Swimming with Heart Rate

It's time to try swimming with Heart Rate again.

About 20 years ago, I started using heart rate as a guide for all my workouts, as I swam, biked and ran my way through numerous Sprint, Olympic, Half-Ironman and Ironman distance triathlons.  Heart Rate became my Coach.  Heart 
Rate kept me motivated to go harder when I had to do speed work and interval training, and kept me honest when I had to do an easy or recovery workout.  Heart Rate kept me motivated and accountable.  I never did a workout without Heart Rate.  I rose to the top of my game with Heart Rate.  We were inseparable.  Until we parted ways.

Fast forward to today.

Heart Rate is back in my life, although this time around, we're having more fun than ever before.  Heart Rate never lost value, but, the technology had changed significantly enough that it needed to be revisited.  Gone are the chest straps that wouldn't always work in the water and were uncomfortable to wear.  (I had heard stories of men who used duct tape to secure the chest strap to their chest for swimming!  Ouch!)  Today, we are using arm bands securely affixed to the upper arm, Big Board displays, iPad's and iPhones.  (Notebooks and other smart devices work also.)  I had an opportunity to demo this new product during a recent trip to Sacramento, while visiting Sally Edwards and her team at HeartZones.  

The "Heart Zones System" combines user friendly hardware with software to create a personalized experience for users.  Since I was demo'ing this product by myself in the pool, I made a few modifications:

1. I used the water friendly armband to send my heart rate via Ant+ technology.
2. I used the Heart Zones bridge, to receive the signal.  Think of the bridge as a "gatherer of signals".
3. The signal was then sent to an iPad, which was placed at the end of my swim lane, on a tripod.  
4. The iPad was opened to the Heart Zones PE App to get realtime data during my swim.  It's large numbers were easy to see (and can accommodate a large group of users at the same time.)
5. After the workout, I was able to send a copy of the workout to my email.  Here's a copy of my workout.

I have since swam with the arm band utilizing my iPhone and the Heart Zones Training App.  I simply placed my iPhone in a ziplock bag and placed it at the end of my swim lane.  This kept my phone safe and dry, while allowing me to see my heart rate displayed in big numbers (useful for those with poor vision, who are unable to read heart rate on a small wrist monitor).  The arm band remains comfortable to wear in the pool.  I'm able to use either maximum heart rate to set my zones, or T1 and T2 to set my thresholds.

Twenty years have gone by, and technology has definitely made it easier to give us big data in real time.  I'm a fan of Heart Rate - my old coach, who is back in my life and I'm looking forward to seeing how we can move heart rate into more clubs and pools across the country.

If you have any questions about swimming with heart rate, please feel free to contact me at your convenience at kathy@365fitt.com.

Swimming 365fitt,

Kathy

Baseline Tests for Inflammation

Recently, I reposted an article, The Top 15 Anti-Inflammatory Foods, by Dr. Axe, and a reader asked a very logical question. 

"How can we tell if we have inflammation?  Are there any tests or markers to determine the extent of inflammation?  Knowing what these tests are would give us a "starting point" (i.e. baseline assessment) and would be useful in determining what, if any, of the actions we are taking (like changing our diets, taking anti-inflammatory pills, and reducing our stress), are working."

Let's review what inflammation is...

Inflammation is a normal immune response in your body.  It's our body's first line of defense against injury.   Pain, swelling, redness, and warmth are all signs of inflammation arriving at the site of injury, helping your body begin the healing process.

Acute inflammation is a brief inflammatory response to an injury or illness that only lasts a few days. A twisted ankle, broken bone, viral infection, and sunburn are all examples of acute inflammation. (Ironically, I took a break from writing this blog to play racquetball with a friend, and accidentally twisted my ankle, which produced redness and swelling at the site of injury.  Great example of acute inflammation!)

Chronic inflammation, however, is when your body no longer has the ability to turn off the inflammatory response and it starts damaging healthy tissue in your body. Chronic inflammation has the ability to affect every one of our body's systems:  digestive, endocrine, respiratory, cardiovascular, skeletal and even our nervous systems. Without a doubt,  chronic inflammation, can and will lead to most illnesses we know of today including heart disease, diabetes, irritable bowel, asthma and allergies, arthritis, and cancer to name just a few.  This is serious stuff.

It would be really helpful to understand and be able to quantify the amount of inflammation in our body today.  Once we know where we are today (called a baseline assessment), we can make changes to our medicines (both prescribed and over-the-counter, with doctor approval) and lifestyle choices to reduce inflammation, eliminate disease, and hopefully feel better and live longer.  There are two kinds of assessments, medical and subjective.How can you tell if you have inflammation?

Medical Tests

Probably, the first assessment should be a comprehensive blood panel with the following tests.  Please note, this list may not be complete, and you should check with your personal doctor regarding what tests are right for you.  Each of these tests can help indicate inflammation in the body.  (For more information on each of these tests, just Google each test individually.)

1. Elevated C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
2. SED Rate
3. High levels of Homocysteine
4. Elevated Ferritin in the blood
5. Elevated HDL
6. Elevated Monocytes 
7. Elevated Blood Glucose

Subjective Tests

If you suspect inflammation in your body, learn to listen to your body and begin to keep track of the signs and symptoms.  Assigning each test a number on a scale of 1-10, would be helpful in determining what things increase and/or decrease inflammation.

1. Energy level - How do you feel?
2. Pain level - How much pain do you feel (and where)?
3. Mood level - How irritable or happy are you?
4. Ability to do certain tasks - How much does your knee hurt when walking or taking the stairs?  How much do your hands hurt when opening a jar?
5. Digestion - How constipated are you?
6. Comfort - How comfortable or uncomfortable are you?
7. Mind - How sharp is your mind?  Are you forgetting things?

Technology Can Help

Today's wearables and activity trackers that measure heart rate and other biometrics may  be useful in assessing the level of inflammation in your body.  Specifically, there are two kinds of wearables that may help.

1. Heart rate monitor - Whether you have a heart rate monitor with a chest strap (very accurate and best for people who don't mind wearing a chest strap), or a Garmin Vivosmart HR (with heart rate), knowing your heart rate trends can be a strong indicator of inflammation.  For instance, if your one-minute recovery heart rate is less than 13 beats in one minute, or if your recovery heart rate is trending downward, this could be something as simple as a cold or influenza or as serious as heart disease.  Tracking your ambient heart rate may also be useful.  (For more information on heart rate tests, please visit the leader in the industry, HeartZones for more information.)
2. Stress monitor - Technology is starting to catch up to what the leaders in our profession have been asking for.  By using sensors that track skin sweat rate and temperature, and heart rate, we may be getting closer to a monitor that can actually monitor stress.  Check out the Feel wrist bracelet, which is in the early stages of development.  (Note, I have not tried this one out yet, and cannot vouch for it's reliability.)

Medical and Lifestyle Changes

Once you have some baseline assessments for your current level of inflammation, it's time to look at your current list of medications (prescribed and OTC), and your lifestyle habits to determine how you might be able to improve your tests results.  Your doctor should be your first line of defense to discuss what, if any changes to your medications can be made.  (I'm not a doctor, so I won't even go there.) 

Actual situation:  A friend of mine was taking up to 24 Ibuprofen a day to manage arthritic pain.  When a doctor asked him, "Is it helping?"  He replied, "No.  I still have significant pain."  So, the doctor said, "Why don't you cut back your dosage by 50%, and see if there's a difference."  Upon reducing his ibuprofen by 50%, the friend still reported "about the same" level of pain (using the subjective test above).  The friend then eliminated all ibuprofen, and after a couple weeks indicated "about the same" level of pain.  The conclusion:  ibuprofen was not helping manage pain;  discontinue use.

Examining your current lifestyle and making modifications are the next most important things you can do. 

1. Physical Exercise - How much exercise do you current get?  
2. Nutrition - What is your current diet?
3. Emotions - What is your current level of stress?

Physical exercise has the ability to positively improve every system in the body:  digestive, endocrine, respiratory, cardiovascular, skeletal and even our nervous systems.  Guidelines indicate a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week for health benefits.  Next, track your current diet (use a piece of paper or one of the many apps out there) and identify foods you consume that are inflammatory.  Work on eliminating the inflammatory foods, while at the same time, increasing your intake of foods that are anti-inflammatory.  

Actual situation:  The friend, above, who had chronic pain because of arthritis, maintained a regular exercise routine, but he noted that his pain increased when he did not exercise regularly.  Nutritionally, there were a three things in his diet that were "highly inflammatory":  an excessive amount of alcohol, large amounts of red meats and white breads.  Each of these food items have been documented to increase inflammation.  Recommendation:  work on reducing and/or eliminating these foods.  

For more information, please read my previous article on inflammatory and anti-inflammatory foods.  Read also, "How Colorful Foods Fight Disease".  Finally, tracking your current level of stress (using a scale of 1-10), and working specifically on reducing  and/or eliminating stressful situations will also help reduce inflammation.  Here's a great guide to "How Stressed Are You?. 
 
For additional information, the Living 365fitt, 12-Week Program to Lifestyle Wellness is a great self-help program that, over the course of 12 weeks, will walk you through assessments and worksheets, with education and motivation, to help keep you on track physically, nutritionally and emotionally.  If followed, I guarantee you can reduce any inflammation you might currently have!

365fitt is about training for the event called LIFE, focusing on physical, nutritional and emotional wellness through lifestyle adaptations.  Kathy is available for wellness consultations and corporate wellness.  Please visit 365fitt for more information.  Live 365fitt!

Becoming a Lean Mean Swimming Machine

Or not

Have you ever noticed that swimmers may not have the leanest bodies, when compared to runners, cyclists or triathletes?  In fact, being "lean" may actually hinder performance.  In this article, we'll take a look at body fat and how it might affect swimming performance.

Body Fat Defined

The body requires a certain amount of fat for normal organ function.  This is called essential fat.  It is stored in small amounts in the bone marrow, organs, central nervous system, and muscles.  Women, typically have more essential fat (sometimes called sex-specific fat), found in the breast, pelvis, hips and thighs, which is essential for child-bearing and normal reproductive function.  

Essential fat plus stored fat is called total body fat.  Storage fat is found under the skin and in and around the muscles and organs.  A certain amount of storage fat is desirable as this kind of fat provides "cushion" to the organs and bones to protect from injury.  The following table shows the various classifications of body fat for most individuals, and for certain athletes.

Classification	Men	Women
Essential Fat	3%	12%
Athletic	5-10%	8-15%
Good	11-14%	16-23%
Acceptable	15-20%	24-30%
Overweight	21-24%	31-36%
Obese	>24%	>37%
Runners	5-11%	10-15%
Cyclists	5-15%	15-20%
Triathletes	5-12%	14-24%
Elite Swimmers	6-12%	14-25%
Masters Swimmers	10-20%	15-25%

Fat Swimmers Are Good Swimmers

There are several reasons why swimmers may never get as lean as cyclists or runners, and there are further differences between men and women.  Thermodynamics may play a role.  Since the water temperature of a pool is 15-20 degrees below the body's temperature, there is a natural "cooling effect", which may lower caloric burn as compared to runners and cyclists who get heated during workouts and potentially burn more calories.  Women, in general, have a higher body percentage of body fat than men, giving them a buoyancy advantage. Additionally, a woman's fat tends to be distributed more heavily in the lower half of the body, giving lift to the legs, reducing body drag.  As a result, the amount of energy required for a woman to swim at the same pace as a thin man is significantly less.

Deciding How Much and When to Lose Weight

Swimmers will want to be careful when trying to become a lean mean swimming machine.  Losing too much fat may negatively affect performance by requiring a higher energy expenditure for the effort spent.  A serious swimmer should perform a test set every 3-4 weeks when losing weight.  The test set should compliment the swimmer's strength, whether it be sprinting or endurance.  Attention should be given to effort as measured by heart rate, perceived exertion, and time/splits.  Recording weight and body fat will help determine when optimal body composition is attained.  Finally, weight training to improve strength may also affect performance both positively and negatively.  While strength training will improve a swimmers ability to sustain performance, too much lean muscle mass, at the expense of fat, may "sink" a good swimmer.

Determining when to lose weight may be just as important as how much to lose.  It is suggested that changes in body composition occur in the early stages of training, while building endurance and strength.  It is not advised to change body composition within 8 weeks of "A" focus races, like state or national competitions.  The risks of losing strength and body fat, and negatively affecting energy expenditures while training may be too great.  Weight loss and "leaning up" should cease at the point of "diminishing returns" if performing test sets during the endurance and strength phases of training.

Good luck swimming, love your body no matter what shape, and happy laps!

Kathy

Kathy Kent is a nationally acclaimed speaker on health and fitness issues.  Her company, 365fitt, provides consulting and training services to corporations, communities and individuals seeking a healthier lifestyle.  Her book, Living 365fitt, A 12-Week Program to Lifestyle Wellness, and accompanying webinars, provide sound information on physical, nutritional and emotional lifestyle changes for better fitness.  

Contact Kathy for more information at kathy@365fitt.com.  

Why You Aren't Using Your Fitbit Anymore

It's 7am.  Do you know where your Fitbit is today?

Sadly, an estimated 30% of  all fitness trackers are ending up in a drawer, on a table, or in a box.  They are the misfits; the rejected; the once "cool gadget" that has now fallen by the wayside; the gadget that was supposed to be the answer to all your prayers; the gadget that was going to help you exercise consistently, lose weight, and be accountable - once and for all.

Too bad, too; because activity trackers CAN make a difference. The ugly truth is, however, that fitness trackers are failing to engage.

• In 2013, 10% of individuals owned a fitness tracker.  

• By 2013, it was estimated that 50% of people who purchased activity trackers, stopped using them.

• By 2014, 30% of individuals who owned/purchased an activity tracker, stopped using it within 6 months.

We are finding out that users quickly abandon wearables that don’t help them make positive changes.  Yet, this multimillion dollar industry is continuing to move forward.  The wearable is here to stay.  Everyone is behind it: doctors, insurance companies, and employers all have skin in the game.  Even individuals, who are recognizing that the ultimate responsibility for their health lies within themselves, are behind the wearable movement.  The wearable is just going through some "re-design" issues that will, hopefully, address the lack of long-term engagement. 

The key is to help the user change their habits.  Are you ready to change?

Changing habits is a process and the truth is that individual's must be ready to change. The Six Stages of Behavioral Change (called the Trans Theoretical Model) include pre-contemplation, contemplation, commitment, preparation, action, and maintenance. Studies have shown that wearable devices will not sufficiently motivate individuals who are in the first or second stage.  However, individuals who are "already there", in the  commitment and/or preparation stages, may be motivated to use the device.  (For more information on the 6 stages of change - please read this short excerpt from my book, Living 365fitt.) Are you ready to change?  (Take this short quiz here.) 

Building a Better Wearable

The criteria for success for many wearable devices and services goes beyond adoption. A successful wearable must engage long-term.  Devices that just provide data (steps, calories, distance), but don't inspire action will not last.  Which means that simple wrist monitors (i.e. early versions of Fitbit and Jawbone) simply aren't good enough anymore.  

If we want a certain behavior to change, we need to "interrupt" the old behavior.  Bring on the next generation of wearables; the SMART ACTIVITY TRACKER.

Studies show sales of SMART wearable devices continuing to grow.  This next round of devices not only provide data, but, provide the necessary feedback throughout the day to change behaviors.  This feedback comes in the form of visual reminders, notifications, sounds, and vibrations.  They key to success is providing interaction throughout the day to provide the user with opportunity to change behavior (i.e. get more steps, get better sleep). Devices that provide data, but don't inspire action won't last. Inspiring action is key to long term wearable utilization.

Focus on Wellness

People are hardwired want to feel better.  It's part of a complex chemical reaction within our bodies.  When we feel better, we want "more of it".  This is called intrinsic motivation, and, is the most effective form of "reward".  Successful devices must tap into the intrinsic motivation, and, therefore, positively impact users' health and happiness.  Imagine sitting at your desk, seeing your Garmin Vivosmart HR heart rate drop, and know that you're positively managing your stress, thus, positively affecting your health.   In fact, studies have shown that a majority of wearable users, are using their devices to focus on overall wellness and the enhancement of daily life, and are not just using their device to track exercise and/or lose weight.

Finally, it should be noted, that SMART wearables must focus on not only the constant connection, but the social connection as well.  SMART wearables, either wirelessly through bluetooth connection or through wired connection (USB), connect to a software platform, or app, on a smartphone or desktop computer, where a whole community of users can share information, motivate each other, and provide support.  It is anticipated that by 2020, there will be more than 6 billion smart phone users in the world, up from 2 billion in 2016.  With so many people connected to their phones, SMART wearables and health tracking, driven by the medical and insurance communities, and supported by employers and individuals, will only continue to grow and become the norm, in a health-conscious world.

- but only if it's worn!!!

Living 365fitt,
Kathy

Credit given for statistics and graphs to Endeavour Partners. For more information on the adoption of wearables, visit http://endeavourpartners.net/white-papers/.

Kathy Kent is a nationally acclaimed speaker on women's health and fitness issues.  Her company, 365fitt, provides consulting and training services to corporations, communities and individuals seeking a healthier lifestyle.  Her book, Living 365fitt, A 12-Week Program to Lifestyle Wellness, and accompanying webinars, provide sound information on physical, nutritional and emotional lifestyle changes for better fitness.  

Contact Kathy for more information at kathy@365fitt.com.  

Twenty Tips to Maximize Your Investment in Wearable Activity Trackers for Corporate Wellness Programs

It is estimated that by the year 2018, more than 13 million wearable fitness tracking devices will be incorporated into corporate wellness programs, up from 200,000 in the year 2013.

• 80% of employers with more than 1,000 employees, and 44% of employers with 50-999 employees provided some form of corporate wellness program (2012).

But, there's a downside.  Once the "newness" of the "cool" gadget has worn off, as many as 50% of individuals discontinue use of their activity tracker after 3-6 months.  (It is important to note that this statistic is about overall fitness tracker devices, not specifically about devices used in a corporate wellness program, that might offer additional programming, and ultimately affect usage longevity. Simply stated, individuals who purchase a device on their own, may not be in the right stage to adopt new behaviors, may not understand technology or how to use the device to maximize it's benefits, and may not have a coach or someone to help guide and motivate them.)

So, when a corporation decides to provide wearable fitness devices to its' employees, some thought should definitely be given to how to maximize the investment and health outcome for the employees.  Here is my list twenty top tips for getting the most out of activity trackers in a corporate wellness program, whether you're just getting started with a new program, or you need to breathe new energy into an existing program.

Twenty Tips for Maximizing Wearable Activity Trackers in a Corporate Wellness Program

1. Strive for 100% "opt in" to your wellness program.
2. Start simple, then, build more advanced products into your program.
3. Keep it simple and focus on one wellness initiative at a time (i.e. steps).
4. Be inclusive and include every location, every employee, and every ability.
5. Include a fitness device as part of new employee orientation.
6. Get the family involved and include free (or reduced price) activity trackers for spouses/partners - even friends!  Do this because you help build a strong community and built-in support system.
7. Make it fun for everyone. 
8. Introduce monthly themed competitions to keep it interesting.
9. Get Management involved and participating actively.
10. Tap into competition with "beat the boss" or departmental competitions!
11. Make it personal to your facility and post steps to the parking lot, around campus, to the cafeteria, and through the halls to encourage "more".
12. Increase goals to drive excitement and keep momentum.
13. Reward improvements - it helps level the playing field.
14. Reward participation at every level.
15. Send out company invites to walk before or after work, during lunch, and/or for mid morning or late afternoon walks to re-energize.
16. Think "outside the box" and try new ways of doing old things.  Try "walking meetings" instead of sitting in an office and/or friendly sports activities (basketball, indoor soccer, classes) instead of going to a bar or restaurant after hours.
17. Reward participation and improvement with certificates of achievement.  They matter.
18. Offer the unexpected, such as a raffle for a big cash prize, with "tickets" bought through  participation and/or improvement.
19. Focus on intrinsic goals, because people really do want to get healthy and feel better (with or without incentives).
20. Reach out to "inactive" participants and offer to help.

As a bonus, I have one more tip that I think can make or break a corporate wellness initiative.

Make healthy snacks free and convenient. Make unhealthy snacks fee and inconvenient.

Seriously, if you had to take the stairs two flights up to get to the vending machine for your sugary drink and processed snack, you might actually think twice about it.  Chances are, you'd opt to walk to the corner office for the healthy snack.  (Studies have actually shown that it's not the food that most employees crave, but the potential for social interaction, a "stretch" and a little break from  their computer or desk.)

Finally, if you'd like any information on creating a successful wellness program for your school, community or corporation, please send me an email at kathy@365fitt.com, or call 630-302-3470.  Collaborating with several other partners, I am happy to provide a proposal to suit your budget and your needs.  Our programs work across a wide selection of technology (Fitbit, Garmin, Fitlinxx, Polar) and are a complete wellness solution.  

Living 365fitt,
Kathy

Eating to Swim: Swimming To Eat

What every swimmer should know to swim their best

It's been nearly six years since I swam competitively.  Something called "life" got in the way;  I got derailed.  I was a former Ironman triathlete with a strong swim background.  I even competed in a couple of long distance ocean swims, namely the Bonaire Eco-Swim and the Bermuda 'Round The Sound Swim.  And when I say long distance, I mean long:  10K (that's 6.2 miles for the non-metrics out there.)  It wasn't unlike me to train 2-3 hours in the pool for one of these swims.  And - I knew how to train.

As a coach with over twenty years experience, I taught both myself and others how to maximize their training, physically, nutritionally and mentally.  Which brings me to today's topic:  eating to swim.

I'm back in the pool, swimming with my local masters swim team in Chicago (hi to my fellow Swedish Fish out there!)  My first few practices beat me up  pretty bad, until muscle memory kicked in and muscular strength increased.  As my conditioning increased and I started to build speed and endurance, I knew that I had to train smarter, and that included eating like an athlete again.  I've created a list of what I consider to be the best in smart training nutrition for swimmers (and most athletes for that matter).

1. HYDRATE - Drink plenty of water before, during and after practice.  Most individuals should drink (in ounces) their body weight divided by two every day.  You pass the "pee test" if your urine is clear to light yellow in color.  Dehydration (for example, 1-2% of body weight), can increase heart rate up to 5bpm, falsely making training efforts appear "harder" than normal.  Sports drinks are not necessary, unless training volume exceeds 90 minutes in most cases.
2. CONSUME APPROXIMATELY 300 CALORIES 2-3 HOURS BEFORE PRACTICE - This will ensure that your tank has enough fuel to get you through practice.  Ideally, these calories would come from mostly complex carbohydrates, although up to 25% protein would be ideal.  Examples of an ideal meal might be a banana or apple with peanut butter, half of a turkey sandwich, or a bowl of oatmeal with a handful of raisins or nuts.  A meal replacement bar with the proper ratio of carbohydrates to protein could suffice.  This could be a well balanced regular meal as well.
3. OR, CONSUME APPROXIMATELY 100 CALORIES WITHIN 1 HOUR BEFORE PRACTICE - When you're short on time, something is better than nothing.  In this case, stick to simple carbohydrates, which will give you quick energy.  Examples would include a banana, an orange, or a 100% juice drink.
4. CONSUME 100-200 CALORIES WITHIN 20-30 MINUTES AFTER PRACTICE - Studies have shown that our muscle fibers are "open and receptive" to receiving fuel up to about 30 minutes post exercise, then, the fibers start to close up.  Consuming a combination of carbohydrate and protein in a 3:1 (or 4:1) ratio is perfect for repairing damaged muscle fibers. 
5. AVOID THE BAD - It doesn't make sense to put in hours of solid physical training, with the goal of getting and staying healthy or competing, if you fill your body with bad food.  It's like reversing all the good you just did!  Bad food choices would include most processed foods.  (TIP:  Read the label and buy only foods that have fewer than 5 ingredients.)  Avoid or limit fast foods, chemicals, food colorings, foods with added sugars and white flours and foods with bad saturated fats, and alcohol. (Sorry, friends!)
6. CHOOSE THE GOOD - Whenever possible, choose whole foods.  These would include lots of vegetables and fruits, some meats, limited cheeses and dairy and whole grains and nuts.  Aim for eating good food choices 80% of the time.

Of course, there are plenty of swimmers out there who are just swimming for the health of it and that's fine.  But, if you're looking to improve or compete, or are not as effective in your workout as you want to be, take a look at your current nutrition and see if there's room for improvement.  Unless you're putting in some heavy yardage or hours in the pool, you may not need extra calories, so be careful about over-fueling.  Don't forget to take a look at the timing of your meals, which could be an opportunity to balance your fuel intake and utilization.  Finally, pay attention to your own special needs if you have diabetes or low blood sugar or hypertension, and adjust according to your doctor's recommendations.  Happy laps!

Swimming 365fitt,

Kathy

Kathy Kent is a nationally acclaimed speaker on women's health and fitness issues.  Her company, 365fitt, provides consulting and training services to corporations, communities and individuals seeking a healthier lifestyle.  Her book, Living 365fitt, A 12-Week Program to Lifestyle Wellness, and accompanying webinars, provide sound information on physical, nutritional and emotional lifestyle changes for better fitness.  

Contact Kathy for more information at kathy@365fitt.com.  

Every Woman Needs to Know This

Why losing weight after 40 is like pushing a rock uphill.

Today I received a message from a friend, who said to me:

"I think I'm broken.  I've been working my ass off, working out for a month, eating and drinking in moderation, trying to be healthy.  I just weighed myself and I haven't lost an ounce.  Do people lose their ability to drop weight?"

Short answer, "Yes".

Longer answer, "Especially, yes, if you're a woman."  But, ALL women, of ALL AGES, need to know this, because ALL women are going to get older.  And, what we have to understand, is how our bodies change as we get older.  Once we understand what happens to our bodies, we can adapt our habits and lifestyle to maintain a healthy weight.

First, let's understand what happens to a woman's body as it gets older.

ESTROGEN

Estrogen is the primary female sex hormone, and with perimenopause and menopause, women can expect a drop in estrogen production.  Estrogen is produced by the ovaries primarily, and by the glands and liver, in much smaller amounts. Estrogen is even produced by fat cells.  This may explain why women tend to gain a few pounds through this phase of life.  

Think about it...the more fat you have, the more estrogen your body may produce.  This could be your body's way of trying to maintain proper estrogen levels, picking up the slack when the ovaries' production of estrogen decreases.

STRESS

Stress hormones (cortisol) block weight loss and in fact, add fat to your belly as a "layer of protection" to your vital organs.  

Think about it...the most important organs in your body are in and around your midsection.  By adding a layer of fat around the midsection, your body is protecting itself from harm, in this case, stress.  This is your body's way of trying to save your life.  

LIFESTYLE

Your metabolism may slow down, but this could be because of both hormones as well as lifestyle choices.  As we get older, we have "more on our plate", devoting time to families, careers, and social activities and less time devoted to regular physical activity.  

Think about it...are you as active as you once were, say, at age 25?  35?  45?  Is it possible that you're just not working out as hard as you used to?

AGING

Aging affects everybody differently, but it's a fact that our bodies will decline.  With aging, comes decreased heart function and muscle mass, both of which will lead to an increase in weight, typically followed by chronic disease such as high blood pressure and diabetes.  Individuals who make good lifestyle choices (physical exercise, sound nutrition, and low stress), can expect to slow down the aging process.  Individuals who don't take care of their bodies (from their early twenties through mid-life), can expect to accelerate the aging process.  

Read my previous blog entry on Fitness Beyond 50 - what happens to our bodies and what you can do to live longer and healthier!  (When you click on the link, you can download the free pdf handout used in my seminars.)

Now, let's do something about it! 

Here's a short list of what I recommended to my friend today, and what you can do to increase your metabolism and potentially, shift from weight gain to weight loss (or maintenance).

TOP FIVE LIST OF WAYS TO SHIFT YOUR METABOLISM

1. Weight train.  Lift weights regularly.  One pound of muscle burns 3x more calories than one pound of fat.  If you're just starting out, lift enough weight to do 15 repetitions and 2 sets.  (Check out the 365fitt 10-Minute Workouts for basic strength training.)  Aim for 2-3x/week, 10-15min/day for beginners; 2-3x/week, 30-40min/day for intermediate/advanced.
2. Eat 100 calories less a day.  Choose ONE thing that you can reasonably and realistically change and expect to maintain that change.  (For example, eliminate the butter on your bread, the cream in your coffee, the second slice of bread from your sandwich.)  Decreasing your caloric consumption by 100 calories a day can potentially save you 10 pounds in one year!
3. Exercise an additional 30-60 minutes each week. 
4. Increase the number of steps you take to a MINIMUM of 10,000/day.  If you're not seeing any change, increase it to 13,000 steps a day.  Or, increase the intensity of one of your workouts.  A heart rate monitor or activity tracker is an excellent way to track your intensity.
5. Decrease your stress.  Identify and address the stressors in your life, and resolve to deal with them in a healthy manner.

Living 365fitt beyond age 50!

Kathy

Kathy Kent is a nationally acclaimed speaker on women's health and fitness issues.  Her company, 365fitt, provides consulting and training services to corporations, communities and individuals seeking a healthier lifestyle.  Her book, Living 365fitt, A 12-Week Program to Lifestyle Wellness, and accompanying webinars, provide sound information on physical, nutritional and emotional lifestyle changes for better fitness.  

Contact Kathy for more information at kathy@365fitt.com.