by Kim Miller | Feb 9, 2016 | Totally Tone Tuesday, Uncategorized
Hi Everyone,
It is Totally Tone Tuesday. It’s the day we talk about strengthening, stretching and balance!
In my practice I often see clients with tight hips. Sometimes they are not even aware of it until they move a certain way and suddenly pain is felt in their hips or back. I call this kind of pain, the pain of ‘living-in-a-box’. The reason I refer to it as ‘living-in-a-box’ pain is because it often occurs when one steps out of their normal daily routines and pain suddenly strikes.
So often we think we are in great shape.
After all, we can do what we need to do each day without too much stress on our bodies. But here’s the thing; it’s not most people’s normal routines that illustrates the huge gaps in strength they are lacking in the many muscle groups of their bodies. Normal routines are just that – normal. And with normal we think everything is good. But it’s really not. At some point, we want to break out of our normal routines and do something different.
Let’s say, you haven’t played golf in a while and while on vacation you go out and play a round. You play a round to find out that your back got out of alignment because your hips, core, and back have not been contorted like that in many years. So now you are in pain for the next two weeks.
So Often What One Does Next
They stop the golf and go back to living-in-a-box. You know, that comfortable box that says, “I have no aches. I have no pains. I am in great shape.” Forgetting about the golf and the great times they had, they continue ‘living-in-a-box’ routine until even the slightest of daily changes affects them. Then they cease doing much of anything at all. Living-in-a-box is just that – staying in the comfort zone of what makes us feel in good shape. Albeit that may mean just walking a few minutes a day, keyboarding a computer, eating, going to the theatre and other in-the-box-routines.
Why Bring This Up
We don’t need to live inside a box. Sure, we are not going to ski like a mad man in our 90’s but we can certainly experience the same rush and feeling of skiing like a mad man or the rush of playing tennis or golf with intensity well into our 90’s. And the only thing is, we gotta condition our bodies to move in ways that we do not move in our daily life, we have to learn how to live out of the box.
Next week, look for 3 hip exercises that will get you outside of your comfort zone and allow you to do what you want to do for a long, long, time!
Congratulations to January’s 30 Days to Lean Members.
24 members lost 224 pounds. Best part: healthy, happy, and on their way to continuing to do what they want to do for a long- long time!
Next Lean: March 7th.
All My Best,
Kim
by Kim Miller | Nov 16, 2015 | Totally Tone Tuesday, Uncategorized
Hi Everyone,
It’s Totally Tone Tuesday and it’s the day we talk about strengthening, stretching, and balance!
High intensity interval training, also called HITT, is a specific type of interval training that in the past was practiced mainly by athletes at the highest level of sports. Today, it is implemented commonly by athletes and non athletes alike who desire obtaining the most, lean, athletic, and sinewy physiques that are “possible for them.”
Emphasis on, “possible for them”, is placed because it’s important to understand that we have innate body shapes that make becoming lean more easy, or more difficult,depending on genetic factors. There are three body types:
Ectomorph
Body types are naturally lean and thin skinned. They will see quicker looking body fat results than the two other body types, mesomorphs and endomorphs.
Mesomorph
Body types are characterized by dense musculature. They will see results less quickly than ectomorphs, but have greatest lean muscle looking potential.
Endomorph
Body types are characterized by softness and fatty areas throughout body. These individuals respond to high intensity interval training less quickly than ectomorphs and mesomorphs, but results of fat loss percentages are more pronounced than the former two groups.
The Truth of the Matter
Think you are an Endomorph? Think again! Go back to your childhood, and recall what body type you were at age 10. This is what you are today, even if you feel a little soft.
EPOC to Super Charge Metabolism
When you exercise using the high intensity interval system, your body consumes considerably more oxygen. And the more oxygen you expend, the more calories you burn. However this increased oxygen during exercise is not really what fuels what we all desire- a higher metabolic rate, it’s the after-burn, or what is called EPOC, and more descriptively, excess post exercise oxygen consumption that fuels our metabolism. It works like this. The more energy your body uses during training, the higher EPOC. EPOC works in increasing metabolism by telling our body to get back to balance or what is referred to as homeostasis.
Getting back to homeostasis takes energy though, and this energy burns calories for several hours if not days afterward. That’s why hard working athletes who consume thousands of calories still find it difficult to sustain their weights. Their bodies are calorie burning machines even when they are at rest. How would you like to have even a fraction of their speedy metabolisms? You can.
To Get Started Now On EPOC
Take whatever cardio exercise you are doing and take yourself out of your comfort zone for a few seconds to upwards of a minute or two depending on your fitness level.
You can walk/run faster if your typical cardiovascular exercise is walking/jogging. You can go faster and or add more resistance if your typical cardiovascular exercise is biking. You can increase your incline and or resistance if your typical cardiovascular exercise is the the elliptical trainer/rowing machine and etc. You get the picture. The key in all of this as you take yourself out of your comfort zone is to expect an increased heart rate. When we do this, our heart becomes not only stronger but we burn so much more energy. Keep it low key in the beginning as it’s important to see how our skeletal and muscular systems respond to the increased demands. Injury chances increase if we do not smartly progress to more intense interval training.
If you want a more formalized progressive approach to achieving an increased metabolism through EPOC, join my Movement is Life Program. It’s a comprehensive progressive cardio program individualized specifically for you. There’s no personal training sessions to attend, and everything is done online at your convenience and your own pace. Call, email or text for further information. This plan includes texting, telephone calls or emails as needed to help you along.
Congratulations to the Following 30 Days To Lean Most recent member’s accomplishments:
Megan – down 24 pounds in 60 days! Congratulations Megan!
Mary – down 8.5 pounds in 30 days! Congratulations Mary!
Ann – down 14 pounds in 30 Days! Congratulations Ann!
Lynne – down 23 pounds in 90 days! Congratulations Lynne!
Congratulations to too many members to list members, that have taken both 30 Days to Lean programs, and continue lose weight and gain health momentum!
Kate says, ” the great thing about this program is that there are so many recipes and weekly menus that even when you finish the plans, you can continue losing weight by mixing and matching the recipes. I’ve lost a total of 39 pounds, and 11 of these pounds came after I finished with Kim.”
by Kim Miller | Aug 8, 2015 | Totally Tone Tuesday, Uncategorized
Strengthening, Stretching and Balance
You get it that strengthening, stretching, and balance are all important right?
But how do we know how much strength we need? How much flexibility we need? And how much balance we need? These are the real questions we need to be asking ourselves. Not everyone is conditioning for a chosen sport such as golf, tennis, biking, running or skiing. Some people may need just enough conditioning/toning for gardening, cleaning their homes, playing with the grandkids, their own kids, or traveling about.
Upshot Strength Question:
Can I do the things I need to do throughout the day without getting too tired in the muscles.
If your answer is no, then you need to up your strength in the weight department. That usually means going to the gym.
Everyone has a different daily routine- some are vigorous and some are not so much. Your level of strength needs to match what you want to do.
Realize
Often we think we do not want to do something we once loved, like gardening or hikes in the woods, mainly because we are deconditioned. Passion for what we used to do can often be reignited by strengthening our bodies, increasing the joint range of motion, and feeling grounded in balance. Cardiovascular fitness plays a role in heart conditioning but this newsletter is not directly about cardiovascular training.
How Do We Know We Are Strong Enough? Flexible Enough? And Balanced Enough?
When you can do what you want to do without getting overly fatigued and thoroughly enjoy the activity, then, and only then are you as strong, flexible, and balanced as you need to be.
Don’t confuse this with training in the gym however. When you are in the gym lifting weights, fatigue is what we need to aim for. Why? Because a fatigued muscle is a stronger muscle. And a stronger muscle can put up with the demands of either your chosen sport or whatever you need or desire to do daily.
The intent for many people after age 40 is usually not to be in the gym because they love it, but to be in the gym so they may be able to do what they want to do! That’s why I go. This is in sharp contrast to years ago when I was in the gym because of the love of it! Now I condition just enough for my chosen sport which is tennis, and to keep my back from caving forward from increased computer usage.
Thinking You Need To Step Things Up?
Do these exercises several times before we meet again.
Balance:
![Image result for tree pose man]()
Hold for one minute each leg.
Strength:
Hold for one minute keeping abdominals pressed in supporting back ( build time incrementally).
Stretch
Hold for one minute receiving stretch in lower back and front of thigh/quadriceps.
Balance Strength and Stretch:
Hold for one minute ( build time incrementally).
Reverse sides.
by Kim Miller | Aug 8, 2015 | Totally Tone Tuesday, Uncategorized
You get it that strengthening, stretching, and balance are crucial in being able to do what you want to do.
You get it that strengthening, stretching, and balance can be improved regardless of age.
You get it that your level of strength, range of motion and sense of balance needs to match life’s activities.
And you get it that strengthening, stretching, and balance play a large role in decreasing the aging process.
So Now What?
All this insight must be put into action. Don’t let it overwhelm you though. Too often we think in terms of all or nothing when it comes to change. This all or nothing approach, or what I call immersion, needs to be tempered with gradual progressive habit change otherwise we risk reverting back to old habits. Conditioning our mind to do exercise begins with small baby steps. And it should begin with baby steps since injury risk increases with age.
Here’s What I Mean
When it comes to exercise we need to acknowledge where we are at physically and where we want to be physically. Then, it’s just a matter of bridging the gap through what is called progressive overload of the body. Progressive overload simply means that we increase our training load ( example: increasing weights in a gym more progressively as it gets easy. Practicing holding a balance position longer as it gets easier. And increasing the range of motion in a joint progressively as it gets easier.)
Ask Yourself These 3 Questions:
1. Can I do the things I need to do throughout the day without getting too tired in the muscles?
If your answer is no, then you need to up your strength in the weight department. That usually means going to the gym.
Everyone has a different daily routine- some are vigorous and some are not so much. Your level of strength needs to match what you want to do. But remember, you must be wise and increase your strength progressively!
2. Can I move in various positions without feeling strain? If the answer is no, then you gotta increase your flex, called range of motion or ROM for short.
3. Do I feel balanced in various activities throughout the day? For example, I notice that some people have difficulty moving up stairs swiftly. Their ability to balance on one leg as when ascending stairs is a little wobbly. If you are feeling even a little wobbly, then it’s time to work on balance as stairs are for most people a daily living activity. * Often the wobbles while ascending stairs is a condition of leg strength too. You would be smart to practice both strength and balance.
Thinking You Need To Step Things Up?
Do these exercises several times before we meet again.
Balance
Strength
Stretch
Balance Strength and Stretch:
by Kim Miller | Aug 8, 2015 | Totally Tone Tuesday, Uncategorized
Can I do the things I need to do throughout the day without getting too tired?If your answer was no to that question last week, I suggested that you would need to up your strength in the weight department. But here’s the thing you may be wondering…what does “too tired mean?” It’s often easy to assess when a muscle cannot do any more exercise like when you are in a gym and you can barely do one more rep because you are too tired.
But to assess whether you are strong enough on a daily basis to do what you need to do, may be a little more complicated. Below are several things that will tip you off that you are not in as good of shape as you need to be:
– You are prone to injury.
– You are not sleeping well.
– You no longer desire to do the things that you once enjoyed doing.
– You find yourself looking for movement shortcuts.
– Your enjoyment mainly comes through eating instead of a multitude of outlets.
* all of the above can be a condition of others health problems not related to strength. I tell my clients to check things out with a doctor, but if these areas above improve with me training them than their lack of overall strength was one of the missing links to feeling good.
Can I move in various positions without feeling strain?
If your answer was no last week then you gotta increase your flex, called range of motion or ROM for short. But here’s the thing here: losing our ROM happens so slowly and progressively that we barely notice it until one day, we bend over to pick up a pen off the floor and we can barely get back up! Scary right?
Here are 5 activities you should be able to do without strain.
1. Pick up a pen off the floor with no strain.
2. March in place with a high knee lift for 1 minute with no strain.
3. Stay in a half squat position for one minute/full squat for those in athletics with no strain.
4. Raise your arms up overhead while standing against a wall with no strain.
5. Get up off of a floor from a supine( on back) position to a standing position in less than 7 seconds/3 seconds for those in athletics.
Do I feel balanced in various activities throughout the day?
If your answer was no last week then you gotta increase your leg strength and increase your balance.
Here are 3 activities you should be able to do with good form:
1. Pick up a pen off the floor while feeling balanced.
2. March in place with a high knee lift for 1 minute.
3. Stay in a half squat position for one minute/full squat for those in athletics.
4. Get up off of a floor from a supine( on back) position to a standing position in less than 7 seconds/3 seconds for those in athletics.
5. Balance on one leg with eyes closed for 30 seconds/ one minute for those in athletics.
by Kim Miller | Aug 8, 2015 | Totally Tone Tuesday, Uncategorized
Should Women Train Differently than Men For Muscle Tone?
Weightlifting is the secret weapon in the battle of fat loss. Not only does it burn calories when you do it, the muscle it stimulates burns calories while you sleep. If that is not enough, muscle also represents every desired curve women want on their bodies; a tight stomach, firm arms, firm thighs, etc. Achieving those goals is not just about removing fat; it’s about stimulating muscle.The muscle physiology of men and women is virtually identical. Yes, women have less testosterone and, on average, less muscle per pound of body weight, but the techniques to improve muscle tone, add muscle mass and increase functional strength are all identical. The best chest exercise for a man is also the best chest exercise for a woman, and so on.It seems women’s magazines are the worst offenders in this area of telling women they need to train differently. How many times have you seen a photo of a flawlessly beautiful model with a 22-inch waist holding a pink 2-pound dumbbell? That dumbbell did not give her that body. It can’t. The truth is a light weight like that will never, ever force a change in your body. You tone, shape and build a muscle by forcing it to perform exercises near the maximum limit of its ability. There is no other way.
How To Get Results In the Gym?
If you want results in the gym that will transform the look of your body you need to lift what are – for you – really heavy weights.
It’s important though that you build up to that capacity as it is usually the tendons and ligaments that need to adapt to the increased weight rather than the muscle.
Lift Heavy Weights but be smart and patient making sure that your body adapts over time to the increased weight amounts. When you visit the gym try some of your favorite exercises with a weight that is so heavy you can only perform 5 or 6 repetitions. That’s a good starting place to discover what you are really capable of and what it will take to deliver changes you can see in the mirror.
Get Out of The Mindset
If you get out of the mindset that you need to lift light weights and implement lots of repetitions because you are over 50, you will sculpt your body so much better! But be smart. Build up to the heavier weights and know that toning results come through challenging the body to lift heavier weights than what you are used to using. And women know that if you want to sculpt your body, we basically should be training the same way that educated in the gym men train – heavier weights that produce fatigue in the muscles at a low repetition range such as 5-6 reps at least once a week for increased muscle shape. And no pink dumb bells, unless of course they weigh at least 10 lbs!
