It's Not About the 6-Pack: Fitness for Cancer Patients

Recently I had the opportunity to meet Melanie Bowen, a Masters student who has researched alternative nutritional, emotional and physical treatments on those diagnosed with cancer or other serious illnesses. Some of her research relates to fitness and how it can produce better outcomes in cancer patients.

Two weeks before I graduated high school, my mom was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). One thing she said during her illness has stuck with me to this day. One day in the hospital she said, "If I ever would have known that there was anything in my life I could've done to prevent getting this disease, I would have done it hands down."

Disney Princess Half Marathon 2011 - Race Beneficiary: LLS

Now, Mom was a healthy, active person, and unfortunately we don't know what causes AML, but we  do know that obesity is a significant risk factor for multiple types of cancer. In a 2007 NCI study, it was estimated that over 84,000 new cancer cases were diagnosed due to obesity. That's 84,000 moms, dads, spouses, friends, who received this earth-shattering diagnosis because of something that is absolutely preventable. This is the driving factor behind my work as a fitness coach - to prevent one person from losing their loved one too soon.

Through Melanie's research, she has found several factors and considerations for how and why fitness can be an important factor in preventing and navigating a cancer diagnosis:

1. Prevention - physical activity may remove carcinogenic toxins from the blood, effectively managing blood sugar levels and maintaining a healthy blood pressure, protecting the heart.

2. Coping with stress - exercise is known to boost the mood and increase a person's ability to cope. Cancer treatments also wreak havoc physically, and staying active can help flush toxins through the body and allow medications to spread through the blood stream more quickly. It also helps fight fatigue and nausea - common side effects of cancer treatments.

3. Modifications - a disease or treatment may require a change in fitness regimen. Adjust for both comfort and enjoyment. Consider yoga, swimming or cycling for an aerobic workout that's gentle on joints.

4. Remission - once in remission, regular exercise can reduce the risk of recurrence. What a great time to celebrate and take full advantage of a new, healthy lifestyle!  Many communities offer fitness programs specifically for those in remission.

*For more on this topic from Melanie, please visit her site.*

So, you see, "this fitness thing" isn't just for muscle-bound men taking 50 different supplements and lifting 50-lb dumbbells. It's not just for cute, petite little Kelly Ripa lookalikes decked out in Lululemon. Fitness is for every BODY, and it just might save your life.

If you've seen Randy Pausch's Last Lecture, you know about "head fakes" - when he says the lecture wasn't for the audience...it was for his kids. So here's my head fake: Fitness isn't about the 6-pack. It's about being around for the people you love.

If you or someone you know is ready to make a change, I would love to help in any way I can. Please contact me.

Just Start.

Just Do It. Nike's tagline has been a staple for as long as many of us can remember. I actually really like this slogan and its application to fitness. It cuts through all the crap, all the excuses. "I'm tired," "I'm not coordinated," "I don't have time." Nike challenges us to forget all the things telling us we can't and just do it. But what do you do when "it" seems insurmountable? Or you don't even know what "it" is? I'd like to amend that slogan for anyone who struggles with any excuse for not working out. 

My slogan: Just Start.

Last weekend, I had the amazing opportunity to meet and work out with Shaun Thompson. You know him as "Shaun T" from Insanity...or maybe you recognize his face abs.

The event was part of a Team Beachbody training where I also got to meet some other inspiring people.

First I met Doris. I would guess Doris is in her late-40s. She purchased Shaun's program, Hip Hop Abs, several years ago. Like so many in-home fitness programs, it sat on a shelf, lonely and unopened. One day last year, Doris found herself overweight and unhappy, and she decided she had to do something. Just start something. She popped in her Hip Hop Abs DVD and just started. Then the next day, she started again. Now, a year (and 129 lbs later), she is still going and happier than ever! She ignored those voices in her head telling her she was too big or uncoordinated to do the dance moves, and she went for it anyway. 

Then just before Shaun came out, the group was introduced to Jeannie. A 2nd-time mom, Jeannie fell into an innocent habit of napping on the couch holding her newborn. Then napping turned into napping/snacking. After several months of this, Jeannie was trapped in a vicious cycle of Exhaustion-Napping-Snacking-Depression-More Exhaustion-More Napping...AAAAHHHHH! Jeannie got fed up and fired up and ordered Insanity. She lost her baby weight (plus some) and her depression, but what she's most proud of is that she is setting an example for her children that physical activity is a normal part of everyday life. What a gift!

No matter where we are in our fitness journey, every single day, every workout, every meal, we all start again. We don't have to wait for a new year or for Monday. Ignore all the reasons not to, and just start. 

If you or anyone you know needs help just getting started, I encourage you to email me. I am sponsoring a Beachbody Challenge Group and would love to add some more people who are ready to commit to just start for as little as 30 days. Receive free online coaching and the opportunity to win cash prizes, while doing the fitness program of your choice (ALL fitness levels welcome). Adam and I will be doing Insanity!

And in case you need any more incentives, check out some of the current deals from Beachbody:

$25 off on P90X Challenge Packs and P90X2 Challenge Packs: Save a total of $80 with these comprehensive packages including nutrition, fitness, AND support at the lowest price ever offered on 2 of the most popular fitness programs in the world.

$22/month savings FOR LIFE when you place a chocolate or greenberry Shakeology HD order before March 31 (email me for information on how to redeem this offer).

I'm Here to PUMP (clap) You Up

Hi, I'm Janet, and I'm a cardio addict. So, it may be surprising that today's topic is a strength training class, BODYPUMP. I always disliked strength training in high school and college because I was scrawny. I couldn't lift as much as my teammates, and we always worked out in pairs, so having to adjust the weight down on the machine when it was my turn was difficult for my inner competitor. And then about a year ago, I discovered BODYPUMP, a barbell strength training class put out by New Zealand-based organization Les Mills (not to be confused with the LSU football coach).

**Climbing onto soapbox** Before getting into the specifics of the class, let's talk about why strength training is important. First off, for you ladies, I'm not talking about bulking up to bodybuilder form. In the words of Hans and Franz, "hear me now and believe me later," but you WILL NOT gain mass (a.k.a. "get bulky") simply by lifting weights, even heavy weights. Bulk is created by testosterone, which we simply don't have enough of to create that effect. Here are some of the ways strength training will get you results that cardio won't:

• Fat burning - strength training creates "afterburn," where you continue to burn calories for 1-2 hours after your workout. In addition, once you've created muscle, it takes more energy for your body just to support those muscles. For every 3 lbs of muscle, your body burns 120 calories per day just doing NOTHING!
• Look and feel great naked - in the words of my friend Krissa, "Skinny people look good in clothes. Fit people look good naked." It works wonders for your confidence too. A 2006 study showed that after a 12-week strength training program, women's body image improved significantly. Nothing is more attractive than confidence!
• Stay in the game - stronger muscles protect our joints from injury. This is especially important if you play sports or do high-impact cardio training that wears on your joints. It's also increasingly important as you age. **Stepping down from soapbox**

So, back to BODYPUMP itself. Get there early because this class is always crowded, mainly because it's one of the group fitness classes that draws both men and women. Yes, even Adam likes BODYPUMP! I know, men hesitate to step foot in a group fitness studio, but PUMP is different. Adam said, "I always though I was strong, but this class is hard. It's a different kind of strong." 

Like other Les Mills classes, the format of BODYPUMP is the same each release. There are 10 tracks (songs), each with a specific purpose. The music is great - a combination of songs you recognize (from many genres) and lesser-known techno/dance-type music. We work muscle groups mostly from large to small:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wI5xidDTFg

1. Warm-up 

2. Squats  

3. Chest 

4. Back 

5. Triceps 

6. Biceps 

7. Lunges

8. Shoulders

9. Core

10. Cooldown

You will do the same workout for about 4-6 weeks before your instructor begins changing up some of the tracks. The repetition allows you to benchmark where you are and see progress from class to class in terms of how much you're able to lift. 

Your instructor will give you guidance for how much weight to lift for each track based on your warmup weight. If you're new, start out small, with maybe 5 lbs. on each side of the bar. This is the lowest weight you should have on your bar throughout class. 

The music and moves are "choreographed" just enough to keep your brain active, but not so choreographed that they require any sort of rhythm or coordination. Also form is really important to avoid injury and to work the correct muscles. Pay attention to your instructor for guidance on certain moves. 

Ready to try a class? If you're in the KC area, multiple 24 Hour Fitness and YMCA locations offer BODYPUMP. You can also find a class using the Les Mills class locator tool. 

No gym near you? Group fitness not your thing? Need to work out on your own schedule? There is also an at-home workout program available for purchase. Check out the Les Mills PUMP banner here.

So here's BODYPUMP in a nutshell:

Format - Group Fitness or in home

Calories Burned (average)  - about 400 in class, plus afterburn

Sweat Factor - 6 (on a scale from 1-10)

Prerequisites - none

Equipment - all required equipment is provided by the gym or is available through the in-home program (step with 4 risers, barbell with various weight plates, mat), but weight lifting gloves are incredibly helpful also.

Fitness level - any

Impact level - minimal

How to fit in - learn the Les Mills lingo:

• Release - a full workout, numbered sequentially, a new one is put out by Les Mills each quarter. We are currently on BODYPUMP 84. Use it in a sentence: "When does the new BODYPUMP release come out?" or "I like the music from Release 82 more than the music from Release 83."
• Track - a particular song, with its corresponding moves. Use it in a sentence: "The shoulder track we did today was really difficult."
• Launch - a quarterly party when the newest release is first debuted at a club. They begin with a 15-minute technique presentation and are attended by personal trainers. If you're brand new to strength training, this is a great option to ensure you're starting off on the right foot. At 24 Hour Fitness, membership is NOT required to attend a launch event, so please let me know if you'd like information on when the next one is.

Have you tried PUMP? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section! Thanks for reading, and remember:

Those who can't teach...coach

Once upon a time, not so long ago, I planned on becoming a high school math teacher. In the words of Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls, math is "the same in every language." It's objective. It's black and white. There is one right way to get the right answer.

It seemed obvious. I liked teaching, I liked math, I liked teaching math. But when I got into student teaching, it just didn't fit. Why? Because I didn't want to convince people to like (or want to learn) math. I wanted to teach people who wanted to be there. In case you don't remember high school, there's somewhat of a shortage of teenagers who are excited about math.

Fortunately, I've found an outlet for my love of teaching. Turns out, I'm passionate about more than math. Anyone who has experienced first-hand the pain of losing a friend or family member, especially at a young age, would tell you they would do anything to have that person back. In the startling reality of our country's obesity epidemic, I see a LOT of very young people in danger of losing their mother or father, sister, brother or best friend because of something that is almost always preventable and reversible. I may never be able to bring back anyone I've lost, but if there is even one person I can help save from an early death, that's one less person who will have to celebrate life's milestones without the ones they love the most.

This passion for fitness is why I became a fitness instructor almost 2 years ago, and it's the same reason I have recently joined Team Beachbody as an online coach. Anyone on a personal fitness journey is there because they want to be, or in some cases, they need to be. But where to start? There are THOUSANDS of health/fitness products/services available. Which ones work? The good news is that most of them work, if you stick with them. The key is finding that program that is right for you. It has to be appropriate for your fitness level and consistent with your interests, goals and lifestyle.

My personal fitness journey started as a child. I loved playing sports of all kinds. My neighbor Brian and I were convinced Sports Illustrated for Kids (or "SI for K" as we called it - yes, we were that cool) was going to feature us for playing the most different sports in one day. As a multi-sport athlete through college and into my fitness career today, I have experienced a LOT of different workouts. I've decided to dedicate this blog to reviews/information about many of these workouts. So, whether you're in a workout rut or you haven't worked out in years, I hope you will be inspired to try something new.

So stay tuned, and please let me know if there are certain workouts/programs you'd like to see featured here! Consider me your fitness guinea pig!

Flo-rida and R. Kansas

In the absence of one big vacation this year, Adam and I planned a couple mini-trips, centered around events we already had planned. First was Adam's iCast boat show in Orlando. He was working most of the week, but I came down anyway and took some time to myself. The first day, I walked over to the convention center in Orlando, where the boat show was being held. If you've ever been there, you know how big it is. And even though it looks like it's just a block down from the hotel, the walk took about 45 minutes. Never fear, there was a Haagen-Daz at the convention center, so I was handsomely rewarded for my efforts. :)

Seeing Adam at this show proved to me that he has found his perfect job. He was beside himself with all the "celebrities" in the fishing world who were there. Yet when he got the opportunity to talk to them, he was all business and seemed to handle himself really well. Here is a picture of him with "Mr. Crappie" (Wally Marshall).

Adam told Mr. Crappie that he has about 12 of his fishing rods in our garage. I believe Wally also makes the Ms. Crappie rod, which I believe we have a few of as well! No matter how many times he explains it to me, I will never understand Adam's need for probably 20+ fishing rods. Maybe he doesn't understand my need for jeans either. Maybe that explains why we're shopping for a house with a 4-car garage (and more closet space)!

Our next mini-trip was just a couple weeks later, as we ventured down to Arkansas for my cousin Curt's wedding in Ft. Smith. For those who don't know, Adam and I used to live in Arkansas before moving to Kansas City. I lived in Ft. Smith for almost 2 years while Adam lived in Little Rock. When we got engaged, I moved to Little Rock as well. We hadn't been back to the state since moving 5 years ago, so we used the wedding as an opportunity to go visit our old stompin' grounds. We left early Wednesday morning and headed to Little Rock, in a trip jam-packed with all the things we used to enjoy doing. On the way, we stopped in Rogers, AR to eat lunch at our all-time favorite restaurant, Rolando's. There is one in Ft. Smith, where my previous company (ABF Freight Systems) took me when I interviewed with them, and I instantly fell in love. Rolando is from Ecuador, and the cuisine is similar to Mexican, but with more of a cilantro-based spice, tomatillo sour cream and black beans. Phenomenal. I had my all-time favorite, Jose's Quesadillas:

And Adam had his standard Don Quixote burrito:

After lunch, it was onward to Little Rock. The next day and a half were a trip down memory lane as we re-lived some of the things we did and places we went during our year and a half of long-distance dating. First up was a trip to the local brewery, Diamond Bear. We used to do their tour/tasting on Saturday evenings before a night out on the town, and we got to know one of their owners, Russ Melton, pretty well. This is a family business that has grown from the ground up, and it's nice to see them doing well. They only distribute in Arkansas and a little in Mississippi, so we are still waiting for them to expand to KC! Surprisingly, Adam and I both really enjoyed their Irish Red beer. When we found out they only had 5 6-packs left (they have now made it a seasonal beer only), we snatched them all up. The brewery is only normally open on weekends, but since we were only in town for 2 days, we called, and they were happy to let us come in and get what we needed. 

Next was a trip to our old employer, Alltel (now Verizon). I think we both hated working there, but me moreso than Adam. I had a terrible boss and a terrible senior engineer who was supposed to be my mentor. When we drove down to campus, guess who we saw walking right past our car?! What are the freaking odds? The 2 far buildings on campus seem to be deserted now that it's just a regional office for Verizon. Soooo glad we got out when we did. 

We hopped on the interstate and drove out west to see Adam's old house. The house was a great starter home, in a nice West Little Rock suburban neighborhood, but there were mixed emotions about seeing it. We spent a lot of time there, and even got engaged there. But we could still see the dents in the front door from when the house was broken into and robbed over Christmas 6 years ago. I also have some suspicions about the current residents, since a bank account was fraudulently opened in my maiden name, from that address last year. Then we swung by the apartment where I lived with my lovely friend Char. It was a dump, and you couldn't pay me to live there anymore now! All in all, this little tour made me SO thankful for where we are today.

For dinner, we went to a place called Sekisui, or as I always called it, "Fish on boats." This was the first place I ever had sushi, which I now LOVE. Their happy hour consists of sushi rolls floating in a moat around the bar. Adam loaded up!

Then we got some wine and relaxed in their lounge area while watching the Olympics.

The plan on Thursday was to play some golf, but as we ventured out for breakfast, it was raining. It was such a welcome sight since we haven't seen rain in so long that we weren't even bummed about our plans changing. So, we tooled around the mall for bit and headed out to another favorite activity of ours, hiking Pinnacle Mountain. One of my favorite things about Little Rock was the nature. Lots of hills, trees, and lakes. The Pinnacle Mountain hike is perfect, almost a mile one-way, with some pretty steep ascents near the top. On the way up, Adam found a great tree for pull-ups:

My attempt was not as graceful.

 We continued our climb and got slightly off-path, which led to a bit steeper ascent than I was prepared for. The high winds really didn't help the situation either.

But after a little work, we made it to the top and were rewarded with a great view of Lake Maumelle.

Adam took this opportunity to do some push-ups and mountain climbers (ironic choice), while I watched.

We ended our time in Little Rock with an evening with our good friends, Stan and Jane. Stan and Adam met when Stan sold Adam his house. Despite a generation gap (their children are our age), we really get along well with them. Adam and Stan became great hunting buddies, and we loved to go to their gorgeous house for dinner and a game of spades. Jane cooked us a wonderful dinner, and we chatted and played spades...boys vs. girls. We played 2 hands and each won 1, so everyone went home happy. Stan's favorite saying is "Try and you might," in his bold attempts to go nil or even blind nil. They are just genuine, happy people and SO much fun to be around. We stayed up way too late enjoying our time with them.

On Friday morning, it was off to Ft. Smith for the wedding festivities. Ironically, my cousin Curt moved to Ft. Smith and began working for a subsidiary of the same company I worked for, and he arrived just a few months after I left town. I really loved working for ABF, and I loved my co-workers and my time in Ft. Smith, so it was great to go back. We met some old co-workers, including my old boss for lunch at...where else...Rolando's. Then we did what any rational people do on a 108-degree afternoon...we went out to play golf.

This was my first attempt at actually playing a course, so it was good that no one else in their right mind would've gone out golfing that day. I managed to have a couple successful holes, making a pretty long putt from the edge of the green to get a 7 (my best score on a single hole up to that point), and then making bogey on a par 3. I was so proud to have achieved a score they actually have a name for! After 6 holes, I was getting tired and hot, so I decided to quit while I was ahead. Adam finished the 9, and we went back to the hotel and jumped into the pool. In another sport that Adam is much better at, he tried to teach me the butterfly. Though inspired by Michael Phelps, I was terrible at it. I did, however, win the treading water contest, no matter what Adam tells you!

From there, it was time to get ready for the wedding festivities. I read the petitions in the wedding and was glad to be part of such a beautiful day. Curt's new wife Heather is a beautiful and sweet girl, and our family is lucky to have her! As with any vacation, it was nice to get back home. We both agreed that even though we had fun during our time in Arkansas, we are so glad to be where we are now. We are truly midwesterners at heart, and Kansas City is home!

Chillin at the Holiday Inn

Okay, so ACTUALLY as I write this, I'm chilling at the Hampton Inn, but I don't know of any songs featuring the Hampton. I've recently started a different role at work that requires me to travel a little bit more.  **DISCLAIMER** I don't travel nearly as much as some of our real road warriors, so I still have a lot to learn. If any of you professional travelers are reading this and have any tips to share, please do!!

Whether for business or pleasure, summer is a time when a lot of us travel more than usual, so I wanted to share some of the things I've learned (some the hard way) along the way about staying fit and fabulous while traveling.

It's SO tempting to fall into the "calories don't count when I'm on vacation" mindset but let's not kid ourselves here! One of the best parts of going on vacation is the opportunity to experience new foods you just can't get "back home." My current trip brings me to Brenham, TX, home of the Blue Bell creamery, delicious pecan pie, and better Mexican food than you find in Kansas. Planning for these things, I try to keep myself in check for my other meals, and of course I'm planning for time to be active.

Vacation brings lots of opportunities to be more active than we are in our daily lives, without even recognizing it sometimes! A couple years ago, Adam and I went to DC, and I can't even imagine how many miles we must have walked in a day touring the city and museums. To really take an active vacation to extremes, plan for a vacation/race. Whether that's a 5k, half marathon, triathlon, or whatever. The vacation serves as a great reward for all your hard training. Then there are things like skiing, hiking, rafting and biking. More of a spa on the beach kind of girl? Did you know walking/running on the beach is an AMAZING workout for your legs? All your muscles have to work so much harder to stabilize themselves in the sand, and many resorts also have yoga classes by the beach. What a great way to start your day!

Business trip in rural TX? No problem! Even if your hotel doesn't have a fitness center, there are plenty of things you can do in your own room with NO equipment!

Legs: squats, lunges, bowler lunges, plie lunges, wall sits, all of which simply use your own body weight for resistance. If you're used to using weights when you do squats, you may need to do more reps than you're used to, or even find something in the room like a phone book that might add a little extra weight.
Core: there are a million variations on planks to keep your abs and back tight.
Arms: pushups, then bring the hands together and the elbows closer to the body for tricep work. Bicep curls can be effective again with a phone book or even without weights, as long as you keep the motion slow and concentrate on contracting the muscles. For a more intense workout, think about bringing a resistance band. It takes very little space in your suitcase and can be held tighter or looser depending on your strength level.

Mix these exercises in with 60-90 second intervals of jumping jacks for a total body strength/cardio workout! Got internet? A quick YouTube search of "hotel room workout" will give you plenty of other ideas!

Taking the extra 30 minutes just for a quick circuit will make those little indulgences like Blue Bell ice cream and Mexican food feel a lot more enjoyable. Just be sure you do the circuit BEFORE the ice cream!

Quoth the Maven: Introduction

In just 11 days (but who's counting?), I will finally finish my MBA! Everybody asks me, and sometimes I ask myself, "What are you going to do with all your spare time when you don't have school?" Fortunately, I've had 2 great opportunities to teach TurboKick come my way. **SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT** You can come to my class every other Tuesday 5:30 - 6:30 at The Athletic Club of Overland Park and every Sunday 10:30 - 11:30am at the Olathe 24 Hour Fitness!

Because that's not quite enough to satisfy my need for constant activity, I have also recently been presented with another very cool opportunity. As of this week, I am serving as a Suburban Catwalk Maven. So what does that mean? Glad you asked! Suburban Catwalk is a fashion and beauty blog started by Jennifer Hermon. Check it out. As a Maven, I will be able to try new beauty products and trends and share my experiences with all my friends who will listen.

Assignment #1 was to attend the launch of Candy Glam, a spring makeup line from Empower Me. I was introduced to my 2 fellow Mavens, Kelli and Janet (who we have named "Short Janet" for clarity).

Various salon services were offered for just $5. Since I had an upcoming full mani/pedi planned in preparation for Felicia's wedding the following weekend (yay!!), I passed on the mini mani, and since it was a Thursday evening and I was going straight home, I also passed on the quick up-do, party eyelash application, and hair chalking, but I did partake in some eyebrow threading. A loyal waxer/tweezer, I had never tried threading before, but I was pleasantly surprised with the results. The pain level was about the same as with waxing but without the redness I usually get from waxing. It took just a few minutes. It's only been 5 days, so I can't really speak to how long it will last.

There were also a few other vendors there including Kosama - which is apparently like a P90X format in a group setting, Vault Denim - which I just glanced at since I was attending a separate Vault Denim party the following day (which was successful BTW!), and Jamberry Nails - which is like the Sally Hansen stick-on nail designs. The Jamberry girl gave me a strip to "sample," but she only gave me 4 strips, so I'm not entirely sure how I'm supposed to make that work.

Jennifer also presented me with a pink gym bag (you KNOW how much I love all things athletic and girly!) full of some other product samples, most of which are skin care related. Because there are several different products, I plan on testing out just one at a time over the coming weeks.

So the moral of the story is that hopefully with school ending soon, I will have the opportunity to do some more fun and interesting things besides study and get my Turbo on. Stay tuned!