BMI & Body Fat Percentage

I just ordered a fun new toy for my classes! It's a little hand-held machine that tells you your BMI and body fat %. Wanted to share this blog entry as a factoid session about those two numbers and what they really mean for you. Here we go...

BMI: Am I Normal?

Most of you are probably more familiar with BMI, which stands for Body Mass Index. This number is a reflection of two primary factors, height and weight. The scale for results is: Below 18.5 is underweight; 18.5-24.9 is normal; 25.0-29.9 is overweight; and 30.0 or more is obese. Here's another interesting fact for you...being underweight increases morbidity equal to being overweight and/or obese! So, being super model thin can actual be a major risk factor for your health and total life expectancy. Super skinny is super old school. Being in the "normal" range is the best indication for good overall health. What BMI tells you in laymen terms is whether you are at risk for heart disease or diabetes. Research shows a correlation between BMI and these factors specifically. It is a snapshot of your overall "health". Now you may be asking, "When should I use BMI?". Great question! BMI is a great tool and starting point when you are first getting starting with a training program. The flaw with BMI is that as you continue to progress in your training, it becomes less relevant to you. This is where body fat percentage takes center stage.

Body Fat %: The REAL skinny

Being "normal" according to your BMI is one thing, but being lean and mean and ready for the rest of your long, long, life is another. More studies are confirming the importance of body fat percentage as a more accurate assessment of overall health. This is especially true for athletes and those that are continuing to replace fat with lean muscle. Why is muscle described as lean? Well, mostly because when you build muscle and replace fat, you decrease space in your body by roughly 18%! A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat, but takes up WAY less space. So for those of you seeing inches come off instead of pounds, that is why...and it is a VERY good thing. That is why most trainers will tell you not to be "scale happy" during the first 12-16 weeks of a training program. They will ask you how your clothes are fitting, how well you are sleeping and if your energy levels are effected. All of these are benefits of focusing on inches lost rather than weight lost. It is not uncommon for a muscular person to have a high reading for BMI, yet to be considered lean when looking at body fat percentage. It is also not uncommon to have a normal BMI, but high body fat percentage. Two women could be the same height and weight, making their BMI's equal. One, however could be significantly leaner, having more muscle and less fat, making her the healthier of the two. This is referred to as "skinny fat". The person who weighs the same, but carries more fat is still at risk!

The scale for body fat percentage is women: 10-12% is essential fat; 14-20% is athlete category; 21-24% is fit; 25-31 is acceptable; and 32% or more is obese. For men: 2-4% is essential fat; 6-13% is athlete category; 14-25% is acceptable; and 25% or more is obese. Essential fat is the fat your body needs to run properly. You will also notice that women are, and should be, heavier than their male counterparts. What it measures is the actual amount of fat in the body. Remember, you can be skinny, and still be fat.

Which one should I use?

If you are just starting out and are within 3-6 months of starting a new program, use BMI. Beyond this as training progresses, you should turn to body fat percentage. Both are useful as risk indicators and have a place throughout your training.

Keep pushing yourselves! And don't be skinny fat...be simply PHAT, fly, rock'n, lean, mean....you get the point.

Love,

Lydia

Coordination not required...

My new favorite weekly workout is a free Zumba class at Discovery Green...and no, coordination is not required! I am like many of you and become bored very quickly with my workout. I credit this A.D.D. to the reason I love sprint triathlons as well. I am always looking for fun and cost effective (a.k.a.: FREE) ways to get in a little cardio, especially when the 100 degree temps in Houston are beckoning. Usually I can find relief in the people watching provided at Memorial Park as I run the "fruit loop", but in these temperatures, I am dying by about mile 2. I have resulted at 30 to actually listening to my body. Yes, before this I would tell all of you ever so smugly, "Listen to your bodies, it's obviously trying to tell you something." Then I'd go run at Memorial in 100 degree weather with no water and almost have a heat stroke...or push through a nagging injury. The old, do as I say, not as I do theory. So, now I find comfort in taking my own great advice (HA). With the heat, the best activities are indoors, early/late, or in the water. Since I don't have a gym membership and absolutely prefer to exercise outside (I have discovered I am a Naturalist, which is a whole other discussion), I choose the early/late and water options. There is SO much you can do in this area. I welcome suggestions I do not list below, but here are a few for you:

1. ZUMBA baby...or just Zumba! 1 hr moderate cardio workout with an awesome legs (quads, hams, glutes) focus. Dicovery Green @ 6:30 pm every Wed.

2. Swim (freestyle) at Lake 288 or your local watering hole...swimming is a low impact, vigorous or moderate workout that is great for athletes and post surgical patients alike. Don't knock it til' you try it! The water offers resistance you wouldn't get and you burn upwards of 400-600 calories doing water jogging or freestyle swim for 30-60 minutes.

3. Yoga at Discovery Green - 1 hr moderate workout @ 9:30 am every Saturday. Get there early and grab some shade.

4. Weights and tempo cardio - try this at a local park early am or in your living room to beat the heat. Mix 40-60 minutes of weights (5-10 lbs) and your choice of jump rope, jumping jacks, etc. in between sets.

5. Paddle boarding - Pinkies in Clearlake offers free first session and lessons for ladies! In case you are unfamiliar, this is where you stand on an over sized boogie board and use a paddle to move through the water. It's a great way to work on balance and strength.

6. Kayaking at the bayou...this will run you about $45 per person, but it's worth it. Get a tour of Houston and a 2-hr excursion along the bayou.

7. Memorial Park's new extended trails - take your bike and test the new trails!

8. Take a Yoga class for $10 a session at the Houston Arboretum - they offer evening classes this time of year and always in the shade of the trees.

9. Hike the trails at the Houston Arboretum - explore nature and get in a brisk walk.

10. Schlitterbaun...yes, that's right. For all you parents that get sucked into the water park frenzy this summer, here's a fun tip to get some cardio in while floating the Lazy River. Ditch the tube and walk against the current for 10-15 minutes...yep...it'll kick your booty.

Hope that helps! Remember to stay hydrated and to take in 60-100 fl oz of water on your vigorous days. Skip the extra sodium and calories of a sports drink and go for the H2O! If you are ever feeling over heated, "Listen to your body", slow down and cool down. No really, I mean it this time! :) And I promise to follow my own advice.

Love,

Lydia

As some of you know, I am now instructing a 5:15 AM Boot Camp in the Galleria area. I know...I could barely make it in at 8:00 AM when I worked at the hotel! :) I will tell you that for those that know me, the one thing they will agree on is that I have changed a lot about my overall "lifestyle" in the last year. Here's some things I do now that allow me to get up for a 5:15 AM Boot Camp, and LIKE IT.

~ SLEEP. I now make sure I get no less than 7-8 hours each night. I was averaging maybe 5 hours a night in my past life. And sometimes this was assisted slumber aided by a couple glasses of pinot. That brings me to my second point...

~ Not Drinking (alcohol) and drinking more WATER. I still have an occasional beer or glass of wine with friends, but it is certainly few and far between these days. I consume about 60 oz. of water each day. I think I've doubled my water intake within the last year!

~ Consistent Exercise 4-5 Days each week. Consistence is key and your body will thank you. Not only do you feel and look better, but internally your body is working better. Your metabolism will more effectively burn calories even while you are not exercising!

~ Making smarter choices at each meal. This one is my weakness. But I have found that you don't have to make an entire overhaul of your routine and pantry all at once. Replace your white breads and pastas with their Whole Wheat versions and you are off to a good start! Carbs are not the enemy by the way. Your choice of carbs is! Buy healthy carbs rich in color - veggies and fruits. Use Olive Oil instead of margarine or butter, snack on almonds and edamame instead of a sugary cereal bar. Buy foods with more protein content than sugars! This is a big one...especially for the quick fix snacks we buy. We also have gone from eating out 4 days a week to eating at home 6 days a week. We still splurge for Mexican Food and other favorites, but we are eating healthier and less by cooking at home most of the week.

~ EAT BREAKFAST. Why are we still skipping the most important meal of the day? OH - and a donut or just a cup of coffee does not count as breakfast. Whole Wheat toast, a Whole Wheat Eggo waffle with low fat cream cheese or honey, oatmeal, fresh fruit, a protein smoothie, eggs, chicken...get my point? Breakfast will kick start your metabolism and you will burn calories more effectively.

~ Scheduling ME time. I still struggle with this one, but I am slowly but surely getting better with this one. You have to take care of YOU before you can do anything for your loved one's or friends. This can be my workout time, a devotional, a book, a pedicure or simply lying still and quiet for 15 minutes after a long day. It is truly refreshing to schedule ME time :)

So, maybe you can get up for 5:15 AM Boot Camp and LIKE IT too! Try some of these and make it your own. Oh, and if you want to schedule my new boot camp as your weekly "ME TIME", you can come by anytime FREE for one session and check it out. Or, do something CRAZY and totally commit to one month - you can register online at the link below. I would love to see you!

www.texasbootcampllc.com

Love,

Lydia

How will you contribute to this world?

How will I contribute to this world? I lost my Mom last October and I can tell you this has been the hardest year of my life so far. As I reflect on the last year, I return to that question...what is my purpose? When you lose someone there is a sense of losing a piece of yourself. As you bury the physical body of your loved one, you symbolically bury some part of your identity. This may surface merely as an empty feeling on the quiet days, but none the less, it is ever present when you least expect it. I have felt some days that my heart is literally broken. I realize that my truth...my reality...has been shattered.

Where time is a healer for most circumstances, it becomes an enemy when dealing with loss. Each day is a gift and you realize how often you have taken it all for granted. How do we get through this in a healthy way? All I can tell you is that this journey we will all inevitably face is personal...it is our own personalized refinement, and it will shape us into the person we love or hate depending on how we channel the energy. Fortunately, we do not have to carry it all alone. The week my Mom passed away is a great example of how we are prepared and comforted in our times of need.

Growing up in the Baptist church I have heard the word "blessed" so much that it merely became a way to describe a state of mind rather than the deep, awesome meaning it should have. It seemed a southern way to say, "Take care" or "I'm doing well". I have not experienced true "blessing" until this year. My Mom had a weekly bible study that she had been doing for about two months. She had often mentioned it and wanted so badly for me to meet the women, her friends, in this group. She could no longer go to her church due to physical limitations, so this was an amazing way that God reached out to her during her greatest time of need. God and family were Mom's top passions...coffee and chocolate ran a close second. So knowing this, these women would bring a array of desserts and coffee to the house for these get-togethers. The week after Mom died would have been the last lesson in the study. My family and I decided that we should complete the study and the group came to the house that following week.

In continued tradition we had coffee, dessert and fellowship. We sat in the living area and left Mom's usual seat empty...a reminder that our friend, mother, daughter and sister was gone. We began the bible study that day and to my surprise, the last lesson for the group, already written and planned for us, was about grief. It was about great loss in the physical sense and a love even greater from God. It talked about God collecting our tears in a jug and his desire to walk with us through our loss. How great is our God. This lesson could not have been more perfect had they planned it post her death, yet in a printed book that no one had changed, this lesson was saved and prepared for us. Our timing may not be perfect...but God's is. I realize now that true blessings are the little things that get us through. My purpose in this life only becomes clear when I let Him lead. It is like a dance...a waltz...trust in your partner to lead you even when you cannot see. My purpose in this world is always changing so that my life...my story...will glorify Him.

May you all be truly blessed this week...

Love,

Lydia

Good evening! It has been a while since I have blogged due to a CRAZY fall schedule...I am certain I am not the only one about to pull my hair out. And just think...we are close to the holiday season!

I have been thinking a lot about the pressures of life (in general). I tend to create this constant flurry of chaos whether I mean to or not. For those who know me, you will agree that I am probably more "zen" now than I have ever been...still my private moments of utter terror because I have triple booked my day are ever present. Why do we do this to ourselves? Why must life go zipping by at 100 mph only to leave us tired...cranky...and unsatisfied?

I am determined that it doesn't have to be like this. I am making it my personal goal (long and short term) to do deliberate things to lessen my burden, lower my stress and slow down the pace of my days. I read the verse in the bible all the time that says Lord, "please teach us to number our days"...now I am listening!

I know that we (women) want to live in a liberal, self-defiant, "I can do anything you can do better" daze...but ladies, it's time we wait for someone to open the door for US again (metaphorically speaking of course)! It is time to reclaim our purposeful place as the HEART of the home...and to let (as God intended) the men in our lives be the head. I know what you're thinking..."Lydia, PLEASE! You are a complete control freak." Yes - I am. And that's why it's going to feel so good to JUST LET GO.

Come with me on my journey to self fulfillment ladies...here's what I did this week to loosen the girdle of life...

1) I strayed from my strict study schedule today and traded tutoring for a Mocha Frappicino at Starbucks.

2) I slept a little later than planned one day and didn't feel guilty or run around like a crazy person trying to shower, dress and eat in 20 minutes (we've all done this). I simple took a deep breath and showed up later than planned for my class...nothing was lost...and sleep and serenity were gained.

3) I traded another shot at an online quiz for quiet time and devotion with God.

4) I turned off the TV and sat in silence for 10 minutes - it was torture...but I think it was good for me :)

5) I ran a little harder than normal during my workout and sweat like a PIG...that always feels good...a literal cleansing of the soul :)

6) I bit my tongue when my husband did something aggravating and just smiled...it really worked! I got over it right away...and a potential fight was avoided! Hmmmm...could it be that simple (I think not-ha)?

7) I didn't make plans Friday or Saturday night! This frees up my time for my hubby and some much needed catch up for homework.


I hope that each of you will find little ways this week to simplify your life...de-stress, breath. I will keep you updated on my progress (or regression) - here's to making today a peaceful one!


Love,

Lydia

Kids and Competitive Sports

First I want to say that this is a very interesting article (posted below for you) - it got me thinking about so many things. I love that they quoted the coach from De La Salle in the article as this is one of the best examples of a well-rounded, and organized sports team I can personally think of. I pulled up De La Salle's current mission statement and it says the following:

"We seek to create an environment in which all student-athletes develop a sense of self-esteem and dignity in a Christian setting that is both moral and caring. The Athletic Department recognizes and fosters the development of commitment, brotherhood and sportsmanship, and instills in all the student-athletes a sense of pride and achievement."

This article in so many ways shows an ugly truth as to the priorities of American families and is in my opinion, a very small part of a much bigger issue. In regards to the topic -  I believe that organized sports can be an excellent thing for a child. My husband played football as a young man and it was an outlet for him. A safe place so to say where he "belonged" to a team with a unified goal. In many times throughout his life he has been on similar "teams" in the business world and is so grateful for the lessons he has taken from the field into his adult life. I think we should ask whether the involvement in a sport is creating transferable values for the child. There are important things that can be applied with all aspects of life...is the team my child is on teaching them these lessons? OR are we putting the emphasis on chaos, winning and obsessive behaviors? 

Healthy competition can be a great thing. The problem we run into is that there is really no standard for "Healthy Competition". I have had bosses that have pitted myself and another manager against each other to see how far they could push us...not so healthy. I have had bosses that partnered myself and another manager in an attempt to see how we would push one another to be better...a better approach. Because individuals are motivated in different ways, it is hard to put a standard in place and call it "healthy". I rode in my first MS 150 this year and found that during training, the athletes that were "serious" cyclist pushed me to a limit psychologically that was not good for me. I would ride 65 miles and feel like a failure because I didn't make it to the 80 I started out to do. WHAT?! Everyone else I knew couldn't even fathom riding 20 miles, much less 65...so why did I feel that way? Making sure the situation is right, the peer influence is right, and that healthy behaviors are being fostered, is our responsibility to our kids. Some can handle the pressure better than others. It needs to be an individual analysis in which the child has a say. But ultimately it is the family's responsibility to watch for "red flags" when it comes to competitive environments of any type that our kids may be involved with - now or in the future. 

"Each day brings enough worry of its own" and each year responsibilities in your life will grow. Athletics for me have provided a positive outlet throughout my development and have helped me to deal with stress rather than creating more stress. I played many competitive sports growing up...Basketball, Volleyball, Track...and mostly on the B team :) For me, playing on a team taught me how to work with many types of personalities. Playing on the B team taught me how to deal with being "second best" sometimes and how to play to the best of my personal abilities. It taught me ways to identify my personal strengths and weaknesses and helped me to vent frustration and stress in a healthy way. I now participate in Tri-athlons and exercise is a part of my life weekly because of my love of sports and wellness...not to win. It is important to realize that these experiences will effect kids well into their adult lives...good or bad. Stress will come soon enough...turning a sport into a stressful, unhealthy experience is not good for the kids (or the parents).

We are raising a new generation...an IPOD nation...of kids that are plugged in and that need to be constantly entertained. It started with MY generation - and it has changed the way we live our lives. It has changed the way we do business and the way we meet. I believe that families need to place a greater emphasis on developing balanced environments where kids can develop physically, mentally and spiritually. Taking anything to the extreme is not healthy and can result in addictive behaviors later in life. It is as the sayings go..."With (fill in the blank) does not come happiness"...or in this case..."Winning isn't everything". 

What are your thoughts?  I can only speak regarding my personal childhood experiences as I am not yet a Mom :)  I would love to hear from parents that are dealing with these current pressures and see what you think!

http://www.hyper-parenting.com/sfchronicle2.htm

Reply Forward

TIME Article - An ounce of PREVENTION...

Check out the current issue of TIME magazine's Focus on Health...

http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,7601090622,00.html


Lydia Montes