Personal Trainer Austin Texas

This time of year especially, many of you struggle with the whole “moderation” thing, and can feel pressured to have alcohol to fit in, or will not decline the offer for fear of hurting the hosts feelings. Look, it’s time to realize you won’t make anyone feel badly by saying “no thank you”. That’s their issue, not yours.

That said, I too, get tired of a plain old glass of water at parties, or even just with dinner at home.  My clients often ask if diet soda is okay. My answer is this: “If sugared soda or alcohol is the other option, diet soda is fine”. Then I suggest the very thing I do, as pictured below.  Club soda, aka “Sparkling Water”. Simple, interesting from  my usual tap water, and HEB has a low cost, recycle can, that comes in a case of 12. I prefer the individual can, as the larger bottles can lose their fizz.  Other brands are La Croix, Perrier, Pellegrino, etc., but for a higher price tag. Me? I’m easy, HEB’s is great and under 3 bucks usually, and it kills that craving for when I want something else, not so healthy.

Remember two things while you’re here: Thirst will often rear itself as hunger, so if you feel hungry you may very well just be thirsty.  Secondly, diet sodas, even this club soda, will not necessarily kill your thirst; they can make you feel thirstier! Chase or precede a carbonated beverage with regular water. If you drink alcohol, alternate with water.

Take care,

Margo

Stuck? Need Gift Ideas?

Many of us experience difficulty in shopping for family and friends.  Another thing we all experience? Receiving gifts we will NEVER use.  A client of mine suggested I share this with you here. Spare friends and family the expen$e of giving you an unwanted gift. Instead, try what she did and suggest a Gift Certificate from One-on-One Personal Fitness Training! I do them every year for people surprising significant others or friends. They aren’t just for new people to get them started; it makes a great gift for someone already committed to fitness and health, who’d love to get one session, or a week of sessions or more, as a holiday gift.  I can mail it or you can pick it up! What better gift to give someone then an investment in their health and well being.

May I also suggest the following gift ideas! A book about the food industry to fascinate and educate, “In Defense of Food” or “The 5 Day Miracle Diet” a book about ending cravings and eating for life long health.

GIVE A BOOK TO YOUR READER FRIENDS!!!!

Another great fitness gift idea is exercise bands! They’re affordable, fun, light, easy to store, and work great for body strengthening and toning, and travel easily!  

Last but not least, for the beginner walker to hard core runner, give them a “Polar” brand heart rate watch and strap for keeping track of their heart rate perpetually, and to track time and exercise intensity!

All these are great gifts that show you care not only about  them, but their health and well being too!  Hope these  ideas help make your shopping easier!

Take care,

Margo

I’m still shocked at totally inept articles on exercise and nutrition in generally accepted “smart” publications, hence my “what the?” expression above.  I’m reading an article in Time Magazine about appetite post exercise, and frankly, once I calm down I’m going to write a doozy editorial to the author and maybe Time will publish it (not holding my breath).

In a nutshell, the author suggests it is because of her exercising she gains weight. WHAT????  That is, she eats junk that she normally would not have because she exercised. THAT reason itself, is frankly junk. Just because SHE has no self control or discipline, does not negate the fact that exercise physically, chemically, suppresses appetite.

I’ve spoken to many of you about the possibility of weight gain by “eating your workout” (see my blog post “eating your workout!”). It is not uncommon to AT FIRST think “well, I worked out so now I can eat X”. When, but for the fact you exercised, you would NOT have eaten X. I understand the desire to eat X (often junk), mentally and/or emotionally, because you exercised. However, what “X” is, is entirely up to YOU!!!!  You choose. You can choose a healthy snack, or you can choose cake. Most likely, you’re just thirsty. I digress, see my previous blog post “Thirst as Hunger”. Wanting to eat when really your body wants water, especially after exercise.

After that first week or two of starting to exercise, most who fell into “eating their workout” fell just as quickly OUT of it. They returned to their previous calorie consumption (or less,) and with the addition of exercise and eating habit changes, lost weight. Duh, right?! Ergo the “use common sense” expression I’m trying to depict here below, about exercise and eating properly and choice. 

Fact: Intense exercise suppresses the appetite.  Exercise increases energy expenditure and can stimulate you to make up for calories burned. What you eat is your choice. Exercise will influence appetite differently from one person to the next. In general, the higher your body temperature; the more intense the exercise, the more appetite suppression you will experience.

I stand by the fact that even short bouts of moderate to intense exercise each day shifts the hunger and energy requirement balance and makes for longer term consistent weight loss and maintenance.

Take care,

Margo