nutrition that brought up this concept, but I appreciate that so many coaches are starting to emphasize this philosophy. Deep health refers to a health that goes beyond the swimsuit and jeans, beyond the food obsessions and guilt-trips, and beyond the numbers in the gym. Deep health is a level of health that is concerned about being strong, free of injury and pain, having appropriate body fat and lean muscle, eating nutritious and beneficial foods that give you energy, sleeping deeply, playing often, and keeping it all in balance. 

To be completely honest, I have always experienced an inner struggle as a personal trainer/strength coach. The fitness industry has a tendency to emphasize vanity and sexiness, putting pressure on people to out-perform, out-lean and out-clean-eat your neighbor. If you can see your obliques and you can wear a size 2, we've done our job. If you can stock your grocery cart full of spelt, kale, tofu and Greek yogurt (while judging the person in front of you for their box of pasta), we've done our job. If we can turn you into a nutrition and exercise obsessed individual that lives and breathes fitness, we've done our job. These are the prevailing attitudes in my industry, unfortunately. But is this true health?

I'm certainly guilty of promoting some of the above attitudes. As a trainer, I know exactly how to get you down to 10% body fat and look like a swimsuit model. I know how you should eat to get a super lean figure. I know the best exercises to tone your tush, build your bust, and carve your abs. Yup! And sometimes it's hard to not entice you with that result (because on the surface, that might be what you want, too!). But at my core (no pun intended!), I believe it shouldn't be about how you look and how others view you. It really needs to be about deep health.

I learned this once years ago with one of my clients. She had hip arthritis and was in constant pain. Her goal was to include regular exercise into her lifestyle to lose some weight and strengthen some muscles so she could be free of pain. I worked with her for months. During a re-evaluation I brought up the fact that she had only lost 10 pounds (her goal was 30-40) and hadn't gained much functionality. I asked her if she was happy with where she was. She told me that she could finally sleep through the night, could walk up and down stairs without pain, and had more energy than she'd ever had. My standards were not her standards. She felt strong, wasn't in pain, and had learned how to eat healthfully. She had found a level of deep health that totally changed her world.

I feel rejuvenated as a coach by helping to promote a deeper sense of health than just having a tight body. I can stand behind my work when I know I'm not pushing someone to focus on shallow and vain mindsets. There's so much more to fitness!

So, my charge for you is to strive for deep health this year. Ask yourself the following questions to see what areas you might need to work on.

1. Do you feel strong, or do you always consider yourself a wimp? Do you lack muscle tone and feel mushy? Are you injury-prone? If so, you really need to do some form of resistance training on a regular basis, whether it's with free weights, kettlebells, a suspension trainer or your own body weight. 

2. Are you in constant pain? Does your back, knees, hips, or shoulders hurt? Do something about it! A few visits with a massage therapist or physical therapist could seriously alleviate pain that you've been suffering through for a long time. Or you may simply need some corrective strengthening exercises. It's probably a really simple fix!!

3. Are you carrying excess body fat? Of course being overweight is uncomfortable and it's hard to feel confident about yourself, but it's also very unhealthy to have excessive body fat on your frame. Women should be between 18-22% body fat, and men between 15-20%. Remember, the scale doesn't matter as much as the calipers. 

4. Do you eat well? Do you stay away from processed and packaged foods and eat fresh vegetables & fruits, lean proteins and fats, and whole grains? Or do you eat haphazardly? Get it under control. You can enjoy those less nutritious foods, but limit it to a rare occurrence. Change your mindset to eat foods that will make you healthier by eating them. ("Will this chip make me healthier?" It's an easy question...) 

5. Are you a good sleeper? Do you get at least 6 hours, preferably 8 or 9, every night? When you don't get enough sleep, your body has a really hard time repairing itself after workouts or even injuries, your stress hormones stay elevated leading to unnecessary fat stores, and your energy levels may be in the tank. Aim to go to bed earlier and at a regular time. If you struggle with sleep, seek strategies that will improve your sleep habits. It's more important than you think.

6. Do you play often? This one is hard for me. I tend to follow a rigid exercise program and rarely miss a single workout. Last week I substituted cross-country skiing for a regular workout, and I felt great. Gyms can get stuffy and boring. Do something different. Remember, it's about being healthy and active overall. 

7. Do you have a balanced viewpoint? Does what you eat and whether or not you get your workout done consume your thoughts? Are you constantly weighing yourself or pinching your fat, upset with how you feel? Do you have a hard time enjoying a day off or an indulgent dinner without thinking about how chubby it's probably making you? Part of having deep health is being able to hold it all in balance. Eating nutritiously, but not obsessively. Working out frequently, but not letting it rule your life. Step back and make sure you know what's really important to you. 

You've probably already decided to make some New Year's resolutions. Perhaps you want to lose a little weight, tone up, eat better, stress less...that's great! But, I challenge you to step back and see the big picture. Make deep health your goal for this new year. Looking at the above questions, what areas do you fall short? Take the necessary action steps so you can finally find a deeper level of health for yourself this year.

[dahlmaneliteblog-blog]

The Most Useless Gym Equipment

I haven't worked out in a gym for years. Instead I've accumulated some pieces of equipment throughout the years to have a pretty substantial home gym. My TRX, physioball, medicine ball, adjustable dumbbells, bands, valslides and foam rollers are all I need to get a really great workout right at home. (Read more about ditching your gym membership and creating a great home gym here.)

However, I know it's nice to get out of the house, go to a designated gym environment, put the kids in childcare, and get to work for an hour. I get it. We all need that sometimes. 

I visited a gym last weekend for a workout with a friend and was reminded of what the inside of these gyms look like.The unfortunate thing is that most gyms are packed full of completely useless (and sometimes dangerous!) equipment. This equipment is confusing, distracting, but sometimes enticing to use. (Who doesn't want to just plop down on a machine and twist around to get rockin' abs!!) 

Here's a rundown of the top 5 most useless gym equipment. If you've been using any of these, stop and run away. I'll tell you a better way to train that particular body part...

1. The ab crunch machine:

This machine promises that if you simply sit down, plug in the right weight, and crunch forward to your heart's content you will get rock hard abs (just like this guy!). Not true. You might get a slight burn in your abs, but you will also probably trash your spine from all those tiny spinal flexion movements with resistance. Not to mention, it will probably aggravate the common problem of having hip flexors, abs, and chest muscles that are too tight from sitting all the time (leading to hip, back & shoulder pain). Instead, do plank and roll-out variations. These challenge your abs like crazy, but won't hurt your spine and hip flexors.

2. The oblique ab machine:

For this one, you either kneel (as in the photo) and twist your lower body, or you sit and twist your upper body. Either way, the idea is that you twist like crazy to work your sexy oblique muscles. To be honest, most of the photos of people using this particular machine that I found online looked so twisted, hunched and painful it made me mad. This is not unusual. The machine encourages your spine to twist to an excessive degree, and it's not designed to do this. Your spine is intended to remain stable with the help of your oblique muscles by resisting outside forces. A better way to train these muscles is to do side planks and ANTI-rotation exercises...moves where your core has to brace AGAINST twisting, like chopping lifts and single-sided presses.

3. The inner/outer thigh machines (adductor/abductor):

These machines are most popular among women because we all want slimmer inner and outer thighs...right? With these machines, you sit and either squeeze your knees together or pull them apart. The problem with these machines is that you're training your inner & outer thighs to do a motion they rarely do. When are you ever sitting with your feet off the floor, pulling in and out? The moment your feet come in contact with the ground your inner/outer thighs work as pelvis and leg stabilizers...they prevent the hips from dropping and the knees from caving with every step. This is their primary function. So it makes more sense to train these muscles in a fashion that mimics their primary function with lunges, side lunges, squats, single leg squats and other balancing exercises. (Plus, if you happen to have hip flexor issues, count on the inner thigh machine to terribly exacerbate the problem.)

4. Pretty much all other weight machines:

It's safe to assume that most weight machines in the gym primarily serve to isolate and target individual muscles. The leg extension, leg curl, chest press, pec deck, fly, biceps curl, triceps pressdown - all of these machines train one single muscle at a time, mostly in a manner that is completely foreign to its general function. Probably the only useful weight machines in a normal gym are the pull-up machine (not many people can do a pull-up on their own so this is helpful) and the leg press machine (not a great machine by my standards, but still better than the others). As a general rule of thumb, stay away from all weight machines.

5. The stair stepper or climber:

"Hey, I have an idea! Why don't you slog up 30 flights of stairs in a hunched over position, repeating the same motion over and over and over, forcing your thighs to burn and eventually breaking a sweat!" Um, no thank you. If your goal is to climb a tower, then this may be useful to you. Most people aren't looking to climb towers. They're looking to lose body fat. The stair stepper won't do it. You'll probably get knee and back injuries from the repetitive motion and the position it forces you to be in. (I've heard of some people who have done it for 45+ minutes! Ow!) I don't care what level you put it at, how many calories it says you're burning, and how much sweat your breaking. Get off of that machine and lift some weights, do some burpees, and sprints some line drills. Much more effective and less likely to make your knees and back hurt.

5. The elliptical machine:

"What?!?! But that's my favorite machine? You can't be serious. I set it at like level 15 and sweat buckets! I go forward AND backwards! It's hard!" Yes, the elliptical machine is one of the most useless pieces of equipment in the gym. Once again, you're putting your body through a terribly repetitive motion. Can you imagine how many revolutions happen in the standard 30-45 minutes that most people spend on it? Forward, back, forward, back, forward, back. Like I said above, any repetitive motion can be pretty harmful for your joints. The elliptical machine does barely anything to help strengthen the muscles surrounding your joints, even with resistance applied to it. You're much better off, for cardio and strength, to do a thorough strength training routine that challenges your entire body and forces you to move quickly, which will raise your heart rate. 

If your regular workout regimen uses any of the above pieces of equipment, you really need to rethink your routine. You're wasting your time and may even eventually cause an injury. When you workout at the gym, I recommend steering clear of any and all machines. Instead, head to the dumbbells, barbells, benches, big physioballs, medicine balls, and the TRX if they'll let you use it. If a basketball court or aerobics room is empty, set up shop there so you have plenty of room to sprint laps, do some crawling drills, and jump safely. 

If you have no idea what to do with a medicine ball or dumbbells and free weights scare you, get some help. No matter who you are or where you live, I can design you a custom workout routine that you can do at your gym (or even at home!). Stop wasting your time and wondering why your hips and knees hurt. Get a real program that uses good equipment. 

(Email me at megan@dahlmanelite.com to get started with a custom workout routine!)

[dahlmaneliteblog-blog]

Having a Healthy Holiday Season

The holidays are definitely here. I'd say that this is the first true week of the holiday season, with Thanksgiving on the horizon! I LOVE the holidays. I love the family time, I love the coziness, I love the feeling of joy, and I really love the food. Yep...I cannot wait for Thanksgiving dinner, eggnog lattes, Christmas cookies, prime rib dinner, good glasses of wine, cinnamon roll breakfasts, and on and on. I'm sure you completely agree. Food is a major component of the holiday season, but frequently so is regret, guilt and heaviness, especially come January 1st. 

So how will you manage this year? Will it be a healthy holiday season or will it be another major setback? Do you really want those 5-10 extra pounds? 

First, you need to make sure you have your everyday nutrition under control to a certain degree. If you're haphazardly eating through your day without any thought, you need to correct this before you even begin to think about how to navigate a holiday party. Here are some tips for gaining control of your everyday eating:

Eat regularly and intentionally. Eat 3 or 4 real meals during the day (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner) that are planned ahead of time. Decide what your meals will consist of before you get to them. This eliminates the "It's 2:30 and I haven't eaten since breakfast and I'm starving but there's nothing to eat so I'll just have a big latte" problem. 

Eat lean protein and produce at each one these meals. I like to call it eating your PRO's. This helps you choose what goes into each meal. For example, eggs & tomatoes, salad with chicken, cottage cheese with peppers, steak with asparagus...these are all great examples of meals that follow the above guidelines.

Control your portion sizes and stop before you're full. I must admit this is one of the hardest for me, but frequently we eat more than we really need to because it's simply on our plate. Eat slowly so you can tell if you're getting full. Stop when you're about 80% full. (This is a tough one!)

There are obviously a lot more aspects to nutrition than this, but if you simply focus on these three tips you will go really far.

So what about the holiday parties, cookie exchanges, big family meals and all those delicious drinks? It's all about the planning. If you don't plan ahead, you will simply eat whatever is in front of you with just your feeble will holding you back. 

Plan your week out in advance. On Sunday evening or Monday morning, look ahead at your week and identify all of the parties, get-togethers, and sweets situations. Decide ahead of time which events you'd like to indulge in the most, and stay disciplined the rest of the time. Your body should be able to handle 3 or 4 deviations from the above guidelines without getting too derailed. Any more than that, though, and you'll probably see the results.

You can also just pick one or two things at an event to indulge in. If you're a cracker & dip kind of person, have that but avoid the desserts. If you're a desserts person, stay away from the cheese & crackers, etc. Don't go overboard by mindlessly eating everything in sight.

Watch what you drink. The beverages this time of year are DELICIOUS, but they are typically full of sugar and fat that will add up really fast. Your mind does not really compute a beverage as energy intake, so you may end up drinking the equivalent of an entire meal without realizing it. (Last week I had a couple of parties with wine, so I decided to totally skip my favorite latte and any other caloric beverages for the week. Plan ahead!)

Be really generous with the sweets, as in give them away! I don't know about you, but if I have a tray of cookies sitting in my kitchen I will swipe one nearly every time I walk through. It's ok to throw cookies and treats away if there are leftovers...it really is. Just get rid of the temptation!

You must workout throughout the holiday season. You will be fighting a huge uphill battle during the season if you neglect the benefits of a metabolism and muscle building workout. I recommend aiming for at least 3 strength training routines per week. Strength training will be your best bet for staying lean (and even getting lean!) during the holidays. The muscle building effects of a good strength training routine can certainly offset a less than perfect diet.

Find someone to help hold you accountable. If you're deciding to finally stay on track this season instead of regretting all of your choices by January, you need someone to help you. This time of year has so many unhealthy temptations, so grab a friend or family member to help you stay disciplined. Tell them what your specific plans are ("I will not deviate from my healthful eating this week except for this particular party"). When someone is looking over your shoulder, you'll be much more likely to resist overindulging. 

So, you must first get your everyday eating in order. Make it a purpose and a habit of eating about 4 times per day. Choose good protein and fruits or vegetables every time you eat. Watch your portion sizes and stop eating when you're not quite full. 

When the craziness of the holidays begins, make sure you plan for it. Look ahead at your week, know when you're going to splurge, and stay disciplined and healthful the rest of the time. Get those workouts done (if you need workout ideas, look back through the archives on this blog...there are lots of "workout of the week" plans.) Have someone holding you to your plans. Don't try to do it by yourself. With these tips, you really CAN have a healthy holiday season. 

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What Kind of Disciplined Are You?

I'm starting to notice a trend with nearly everyone I come in contact with that is health-minded, whether it is a client, a friend or a casual acquaintance. Most people can be disciplined. But not very many people can be disciplined in multiple areas. Let me explain...

The top two components of health and fitness are arguably exercise and good nutrition. We can all agree that to feel substantially healthier and fit you must be working out on a regular basis and eating well. However, it seems to be incredibly difficult to do both. I have found that you either have the drive to be super disciplined with the way you eat, or you have the drive to be disciplined with your workouts. Very rarely do people have both. (And, let's all admit that frequently people have the drive to do neither...sigh.)

I even lack discipline in both arenas. I can honestly say that in the last three or four years I have not missed a single planned workout. Seriously. Even through the birth of two kiddos. (Obviously I didn't plan workouts for a few weeks postpartum, but we're talking about planned workouts here.) When it comes to workouts, it may be hard to find someone more disciplined than I am. BUT, when it comes to eating well, I crack at the first sight of a muffin. I have a crazy sweet tooth! It is really difficult for me to say no to certain indulgences and stay disciplined with good nutrition. If it's in the house, I will eat it! (I made a pumpkin pie for our community group last night and brought home the leftovers. What did I have after lunch today? A piece of pumpkin pie! No kidding!!) 

There are others on the other end of the spectrum. They will eat by the book, never giving into temptation. It's hard to get them to even enjoy an indulgent meal every once in a while because the drive to eat disciplined is so strong. They'd much rather have their kale and hummus instead of the chips and dip. Yet, the workouts are hit or miss. They're lucky if they get a full, good workout in every week and maybe another half workout here or there. Following through on a 4 week workout plan is a fairy tale. Being disciplined with their nutritional choices is a no-brainer, but getting those workouts done is a serious challenge. 

It's good to know what camp you fall in. Are you more likely to be disciplined with your workouts or with your eating habits? If workouts come easily to you, turn your attention toward your nutrition. What can you do to improve your food choices? Do you need to make some drastic changes, like throw/give away certain foods in your house? (I really should just throw out the rest of that pumpkin pie!) Do you need to write out a meal plan for yourself and start keeping a food journal recording everything you eat? Should you pack a lunch and snacks everyday and have alternatives to the temptations handy? 

If nutrition comes more easily to you, think about what you can do to make your workouts more consistent. Are your workouts too long or boring? Should you start working with a trainer or a partner that will hold you accountable? Do your workouts change on a regular basis to keep them fresh and enjoyable? Do you just hate to sweat? (Ok, on this last one, you just need to get over it!) Remember if you're sick of not seeing progress, it's probably because you're not consistently progressing forward! 

With both nutrition and exercise, consistency is key. It is an uphill battle to change your body composition, get leaner and stronger when you're all over the map with either the way you workout or the way you eat. Figure out which discipline you need to work on, take steps to improve it, and stick with it! 

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Up On My Soap Box

Here I am, generally minding my own business working as a full time stay at home mom and a part time strength coach. I like to keep my head down, read books, blogs and articles of the top-of-the-line strength coaches, go to stellar strength training conferences when I get the chance, and implement what I know to be the most effective training methods with my trainees. I have tons of fun doing what I do, seeing people's aches and pains dwindle because they're getting stronger and watching them become empowered by the routines they're doing. However, every so often I lift up my head and get a glimpse of the "other world" of training. 

The "other world" of training involves "going for the burn". You'll most likely be exposed to weight machines, elliptical machines, lots of "ab work" performed on squishy mats, perhaps a medicine ball thrown around here and there or even some random band exercises. Many gym goers and trainers choose exercises based on whether or not it makes a specific muscle burn. Want to get rid of love handles? Let's do a million side crunches. Want tighter thighs? Let's do the inner thigh machine. Feel fat overall? Let's ellipse away on the elliptical until the calorie count hits 500, and if we do that 7 days a week we'll burn one pound of fat, right? And if you get hurt while getting that burn? Oh well, that's just the risk of working out!

What has prompted me to write this was a special on the morning news the other day. They were highlighting a personal trainer that goes in to workplaces and shows people how to strength train at their desks. What a great idea! But, unfortunately his ideas were actually ludicrous and close-minded. He anchored a band behind someone's chair and had them flex and extend their knee to simulate the quad extension machine at the gym. He then had them hold onto the band with their hands and place one foot on it, pushing their leg out straight to simulate the leg press machine (like in the photo above). I suppose these exercises were intended to strengthen the quads, so what's so bad about that? Well, the whole situation made me upset because this trainer could have simply had the person stand up and do 10 basic squats. Squats would strengthen the same exact muscles, not to mention dozens of others and wouldn't require a band at all!

Another example of "other world" training is the types of workout ideas you are bombarded with in magazines and on the internet, especially Pinterest. Everyone is looking for the magic workout that will finally burn away that stubborn fat, get rid of those love handles and make you super-skinny. I see treadmill workouts, walking plans, ultimate abs workouts, and great gluts routines, all of them promising to deliver. But, from my professional standpoint, NONE of them will. For example, performing eight different types of crunches in a row will sure make your abs burn and you might feel some momentary tone in those muscles. But did you know that you might damage your spine at the same time?

The point is, have a critical mind when it comes to what you believe in fitness. Did you realize that you can become a certified personal trainer in one weekend for $99? (I know this because it's advertised all the time on my Facebook feed.) I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to put my body through a routine that came from a weekend's worth of knowledge. Recognize that a lot of workout routines are designed based on such a shallow knowledge of the body. "If we work the body, or an area of the body, hard enough or long enough, we'll get the results we're looking for."  Not exactly. 

So how can you tell if a workout or a trainer is legit and worth a try? Let me give you my screening test so you can either give it a shot or run the other way.

Does the workout involve a crunch of any kind? If it does, run away. Trainers like to stick these ugly ab exercises into routines to make people feel like they'll get rock hard abs from them. They have no idea how bad these are for you. A good core routine will involve planks, plank variations, and stabilizing exercises.

Does the workout target isolated muscles, i.e. 5 or 6 different exercises for the same body part? This is your clue that the emphasis is only to "burn" that muscle, not balanced function of the entire body system. This type of training will lead to severe imbalance and overtraining of that particular body part.

Does the workout use a bunch of weight machines? This will be a pretty weak workout. Sitting down while you isolate a muscle is a ridiculous waste of your time, especially if you want to be strong all over and shed body fat.

Does it recommend running or doing cardio until you fall over from exhaustion? ("Gonna run 'til I don't jiggle." Saw this quote on Pinterest.) Well, honey, you're going to run for a heck of a long time because running does not significantly shed body fat and increase muscle tone. Sorry. 

Does the workout promise punishment? You don't get a strong, athletic, and healthy body by pummeling it into the ground and then doing it again. What you get are injuries and a wrecked body with potential lifelong consequences. If the workout involves a super challenging exercises it should be followed by adequate rest or an easy exercise to properly recover.

Similarly, is the workout too hard? Are the exercises way beyond what you're capable of? For example, if you have no weightlifting experience you should not be doing squats with an Olympic bar. Period. 

Also, is the workout too easy? Is the entire workout built around a rubber band and a 5 pound dumbbell? True, you can get a highly effective workout with just your bodyweight, but usually the routines that involve a little rubber band and a little weight are way too easy for anyone. You'll know it is if you can still do about 5-10 more reps than what is recommended.

It's important to think critically. Not all workouts are winners, and in fact the majority may be ineffective or dangerous. Watch out for "weekend workshop" trainers or programs that fail to view the body in a 3-dimensional manner. Treat your body as your vehicle for the long haul, helping it last in tip-top shape for years to come with proper programming. 

So for now, I'll climb off of my soap box, put my head back down, and get back to work doing what I know how to do best - designing safe and effective workout routines.

(If you want a personalized, highly effective routine designed just for you, contact me at megan@dahlmanelite.com. Don't settle for the riff-raff that's out there.)

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Are you sick of eggs, yet?

I'm a huge fan of eggs for breakfast. If you're following my simple nutrition tip of eating your PROs (protein & produce) at every meal, cooking up some eggs in the morning is an awesome way to get protein, plus it's the perfect vehicle for veggies. A single large egg has only ~78 calories, 6g of protein and only 0.6g carbs. If you cook up an egg scramble of 2 whole eggs plus 1 egg white, you get 173 calories, about 15g protein, and less than 1g carbs. Add some vegetables and a little light cheese and you've got a perfect start to your day. 

However, eggs can get old really quick. You can quickly get stuck in a rut with your pepper and onion egg scrambles or your spinach and tomato omelettes. I certainly recommend keeping eggs in your breakfast rotation, but here are a few ideas for some variety that still meet the "PROs" criteria.

Yogurt: If you're really trying to shed fat weight and are staying away from starchy carbs as much as possible, yogurt is a fantastic breakfast option. I recommend plain nonfat Greek yogurt as it is higher in protein but doesn't contain the sugars from the processed flavor add-ins. One container (100g) of Greek yogurt contains only 100 calories and a whopping 17g of protein. Add a handful of fresh berries and some nuts and you have a perfect meal high in the "PROs". 

Oatmeal: The general problem with oatmeal, or even the healthier steel cut oats, is that it's relatively low in protein and high in starchy carbohydrates (166 calories, 6g protein & 28g carbs per cup). However, a meal that's this high in carbs is perfectly fine in the morning coming off of an overnight fast. You just need to figure out how to "up" the protein content and add some produce. 

One of my favorite oatmeal recipes is banana-coconut oatmeal. Add a sliced banana, some grated coconut, chopped walnuts and 1/2-1 scoop vanilla protein powder. You now have an oatmeal that is high in protein, healthy fats, and some produce. (The overall carb count on this one is pretty high, so save this oatmeal for first thing in the morning or immediately post-workout.) Other oatmeal add-ins are various berries, apples, pears, oranges, raisins, nuts, and always the protein powder to increase the protein content.

Toast: That's right, toast. Not just any toast, though. I recommend a slice of 100% whole wheat bread, 2 Tbsp peanut butter or almond butter, plus a sliced up banana or apple. This simple meal has about 330 calories (depending on your bread), and about 12g protein. The toast is ok again because it's breakfast...you're coming off of an overnight fast. 

Another toast option is spreading it with a spreadable cheese (like Boursin garlic & herb) and topping it with spinach and tomato. This will barely get you 5g protein, though, so you might want to drink a small protein shake with it (blend 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder with 6-8 oz. almond milk). 

Smoothies: Smoothies are definitely the best grab and go breakfast with ingredients that can be easily manipulated. You can quickly get over 30g protein and a bunch of produce while staying under about 400 calories. Try this recipe: blend together 1 cup ice, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup mixed berries, huge handful spinach or kale, 1 cup almond milk or water, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder. Delicious and nutritious!

And more eggs: Don't forget that there are lots of other ways to cook your eggs. If you're getting sick of those egg and veggie scrambles, try putting that egg, pepper, onion & turkey sausage scramble in a whole wheat tortilla with some salsa. Breakfast burrito! Or turn that scramble into an omelette.

One of my favorite recipes is "Green eggs & Ham" (from Men's Health Magazine). Instead of poached eggs I simply do pan fried eggs...it's easier. I also love frittatas, which are simply baked eggs filled with any sort of veggie and lean meats. I particularly like this zucchini frittata (from Food Network), which I've already made several times. It makes enough for a couple meals...great for dinner and breakfast the following morning. 

When eating healthy, eggs and veggies should be a staple for anyone's breakfast. But when you start to get sick of them, use these other creative ways to keep eating your "PROs" for breakfast. 

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Secrets of a Strength & Conditioning Coach

Why is it that workouts always seem harder and more thorough when you work with your trainer? I've certainly heard it from my clients before: "I do the exact same routine at home by myself, but it's always way harder and more challenging when I'm with you!" How could the exact same routine feel tougher when you're with your coach? The answer is probably two-fold: you have a second set of eyes to check your technique and correct your flaws. AND good trainers utilize certain cues to get you to engage more muscles and move more accurately. 

As a professional trainer/strength coach, I want to share some of my secrets with you that I use when I train to make my clients work harder, better and more thoroughly. These cues should be going through your mind during your next workout.

"Be rigid." When doing any exercise, think about having a very rigid torso, creating a strong line from the top of your head to your tailbone. This cue immediately helps you engage the proper core muscles without thinking about individual muscles. 

"Stick your booty out." When you perform squats or need to be in a bent-over position, stick that booty out! If your gluts are positioned back behind you, your weight will be right where it needs to be in the largest muscles of your body - your gluts.

"Flex your feet." Anytime you have a foot that's not in contact with the floor, whether it's a single leg dead lift or a one-legged push-up, flex it. Pull your toes to your shins. This simple act will engage your gluts more and increase tension through your core. 

"Prisoner position." If your torso/core is still wobbly when doing lunges or squats, place your hands behind your head and pull your elbows back. This will engage your upper back muscles and in turn engage your core muscles. This simple fix may clean up any wobbly split squat.

"Open up your chest." Frequently, trainees will have poor posture when doing planks, side planks, rows, and even lower body exercises. If you think about pulling your shoulders back and opening up your chest, your posture and the quality of the exercise will improve.

"Go deep!" Without realizing it, you may be shortchanging yourself with the size of your movements. With every exercise try to move through the full range of motion that that joint is capable of (as long as it's pain free...always stop before pain!). Press deep into your movements to gain more flexibility and strengthen your end ranges of motion.

"Memorize your exercises." This isn't necessarily a cue, but when a trainer is standing there telling you exactly what's coming next, you will move quicker to that exercise. Memorize your circuits and have the equipment set up in advance so you can move fast from one right to the next. Your cardiovascular system will thank you for this!

"Time your rests." You might be taking too much time in between sets or not enough time. Both are problems. You should usually take about 1:00-1:30 between sets in a circuit. Anything longer and you end up not working hard enough. Anything shorter and your next set will suffer from not being fully recovered. Get out a timer and be disciplined with your rests.

"Don't wuss out!" When you're on your own, you'll be more likely to skip that last set or give up with a couple reps to go. The ONLY time you should stop early is if your form is suffering; and generally a little extra rest will help so you can complete it. With a trainer standing in front of you coaching you on, you can push through that "give up" threshold and prove your brawn. Be your own coach when you're by yourself. Yell if you have to!

Read through these secrets a few more times and picture a coach right there with you during your next workout. If that coach is me, you'll hear me in your head saying, "stick your booty out!", "get rigid!", "go deep!", and of course "keep going, you're doing awesome!!"

[dahlmaneliteblog-blog]

Healthy Eating Shortcuts

(For many, all the items in the picture above would qualify as healthy eating shortcuts. Good choices or bad choices?)

If you're like most people, you probably don't have several hours every day to sit with a notebook planning out gourmet meals, prepping beautiful mise-en-place, perfectly measuring all of your ingredients, experimenting with new health foods like spelt and kefir, and laying out a gorgeous spread at every meal. Ugh...not going to happen, right? Well, I'd love to share with you some of my tricks to make grocery shopping, meal planning, snacking, and sticking with your healthy habits easier.

I feel a tiny bit spoiled right now...sort of. I'm a stay at home mom (which isn't really the spoiled part...it's actually probably the hardest job out there), but I do have full access to my kitchen all day. I don't have to prep all of my meals ahead of time, and I can plan ahead for dinner without scrambling to pull it together at 7:00. Don't get me wrong, I still have my hands incredibly full and meal time is frequently frantic. Plus, I have had my share of full time jobs in the past. At one point with my training business I was doing 9 or 10 training sessions each day, starting at 6:00 am and finishing up around 7:00 pm. This took some planning and food shortcuts to stay on track. 

Let's keep in mind what your goal should be with eating healthy. The best recommendations for most individuals is to eat a breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner every day. Don't skip one of these meals. Every time you eat, eat the PROs: lean PROtein and PROduce, preferably veggies since most people don't eat enough. Don't drink your calories, so you need to stay away from juices, sodas, flavored coffee drinks, etc. Do your best to not eat anything out of a package, but stick to fresh, real foods. You can eat grains, rices, pastas, but try to save them for first thing in the morning or your meal that follows a workout. 

With that in mind, here are some shortcuts to make the above nutrition tips more doable on a day-to-day basis.

When grocery shopping:

Start with the produce. I usually pull off about 10 produce bags at once since I know I'm going to fill them up. Get a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that you know you will eat. If you want, you can splurge on the packages of veggies that are already cut up. I usually buy a huge bag of spinach and some bags of romaine lettuce for salads. 

Next go to the meats. Look for chicken breast, fish, ground turkey, ground sirloin, pork loin or chops, turkey sausage, and some sliced deli meat like turkey or chicken (great to slice up and put on salads). 

In the dairy section, I recommend purchasing eggs 18 at a time or as I do, 5 dozen at a time. (We go through about 5 dozen eggs in two weeks!) Get nonfat plain Greek yogurt and lowfat cottage cheese. You may also want some other lowfat cheeses to put in eggs or on salads, i.e. blue cheese, feta, or cheddar, and some string cheese, which is great for snacks. I recommend also getting some hummus for dipping all of those veggies you bought into for snacks.

You shouldn't need to purchase much in the aisles. This is where you'll probably find your whole grain breads, brown rice and whole wheat pasta. Quinoa is a good grain, too. You may also need some salad dressings, spices, sauces or condiments. Varieties of nuts, like raw almonds, walnuts and cashews, are good to have on hand for snacks. Be sure to have plastic baggies to put all of your snacks in, too.

At home (some prep-work):

Spend thirty minutes cutting up your peppers, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli and any other veggies you purchased. At this point, you can put a handful of each into sandwich bags for snacks throughout the week. 

Hard boil some eggs. Hard boiled eggs are an awesome protein addition to your lunches and snacks. Boil about 6-8 eggs while you're chopping up your veggies. To make it really easy for later, peel the eggs now.

Measure out your nuts. Nuts can be a very healthy snack that can easily go overboard by eating too much. A serving size of nuts is a small handful, so measure that out into individual baggies. This ensures that you don't sit with a can of cashews on your desk, mindlessly snacking at 3 in the afternoon.  

Grill or roast 4 or 5 seasoned chicken breasts. Once cooked through & slightly cooled, dice them up and put in a container. You now have fresh chicken to throw on salads for lunch or dinner.

Put all of your pre-portioned baggies in a particular spot in your fridge so you can easily grab it when you're rushed.

General tips:

Eat your breakfast. To keep it simple, make it 2 or 3 hard boiled eggs, 1 slice whole wheat toast, some cherry tomatoes, and an apple. Perfect. Or get in the habit of doing a quick scramble with your pre-sliced veggies & some eggs. Done in 10 minutes or less.

If you work outside the home, pack a cooler with a lunch and your snacks. Your snacks should already be in your baggies (your sliced veggies with hummus with the nuts or string cheese), so that's easy. For lunch, grab a huge handful of your spinach & other lettuces, throw on some of the grilled chicken, add some of your chopped up veggies and maybe some feta or blue cheese. Take a bottle of salad dressing to work and keep it in the fridge so you don't always have to take it with you.

Don't be too original for your meals. It's tempting to look through magazines or Pinterest and see fancy, healthful meals that you'd like to try. That's great, but try to save that for the weekend when you might have more time. Your weekdays should be a regular rotation of healthy meals that you can make quickly without reading a recipe. I generally rotate between taco salad, baked chicken strips, teriyaki turkey patties, spaghetti, pork chops or pork loin, or veggie packed enchiladas or fajitas. I can usually make all of these meals in about 30 minutes. I make it a habit to always purchase the same proteins that go with these meals so they're always on hand.

Eating your leftovers is one of the best healthy eating shortcuts. If you put the time into making a healthy dinner, you might as well benefit from it the next day at lunch. 

Make protein smoothies when you really need a shortcut. Here's a recipe for a banana mocha smoothie and a tropical smoothie. These are great for breakfast, lunch or afternoon snack. 

If you've noticed, all of these tips aren't necessarily shortcuts. Unfortunately, there are no real shortcuts to choosing to eat healthy on a regular basis. You will have to put out some effort. But, these are ways that I have found that make nutritious eating less intimidating and time consuming. Yes, it will always be easier to open up a granola bar at 3:00, but with a little bit of planning you can have veggies, hummus, nuts, and string cheese instead.