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Your Healthy Body – How Do You Know You’ve Gone Too Far? My Relationship With Ed – Part 3 by Kerry Silverman

January 19, 2016 by Kerry Silverman Leave a Comment

demilovato-bodyimageBeing admitted to the hospital for an eating disorder was an all time low for me. I was in disbelief that I let Ed get this far, but deep down he was applauding me. He was telling me that I had finally gotten myself sick enough to be hospitalized, and that was a win in his book. To him, this meant that the days of starvation and exhaustion had finally payed off.
It had all gone so fast that I didn’t even realize I was in the hospital bed until I started getting pricked by needles. I was so dehydrated that it took about forty minutes and three nurses to draw blood from me. With numerous heart monitors, IVs up my arm, and doctors coming in and out constantly, I felt like a case on Grey’s Anatomy. And for anyone who watches the show, I felt like most patients on it; terrified. Whether it was from the pain of the IV or the anger of the fact that I couldn’t even go to the bathroom without unplugging myself from machines; there was a constant stream of tears. Doctors were coming in with booklets for me to answer with questions like, “do you get anxiety while eating?”, or “are you preoccupied with the desire to be thinner?” When I answered “always” to these questions a part of me deep deep down knew that this was the underlying reason why I was there.
When dinner came I was surprised to see such a small portion, and Ed of course was satisfied with that. The reason behind this was because I was at high risk for refeeding syndrome. As a result of being so malnourished, I could not just begin eating normally again, so my food intake had to be monitored very closely or my body could go out of balance which could end very badly. All meals were supervised, and I had a nurse sit with me during all of them. When I began to eat, I ripped my sandwich apart and started by eating just the crust. Ed told me that smaller bites and eating the “bad” parts first was how I should eat. The nurse asked me not to do that again, because it was considered ritualistic eating. My habits and rituals involving food were something that calmed me during meals and made me feel in control, and when they got disrupted it was not a good time.
During my stay at the hospital Ed was still controlling me. After every meal I continued to look up the nutrition facts just like I had been doing. And if the “bad” categories such as fats, calories, and sugar exceeded Ed’s limits, then I would get very upset. I was googling “low calorie dinners” to make when I get back home, and even though I was limited to a hospital bed I still found a way to exercise behind everyone’s back. Nothing was really clicking at this point and I continued to do what Ed told me.
The routine in the hospital got really old really fast, and I was begging and begging to go home. I got woken up at six every morning to get my vitals taken, which included blood pressure, getting dressed in a hospital gown to get weighed, and then getting blood drawn. There was no type of freedom whatsoever. I couldn’t even flush the toilet because they thought that I might put my food in it.  I wasn’t able to walk around unless I was escorted by a wheelchair, and I couldn’t even take a shower without someone else in the room, because I might pass out. It took me a while to realize that too much freedom concerning food and my health is what got me here in the first place, and though I was very reluctant at first, I finally started to let the doctors do their jobs.
What would become my medical team included a psychologist, psychiatrist, nutritionist, pediatrician, and a family therapist who were visiting my room daily. The treatment I was told I was going to receive is called the Maudsley method. It is a family based approach which put my parents 100% in charge of my meals. I was eighteen, had just left for college and felt like I was being treated like a five year old again. I had been a very independent person growing up, and I wasn’t about to be told what I would and could not eat. Ed had developed a very systematic approach to my meal choices ,and I did not want that getting disturbed. However, I didn’t have a much of a choice at that point, and the day after I was released from the hospital I found myself at an eight hour a day partial hospitalization program for eating disorders.  

to be continued

If you or someone you know is suffering with an eating disorder, the National Eating Disorders Association (nationaleatingdisorders.org) supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care. Call their toll free, confidential Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. In addition, Project HEAL funds inpatient, residential, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment for applicants suffering from an eating disorder who want to recover but cannot afford treatment. Go to http://theprojectheal.org/apply-for-grants/our-scholarship-progra/ for information about how to apply for a treatment grant OR VISIT WWW.THEPROJECTHEAL.ORG

Read More By Kerry:

Meet Ed

My Relationship With Ed Part 2

I Resolve Not To Resolve – Live It Don’t Diet

20 Things Everyone Needs to Do This Year

Monday Motivator – Meet Adriana Botti

Meet Kerry:

Kerry
Kerry

[email_link]

Filed Under: Fitness Tips, Self Tagged With: eating disorder, ed, kerry silverman, maudsley

Our Favorite Fitness Apps by Zara Puskuldjian

January 19, 2016 by Zara Puskuldjian Leave a Comment



article-110There are different fitness applications that do completely different things, and there are multiple fitness applications that do the exact same thing!  It’s just about finding which one is right for you. There are fitness applications that connect you with others for support, and there are ones that set and track goals you set in place for yourself to boost your confidence.  There are apps that have you competing against others to help yourself and apps where you can follow along with different coaches and do different workout routines, but the greatest thing about fitness apps is that there are so many different and unique ones.  You just need to find one that fits you best and lets you set your own goals while maintaining a certain pace and lifestyle that fits you. Here are a few fitness applications that I thought were some of the most successful and would be fun to try:

workout1. Runtastic Six-pack App
– Student? Fitness and nutrition junkie? Traveler? This app is perfect for anyone looking for instructional videos that you can do anytime or anywhere. This app includes custom workouts, exercise instructions, and ab trainers sent right to your phone, iPad and even Apple watch. Runtastic Six Pack has many different features and benefits that can help you right from your pocket.

2. ExerciseTV
– Personally this is one of my favorite apps that I have recently discovered.  With this app, you can stream 10-30 minute exercises on your phone from professional trainers. These simple routines come with step by step videos and a timer to allow you to follow along and easily understand the exercise. This app features 6 main categories; Abs, Arms, Butt, Cardio, Legs and Full Body workouts.
nike-sports3. Nike Women Training Club
-This app does a great thing by making one feel very confident when trying to be in control of their fitness life. This app offers over 100 different work outs by trainers at all different levels and even lets you create your own custom workout that you can access from anytime or anywhere.

4. RunKeeper
– This app uses the GPS in your phone to track your running on a map along with all other activities. This app is for everyone whether you just want to use it for fun or motivation, if you’re a beginner runner or doing a marathon. Not only does it track your route, but it also calculates your running pace, cycling speed, distance, elevation and amount of calories you’re burning. You can also connect your music or Spotify to play while you are running.

5. EndomondoEndomondo-App-Screenshot.gif
– Just like other running apps like RunKeeper Endomondo uses your GPS to monitor your favorite sport while playing music. This could be running, walking, hiking, biking, skiing, kayaking, paddle boarding etc.  You can be interactive with your friends to keep you motivated, and you can even get audio feedbacks on your process.

6. Daily Burn
-This app combines exercise and tracking your calories together in one application. It includes a new workout every day at 9AM for different level learners. It also has a scanner where you can scan a product for all the nutritional information you on it. This is helpful when you are setting and tracking calorie goals and food intake for yourself.
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Whether you are trying to lose weight, stay healthy, eat better, work on your fitness or even achieve your New Year’s resolution (remember those?) don’t forget how helpful your phone and its handy apps can be, offering a great alternative to DVDs and other workout routines that you have to buy and that could be very expensive.

Read More By Zara:

Dress For Success

Fashion Apps

Keeping It Real.  Rebecca Minkoff, Welcome To The Fit List

Don’t Trust An App By Its Cover

Food Apps For Happy, Healthy and Fun Eating

What Are All These Apps Anyway

Meet Zara:

Zara
Zara

[email_link]

Filed Under: Fitness Tips Tagged With: endomondo, exercisetv, fitness apps, nike women, runkeeper, runtastic, zara puskuldjian

The Week In Review – What We Talked About This Week In Pictures – January 11th-17th Edition

January 18, 2016 by She's Fit to Lead Leave a Comment


It was a busy week at SFTL!  Back to work, school and reality after the very long holiday season.  Here’s what we talked about.  Just click on any pic to learn more:

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Read The Articles:

Cozy Minus The Calories by Hillary Macias
Quinoa – Keen What by Jessy Rosen
The Importance of Procrastination by Rachel Becker
I’m Addicted…To Reading by Sarah Kaiser
Why The University of Michigan Is The Best Place To Be – – An In Stater’s Perspective by Meredith Sherbin

What A Difference A Year Makes – A Letter To My High School Self by Kelly Sodano
Welcome To The Fit List Ramy Brook Sharp by Paige Philipps
SFTL Goes Ice Skating by Ximena Iglesias
The Dos and Don’ts of Sorority Recruitment by Rachel Becker
Monday Motivators – Meet Adriana Botti by Kerry Silverman

Meet The Authors

Kerry
Kerry
Jessy
Jessy
Sarah
Sarah

kellysodano

Hillary
Hillary
Rachel B
Rachel B
Ximena
Ximena

meredithPaige

Filed Under: Career, Fashion, Fitness Tips, Food, Self, The Fit List Tagged With: sftl, the week in pictures

Get Your Olympic Gold On! SFTL Goes Ice Skating by Ximena Iglesias

January 12, 2016 by Ximena Iglesias Leave a Comment

Rockefeller_Center_(2006)
It’s ice skating time! Whether it’s outdoor skating with the Christmas Tree at world famous Rockefeller Center in NYC (this year in tee shirts given the weird, warm weather) or indoor rinks because it’s just too darn cold to be outside or too warm to actually keep ice frozen on the ground, tis the season to ice skate. Hey, at University of Wisconsin – Madison, the Edgewater Hotel has even turned their outdoor plaza into a skating rink (because everyone wants to skate outside in 0 degree weather with the wind whipping off Lake Mendota, right?).
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So, never one to miss a fitness trend, we asked our fitness guru, Ximena, to check it out.  Let’s see what she thought:

Here in South Florida, our winters consist of 80-degree weather, sunny days and flip flops. No shoveling snow for us. The most winter one could possibly come in contact with would be the ice and chill of the indoor ice rink!

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Workouts should occasionally be challenging and out of your comfort zone. And that’s exactly why I went ice skating one morning.

Ice Skating burns about 385-630 calories per hour, but you’re going to have to be skating pretty fast in order to burn more calories!  You also
“… use[s] a lot of small stabilizer muscles that don’t get a workout in day-to-day life, in particular those around your hips, knees and ankles.” –K. Kunze (Certified Skating Coach/Programs coordinator of kinesiology at the University of Calgary).

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o   Increase joint flexibility— If your leg joints creak every time you rise from your bed in the morning, ice skating could offer a real solution. With its emphasis on quick foot movements and supple knees, your leg joints will receive a great workout and hopefully feel more flexible in no time.

mickeyandminniegiphyo   Building leg muscle— Your legs may currently resemble knobbly-kneed, trembling twigs, but ice skating exercise could really change all that. Focusing on lower-body movement, ice skating offers fine exercise for the leg muscles, building them up over time.

michellekwangiphyo   Boosting the cardiovascular system— Ice skating may not seem like your everyday cardio. But an intensive session could really work out your heart and lungs, feeding muscles with oxygen more efficiently.

pairsskatingo   Keeping mentally fit— Ice skating is useful for improving mental fitness. It requires high concentration, strong memory skills and spatial awareness.  So your mind will literally be developing while you are on the ice!

buddygiphyo   Improving balance — If you normally topple over at the drop of a hat, ice skating could really help you improve your balance through fun and positive exercise. Travelling across an incredibly slippery surface trains you to stay on your feet. (http://goo.gl/IQuPpq).

I May not be Michelle Kwan or Kristi Yamaguchi, but once I got a hang of the ice my confidence soared faster than I could skate. Check out my friend Taylor and I messing around at Glacier Ice one morning!  (That’s us in the YouTube!).

Read More By Ximena:

The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Working Out

Monday Motivators – The Penny Story

Fitness Resolutions You Can Stick To

Believe In Yourself, Always Have Faith And Never Give Up

Hip Hop Cardio

What I Learned From…Barbie

Meet Ximena:

Ximena
Ximena

[email_link]

Filed Under: Fitness Tips Tagged With: edgewater hotel, fgcu, health benefits of skating, how to skate, lake mendota, skating rink, Wisco, ximena iglesias

The Week In Pictures

January 10, 2016 by She's Fit to Lead Leave a Comment

It’s our new weekly review.  Here’s what we talked about this week.  Click on any pic to learn more!
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Read The Articles:

Clear You Palette With Fruity Desserts by Marissa Licursi

Spice Up Your Winter Breakfasts by Jessy Rosen

Resolutions To Make All Year by Rachel Becker

Eat Smart to Beat The Flu by Hillary Macias

The Secret To A Fulfilled Life – My Top 10 Personal Development Books by Shelby Wildgust

Dress For Success by Zara Puskuldjian

Always Show Up!  Welcome To The Fit List, Tanya Zuckerbrot

The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Working Out by Ximena Iglesias

Your Healthy Body – How Do You Know You’ve Gone Too Far?  My Story, Part 4 by Sydney Lieberman

Monday Motivators – Kendall Altmyer, Founder of The Penny Story by Ximena Iglesias

2016 Food Trends by Hillary Macias

20 Things Everyone Needs To Do This Year by Kerry Silverman

Meet The Authors

Marissa
Marissa
Jessy
Jessy
Ximena
Ximena
Hillary
Hillary
Rachel B
Rachel B
Zara
Zara
Sydney
Sydney
Kerry
Kerry
shelby
Shelby

 

Filed Under: Career, Fashion, Fitness Tips, Food, Self, The Fit List Tagged With: Hillary Macias, Jessy Rosen, kerry silverman, marissa licursi, rachel becker, shelby wildgust, sydney lieberman, ximena iglesias, zara puskuldjian

The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Working Out by Ximena Iglesias

January 5, 2016 by Ximena Iglesias 3 Comments


Fitness is your resolution, but now it’s freezing out, and how are you going to get up from under those covers to go to the gym?  We say don’t.  Ximena has a better way to go!
I find myself dreading the idea of getting up for my 8am classes. Aside from that, getting up to go to the gym is even more of a hassle with early classes. What gets my blood pumping and wakes me up, before a cup of coffee is this workout that begins in bed! If you’re not an early riser, or an avid gym-goer, here is a quick workout that can help tone and get you into shape.

1. Hug one knee to chest while keeping the other extended. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat on the other leg.

Screenshot 2016-01-05 18.09.322. Roll out of bed and do 10 pushups.

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3. Drop to your forearms and hold a plank for 30 seconds (or remain in the pushup position if you would like a challenge).

Screenshot 2016-01-05 18.10.104. Activate your Hamstrings, on all fours, simply kick a bent leg up 10x repeat with other leg.

Screenshot 2016-01-05 18.10.565. Stay on all fours and kick your leg without bending the knee 10x per leg.

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6. Lunges 10x leg

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7. 45 second plank

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8. 15 push ups

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9. Get coffee

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Read More By Ximena:

Monday Motivators – The Penny Story

Fitness Resolutions You Can Stick To

Believe In Yourself, Always Have Faith And Never Give Up

Dance For Confidence

What I Learned From…Barbie

On Mondays We Wear Motivation

Meet Ximena:

unnamed-8
[email_link]

Filed Under: Fitness Tips Tagged With: fit to lead, lazy girl's workout, workout in bed, ximena iglesias

Your Healthy Body – How Do You Know You’ve Gone Too Far? My Story, Part 4 by Sydney Lieberman

January 5, 2016 by Sydney Lieberman Leave a Comment


I spent every practice giving 110%, sprinting as fast as I could in every drill knowing this was my only activity for the day. I did as much running as I could until one of my teammates or coach, who knew what was going on, stopped me.

My nutritionist and therapist urged me to add more snacks into my day, and as they spoke, these words they went in one ear and out the other. I told them I was eating these snacks, but when my weight kept dropping they knew something was up.  Given that I was still socializing in school to an extent and was starting to become upfront with my “issues” with my friends, the doctors did not want to take me out of school for the full time inpatient program in fear of putting me into a depression.  So the doctors had decided that I would be participating in the Maudsley program, an outpatient program that put the majority of the pressure on my mom to regulate and control my eating patterns.  My mother gave me essentially a one-month trial and said if it did not seem to be effective, then I would be transferring to the inpatient program.

I had to plan a family meal at the hospital. This consisted of my mom preparing a breakfast that I would be forced to eat, and they would observe my eating behaviors and patterns. Unlike the traditional eating disorder patient, I ate completely “normally” knowing that they were looking for irregular behaviors.
After this, I had finally come to my first day of treatment, and I was defensive as ever. My designated therapist introduced me to the routine that I would be going through. This consisted of me going in without my mom, getting fully undressed and putting a gown on. I though of putting weights in my underwear like I had seen in the movies, but I realized there was no way of doing this without getting caught. Stepping on that scale triggered extreme anxiety, as I awaited the number that would appear on the screen. This was not some dinky scale you bought at Bed, Bath, and Beyond but a full blown industrial one that virtually gave no way of beating the system.

Although the program was teaching us not to be concerned about that floating number, this was the one indicator of my health that we had to follow. I experienced one of two emotions every time I stepped off that scale: relief or stress. I was relieved when I had maintained or lost weight, the opposite of what I was supposed to be feeling and what my mom and doctors were feeling. My stress level significantly increased if that number read anything higher than the last appointment. After my weigh in I spent time in my therapist’s room discussing my food intake of the past week.

In my first meeting, she thoroughly explained what they believed was my diagnosis. My illness had started as anorexia athletica, an obsession and compulsive behavior with exercise, and as I continued to restrict my intake and lose weight I slowly slid into the world of full blown anorexia nervosa. I was not remotely surprised by the diagnosis but was honestly intrigued by all the information being thrown at me. Not surprisingly, in and outside of my health classes at school, I took on a certain fascination with eating disorders. Looking back now, I remember I would spend free time watching fictional documentaries on Youtube and different eating disorder movies I had researched.

After my discussion with the therapist, my mom would come in to further discuss how my progress was going. I started to realize that this was not some TV movie, but my actual reality! My doctor gave my mom suggestions of what other foods she could introduce in my pathway to weight gain. She suggested things like ice cream, whole milk, and butter, and my mom and I just looked at each other with hesitation. These were foods, even before my restrictions, that my family never ate. This was the first time my mom and I were agreeing on anything during my treatment. We looked for other supplements rather than those suggested that I could eat given that fit in better with my family’s regular eating habits.

Breakfast and dinner were a daily struggle with my mom, as I spent the time screaming and fighting, telling her this was way too much, and I was going to get sick if I ate the entire portion. Not only was I eating a tremendous amount more, but I was doing no exercise except for soccer practice which I previously did not consider “exercising.” I was astonished by the size of the portions I was eating, although I  would later realize that these portions were really what was “normal.” Given how much I deprived my internal organs, after eating a substantial amount, I would get an abnormal bloating feeling and a distended stomach, and I would spend the rest of the night crying, with a heating pad on my stomach to take away the pain.

Knowing I had to eat everything at breakfast and dinner, I did everything I could to avoid or limit lunch as much as I could at school. I would eat one bite claiming I was full and threw the rest away. I knew my friends would not challenge me so I just kept doing this for a while. Other than the first week of the program, where I gained three pounds, I wasn’t gaining substantial amounts of weight and my therapist knew that I must be lying about my intake. Despite what I believed, every single piece of food that entered my body really did count. I had deprived my body so much that my metabolism had completely shut down and therefore it would take A LOT of food to get me to gain increasing amounts of weight even if I was not exercising.

Once they had realized I had been lying about my meals at school, I had to be monitored slightly by a teacher that we were very close with. At this point, I remember that I started to WANT to get better, something I had never felt before. The winter track season had been taken away from me, and I refused to let my main sport, lacrosse, be taken away as well. I really began to learn how every pound counted, and one single pound could completely shift how my brain was operating. At this point, I think I was getting to the weight where that “switch” was beginning to flip back. There came a certain point after a few months that I began to get food by myself instead of my mom having to force me. I was transitioning into the second stage of the program given some weight gain, and therefore I regained some freedom.

Things that I took for granted before were becoming so important to me now. I was allowed to do some light yoga and even take long walks. As soon as I was given the okay to take these walks, I would force my boyfriend to take walks with me every time we hung out. I found myself speeding up, and he had to consistently stop to make sure I didn’t start running.

At this point, others had noticed that I was generally happier at school and physically was looking much better. Even though I was far from recovering, I was certainly taking steps in the right direction.  To Be Continued….

Read More By Sydney

Your Healthy Body.  How Do You Know You’ve Gone Too Far?

Your Healthy Body.  How Do You Know You’ve Gone Too Far? (part 2)

Your Healthy Body.  How Do You Know You’ve Gone Too Far? (part 3)

The SFTL Guide To Resolution Making – Resolve To Spend Smarter

The SFTL Guide To Resolution Making – Live It Don’t Diet

Meet Sydney

Sydney
[email_link]

If you or someone you know is suffering with an eating disorder, the National Eating Disorders Association (nationaleatingdisorders.org) supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care. Call their toll free, confidential Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. In addition, Project HEAL funds inpatient, residential, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment for applicants suffering from an eating disorder who want to recover but cannot afford treatment. Go to http://theprojectheal.org/apply-for-grants/our-scholarship-progra/ for information about how to apply for a treatment grant OR VISIT WWW.THEPROJECTHEAL.ORG

Filed Under: Fitness Tips, Food Tagged With: anorexia, healthy body, maudsley, sydney lieberman, university of michigan

Happy 2016! What’s Your Resolution? Check Out Our Resolution Round Up!

January 1, 2016 by She's Fit to Lead Leave a Comment

Still looking for a 2016 resolution?  Hunting for inspiration?  This recap of our SFTL Guide to Resolution Making may be just what you are looking for!  Click any pic to learn more!

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Filed Under: Career, Fashion, Fitness Tips, Food, Self Tagged With: carly kahan, Hallie Salko, Jamie Schneider, kelly sodano, kerry silverman, new year's resolutions, SFTL Guide To Resolution Making, shelby wildgust, sydney lieberman, ximena iglesias

The SFTL Guide to Healthy Resolution Making – Fitness Resolutions You Can Stick To by Ximena Iglesias

December 28, 2015 by Ximena Iglesias Leave a Comment

Core Offer Banner - 468x60It’s December 31st, and you’re reflecting on your accomplishments, achievements, and maybe some failures and other things you hadn’t quite gotten to yet.  2015, you will be missed…or maybe not?

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Out with the old, and in with the new!

new years giphyAccording to the Huffington Post, “about a zillion people make resolutions that relate to fitness around the New Year. And about three-quarters of a zillion of them don’t stick to those resolutions past six weeks.”

informationgiphyFirst of all, what type of number is a zillion?! Second of all, while the new year is a GREAT opportunity to resolve to get into something new, fitness-wise, the most important part is making sure it’s something you can actually stick with.  So, before you join in with other zillion making those fitness resolutions, here’s some advice.  Most important?

Set realistic goals that you believe you can attain

fitnessresolutiongiphyIf you’re planning on resolving to make a big jump, think twice.  Going from zero/very little activity to hitting an everyday grind can lead to an increased chance of injury and is likely to result in your giving up.  

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Even marathon runners start small and build up to the larger distance. Start with 2-3 days at the gym instead of jumping to all 7 days of the week.

Here are more quick tips to help you stick to your fitness goals throughout the year:

  •   Hold a plank –If you can or can’t, this is a great start! It warms up your body and activates your arms, core and upper body!

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  •   Play It Safe –If you’ve never lifted weights before, starting with the heaviest dumb bells is a bad plan!

weights

  •   Keep it realistic –Starting small.  Remember rest days and easy days are necessary for recuperating.  Without those recovery days, you won’t get the results you want.  

Sweaty Betty

  •   Set a performance goal (a realistic one!)  – Whether it’s exercising more, working up to those heavier weights or increasing your distance running, it’s great to have a goal to work toward.            

powerpuffsGoals=Accomplishments & Accomplishments=CONFIDENCE

  •   Keep a journal –This helps to keep track of your overall progress!  (There are some great apps for this!)

fitbitgiphy

  •   Have a buddy –Gym buddies help you stay motivated. Friendly competition never hurts either

buddygiphy 

  • FUN –the most important part of all! If you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, staying motivated might be hard.

fungiphy

As for me, my fitness resolution this year include trying and teaching new fitness classes, adding more new activities to my fitness regimen and increasing my daily water intake!  

watergiphy

newyeargiphy

Read More By Ximena:

Welcome to the Fit List, Loibel Lottermann

Hip Hop Cardio

What I Learned From Barbie

What Does It Take To Be A Fitness Professional

You’re In The Army Now

On Monday We Wear Motivation

Meet Ximena:

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Filed Under: Fitness Tips Tagged With: fgcu, fitness resolutions, healthy resolutions, ximena iglesias

Your Healthy Body – How Do You Know You’ve Gone Too Far? My Relationship With Ed (Part 2) by Kerry Silverman

December 22, 2015 by Kerry Silverman 1 Comment

The idea of being “healthy” had completely taken over my mind. Calorie counting and finding the healthy option to everything had become my obsession. I couldn’t even go to the grocery store without picking up nearly every item on the shelves and studying the nutrition facts. Exercising had become more than being fit and strong for my sport but instead a way to shed extra calories and to achieve what I thought was the perfect body.
secretWhen college finally rolled around all of this disordered behavior quickly escalated. I had become so fearful of the freshman fifteen that I went into overdrive to avoid it . When my friends and I would go to late night dining, they would all get a pint of ice cream (the typical freshman thing to do), and I’d be sitting there with an apple. I wanted nothing more than to grab a spoon and join them, but my eating disorder, Ed told me that even just a bite would pull me in, and then I’d fall into a binge that I would later regret.
Eventually I couldn’t take the pain anymore. I knew my thinking and behavior around food wasn’t normal, so I sought help. This was a huge step in the beginning of my breakup with Ed. It was scary, and at first I was reluctant. Ed had been one of my dearest friends for so long. He was there for me when no one else was, and he provided protection during my darkest days.
Sweaty Betty I had finally made my way to the school counseling center, and it was there that my emotions around the disorder had come out. I had never been able to speak about how I truly felt about Ed, because I knew I would sound crazy. It was then that I told my parents that I thought it best that I seek more care. Ed was screaming at me at this point, but I knew that I would never enjoy college, or life for that matter, while in this toxic relationship. My mom went crazy looking for a psychologist who specialized in eating disorders, and eventually we found one nearby to TCNJ. I met with my therapist every Thursday, and it was something I looked forward to every week, because for one hour out of seven days, I was able to talk without seeming like a lunatic.
helpMy therapist had grown worried at my continued weight loss and expressed concern for a possible heart problem. She had wanted to call my college swim coach and tell her about my decreasing health, but Ed refused to let that happen. This continued for a couple weeks until I went home for fall break in early October. My therapist told my mother to schedule some blood work, an EKG, and an appointment with my pediatrician. Never did I think that I’d leave school that weekend without coming back.
That Saturday, I went to the hospital to get my EKG done, and later that night, I had a family wedding. It was in New York City, and I knew the food would be great, so I starved myself that whole day, so that I would allow myself to enjoy the dinner later at the party. I had been looking forward to this event for so long, but when it finally rolled around Ed denied me all pleasure. I had to wear my boyfriend’s suit jacket the whole time, because I was beyond freezing, and I barely danced, because I had no energy due to my restricted diet. When the cake came around, Ed told me I didn’t need that, so instead, I passed it up and watched those around me devour it. Looking back this was probably the saddest and lowest moment of my life. It was then that I realized I wasn’t living for Kerry anymore, I was living for Ed.
The next visit on my doctor’s list was to a nutritionist. While there I got my BMI correctly calculated as well as my body fat percentages. I won’t say any numbers, but to say the least they were not to a healthy standard, and Ed was very proud of this. He told me that those health threatening numbers didn’t mean anything and that all that mattered was how I looked in the mirror (in his opinion of course, not anyone else’s).  
The weekend of doctors was concluded by a visit to my pediatrician. We did our usual checkup and then the typical eating disorder related questions began, “How many calories do you think you consume daily?”, “Are you compulsive about exercising?”, “Do you feel stressed out after eating?” Ed answered these questions with pride, but Kerry was in there somewhere, and she knew the words coming out of her mouth weren’t normal, but she refused to admit it. As my doctor looked at me with worry in her eyes, she told me that the results of my EKG were quite alarming and that I should be admitted to the hospital due to a resting heart rate of 31. I was told that I wouldn’t be able to sustain this lifestyle much longer, if I kept up with all the swimming and food restriction that I was doing. She then excused herself to make a phone call to another doctor. I sat nervously wondering who was on the other line.   She came back in to tell my mom and I that she made an appointment for me at a nearby hospital with a doctor who specialized in eating disorders, and that I should expect to stay a few days. I was in denial. I planned on coming home that night for dinner, and all I packed was a pair of socks and my laptop. I didn’t plan on being admitted to the hospital for 6 nights. But I was.

To be continued…
CUPSHE

Read More By Kerry:

Meet Ed

Your Holiday Gift Exchange Guide

Melted Snowman Oreo Balls

Gingerbread Christmas Trees

Meet Kerry:

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Read More On This Topic

My Story, Part 1, by Sydney Lieberman

My Story, Part 2, by Sydney Lieberman

My Story, Part 3, by Sydney Lieberman

If you or someone you know is suffering with an eating disorder, the National Eating Disorders Association (nationaleatingdisorders.org) supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care. Call their toll free, confidential Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. In addition, Project HEAL funds inpatient, residential, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment for applicants suffering from an eating disorder who want to recover but cannot afford treatment. Go to http://theprojectheal.org/apply-for-grants/our-scholarship-progra/ for information about how to apply for a treatment grant OR VISIT WWW.THEPROJECTHEAL.ORG
[email_link]

Filed Under: Fitness Tips, Food Tagged With: college of new jersey, eating disorder, food restriction, healthy eating, kerry silverman, your healthy body

Holiday Detox – Outdoor Winter Workouts, by Hillary Macias

December 18, 2015 by Hillary Macias Leave a Comment

 

snowrunning2giphy
I’m an outdoor runner, so keeping up with my morning runs when the temperature drops below freezing can be difficult. I know I’m not fond of my fingers and toes being frozen by the time I get back to my house, but there are ways to still remain active outside (and inside) during these chilly months. I know it is much easier to get motivated and stay active when bikini season is looming (although for some of you, that winter beach vacation may be just around the corner).   Try out these tips, and I’m sure you’ll be able to incorporate some of them into your winter workout routine!

coldGyms tend to get crowded this time of year (cue New Year’s resolutions….) and as long as you wear a few extra layers, insulated gloves and socks and good shoes or boots, working out outdoors can be a great adrenaline rush! Going for an hour hike in the snow can burn up to 500 calories and you will get a great leg workout, just make sure you wear properly insulated boots and you’re good to go!

ice skatingOne of my favorite ways to get a “workout” during the winter months is to go ice skating! It qualifies as a total body workout, can burn about 450 calories per hour and targets your abs, calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps. Another fun winter activity that can qualify as workout is sledding! Assuming that you walk back uphill after you sled down, you will be getting a lot of cardio in while having fun with your friends! Walking briskly uphill after you sled down can also qualify as interval training, and is a great way to boost your fitness level!
You can even view chores as a workout challenge, like shoveling the driveway (I know, I know not the most fun task in the world..) but if you focus on using your legs (not your arms and back) while shoveling you can elevate your heart rate and aerobic level enough to forego any other workout you had planned for the day (and who doesn’t love that?!)

dogskiinggiphyAnd if you’re lucky enough to live near the mountains, two of the greatest workouts are skiing and snow-boarding. Both help to improve your balance and core strength at the same time. Calories burned during these activities can range anywhere from 350-600 per hour depending on the slopes you choose!

hotcocoagiphySo there you have it, plenty of ways you can stay active outside while the mercury drops. And afterwards, feel free to treat yourself to some down time by the fire with a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate (because you’ve earned it!) ☺

Read More By Hillary:

Silent Snacking

Hooked on Hummus

Glam Gift Guide

Eat, Drink and Be Merry (And Healthy)

Color Me Happy

Healthy Ways To Enjoy Pumpkin

My Career As An RD

Meet Hillary:

Hillary

Filed Under: Fitness Tips Tagged With: #ConnectToConfidence, healthy tips, Hillary Macias, outdoor workout, running in snow

Take A Break – Get Up! Get Moving! – Great Study Break Workouts by Sarah Kaiser

December 15, 2015 by Sarah Kaiser Leave a Comment

collegegifAre finals consuming your life? Are you having a hard time fitting in the time to make it to your spin, yoga, or other fitness classes between study sessions? You shouldn’t have to put aside exercising during the last week of cranking out work. Personally, it stresses me out when I don’t get a workout in at least four times a week, and sometimes my days are a lot busier than others, so I try to minimize my time working out, but maximize what I get out of it.
ABS Pancakes
My favorite type of quick workouts are full body workouts that can take any where from 15-30 minutes, and you feel all the burn of a spin class. I follow instagram accounts such as @FitnessFashionandFare, which is an account made by two former female D1 athletes who post great quick workout routines. Here are a few straight from their account:
burpeegifWorkout 1
On the minute:
Every minute do..
3 burpees
5 pushups
10 squats
Rest for the remainder of the minute, go for 15 minutes!

kettle ballWorkout 2
20 kettle bell swings
20 push ups
20 kettlebell swings
20 sit ups
20 kettlebell swings
20 squat jumps
Repeat 4x

 

(featuring our own Ximena Iglesias!)

Workout 3
20 Sumo Together Squats (in and out=1 rep)
10x weighted burpees
20 squat to press with weights
40 split jumps
Set timer for 5 minutes and see how many rounds you can do.
After time is up take 30 second to 1 minute rest and then repeat 2-3 more times!
(Promise you will not be able to feel your legs for the next few days)

Also I love going on to http://www.allathletestrain.com/ and looking up her ebook for female athletes which includes ab circuits, body circuits, long distance runs, and sprint workouts!
WonderwomanrunSprint workouts are a great way to get in cardio without going on long runs that are time consuming. All you have to do is find a field or a track and you are good to go! Here are some great sprint workouts that take 20 minutes or less! Here are some great sprint circuits to get the heart rate up and whip you into shape!
Manchester run:
Duration: 20 Min
20 100 yard sprints on the minute
first 10 100 yard sprints are to the other end line in 25 seconds and back in 35
starting at the 11th sprint, you are going down in 24 and back in 36
keep taking off a second each round until you are at 15 seconds going down and 45 coming back
Beginners: Gradually build up to the 20th through practice! The first 10 are a really good workout and if you are only doing half then try to pace them faster than 25, preferably at 20!
300s
Duration: 10 minutes
Do 3 300 hundred shuttle runs to the 30 and back
aim for time under 1 min 10 sec
Rest for a 1 min and 15 sec. after each
Mixed paced runs:
Find a field and do 6 laps of jogging the end lines and sprinting the sidelines
Treadmill circuit
Duration: 32 minutes
1 min at speed 4.0
1 min at speed 7.0
1 min at speed 8.0
1 min at speed 9.0
Complete 8 rounds

Working out is especially good to do during finals time because there are many health benefits that will help with studying. Remember, don’t push yourself beyond your usual workouts.  Now is not the time to get injured!  Also, remember to combine your workout with healthy eating and hydrate frequently to give your body the fuel it needs and replace lost fluids.

headstandgiphyStudies have found that exercising helps with memory retention, increases focus and concentration, improves mood and relieves stress. This gives you all the more reason to work out because you will be able to study better from the increase in focus and memory retention, along with the decrease in stress. So get up out of your seat and hit the gym because you deserve it!

Read more by Sarah:

Finals Fashion – Great Library Looks

The Confident Girl’s Guide to Golf 

[email_link]

 

Filed Under: Fitness Tips Tagged With: BU, college fitness, fgcu, finals workout, sarah kaiser, workout, ximena iglesias

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