That Moment...

You all know "that moment," when something unexpected happens and then...you have a choice. The choice is usually between responding and reacting and depending on your choice, "that moment" could be a disaster or you might just find a silver lining.

If you are wondering what "that moment" is, let me share a few of them that occurred in my life in the last 6 days. Feel free to sit down, relax and even have a giggle or two. Here goes.

Last Thursday I was all excited to start packing to go on the yearly Memorial Day camping trip. I get home about 5:30 pm from a good day's work and head to the garage to pull meat out of the freezer. Wait! What are those puddles of water on the floor? NO..."that moment"...when you open the freezer door to find it's entire contents thawed. Even the turkey!!

Choice: panic and freak out or do your best to stay calm and find a solution. First a little desire to panic at how to pack and now care for the freezer contents. Then, start making phone calls to farm out food. Shed a few tears of "How'd this happen" & gratitude.  Thank you to all my friends who were willing to take my basically 100 pounds of various meats and cook and refreeze it, in their freezers. Thank you for calmness that assisted in finding the ultimate solution where I learned you can actually refreeze thawed meet if it is still cold. Thank you for my friend's the Howells who are letting me borrow freezer space at their house.

In my freezer brain fog I packed the next day for camping. This created some more interesting moments. While driving and almost to our destination, I realized I forgot to pack the favorite sausages to cook on the fire.  Choice: be upset or realize it will have to be ok and we can have a cook out when we get home. Oh, my sister forgot hers too...double whammy!

After setting up the tents and unpacking the truck, "that moment" when I realized I hadn't actually packed the air mattress or the pump for my kids mattresses. I actually had walked by them 20+ times and thought, "grab those now."  Choice: have a tantrum or go back to where there is reception and see if sister has left yet. I actually chose to have a small tantrum as I was beginning to be on total overload. Then...stranger pulls up on 4 wheeler and starts looking at me. Weird!  Only he wasn't a stranger but rather an old family friend and my angel in that moment. He happened to have an air mattress we could borrow.  He drove me to his trailer, dug out the mattress and drove me back. We still had to blow them up and amazingly figured that out too.  It wasn't ideal but it worked and we didn't have to sleep on the ground.  That moment could have been ugly. :)

We had several smaller "that moments" during the weekend which happily I can report all worked out smoothly. I might have even learned a few things in the process. Upon returning home, I still had that freezer to clean out and figure out what to do with. Not something I was looking forward too!!

I gagged my way through cleaning and got all the mold off the floor and asked my neighbor if he knew anything about freezers. Amazingly, he had worked at a place that gave him some knowledge of freezers. Woohoo! Now, please know, I had checked breakers and all that jazz but had not pulled the freezer out from the wall yet.  Well, upon my neighbor pulling it out, I saw a little light on the plug in...a blasted GFI switch. That moment when you realize and pray that by pushing the switch your freezer might just still work. Push...click...freezer starts humming!  Choice: be embarrassed because I didn't pull it out and figure it out on my own, do a little dance, hug the neighbor or give thanks. I chose the last three of course and am looking forward to returning my meat to its home, which now also is shiny clean and smells fresh.

What did I learn?  Staying calm is the better choice and allowed me to actually create solutions.  I have awesome friends who I can reach out to if necessary.  You can shed tears and stay calm at the same time. There is always another way! It's not the end of the world and ya just never know how things might turn out.  Miracles happened and angels attended. I am grateful for the people in my life who love and support me...especially in "that moment!"

So, if you recognize that you are in a "that moment," stay calm , take a deep breath and respond rather than react. You might have a small set back, or even a big one, but you never know what amazing things may come from it. I encourage you to not let these moments derail you from your goals but rather take note, learn and carry on. Be better because of it!

Share with us some of your "that moments" and what you learned and were better for it.

Until Next Time...Go BE Great!

Jennifer Saunders
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Reiki Energy, Intuitive Life Coach
ButtinGear

Simplify your Summer Fitness....

Simple Summer Workouts

As a testament to how hard it is to stay on track last month…I completely forgot to post my blog for April. I wrote it, edited it, and found pictures but didn’t remember to post it for 3 weeks before I realized what I had done. This time of year it is so easy to do. The weather is turning warmer and there is more to do in the yard, and around the house. The kids are winding down the school year and it is more challenging to keep them on track with their school work and activities. Your fitness goals, like mine, are probably ramping up for the season to come. Then all of a sudden, like in my case, the slightest change of the normal routine can throw you completely off. In my case I lost a friend way too early and way to unexpectedly. My loss affected me in many different ways, and these are just a few.  It not only reminded me that I never know what is going on in another’s life unless I ask, and spending time with those that I love and care for most is and always will be my top priority. What it taught me about fitness was this; Fitness should enhance your life, not take you away from those things that matter most. Fitness should make you stronger physically and mentally. To be healthy is defined as enjoying health and vigor of body, mind, or spirit.  There are many ways to achieve this, and the key is finding the one that speaks to you.

Time is of the essence in your busy schedule and finding time for exercise, or proper nutrition is a common complaint. It is time to focus on the two things that will help you toward your health lifestyle, Simplicity and Consistency.

Simplicity

The fewer moving parts the better. Many only find failure because they take an all or nothing approach to change. Start with small changes. Drink more water. Take a daily vitamin. Be compliant with medications you have been prescribed. Add 15 minutes of activity above and beyond your normal routine. Lower your daily carbohydrate intake by 20-30 grams. These are all changes that alone will improve your physical and mental happiness and will not require an unreasonable amount of time. Take 30 days to master your new habit then focus on another.

Consistency

Success breeds success….so start today. What is the one thing that you can do today that will move you forward into a better day? Do it early before your schedule and commitments take control and procrastination becomes an option. Delegate 15, 30, or 60 minutes toward your goals. Whether that is meal planning, activity time, meditation to reduce stress, or finding $10.00 to put in savings. If you do it every day, first thing, these baby steps will quickly turn into giants leaps and you will soon find yourself feeling more success than you every thought possible.

So keep it simple…and uncover your best self this summer.

In Addition to my blog this week, because I was a slacker last month here are a few quick summer workout ideas.

Power Builder at the Park

Equipment needed….any park bench will do.

20 jumping jacks

10 squats to the bench

20 burpees

10 pushups to the bench

20 tuck jumps

10 Decline push ups

20 explosive bench jump ups

Repeat 4 times for quickest time

Cardiovascular Hill Repeats

Equipment needed….Grassy area with an incline, and a stop watch.

                (Example; Community park hill, Freeman Park from the amphitheater to the memorial.)

Measure out 20 paces from the bottom of the hill and mark the start with your jacket

Begin watch and sprint to the top of the hill. Try to avoid slowing your pace as the hill increases.

Turn at top and Jog to the bottom letting your Heart rate recover.

Rest for 1 minute

Then….Repeat 10 times.

Remember, if you need a little extra help this summer. The trainers at Health and Fitness Academy are waiting for you. Our clients are seeing incredible results in Strength, Cardiovascular, Flexibility, and weight loss training. Give us a call at 208.557.2823, set up your first free session and start working toward a healthier future.

Don't Spoil Your Oil

“Don’t Spoil Your Oil”

            Did you know that a healthy percentage of fat in your diet is approximately 25-35% depending on your goals? Did you know that there are 3 types of fat that make up this percentage? Did you know that getting a balanced amount of each type of fat can dramatically improve your health and even help you lose fat? Did you know that fats come in the form of things like animal fats, butter, oils, olives, and mixed nuts?

            Today we are going to learn a little more about oils. Personally, I am not the most confident cook in the kitchen; therefore I can always use more information regarding how to cook with oils and what types of oils to cook with. So, I decided to refer to my trusty resource of Precision Nutrition.

            *Because it is true that some oils can change with different cooking conditions, here are a few suggestions Precision Nutrition gives:

1.      Don’t use additional fats when pan-frying or grilling meat.

a.       Use a pan or grill with a non-stick surface, or if you absolutely must, coat the surface with a minimal amount of cooking spray (recommend: olive oil version of Pam spray).

                                                              i.      Doing this will decrease the amount of mutagenic (physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic material) chemicals formed when frying meat in oil.

2.      Don’t use “mono” or “poly” unsaturated fats when pan-frying.

a.       Use a pan with a non-stick surface.

                                                              i.      If absolutely necessary, use a minimal amount of cooking spray (see above) but don’t use any more monounsaturated oil (corn oil, canola oil, safflower oil…etc) and avoid using polyunsaturated oils (like flax oil).

1.      These oils are not very heat stable and will become highly oxidized and lose their essential fatty acid content with cooking.

2.      And while extra virgin olive oil is used in cooking from time to time “in the smallest amount possible”, if you want to be really cautious you should consume this unheated as well.

3.      If a small amount of cooking spray won’t do the trick, cook with a tiny amount of butter or coconut oil, which are more heat stable.

3.      When baking, use small amounts of saturated fats and/or olive oil only.

a.       These are best to use for heat stability reasons.

4.      Don’t deep fry foods.

a.       Deep frying food, especially in hydrogenated fats, is the equivalent of inviting heart disease over for dinner.

So I ask, what oils are you cooking with?

Until next time!

Hayley Jones, BS, CSCS, Pn1
hjones@mvhospital.net

Get Outta Your Own Way

So I am sitting here on my bed, wishing I was teaching my pool class, or packing for my Peru trip that has been one year in the planning and I leave on in less than 17 hours. Instead, I am getting to recover from getting sick yesterday so I can actually go to Peru. As I recover, I also get the chance to reflect on some pretty amazing things that  have taken place lately by way of "getting out of the way" of myself.

Last weekend we successfully hosted the Spitfire Ultra Trail Challenge at Menan Butte. We celebrated under clear skies and beautiful weather the doubling of participants from last year's event. This was an Amazing sight to see and experience! Several people asked me what made the difference and honestly, I don't know that I can pinpoint what it is. However, this thought comes to mind, I got outta my own way.

In prepping for the event we did a few things differently and reached out to some new people and then chose to step back and let things happen. That didn't mean we stopped taking steps but rather stopped trying to control the steps we had already taken. In doing so, events happened as they naturally would and magic took place. Another thing that came along with that magic was peace. I didn't have to get all tied in knots trying to make things turn out how I wanted them to be...it just happened and even better than I hoped for.

So, how does this apply to you?  What things are you wanting to accomplish at the moment and not seeing results as you would like them? This could be in your health, weight, family, business or other personal areas of your life.  Where are you standing in your own way and not letting things happen naturally and tying yourself in knots?

Be willing to pause for a moment and notice what voice you are listening too.  Your mind, which is wanting to "protect" you and control all aspects of your goal or your inner guide, which is peaceful and assists you in taking the next steps and letting go of what happens next.

Decide what it is you Really want to accomplish. Look at the "Why" and see if it is strong enough to fuel you and see you through to the end.  Look at what steps need to be taken to accomplish the task, break it down, start moving and get outta the way. Keep your eye on the goal and know your moving in that direction but also be willing to go with the flow and follow the curves that will come along the way and enjoy the journey. Most things do not come in a linear fashion and the only thing we can really control is our attitude about how we respond to what comes in our path.

Get out of your own way! Celebrate the unexpected and welcome what it can teach you as you move along the path to your desired outcome.  For example, this blog post, which I obviously didn't get posted on time and have been wanting to be hard on my self about. However, in getting to do it now, I have received a reminder of the awesome lessons I have been recently learning in some new and powerful ways. How cool is that?!  And now..I'll dance.

So, feel free to take action and then step aside and watch the magic happen.  Be amazed as you watch pieces fall into place and at the right times. Then..give thanks, celebrate and take your next step.

Until Next Time,
Go Be Great!

Jennifer Saunders
BS, ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Reiki Energy, Intuitive Life Coach
ButtinGear

Interesting News on High Intensity Interval Training

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a type of training that has grown in popularity over the past couple of years, particularly with athletes and more serious gym goers. Rather than sustained exercise over a period of time, HIIT workouts are made up of short burst of exercise at a higher intensity, followed by a period of rest. Research suggests that HIIT programs provide numerous health benefits, some suggesting that it is more beneficial than conventional cardio exercising. Some commonly known benefits include improvements in cardiovascular health and increases in metabolic rate.

HIIT training is not necessarily limited to experienced exercisers. One new study in the journal Diabetologia has suggested that interval training may provide specific benefits for relatively sedentary adults that are pre-diabetic or diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The study consisted of three cohorts: one that walked 3 minutes at relatively high pace and 3 minutes at a recovery pace for one hour, a group that walked for an hour at a steady pace, and a control group that maintained a sedentary behavior. The completed this program every day for 4 months.

Interestingly, the group participating in the interval training saw a 20% improvement in glucose disposal (the body’s ability to take sugar out of the blood stream to places it as needed). The other two groups did not see any significant improvement.

The effectiveness of interval training relative to steady state cardio is not limited to blood glucose. Other findings have suggested better results in weight loss and lowering cholesterol levels.

Although there is a lot to be understood about why interval training programs seem to be more effective, experts suggest the bursts of energy require a higher demand for glucose and stimulate the allocation of it more effectively.

I would suggest that in addition, interval training for beginners is effective in that it requires people to consider how hard they are actually exercising. It is a way to understand how to get out of your comfort zone for a short period of time and into a work load that will yield results. It is too often that I see people walk at a comfortable pace on the treadmill for an hour without reaching a heart rate that will elicit the results they are expecting. Although they would likely see better results at an increased steady state, many are not comfortably at a higher rate, are not able to sustain it for a long period of time, or simply don’t realize they are not working hard enough. If anything, interval training is a great way to ease a more effective workout without feeling too overwhelmed, and an opportunity to better understand what an adequate work load feels like.

Try it!