HANDS UP: Step away from the treadmill!

Before I begin to discuss the best times to go to the gym, I believe it is even MORE important to cover what you're doing in it...

Many women want to be "toned and lean", many men want to be "jacked and ripped", but the truth is - there is the same means to both ends!

Weight lifting with moderate cardiovascular activities is extremely important while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 

How do I know?

Well, I began embarking on this lifestyle in January, and the results have been incredible.

For example, this was me in June of 2009, and I looked even worse by December of 2010. 

By June 2011, just 7 months after I began weightlifting and becoming health conscious, I look like this:

So, if you'll let me - I'd like to bust those myths embedded into your mind - right now:

• Girls can't lift, they'll look like men.  Honestly, if it were as easy for women to build muscle as it is for men, more women would do it!  Testosterone is the reason men look the way they do, NEWSFLASH LADIES, you have very trace amounts of that.
• In order to become toned, I must spend at least 1.5 hours on the treadmill twice a day. Nope, not so much.  If you want to look lean and "toned", then stop eating so much.  
• If I bench 300 pounds once a week, I'll blow up and look like Arnold. Sorry boys, muscle is built through routine.  Building muscle happens just as much outside of them gym (and in the kitchen), as it does inside of the gym.  You need EXCESS calories in order to build muscle - so start eating!
• If I go to the gym twice in one day, I'm dedicated. Wrong again, RECOVERY IS KEY! 
• I'm so dedicated, I'll go to the gym at 10 p.m. and then again at 4 a.m. the next morning! Hey big guy, guess what's more important than recovery? SLEEP!

So, if you're thinking about starting a new program in the gym - don't forget to include weight training!

• Men:
• • Think about starting a plan like Rippetoe's Starting Strength, or Madcow's 5x5!
• Women:
• • Technically, those are very good programs for you to start with, as well!  If you're trying to get something more female friendly, then try New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women.

Fun Fact: Running 3 miles is great for endurance - but walking 3 miles at a 3.0 speed at a 12.5-15% incline is better for weight loss!

*Let me see your transformations and feel free to post any tips that have worked for you, as well!

XOXO,

Ms. Wisely 

Busting the Myths!

With so much information out there on how to lose weight and stay healthy, it's very easy to fall into the traps of "THE PERFECT DIET!" and "QUICK AND EASY ABS IN JUST 4.2 MILLISECONDS PER MONTH!"

Well, it didn't take you 4.2 milliseconds to add those 5 lbs, so it shouldn't take 4.2 milliseconds to lose them. 

I asked my friends here at Moravian about their ideas of nutrition and the results were what I expected:

• Carbohydrates are BAD! Oh really? Hm, well I'm pretty sure they're the one thing our brain needs to function properly.
• Fat is BAD! If you follow this, chances are you're a really REALLY grumpy person while dieting, right? Fat is essential for hormone regulation, so there is nothing wrong with incorporating fats into your diet!
• Too much meat is BAD! In short, just no. No, it's not. Protein is one of the more important aspects of dieting, health, overall nutrition, wellness and strength!
• Salads are SO healthy. Not if you're loading that Caesar dressing onto the salad - they aren't!
• Women shouldn't lift big weights or else they'll look like boys. Women don't have testosterone, go lift some metal. You won't get big - you don't have testosterone!  My next post will expand on this.
• Running 6 miles is better than walking at an incline for weight loss. Running = AEROBIC. Inclined walk = ANAEROBIC. Running burns energy, oxygen and sometimes muscle.  Walking burns...fat.

Over the next few months, we will be specifically dissecting each one of these assumptions and putting them in the past! 

Here at Moravian College, we are given MUCH of what we need to successfully diet and stay healthy, but most students are very unaware. 

Small steps are important, so try and incorporate at least one of the following into your week:

• Go to the Blue and Gray instead of the Marketplace! 
• You're going to be more tempted to eat more if you're at an all-you-can-eat style eatery.
• Eat a salad, instead of the pizza, while you're in the Blue and Gray!
• Do not get a salad with the full fat dressing, tons of cheese, croutons and ham.
• Ask for some of the scrumptious seasoned grilled chicken, fat free dressing (it's still just as delicious, trust me!), no cheese, and light croutons. 
• Walk 30-45 minutes at 12.5 percent incline at speed 3 on the treadmill!
• Lift some weights! 
• Start light, but aim to progress! Lifting weights is JUST as important as cardio for strength, weight loss and overall health!
• Have a general consciousness about your health as you make decisions, each little choice counts!
• Whether you're trying to lose weight, get healthy, gain strength or live an overall better lifestyle - these tips will apply to each and every aspect!

XOXO,

Ms. Wisely

"Is Butter a Carb?"

I'm sure many of us know that famous quote from Regina George in "Mean Girls" in which she asks Cady if butter is a carbohydrate.

She also goes on an "all-natural" juice diet, which is essentially all carbohydrates, with concentrated raspberry juice.

NO, Regina...NO. Butter is NOT a carbohydrate, it is actually 100 percent fat and a "juice" diet is probably the worst idea anyone has ever had.

This, friends, is the note that this amazing health blog is going to begin on, because believe it or not - many people haven't the slightest clue about carbohydrates, or nutrition, in general!

So, let's begin with a few facts about Carbohydrates:

• 1 gram of carbohydrates is equal to 4 calories.
• • This means that it takes your body 4 calories of energy to burn off this 1 gram of carbohydrate.
• There are carbohydrates in almost everything. They can primarily be found in:
• • Bread, sugar, vegetables, sweets, juices, and fruits.

There are 2 other main nutrients that the body requires:

• Protein. 1 gram of protein is also equal to 4 calories.
• • Found in meat, eggs, cheese, and protein powders.
• Fat. 1 gram of fat is equal to 9 calories.
• • Found in everything that doesn't say "fat free" - and it's delicious...awfully delicious.

So, how many of these "calories" do you need? Well, that can be complicated.

One of the best tools to calculate this magical number - which is different for every single one of us - can be found on Bodybuilding.com:

• http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981

Now that you know that number, you're going to need to keep track! Here at Moravian College, the food services are provided by Sodexo. Therefore, the nutrition calculations are already provided at:

• http://balancemindbodysoul.com/balance/campus.asp

So, this short lesson was just one building block in the tower of health and nutrition! Come back Thursday for an update about how to make better food choices based on your goals at Moravian College!

XOXO,

Ms. Wisely

Defeat the Rumbling in Your Tummy!

So, we're back at Moravian College - our tummies are bubbling with excitement. Wait, that's not excitement, that's actually our bodies trying to figure out what the hell we just fed it.

We all know Moravian has a mere two options to turn to when we're hungry - the Blue and Gray Cafe and the Marketplace. But, when eating health consciously, those two options suddenly seem much smaller.

It's not going to be easy, nor is it going to be fun, however in the end - it will be worth it.

This blog, written primarily for English 391, is meant to benefit more than just myself, my grade and my class. This blog, in the end, will benefit you greatly, as well!

I began eating more health consciously just 8 months ago and eventually I found my way into the weight room, as well. I have done a complete recomposition of my body, hence the scary bicep picture featured to the left!

While not everyone plans to build muscle or lose fat, or even just "tone up" - this blog will cover every option!

I plan to focus on all aspects of wellness, including nutrition, exercise, health events on campus and interviews with students and staff from the dining area.

You can look forward to posts such as:

• "The Marketplace Isn't Making You Fat, You're Making You Fat". Many students blame "poor choices" on their weight gain. In all reality, the selection is quite impecable and students should hear about it.
• "Top 10 Times to go to the Gym". Countless amounts of students blame their lack of effort on a small and crowded gym - which is true at certain times, however there are plenty of hours in a day!
• "How to Get the Most out of your $5.10". Both figuratively and for the better of your body!
• "How to Avoid the Freshman 15...20...25". It's obviously common for students to gain weight once they get to college due to lack of movement, constant food choices, peer pressure, and alcohol.
• "Ask, and You Shall Receive" featuring Patsy from the Marketplace.
• "Is Butter a Carb?" I will also do a general post on how calories work, how many calories should be ingested, how to find nutritional information for Sodexo and where hidden calories are in Moravian's food!

Feel free to comment on each and every post with things you would like me to cover or with any questions!

XOXO,

Ms. Wisely