The last few months for me have been a bit rough. Since I shot the exercise DVDs, I’ve gained weight, battled some pretty amazing fatigue, and had an unbelievable amount of stress. This culminated in a lot of blood tests, plus visits with two nutritionists, three doctors, and a partridge in a pear tree. Actually, a naturopath.

All the scary stuff got ruled out … cancer, heart problems, women problems. Also ruled out were thyroid issues and diabetes, although my blood sugar is a little wonky and adrenals are suspect. The worst that anyone could find is a Vitamin D deficiency and low iron. Plus I’m 46 now, so perimenopause is definitely kicking in. Oh joy.

So I’ve got wonky bloody sugar, a couple of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and a barrel full of stress. Somehow I don’t think eating more spinach and taking a supplement is the big answer.

The bull in the china shop is my stress levels. 

I know stress hasn’t been helping me and I’ve been trying to ward it off. Meditation has definitely helped; I think I would have outright crashed a couple of months ago without it. I had slacked off meditating for a week or so (no particular reason) and had a run-in with a software company that left me yelling at some poor tech (sorry about that). The next day my husband said he hadn’t seen me that mad in years. The lightbulb went off and I went running straight for my beads. Meditation works on so many levels … really everyone should do it.

Heavy-duty exercise has felt like too much lately, so I’ve just been walking … a lot … with a few Pilates moves thrown in here and there. But I realize it’s not quite enough … I need to do a bit more.

Starting today I’ll be adding in a more focused Pilates mat routine after dinner. Just a few minutes to dekink, destress, and keep some muscle tone.  I’ll do that for a week or two and then pepper back in some interval training because I really do love my HIIT workouts.

The naturopath I met with yesterday has me on a new eating plan and I’m going to give it a whirl. It’s based on the work by an endocrinologist, Diana Schwarzbein. I don’t have an opinion on it yet … I’ll update you when I know more … but she developed the Schwarzbein Principle (books, etc.) over a nine-year period while she was working with diabetic patients.

The principle is pegged on protein (based on your weight), then healthy carbs are added in proportion to the protein (at a ratio of 1.5 to 1.75 grams per). For my weight, I get 66 grams of protein a day spread out over three meals and two snacks. The idea is to even out my blood sugar a bit and that will hopefully get rid of my afternoon crashes.

Here’s the general plan:

1.  Eat better; go super clean for a while and hope my blood sugar evens out.

2.  Gentle exercise at first, some Pilates and walking, then add in interval training when I feel a bit better.

3.  REST. 8 hours a night, no negotiating. Yes, even if the Bruins are in overtime during the Stanley Cup finals.

4.  Keep meditating to deal with stress.

5.  No new work projects! I’m barely keeping up with my commitments as it is. I need to get a couple of items off my to do list and then “right-size” my workload. This, by far, will be the toughest thing!

I’m writing all this because maybe you’ve been going through something similar. Feeling draggy, feeling off, maybe even as bad as me where you’re limping through the end of the day.

I want to tell you that it’s not normal and it’s something that can be fixed. You can’t do it on your own. You need a doctor or two to rule out the scary stuff and a few tests to see what’s happening. Then you can make some smart decisions about how to feel better.

Every situation is unique and every solution is too. Just keep that in mind when you’re reading posts like this and nodding along. Check with your doctor first and then come up with a plan. In the meantime, eating well and treating yourself well is never a bad thing.

Cheers,

Lisa

The post How to Live a Healthy Life appeared first on Lisa Johnson Fitness.

Hello!  I’m Lisa Johnson and I’m a content producer, not just here, but in all sorts of places. I figured I’d do a round-up of where I write and video blog and you can check out the other great stuff I have to share. Enjoy!

True Food Movement

Food is one of my passions. You can’t live a healthy life if you don’t know how to eat healthy food, right? I’ve been on a 12-year journey to eat better and become a pretty decent scratch cook. Myself and a few of my friends have created the True Food Movement so we can share recipes, the latest news on stories such as GMO labeling, sustainable living, and more. We’re really open-minded … our tag line is “From vegan to omnivore, living well and loving the planet.” And we firmly believe that.

FitStudio by Sears

FitStudio is a great community that’s part of the Sears family. I am a fitness blogger and video blogger for them and, just like here, I talk about all kinds of topics. Most recently it was Pilates and tennis, but I cover really any aspect of fitness. I’ve been working with them for almost three years and I love the relationship. It’s great to reach out to people who might be learning about fitness from reality TV or infomercials and set them straight!

Kmart Playdate Place

Kmart and Sears are one big company now and I recently began writing Mommy fitness articles for their Playdate Place site. It’s so much fun for me!  I get to talk about playing with your kids and inspiring them to be more healthy. I had shied away from “Mommy blogging” for a long time, but I find it’s actually a blast!

Diet.com 

Diet.com and I go way, way back. Their very first video ever featured me and the wonderful and amazing Sarah Dussault, currently of Sarah’s Fab Channel on YouTube. Sarah and I collaborated on a few Diet.com videos over the years having fun doing Pilates moves at my studio. When Sarah got so busy with her own channel, Diet.com asked me to step in and start making videos for the site. I’ve been doing one every couple of weeks, everything from “Losing It with Lisa” rant videos and lots of workout ones too.

Lisa Johnson Fitness on YouTube

I also have my own YouTube channel, which has been growing slowly over the past year. We’re now producing videos on a semi-regular schedule and I cover all sorts of fitness and nutrition topics, as well as workouts for you to try. So far I’ve done hooping, HIIT workouts, and Pilates, but look for that to keep expanding.

Lisa Johnson Fitness on Facebook

I have a Facebook fan page that is growing quickly! The interactions are really focused on you! Pieces of information I find and share, some of my older blog posts, and ways for you to get motivated to keep getting healthier! Please like the page and you’ll find yourself happy and in your skinny jeans in no time (or just stay in ‘em!).

@LisaJohnson on Twitter

Twitter was my first foray into social media and boy do I love it! I do Twitter chats regularly for Fitstudio.com and I’m also regularly just online and hanging out. I share information, talk to other fitness professionals ,and if you ever have a question, I’ll try to answer it for you. I’m my snarkiest on Twitter so consider this your warning.

Lisa Johnson Fit on Instagram

I’m new to Instagram, but you’ll find food pics, fun family pics, selfies, and random stuff I run across. Sometimes when I need to feel cool, I go and look at my pictures and realize I get to have a lot of fun! Mostly I feel like a blogger who doesn’t get out much, lol.

So maybe you like Instagram and want to connect … or you hang out on Facebook more than Twitter. Well, it’s likely I’ll be there a couple times a day, so stop in and say hi!  Looking forward to connecting!

Cheers,

Lisa

The post Where am I? Lisa Johnson all over the web! appeared first on Lisa Johnson Fitness.

credit: Flickr

Health clubs are a $21.4 billion industry with incredibly fierce competition. There is estimated to be approximately 100 million dieters in the U.S. right now spending another $20 billion on weight loss foods and supplements and gizmos.  Add yet another $14 billion for activewear clothing and we are spending a TON of money on fitness. Where should you put your money?

Fitness Dollars Matter

All of those numbers above equal out to $183 per American so it does matter where you spend your money. You could literally be better off throwing it away or you could spend it wisely and truly improve your health. Here are some ideas:

Skip the health club membership.  According to the Oregonian, 4 out of 5 gym memberships go unused after the first initial rush of joining. If you’re in that 20% category then by all means enjoy the benefits a gym has to offer. But if you’re in the other 80%, you’d be better off spending your money elsewhere. In fact, studies have shown just being active is as effective as a gym workout.

Consider specialty classes.  One area of growth over this past recession is in specific studio workouts such as barre, yoga, and Pilates.  People will pay for a series of classes or one-off classes and do that instead. These locations tend to have instructors with a higher level of the specific training and people are more likely not to blow the sessions off because they are paying for a specific class as opposed to a more amorphous gym membership.

Buy good sneakers! I can’t stress this one enough. You will sorely miss your feet when they don’t work, believe me. Honestly I’d make this the first priority of any fitness dollars you have. If you can, buy sport-specific and aim to replace them twice per year. Try to go to a store with fit specialists who can analyze your gait and provide you with a proper fit. And it’s best if you only use them for workouts, not for running errands, that way they’ll last longer.

Skimp on tops, not on sports bras.  You’ll need a good sports bra (yes, even if you’re smaller) to make sure things don’t go south before their time. Ladies, after sneakers this is your next investment. For T-shirts and tanks, don’t bother spending much money. I just get the cute seasonal stuff at the big box stores and when they’re stained and beyond help, I just throw ‘em out.

Bottoms might be worth the money.  Running shorts, yoga pants, and the like can very much be worth the investment of a few extra dollars. On the one hand if you work out a couple times a week and otherwise don’t wear sweats, then go for the cheap stuff. But your bottom takes a lot of abuse during workouts and I’ve had plenty of cheapie bottoms pill, shrink, and shred on me pretty fast. I invest in the good stuff below the waist. Brands that I like are prAna, Columbia, Patagonia, Margarita, Be Present, and ALO.  (Full disclosure: I work with ActivewearUSA and they sell all these brands. And yes I get a discount, but they’re pretty awesome anyway.)

Buy fitness gear strategically.  If you’re sitting on the couch feeling lumpy and an informercial comes on, maybe you shouldn’t grab your phone and dial. But if you just started a yoga class and you really like it and you think having your own yoga mat is cooler than the gross ones they rent, that would be a perfect investment of fitness dollars. Same with free weights. Working out at home can be great (no travel = less excuses to skip), but don’t go out and buy a $500 rack of weights. Start with three, five, and seven-pound weights and add in as you get stronger. The point is, only spend money slowly and on stuff you’ve considered fully, not just spur of the moment.

I hope this helps you consider where your money goes. Let me know if you have any specific questions about gear and I’ll be happy to answer them. What was the last fitness thing you spent money on?  I’m definitely curious to hear.

Cheers,

Lisa

The post Where to Spend Your Fitness Dollars appeared first on Lisa Johnson Fitness.

credit: Flickr

The lovely warm weather definitely gets us outside, enjoying the sunshine. But sometimes the heat slows us down and makes us move less!  Here are some summer fitness tricks that will keep you up and moving and enjoying all the season has to offer.

Be Near Sneakers!

I can’t tell you the number of times an impromptu workout moment happened and I was in flip flops. Denied!  Yes, I can just run around in bare feet … depending on the surface. Keep a pair of sneakers in the car for emergencies, and if you’re going out for a day of activities, choose a shoe that can double in a pinch for some fun. Might want to have some socks handy too.

Same Goes for Bras

Yep, those barely-there bras are super comfortable, but not if I’m trying to play tag with my kid! Again, try to plan ahead for your day and think about the activities you’ll be doing. Then make sure the girls have the support they need. Admit it … running around a playground with your arm across your chest is awkward. Just saying.

Swim Trunks as Shorts

I discovered this when we began kayaking regularly a few years ago. If I’m wearing a pair of board shorts, I can look presentable in a restaurant, but still be able to hop in the boat and go. This also works well at sprinkler parks and wading pools so you can get in and splash around with your kids and still go somewhere public afterwards.

Plan Outdoor Parties with Plenty of Space

Go to a park for a BBQ and bring along some frisbees or even a volleyball net or just loll around in your big back yard. Give people lots of opportunities to play. They’ll just instinctively start to have some fun and work off that hamburger soon after eating it.

Plan Summer Fitness Challenges

“Let’s climb to the top of Mt. Monadnock!” (It’s a 3,000-footer close to me in New Hampshire.) Sounds like an adventure, not a workout. Find a fitness challenge that’s appropriate for your family and turn it into a shared memory. Maybe swimming some laps in the pool, or hiking a nearby trail, or canoeing down a river. There are sooo many options here … just use your imagination and don’t forget to take pictures!

How about you? What would you add to the list of summer fitness tricks? Don’t forget the sunscreen and plenty of water!

Cheers,

Lisa

The post Summer Fitness Tricks: 5 Tips for Fun appeared first on Lisa Johnson Fitness.

credit: Flickr

Rolfing is a type of muscle release that has been likened to torture. Deep kneading of muscles, the classic image of an elbow digging hard into a back with a guy on a massage table flailing underneath. It hurts so good, however, that it’s estimated that 1.5 million people have tried Rolfing.

Rolfers — descendants of the original teachings of Ida Rolf — do not see themselves as massage therapists. They focus on finding inconsistencies in the muscle and fascia (read more about what is fascia here), and then integrating these back into the body to provide relief from a body’s aches and pains.

Does Rolfing Hurt?

Honestly, yes … although the Rolf Institute website has this to say …

Several factors determine the level of comfort or discomfort during a Rolfing session. One is the degree of trauma in the system; another is how long fascial distortions have been in the client’s body. Long-term distortions create more tenacious and widespread compensatory patterns, which may require more sustained pressure to release. Another factor is the degree of emotional charge associated with an area of injury or strain.

(The Institute also says there is a big range for how “hard” practitioners work into the body, so you might want to check a few different practitioners before you decide who’s best for you.)

Did the statement about “emotional charge” surprise you? Yes, Rolfers believe that we can hold emotion in our bodies and when we release a knot, we can also release the emotion associated with it. I have to say that when I went I didn’t feel any particular need to cry, whoop with joy, or hug someone … I was just curious about the whole process. But I have friends who say they experienced release.

When it comes to muscle release, there is a big range of what people like. From the gentle Swedish massage to the potentially quite rough sports massage and, of course, Rolfing.

Me? I’m a wuss … a big ol’ baby when it comes to this stuff. And while I want more than Swedish (because it feels great, but I don’t think it does much), I definitely don’t want to leave in tears and with bruises. As has happened to one of my friends who has done several Rolfing sessions.

I decided to finally try Rolfing because my hip has been bugging me since I went to a personal training weekend last November. I was doing HIIT training after a kettlebell segment and somewhere along the way I tweaked my hip. It was fine generally, except that whenever I tried to sit pretzel legs, it hurt a bit. That, plus I’ve been researching fascia like crazy and that’s what Rolfers do … release fascia.

So I signed up with Diana Phillips, a “gentle rolfer” near me, and rushed in late and apologetic to her treatment room.

Experiencing Rolfing

Diana was great! Warm, funny, and effective. She released my hip and my shoulders and I feel a whole lot better even three weeks later. She was not cheap though … $160 for 90 minutes! But since I feel better, it was money well spent.

Rolfers take their time. Diana worked primarily on my neck and shoulders, especially around my shoulder blades (which are frequently tight) and a bit on my hip. Rolfers prefer you take a 10-session package and work on a different area of your body each time you come in.

When I left, I felt calm, restored, and a lot looser where she had worked. I went home happy and definitely plan on going again (as soon as I save up some money!)

If you’d like to try Rolfing, I suggest you start at Rolfing.org and poke around to see practitioners in your area. If you have friends who have tried it, ask for a referral and for what their experience was like.

What about you? Have you tried Rolfing? Are you curious about it? I’d love to hear your stories.

Cheers,

Lisa

The post What is Rolfing? I Give it a Try appeared first on Lisa Johnson Fitness.

photo credit: Pressbound

Nanny state … Big Brother …

How long will it be before citizens are deputized and trained to knock a cupcake out of your hand?

We have been passing anti-obesity legislation for a while now. New York City is definitely the vanguard, and Mayor Bloomberg has actually had some success reversing obesity statistics in kids there. But is this really worth it? Should we do more? Could we approach this from a different angle?

Current Anti-Obesity Legislation

There are quite a few places in the U.S. that require calorie labeling on menus. A national law that passed in 2010 has been delayed from taking effect due to the FDA’s concerns about the “thorny” issues of calorie labeling related to grocery chains that have thousands of prepared food items that would need to be labeled. (You can thank the grocers’ lobbyists for the delay, I’m sure. Frankly they’re being cry-babies … suck it up and just do it!)

Are there any other anti-obesity laws nationwide? … Um, no, that’s all we got. A law passed three years ago that one government agency can’t — or won’t — implement. Okay … gotcha.

Easy Ways to Fight Obesity

Michelle Obama made a rather brave speech early on in her husband’s first term about making things healthier, especially snacks for kids … but have you heard her talk about it much lately?

Nope … she’s been sticking with the Move60 campaign, encouraging kids to be active for at least 60 minutes a day. Admirable for sure, but clearly not the whole solution. The First Lady is simply saying we need to make “healthier food choices” as opposed to, “Yo Big Food, clean up your damn act!”

But I have some ideas … ideas that can circumvent Big Food rather easily … that will cost a fraction of the price of rising health care costs.

Make food stamps healthier. Steer purchases for food stamps … some farmers’ markets are accepting them at a 2-for-1 face value so that poor families can have access to more fruits and vegetables. Why don’t we adjust food stamps upward (just a bit) and give people incentives for buying healthier foods? It would take just a few months to get the logistics worked out and would have an immediate impact.

Give basic nutrition classes to food stamp recipients.  Sadly, obesity is skewed toward the poor and I feel this is partly an education issue and partly because those very low budgets “force” families to choose cheap, not-so-healthy processed foods. If giving them incentives to buy healthier food will help, how about educating them on how to prepare that food for their families? People have to learn proper serving sizes, easy menu options, etc.

Public Service Announcements.  PSAs actually work quite well. This worked for trash in the ’70s (remember the crying Native American?) and it worked for anti-smoking campaigns … Let’s do it for obesity too. Get Michelle Obama munching on a celery stick. How about a bunch of celebrities talking about healthy eating and exercise idea? I would listen to The Rock if he told me to eat a carrot and workout every day, wouldn’t you?

Medical education. Let’s train doctors to talk about obesity more. Let’s give them booklets and other resources so people can start to deal with their problems instead of guiltily nodding when told, “You really should lose some weight.” Doctors are trusted, work in the community with the obese the most (hey, they do get sick more), and often don’t know the first thing about proper weight maintenance themselves.

Nutrition counseling by BMI. There are a lot of problems with the BMI scale. Yes, Brad Pitt famously counts as obese if you take his measurements and clearly it’s all muscle, no fat. But BMI is the best population measurement we have. What if HMOs, with government assistance, offered nutritional counseling for people with BMIs in the obesity range? Give people a gentle nudge and a little help instead of just a dire warning.

I can see my libertarian readers screaming that this is Big Brother and ridiculous and we need to get out of people’s lives, but Bloomberg looked at the numbers before he decided to act. The ideas above are way cheaper than treating the health problems that are rampant thanks to our obesity epidemic.

What do you think? Are we doing too much or too little? Or does it matter … people are gonna eat what they’re gonna eat and there’s nothing we can do to stop ‘em. I would love to hear your ideas.

Cheers,

Lisa

The post The Government CAN Help Obesity: Here’s How appeared first on Lisa Johnson Fitness.

photo credit: MauiNow.com

Maybe it’s just me, coming from the mind/body world of Pilates, but it seems like fitness is a lot more rock and roll these days. From hardcore burn-and-churn workouts to even yoga taught with a heavy bass background, I’ve rounded up some ideas so you can have your own rock and roll fitness experience.

Music really works to boost your fitness levels too. According to a recent Salon.com article:

Music distracts people from pain and fatigue, elevates mood, increases endurance, reduces perceived effort, and may even promote metabolic efficiency. When listening to music, people run farther, bike longer, and swim faster than usual — often without realizing it.

Rock and Roll Fitness Options

You can add any soundtrack to any workout you like, of course. But here are some ideas to try. Some are well-known, others a bit more funky …

CrossFit™  The burpee capital of the world definitely has a rock soundtrack. Pound out your squats and thrusts to a heavy bass drum.

Spinning™ One of my first loves and I always used a rock-and-roll fitness beat for my workout mixes. From Queen’s “We Are the Champions” to Pink’s “So What,” I find a hard, driving beat keeps both me and my students pushing themselves for more.

Hooping  Hula hooping is so great to do to rock music. The fast beats will keep you hooping with equal speed and will encourage a lot of off-body hooping too, which is great for toning arms. Yes, techno is often used here, but try it with a little Foo Fighters and see how much you like it.

Running  There is some debate about running outside with music since safety can be an issue. But for the treadmill types, running to rock is excellent. Nothing like pushing the incline to 10% and then pounding out that hill. A personal fave of mine is Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.” It’s pretty “rock” for a hip-hop song (certainly in attitude anyway) and this anthem always gets me through a sprint.

Yoga  I regularly take a hip-hop yoga class and rock yoga classes are popping up all over the place. In Wailuku, Hawaii (see pic above), they offer Body Rock Yoga or “Broga.”  It definitely adds a different vibe to a hardcore class.

How do you find a great soundtrack? Well there’s always a playlist on your iPod, but consider all the great streaming music options on the web. Spotify has curated playlists of ALL types that can create just the right snarl-y mix, or go to Pandora, type in the name of your favorite guitar-based band or song, and let the site provide you with a playlist for your workout.

Rock and roll fitness is a truly great way to stay in shape and, if you like it, why not add it to what you’re already doing? From traditional bootcamp classes to even the mind/body movements, you can drop that beat while you’re dropping those pounds.

Cheers,

Lisa

The post Rock and Roll Fitness appeared first on Lisa Johnson Fitness.

credit: Flickr

The tinny recording of the calliope music as the ice cream truck rounds the corner … the smell of hamburgers grilling … the allure of potato salad … that subtle tang of mayo calling out to you … the delicious carafe of sangria waiting for you to taste.

Summer diet traps are quite real.

Despite the pitfalls, summer is a great time to eat healthy. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies … and shorts and tank tops reminding you of your goals. Here are five tips for how to avoid summer diet traps.

BBQ.  If you think it will all be junk food, then steer clear of the picnic table. Join in the potato sack race to burn off some calories and focus on conversation, not food. Go easy on the butter for your corn-on-the-cob, just a dollop of potato salad, and try to load up on the veggies. The less room on your plate for high-calorie items, the healthier you’ll be.

Beach.  Sandwiches laden with condiments and sugary lemonade sounds great, but you’ll be regretting your choices later. Try water with a slice of lemon instead and choose half a sandwich while filling up on the cut veggies. The best thing about beach picnics is the built in opportunity to move.  Splash in the surf, play volleyball, or go for a butt-busting power walk along the shore.

Picnic.  Picnics provide an opportunity to really load up your plate with calorie-rich foods: a glass of wine, a brownie, a thick cut of meat. It’s easy to carry a lot with you and it’s easy to over indulge. Focus on those fruits and veggies and think of the treats as a condiment. A little dab will be great. Use the outdoor opportunity to hike, toss a frisbee, even fly a kit. You can inject nostalgia into your activities more than your hips.

Hiking.  Hiking is a strenuous activity and we need to keep our calories up while we’re moving. Hiking mountains or hills can burn about 550 calories per hour for the average 150-pound person. But … granola can be deadly! A cup of granola can have between 500 and 600 calories! Keep that in mind while you’re munching on the trail. This is a perfect place for some lean protein choices to mix in with your whole grains.

Pool Party.  Lounging next to the pool with a kitchen only steps away gives the host an opportunity to pile on the calories. A buffet can offer everything from salads to slabs of chocolate cake. Stick to the usual game plan of veggies first and just a dollop here and there of the less healthy stuff. And use that pool! Go ahead and play Marco Polo or water volleyball … it’ll be a blast.

That’s just a few ideas to get you through the summer svelte and healthy. My go-to is always to bring my world famous cucumber salad.  It’s super healthy (a combo of cucumbers, red peppers, onion, water, and vinegar) and I even get requests for it now. This way I can grab one hot dog (about 325 calories), a big pile of cucumbers, and I’ve done very little damage.

Hope this helps you avoid summer diet traps. Let me know what strategies you use.

Cheers,

Lisa

The post Summer Diet Traps: How to Steer Clear appeared first on Lisa Johnson Fitness.

photo credit: flickr

I’ve been a regular fitness blogger for more than four years now … this is the 870th post for my blog.

That number doesn’t include all the writing that I do for FitStudio.com, or what I wrote for AOL That’s Fit and ActivewearUSA back in the day. I’m easily at somewhere around 1,500 fitness blog posts in my time and I have to be honest: sometimes I run out of ideas.

Like today, for instance …

I usually write days ahead of time. I have a few ideas, but none of them appeal to me. Meh.

Do I want to write a post about motivation? How good would it likely be if I’m not feeling motivated to do so myself? Meh.

How about I try and find a new study and talk about that?  Meh.

A how-to about something? Okay, what something? Meh.

Yep, just like with working out, sometimes I lack motivation to write as well. So here I am with a big pile of mehs. I thought I’d share my process for what I do to get out of my blahs and write something interesting for my readers.

Cool Fitness Blogger Topics

I unplug.  Yes, in order to write online, I get offline. Usually a workout or at least a walk around the neighborhood clears my head, and half the time I come up with an idea while I’m distracted doing something else.

I Google “fitness news”.  Sometimes ideas are sparked by something new coming down the pike. It can be a new study that intrigues me — like the one that just came out saying that meditation boosts metabolism. Or I might see a story about Parkour workouts (using buildings and landmarks as a jungle gym) and I think about me and hooping in the park so I do a story on why I’m a Hoop girl.

I read other people’s fitness blogs. What topics of conversation are other folks focusing on? Usually I have my own opinion on their opinion. Summer fitness plans? Crazy 100-mile road races? Paleo something or other? These often provide ideas for writing stories.

I read magazines.  Actually, a LOT of magazines, and I constantly get ideas from them. Fitness magazines will let me know what the trends are (Zumba is still going strong!), but Vogue has been a great source of ideas over the years. Prevention magazine is probably my favorite for finding little studies I can riff on, and I’ve gotten several ideas from Dwell magazine and Architectural Digest.  (Yes, in my dream life I’d be an interior designer.)

My readers inspire me.  I have an active Facebook and Twitter stream (please feel free to friend or follow me!) and people ask me questions all the time. I love answering their questions, but frequently I find these will inspire a blog post too.

So I’ll ask you straight out now: what would you like to read about from me? What topic are you interested in that you’d like to know more about?  Leave a comment below and I’ll put it on my ideas list.

I’m looking forward to hearing your ideas! And I hope this post will help inspire a few fitness bloggers too.

Cheers,

Lisa

The post Fitness Bloggers: Finding Good Topics appeared first on Lisa Johnson Fitness.

photo credit: MeditationMusic.net

That Om might do more to whittle your waist then you think. Scientists from the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine unveiled a new study on meditation and revealed what looks like permanent increases in your metabolism from having a regular meditation practice.

So go grab those mala beads!

The researchers rounded up a couple dozen participants with no prior meditative experience and another couple dozen participants with a minimum of four years practicing meditation then tested them at the genetic level (via blood tests) both before and after an eight-week program. They found a suppression of stress, inflammation, cancer, and trauma, all things we’ve got other studies to reinforce this one. They also found a positive response for insulin production and — this one is the kicker for me — an increase in mitochondria, which are the energy centers of our cells. In layman’s terms, metabolism increased for people who meditated regularly and it was more pronounced in the more experienced group.

So if you were looking for yet one more reason to start meditation, you’ve got it. Meditation helps keep you in your skinny jeans!

What Type of Meditation Boosts Metabolism?

Knowing all the good things that meditation can do for you is one thing. It’s another entirely to actually figure out what works for you and then do it. The practice can get quite elaborate as Zen meditation is, for instance, an entire system that you build up to that ends in shaving your head, wearing specific clothing, and sitting on specific seats in a specific position. Or it can be as simple as being aware of your breathing in a quiet place for a few minutes a day.

The advanced meditators used several different approaches, from yoga to Zen to simple awareness, and all of them had positive results. While different forms of meditation do seem to stimulate the brain in different ways, the overall benefit of less stress and more energy cuts across all options. Besides, at the end of the day, you want to do the type of meditation that you’ll stick with … that’s the most important part!

Try different kinds of meditation, see what appeals to you, and give it a go. If it doesn’t work after a few tries then pick another option. I have been using a Sanskrit chant for the past few months that has worked very well for me and I never would have guessed that this would have been my ticket when I began trying to meditate four years ago. This, for some reason, works for me when simple awareness, counting breaths, and using various chants in English didn’t. Just keep trying ’til you get something.

How about you? Do you meditate? Have you noticed a difference in your waistline? Do you think this is another great reason to try? Find out more about how meditation works here.

Cheers,

Lisa

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