Hi, I am Dollie Gary, from Rochelle Park. I am a housewife as well as a nutrition specialist by profession. I love to spend free time reading articles about health and fitness.
Your alarm goes off and you suddenly don’t feel as motivated to get up and go out for your daily run or exercise anymore. We’ve all been there and we know that it can be sometimes difficult to keep up with your fitness goals. That’s why we’re here to help you keep your mojo.
Check out these tips to keep your activity stats on the rise:
Plan your workouts on the Sunday for the week ahead. Creating a workout schedule will not only help you hold yourself accountable, but it will put you in a routine for success. Sit down and build in 30 minutes each day to exercise then stick to it!
Think about variety. Exercising can be fun, too! So don’t be afraid to switch it up from time to time. Whether it’s a yoga class that has a different flow each week or a changing your running route around your city or neighborhood, change helps us stay motivated.
Create a support system. Reach out to a friend, family member, or colleague who shares the same zest for exercise. Whether it’s by planning workouts together or just getting kind words of encouragement, you might be surprised at how many people want to help you succeed!
Set goals. Setting a realistic goal for yourself will help keep your spirits high and remind you why you committed in the first place. Whatever it is, write it down and revisit it daily.
Invest in quality workout gear. If possible, invest in workout gear that will make you feel good and excited to get your sweat on. Whether it’s a new pair of workout shorts, running sneakers or a new band for your Fitbit–a new look might help you get motivated!
Do friendly contests with your friends. If some friendly competition is what gets your motivation up, try Fitbit Challenges. You can invite your friends and family to take more steps, support one another and reach your goals together!
Track your progress. Whether you write it down in a planner or use the Fitbit app, track your fitness progress. There’s no bigger motivator than seeing yourself improve!
Reward yourself. You’ve done the work, so why not treat yourself? Fitbit can help bring you to the next level with fitness trackers, smart scales, and more.
After nearly three decades of writing books about the healthiest ways for people to eat, it should come as no surprise that many people wonder what I actually eat on a daily basis. That being said, I am far from perfect. I eat pretty darn well most of the time, but I have a sweet tooth that sometimes gets the best of me.
While I love variety, I must admit that I am a creature of habit. I have the same two breakfasts almost every single morning of my life. I’ll either have a white smoothie from my book, TheBody Reset Diet (see recipe below). Or, I’ll make an omelet with sautéed spinach, cheddar, and a side of blackberries. Mid-morning, I have a palm-full of cashews with an espresso macchiato or a low-sugar strained yogurt with some berries and peanut butter.
Lunch is usually a turkey, spinach, Swiss cheese, and jalapeño sandwich on a grilled tortilla. Then in the afternoon, I’ll snack on a bunch of cut vegetables, including peppers, carrots, celery, and jicama.
Dinnertime varies more than my other meals of the day. Some of my favorites include a shrimp stir-fry, grilled wild salmon with a side of sautéed vegetables, sushi, or shish kebab with some kind of seafood and vegetables on skewers. When I’m trying to be extra healthy, I’ll have a bowl of blended vegetable soup with lunch, dinner, or often both. When my sweet tooth does get the better of me, chocolate chip cookies are my soft spot. I also have a little thing for Nutella. I’m not really into candy and don’t drink alcohol, but baked goods make me very happy, so I figure a treat now and then is totally fine.
I try to avoid any beverages that have sugar, and mainly stick to water, sparkling water, or an electrolyte beverage like Propel, when I’m working out and sweating a lot.
Make the Smoothie: Apple Pie Smoothie
PHOTO CREDIT: Harley Pasternak, The Body Reset Diet: Power Your Metabolism, Blast Fat, and Shed Pounds in Just 15 Days
INGREDIENTS:
5 raw almonds
1 red apple, unpeeled, cored, and chopped
1 small frozen banana, chopped
6 ounces fat-free plain Greek yogurt
½ cup fat-free milk
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a blender or food processor, blend the almonds until finely ground. Add apple, banana, yogurt, milk, and cinnamon, and you’re all set!
Makes 1 serving.
NUTRITION FACTS (per serving):
Calories 325
Protein 19 g
Total fat 4 g
Saturated fat 0.4 g
Cholesterol 8.4 mg
Carbs 56 g
Fiber 8 g
Total sugars 40 g
Added sugars 0 g
Sodium 109 mg
What Fitbit’s Nutritionist Says
Unsurprisingly, Harley’s eating habits are great!
He fills his day with lots of fruit and veggies.
He doesn’t allow big gaps between his meals and keeps his snacks small and healthy. His nuts and yogurt snack is a total winner, providing fiber, protein, and probiotics for a healthy gut.
All of his main meals deliver filling protein and most of his choices are lean —seafood, fish, and turkey with minimal red meat.
Although most people tend to eat the same types of meals, it’s important to mix up your choices within each food group by varying things like the fruit in your smoothies, your sandwich fillers, the types of nuts you snack on, and the veggies served alongside your mains. That way you’re more likely to meet the full spectrum of your nutritional needs.
It’s great that Harley’s diet includes a treat. No nutritionist worth their weight wants you to be perfect all the time! Including occasional treats or even a small daily serving can be part of a healthy balanced lifestyle.
For many of us, this summer is looking a lot different than what we expected or what we had originally planned for. However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make the most of the warmer days and longer nights—it just means we have to get a little more creative.
While keeping in mind that social distancing is still recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there’s a lot we can do solo or with a small group. Here are a few tips of how to make the most of your summer:
Go on a hike or walk. Whether it’s visiting your local park or going on a hike nearby, getting outside can significantly improve your summer and overall mood. It’s something you can do solo to have a more peaceful, quiet, and relaxing environment or go with a friend or family member. Remember to always follow your local regulations regarding six feet, especially if you’re going with someone you don’t live with.
“It is believed that being in nature lowers activity in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region that is involved with having repetitive negative thoughts,” says Dr. Jason Strauss, MD, Director, Inpatient Adult and Geriatric Psychiatry at Cambridge Health Alliance. “Being in a nature setting also lowers levels of the hormone cortisol, which is increased when one has stress and/or depression.”
Try that new recipe. You don’t need to have guests to whip up something new in the kitchen. Turn on some music and try cooking that recipe you’ve been eyeing.
Work on a DIY project. If possible, put a few hours aside on your Saturday afternoon to be proactive. Start an easy DIY project, update your CV, or work on anything you’ve started and put off finishing. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment on whatever amount of work you get done and be able to go about your weekend having already completed a task.
Go camping. Going camping is one of the best ways to get your nature fix this summer. Whether you take a solo trip or go with a group, you can easily make a full and wholesome weekend out of it.
Exercise outdoors. To get out of the house, try working out outside as much as possible. The fresh air paired with getting your heart pumping will give your endorphins a good boost. “Being outside for even 20-30 minutes daily for three or four days per week can be enough to boost your mood,” says Dr. Strauss.
Running, walking, or biking are just a few of the exercises you can do outdoors. You can also ask a friend or family member to play a game of tennis, volleyball, or basketball to get your sweat on.
Barbecue outside. Seize your summer Sunday’s by safely hosting barbecues. Invite over some friends or family members to eat outside, but be sure to keep the group to the CDC-recommended 10 people or less.
Break out the board games. Binge-watching TV can get old—so If you haven’t yet, dust off your old board games and get the whole family involved.
Gardening. Whether you have a green or black thumb, anyone can take up gardening. Start small, with a few plants and see what happens. It’s a skill that takes practice, patience, and vigilance—and it’s something you can keep up with long after summer.
Explore your backyard. Although many of us have had to cancel flights, postpone and/or cancel vacation plans, we should take this opportunity to explore our own backyards. This doesn’t just mean hanging out behind your house. Look up things to do within your city or town, and explore different parts that you don’t normally spend time in.
You just gave birth to this sweet bundle of joy and now you’re circling through feelings of exhaustion, euphoria, frustration, overwhelm—and did we mention exhaustion? You might now be wondering when and if you’ll return to your pre-pregnancy clothes and how long it’ll take you to lose the weight.
The most important thing you need to focus on other than your baby is healing. Getting your body back to some sense of normalcy will take time. Remember, this baby took over your body for nearly 10 months. You have a new figure that gave birth and chances are, it’ll look different than where you were before—so be prepared to be okay with that. Take time to celebrate this body that grew and gave birth to a human.
When you’re ready to start thinking about reaching your health and fitness goals, fitness expert Sarah Bradford, a pre and postnatal fitness specialist, founder of LUNA Mother Collective, and Fitbit health coach, Miranda Canfield, MS, RDN, CD, have tips on how to get started—once you’ve been cleared to start exercising by your doctor.
Slow and steady will help you reach your goals safely
Our experts’ suggestion? Take it easy, go slow, and be gentle with yourself when it comes to losing weight after having a baby. While you probably heard that breastfeeding helps moms lose the baby weight, some new moms find it difficult to lose weight while breastfeeding, says Canfield. “There are a lot of factors going on postpartum and lactation hormones are flowing so don’t be hard on yourself if the weight is not coming off easily,” she says.
We also understand that many factors come into play if your baby is formula-fed, so while you may not be burning the 500 to 700 calories a breastfeeding mama is by feeding her baby, you can still start your weight loss journey and be successful at getting back in shape after giving birth.
Some of the biggest challenges moms face when trying to get back in shape after having kids is often finding time for self-care, as well as the energy, says Bradford. “Trying to work out while children nap sounds like a great idea, but it may also be the only time she gets to sit down all day—and a snooze might be crucial for mom then, too. It can be challenging to get motivated to go to the gym or work out at home.”
First, strengthen your core. Be realistic with yourself about how you’re feeling, how much energy you have, and your time limitations. Focus on healing your body as well as how getting back to working out will help your mental health and energy once your body is recovered.
“I think fat loss and weight loss should not be a new mom’s goal when it comes to re-entering exercise after her baby is born,” says Bradford. Don’t jump back into the workouts you did before getting pregnant or the ones you did while pregnant.
Reconnect to your pelvic floor and inner core and allow time to heal, especially if you experienced pelvic floor issues such as incontinence, or diastasis recti are present, Bradford says.
Diastasis recti is the separation of the two sides of the rectus abdominis, the 6-pack muscles. A woman may feel a separation somewhere around her belly button, above her belly button, and/or below it, Bradford says. “This is a normal, natural part of pregnancy that occurs in order to create space for the growing uterus,” she says. “However, it does not always heal back together postpartum and can leave some women with an injury-based diastasis which is the result of excessive and unsupported intra-abdominal pressure.”
Whether you’ve experienced pelvic floor issues or not, jumping back into “traditional” core exercises such as crunches, planks, leg lifts, and mountain climbers before taking the time to rehabilitate your core and pelvic floor postpartum by learning how to properly regulate intra-abdominal pressure may do more harm than good, Bradford warns. “Not taking the time to properly rehabilitate after birth can lead to setbacks down the road. Establishing a strong foundation first will set her up for being able to get back to the workouts and activities she loves sooner,” says Bradford.
If you’ve had a C-section, it will likely take longer to establish a strong core connection and the healing process will be slower. “If a woman has access to a pelvic floor physical therapist she should see one, even if she doesn’t appear to be symptomatic,” suggests Bradford. “She can learn a lot about her body and the therapist can help her understand when she is truly ready for more vigorous exercise. “
The good news is, most women can begin very gentle rehabilitative pelvic floor and core exercises a day or two post-birth—no sneakers or sports bra required! Lie on your back in bed with the baby, breathing into your diaphragm and gently beginning to lift the pelvic floor as you exhale, releasing it down as you inhale. “Establishing that connection again early can aid in the healing process,” advises Bradford.
When you feel ready, you can incorporate more rehabilitative core and pelvic floor exercises like supine heel marches (lifting one leg up at a time), leg slides, and glute bridges, suggests Bradford.
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Ease back into cardio and strength training. Every new mom feels like she doesn’t have time to work out but remember that a few minutes here and there can add up. Look for ways to sneak it in—like doing some ab exercises next to the baby while he’s doing his tummy time.
One of the best cardio exercises you can start when you feel ready and your doctor clears you is walking. Put the baby in the stroller and get moving a few times a week.
When you’re ready to start strength training, have been cleared by your healthcare provider and stopped bleeding, add resistance training with lighter weights than you were using prior to giving birth, says Bradford.
If you’re eager to get back to your favorite HIIT workouts, wait until your pelvic floor and core have healed, advises Bradford. Breastfeeding moms have a higher level of the hormone, Relaxin, in the body which loosens joints’ connective tissues in preparation for birth. That can make you more susceptible to injury.
Strengthening the deep core, glutes, and legs can help increase stability and reduce the risk of injury, Bradford says.
Cardio is great for burning calories, but it’s not enough to boost your metabolic rate—you’ll need resistance training. (So you can burn more calories while squeezing in a nap!) Try doing two HIIT workouts a week, and alternate with strength training while making sure to also incorporate rest days, advises Bradford.
Be smart about nutrition while safely trying to lose baby weight. Fitness is only one component of reaching your ideal postpartum physique. It’s going to be difficult to reach your health goals if you’re chowing down on chips or candy at night. While it can be challenging to eat healthy when you’re so exhausted and emotionally drained, research says that eating a healthy diet can give you more energy when you’re sleep deprived.
As you start thinking about your diet, breastfeeding women should keep in mind that suddenly and drastically reducing caloric intake may affect milk supply—so go slowly. Although everyone’s calorie needs are different, it’s said that women shouldn’t let their calories dip below 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day while breastfeeding.
It’s so important to feed your body enough calories and nutrients to aid in your recovery and to establish milk supply if you choose to breastfeed, says Canfield.
While formula-feeding moms may not have the same concerns about milk supply or increased calorie needs, you are still recovering from pregnancy and birth and healthy foods help heal. “Every new mom should focus on eating lots of fruits and vegetables and meals and snacks with protein, whole grains, and fiber to stay full for longer,” she suggests. Eliminate junk food and empty carbs that can lead to an energy crash.
One of the most important components to keep in mind while breastfeeding is hydration. “It’s critical for milk supply so drink lots of fluids and avoid sugar-sweetened beverages,” says Canfield. Buy a big refillable water bottle with an easy flip top and straw to sip on throughout the day—you’ll be doing everything one-handed these days!
“If you find that you are hungry when you wake up in the night to feed, keep some snacks at your bedside that ideally have a combination of fiber and protein to keep it filling,” Canfield suggests.
Nuts are a good option since they’re shelf-stable and contain protein, fiber, and healthy fats. If you’re going to the kitchen, you might want to have whole grain crackers and peanut butter, a piece of fruit and peanut or almond butter, a low-sugar protein bar, or Greek yogurt topped with fruit or granola.
Our number-one tip for your summer body goals? Celebrate and appreciate your new body. “Rather than worrying about trying to fit into your pre-pregnancy clothes and creating unrealistic expectations for yourself postpartum, treat yourself to a new outfit that fits your current body and that you can feel confident in,” suggests Bradford. “Generally speaking, the average time it takes for women to shed the pregnancy weight is about a year, so please be patient with yourself. When you start to feel discouraged, look at your baby and remind yourself of what an incredible thing your body has done!”
The past few months have been challenging, to say the least. No matter what your situation, we’re all facing new circumstances and stressors. If your usual techniques to help ease anxiety haven’t helped, that’s normal.
“Coping strategies that people may have used in the past to successfully navigate stressful experiences may not work the same way now,” says Shevaun D. Neupert, PhD, a professor of psychology at North Carolina State University. “People need to match their coping strategy with the demands of the situation. And because we are all living in new situations that are unique to us and different from what other people may be experiencing, there is no ‘one size fits all’ coping solution. Everyone should be encouraged to try various coping techniques.”
Consider these six practices below and see what helps you better manage stress and anxiety. Keep in mind that one thing may work today and another may better suit your needs tomorrow.
Be proactive and mindful. In a recent study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, researchers gave 233 adults a survey to determine how often they engage in something called proactive coping. This is taking any action to reduce the likelihood of experiencing future stressors, such as making plans or allocating resources. Then, for eight days, the participants filled out questionnaires about stress, mood, and mindfulness, which has been linked to reduced anxiety and distress.
Not surprisingly, those who engaged in proactive coping experienced less day-to-day stress. However, the people with the best response to daily pressures like arguments, work conflicts, and your kids misbehaving were also able to stay mindful in the present moment. “This is admittedly a challenging balance and highlights the real tension that humans experience in balancing plans for the future with living in the moment,” says Neupert, lead author of the study.
Right now it may be harder than ever to plan a month out, so Neupert suggests planning a day at a time or even part of the day at a time. Then, consider trying more mindfulness practices such as meditation and mindful eating. You’ll find a balance between planning ahead and mindfully being in the moment that’s best for you.
Get deep sleep. Sleep and stress can form a vicious cycle. Just one night of sleep deprivation can boost anxiety by 30 percent, UC Berkeley researchers found. “Sleep loss targets the same brain regions that make us susceptible to anxiety,” explains neuroscientist and sleep researcher Eti Ben Simon, PhD, of the Center for Human Sleep Science in UC Berkeley. “When these regions are taken offline, as is the case with a lack of sleep, our deep emotional centers are left uncontrolled and anxiety ensues.” And, as many of us know, increased anxiety makes getting adequate ZZZ’s even harder.
But deep sleep—a non-REM sleep stage when your brain activity slows and it’s very hard to be woken—may actually help reduce anxiety. This kind of sleep restores activity in the brain regions that keep us calm, Ben Simon explains. She suggests finding your optimal bedtime—the time when you easily fall asleep—and then maintaining a regular sleep schedule.
Talk to yourself in the third person. Many people may find it odd to refer to yourself by your first name rather than “I”. But speaking silently to yourself in this manner has been shown to help control emotions and reduce stress. It’s like when a friend comes to you with a problem. “It’s easier to be objective and coach them because we have distance from the problem, and that distance can promote rational thinking,” explains Ethan Kross, PhD, director of the Self-Control and Emotion Laboratory and professor of psychology at University of Michigan. When you use the same parts of speech you would use to refer to others (they, she, he) for yourself, you get that same distance.
In studies, when Kross asked people to work through a past or potential future challenging event, those who did so by using the third-person experienced less stress and anxiety based on self-reports and cardiovascular reactivity measures such as blood pressure. The next time you try to work through your feelings, adopt a third-person narrative, and you may find that your language shifts to more of a challenge mindset (“In past situations like this, they/she/he did X to cope. That could work now”) rather than a threat mindset (“How will I ever deal with this?”), Kross adds.
Play a game. In a study published last July, researchers followed 20 adults. For five days, once they arrived home from work, the participants either played a jigsaw-like game called Block! Hexa Puzzle or used a mindfulness app for 10 minutes. As the days went by, those playing the game reported feeling more relaxed, while those using the mindfulness app reported feeling less relaxed.
“Games have four aspects that help us recover from work,” says study co-author Anna Cox, PhD, professor of human-computer interaction at University College London. “They help us put work aside and not think about it; they help us relax; they give us the opportunity to experience mastery over challenges; and they give us the opportunity to feel in control over the environment.” This all adds up to less tension and anxiety. Any game you like would have similar effects, Cox adds. Just set a timer, because few of us need more screen time.
Take a mindful walk. You may have heard that spending time in nature may help reduce stress and anxiety. And all it takes is 10 minutes, according to a Cornell University review published in February. To maximize the benefits, it may help to make your movement mindful. Penn State researchers gave college students an app that randomly prompted them to record their activity and state of mind throughout the day for two weeks. They found that students had the greatest reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression when they were both moving and mindful.
In a follow-up study, older adults who participated in an outdoor mindful walking program also reported the same positive mood shift. So rather than thinking about your to-do list or ruminating about the argument you had with your dad last night, use your walk time to mindfully focus on your breath and surroundings.
Try half-smiling and willing hands. This technique used in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is kind of a “fake it til you make it.” The idea is that when you put your body into a physical position associated with feelings of calmness, it triggers your brain into relaxing and reduces anxiety. To half-smile, begin by relaxing all the muscles in your face—your forehead, eyes, ears, tongue, jaw, everything. Then simply begin to form the first hints of a smile with your lips.
For willing hands, fully relax your shoulders, arms, and hands, perhaps shaking them out to relieve any tension. Then, whether you are seated, standing, or lying down, turn your palms up (or whatever direction feels natural if you are standing) and let your fingers fall open. You can practice this daily (like a meditation) or in-the-moment.
Your body needs it, you may be tracking it with Fitbit and you’ve probably heard that your health could benefit from better rest—so how much do you really know about sleep? On this week’s episode of Fitbit’s podcast Fit in Focus, clinical psychologist and sleep behavioral specialist Dr. Michael Grandner walks us through everything from weird dreams to insomnia and how your current quarantine habits may be impacting your ZZZ’s. Check out some highlights from this week’s discussion below and listen to the full episode on Google Play, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe!
On why we sleep: “We sleep because we’re very active during the day and at night, there are many things in our body that are much more efficiently done when we’re isolated from the environment and sort of not moving.”
Why do we have recurring stress dreams? What is our mind trying to tell us? “Dreams are you…eavesdropping and watching your brain speak to itself in its native language.”
Tips for better sleep hygiene: “I would think that whatever it is, the last hour before you go to bed should be a protected time. I’m not saying put your phone down an hour before you go to bed, that’s fine—but what’s most important is that whatever you’re doing in that time, if you have to wind down from it, then you’re doing the wrong thing. This is supposed to be the time you’re winding down and processing your thoughts. You don’t have to be off your phone, just don’t do something that’s going to get you worked up. Don’t do something that’s so mentally engaging that you’re not going to notice an hour go by.”
Introducing a new rotation-worthy meal for those busy summer nights! This dish is a quick version of a traditional Korean beef recipe, coming together in less than 15 minutes with only a few ingredients you most likely have on hand. Cooking with lean ground beef is a great way to stretch your dollar and your minutes, soaking up flavor and packing a punch with minimal effort and time.
Our favorite way to serve it is over brown rice with steamed broccoli, but you can easily customize this recipe by accompanying it with different vegetables; or, serve it in cool and crunchy lettuce wraps for a unique taco-inspired dish.
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup beef broth, reduced sodium
2 tablespoons liquid aminos
½ teaspoon sesame oil, to taste
3 tablespoons orange juice, freshly squeezed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 lb (500 g) lean ground beef
Sliced green onions, for garnish
Sesame seeds, for garnish
4 cups brown rice, cooked
4 cups broccoli, steamed
INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix the first 7 ingredients in a mixing bowl, then set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium to high heat, then add ground beef. Reduce heat to medium, break up beef, then drain any fat while there is some pink remaining or just before done. Add the sauce into the pan and stir to flavor the beef. Cook until the sauce has reduced. Remove from heat and top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
Serve over brown rice and pair with steamed broccoli.
In March we introduced Active Zone Minutes (AZMs), a new, personalized, heart rate-based metric that goes beyond step activity to provide tailored activity targets for improving health and well-being. At the same time, AZMs help show the most effective types of workouts so you can work out more efficiently. Our team recently dug into our data to explore relationships between AZMs and health indicators to see how our users can track their way to better health with AZMs. But first, here’s what you need to know:
AZMs track the amount of time a user spends engaging in a heart-pumping activity. Using our 24/7 continuous PurePulse heart rate tracking, we automatically set personalized “Active Zones” based on your resting heart rate and age. AZM uses your personalized heart rate zones to track your effort for any workout that gets your heart pumping, from spin class to yoga, because moderate and vigorous activity varies depending on your fitness level. Active Zone Minutes goes beyond steps to give you credit for all the activities relevant to you.
Specifically, users earn one AZM for each minute spent in their “fat burn” zone and two AZMs for each minute spent in their cardio or “peak” zone. The goal is to get to 150 minutes of weekly heart-pumping activity, as recommended by the World Health Organization and American Heart Association.
We looked at anonymized global data from 20,000 Fitbit users over the course of one month and retrospectively computed what AZMs they would have earned. We studied how their weekly AZMs correlate to their health indicators like resting heart rate (RHR) and body mass index (BMI). Here is what we found:
AZMs do a body good. Our data shows that the more AZMs a user earns each week, the more positive health indicators a user sees, as shown through a lower RHR and BMI.
“Our cross-sectional analysis shows a clear association between the acquisition of AZMs and our users having the tools they need to improve their health. Now that the feature is available for the masses, we are excited to use this physical activity metric further in longitudinal analyses,” said Fitbit data scientist Aubrey Browne.
On average, this data showed that men and women with 150 AZMs per week had a lower RHR compared to users who did not. The differences in RHR were also statistically significant for both genders when looking at these same cohorts: men’s RHR on average was 2.45 fewer beats per minute and women’s RHR was 2.7 fewer in those with 150 AZMs per week. For BMI, those men who had 150 AZMs had a 0.7 lower BMI, while women who had the same had a 0.9 lower BMI. For context, the BMI for someone within the normal weight range is typically 18.5 to 24.9, so a difference of 0.9 can determine if someone falls into a normal or overweight BMI category.
No pain, no gain. Intensity matters! We found that when the majority of AZMs come from cardio and peak zone minutes, the users were likely to see even better indicators. More specifically, the more cardio and peak zone minutes a user had compared to moderate minutes, the lower their resting heart rate and body mass index.
Of the data analyzed, users who had approximately 1 vigorous AZM for every 2 moderate AZMs had lower BMIs and RHRs than users who very rarely had vigorous AZMs. Between these two groups, women show a decrease in their BMI on average and men have about half as much, with a decrease in BMI of 0.651. For RHR, there is also a statistically significant difference between genders. RHR decreased by 1.9 beats per minute for women and RHR decreased by 0.24 beats per minute for men.
Consistency is key. Users who consistently had the recommended amount of AZMs showed better indicators for RHR and BMI. This data showed that meeting weekly and daily goals helps reduce resting heart rate and BMI across most age groups.
On that note, our team found that Fitbit users tend to have more cardio or peak zone minutes earlier in the week on Mondays and Tuesdays, with intensity declining through the week into the least intense workouts on the weekend.
But no matter what activity you do, it’s important to meet your daily and weekly goals with consistency to see the most health benefits.
Block, don’t sprinkle. This data showed that users who worked out in blocks (i.e., had at least one period where they get 10 consecutive zone minutes) have lower RHR and BMI than those who sprinkled activity throughout the day in shorter chunks.
Additionally, “blockers” tended to exercise with more intensity, and as a result see a decrease in their RHRs and BMIs compared to the “sprinklers” who exercise moderately throughout the day.
With consistency and intensity, people can make progress toward better health and AZMs can help them track their progress along the way. We hope these findings help motivate you to start earning more AZMs, which are available on Charge 4 and coming soon to the Fitbit Versa and Fitbit Ionic families.
So what are you waiting for? While it’s not always easy, finding time every day to get your heart pumping can help you start burning fat and improve your overall health!
*Most of the analysis was betweend1(8 AZMs on avg) andd5(150 AZMs on avg). See below chart for decile specifics:
Decile
Weekly AZMs
0
d1
7.908863
1
d2
33.603035
2
d3
64.817766
3
d4
101.981294
4
d5
147.083663
5
d6
203.777277
6
d7
274.299292
7
d8
379.074724
8
d9
551.071501
9
d10
1123.490718
*Suggested daily goal for Active Zone Minutes is based onAmerican Heart Association, US Health Department, andWorld Health Organizationrecommendations to get 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, which has been linked to better overall health and well-being, disease prevention, and improved quality of life.
If you never really thought about how inflammatory your diet is, you’re not alone. It tends to be a lot less talked about than, say, how many calories or grams of saturated fat are in the things you’re eating. But here’s why it’s worth thinking about: Certain foods can lead to chronic low levels of inflammation in your body, which over time is linked to serious health issues like arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
It can also just make you feel less than your best. “Inflammation is your body’s normal way of dealing with something harmful, but if you have too much of it over time, it can cause digestive issues, make you feel fatigued, and bring on brain fog,” says Vanessa Berenstein, RD. “It can even result in things like skin issues or congestion.”
That all sounds pretty scary, but the good news is that you don’t have to completely overhaul your diet to reduce food-related inflammation. You just need to cut down on some of the most common offenders. “Which foods cause inflammation is different for everybody,” says Berenstein. “But there are some foods that tend to be inflammatory for most people.” Avoid those and you’re well on your way to cutting down on chronic inflammation. Start with these little tweaks:
Makeextra-virgin olive oilyour go-to oil instead of canola oil. It’s not that canola oil is unhealthy, but of all the cooking oils, extra-virgin olive oil contains the highest levels of potent antioxidants which have been shown to have a host of health benefits including anti-inflammatory effects. And, yes it’s safe to cook with! So, use it to roast your veggies, grill your fish, and drizzle it into your salad.
Turn your hamburger into a salmon burger. Red meat might be tasty, but eating too much of it (particularly if it’s processed into a sausage) is linked to higher levels of inflammation. On the other hand, fatty fish like salmon contain higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids, which have the opposite effect.
Make your afternoon soda a sparkling water. The sugar in that can of cola is linked to higher levels of inflammation throughout your body. And being fit doesn’t protect you: Soda has been linked to a rise in inflammation even in otherwise healthy people. “On top of that, caffeine affects adrenal glands and can trigger a stress response, which is linked to inflammation,” says Berenstein. “Some people can only tolerate caffeine in small amounts and others can’t tolerate it at all.”
Serve up a side of fruit instead of fries. Just a single high fat meal can kickstart an inflammatory response, making that big pile of fried potatoes a not-so-healthy idea. Instead, serve your sandwich with a colorful fruit salad packed with berries. Researchers have found that the polyphenols they contain can help bring down inflammation.
Make your sandwich on whole wheat bread instead of white. Here’s another reason to choose whole grains over refined grains: Research shows these minimally messed-with grains reduce inflammation in your body. Luckily, these days everything from pasta to pizza dough comes in a whole wheat variety, so you don’t need to give up your favorite dishes.
End your day with a square ofdark chocolate. You probably don’t need too much convincing to add some chocolate to your day, but this rich treat is full of antioxidants called flavonoids, which, among other benefits, can reduce inflammation.
If you choose to drink, then havered wineinstead of beer. A glass of merlot, pinot noir, or any other red wine is one of the tastiest ways to bring down inflammation levels. Just remember that more is not more. “One glass a day is beneficial, but more than that has the opposite effect,” says Berenstein.
Every five years, we get a new set of USDA dietary guidelines. The guidelines are developed by experts and outline scientifically validated nutrition and dietary information for the US population. The last set of guidelines arrived in 2015, which means the next set is slated to arrive later this year.
We were curious to hear what dietitians have observed about the future of eating and overall wellness. Where is culture shifting, and what new ideas are becoming internalized within the nutrition community? This is what four experts had to say about what we should see more of in the years to come:
Mindful and intuitive eating is now taking center stage. More experts want you to focus on the process of eating and truly enjoy your food. “Start by ‘setting the mood,’” says Megan Wong, RD. “Try and limit distractions, putting away any screens and devices. Play background music if it helps, and make your dining area an enjoyable, relaxing place to be.” Wong says mindfulness is different for everyone. “For some, it’s thinking about where your food came from and how it got to your plate,” she says. “For others, it means eating more slowly, paying more attention to the textures, aromas, and tastes of what you’re eating and how you feel.”
Thinking about how food tastes and why we eat can help us develop a healthier relationship with food in general. This goes hand-in-hand with intuitive eating, which Bonnie Roney, RD, a registered dietitian and Food Freedom coach, says is letting your body’s “inner wisdom, hunger and fullness cues guide” decide when you eat and what you eat. “Those who eat intuitively have been found to have less disordered eating, improved body image, decreased weight cycling and lower BMI,” she says. The lessons? Eat slowly, enjoy each taste, listen to your body when it says it’s full, and don’t deprive yourself.
Carbs get the fat treatment. There was a massive fear of fat back in the 1990s. This is when the low-fat phenomenon swept through the country, and everyone was following high-protein, low-fat diets to turn themselves into so-called “beacons of health.” Today, we understand there are healthy and unhealthy fats. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—like the fats in avocado, nuts, olive oil, and fish—are superfoods. Saturated fats—like those found in processed foods, cheese, butter, coconut oil, and red meat—should be limited in the diet.
Today, we understand the nuance. And today, carbs are getting similar treatment, says Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, a dietician and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics. “The conversation is shifting from carbohydrates as a macronutrient to limit, to a conversation about which are more nutrient-rich than others,” she says.
Just like the categorization of fats, there is now recognition that there are healthy carbs and less healthy carbs—and what should be considered healthy vs. unhealthy may not be surprising to most people,” she says. Nutrient-rich carbs are whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruit. Refined carbs should be limited, like white bread, pastries, candy, and sugar-sweetened beverages.
All foods have a place on your plate. There’s room for all foods in your diet, even an occasional slice of cake after dinner or a rich pasta dish once in a while. “Carbs and gluten aren’t evil,” says Kathryn Bubeck, RD, a dietitian in Greensboro, North Carolina, and expert for InvigorMedical.com. “Some people feel better on a low-carb plan, some of us prefer high-carb. Unless you have celiac disease, there is absolutely no reason to eliminate gluten from your diet. To take this one step further, I wish people would stop eliminating entire food groups unless they have an actual medical reason to do so.”
Bubeck says the idea that some foods must be totally banned is “terribly outdated,” and there are really no “bad” foods. “Unless you’re literally eating expired, dirty, or rancid food, everything has some type of nutritional value,” she explains. “Villainizing certain foods can lead to disordered eating, and this can be a very hard cycle to break.” Enjoy it—the ice cream, the bread, the chips. Just don’t over-consume it.
Focus on your behavior, not just your weight. For so long, everyone looked at weight as a measure of health. But body mass index (BMI) is only one measurement, and it’s not an entirely accurate predictor of someone’s overall wellness, says Roney.
“Nutrition experts are continuing to learn how behaviors, not weight, are the best predictors of health,” she says. “Weight is not a behavior, and many registered dietitians are shifting from weight-focused to behavior-focused practices with patients and clients to improve health markers such as lowered waist circumference, blood pressure, or cholesterol.” Sure, weight loss will most certainly help to reduce these numbers, but you can achieve improvements by focusing on the behaviors or habits that caused the numbers to go up, not just weight.
It is more important that you eat a healthy, balanced diet versus falling inside a narrow BMI. Believe it or not, scientists have found other numbers that have nothing to do with weight—like the speed a person walks, or the intensity of their grip—can be predictive of a person’s overall health.
Summer days are made for being outdoors—as safely as we can. On top of providing some vitamin D, spending time in nature boosts our mood and can help reduce stress. At the same time, the idea of an outdoor summer workout can be a little intimidating. The additional heat and humidity pose challenges.
Beyond the basic advice to wear sunscreen, stay hydrated, work out earlier in the day, wear light colors, and stay in the shade when you can, it’s also helpful to adjust your mindset before doing outdoor summer workouts. You may have heard “don’t push it” or “give yourself a break.” But that’s all easier said than done. So we asked Dave Caldwell, head coach of Whisper Running, how to actually achieve these goals so you stay safe and continue to love exercising.
Tip: Don’t push it
Make it happen: Check your heart rate
“If you are just starting out, be sure you are eating sufficiently, staying hydrated, and starting off gradually,” Caldwell says. Otherwise, exhaustion may force you to sideline yourself. Then, whatever your fitness level, monitor your heart rate to check that you don’t push too hard during your workouts. Your Fitbit device can help you stay in the right zone while you exercise with Active Zone Minutes. The on-wrist alerts will let you know when you’re pushing too hard and need to slow down.
Keep in mind that if you’re running or doing HIIT training, your heart may intermittently reach these high levels but it should not stay there for a long time, otherwise you risk a quick burnout and prolonged soreness.
Tip: Don’t expect a PR
Make it happen: Rethink the definition of “PR”
Tough conditions make it tough to break any records. While it’s natural to seek improvement, when it comes to exercise plans, “fall months should look different than spring, and summer different from winter,” Caldwell says. So consider setting different goals for each season, allowing for a good degree of variance among these.
And remember that what you do now—including embracing the fact that the elements are taxing your body—will help you reach your long-term goals. “New athletes may be lucky enough to PR several times in a single season, but seasoned athletes—ones who understand the value and principles of training—will be patient yet persistent in their pursuits, preparing for the ideal time to hit their peak,” Caldwell adds.
Make sure not to beat yourself up—it’s natural to see a change in your performance on hotter, humid days, so try to be flexible. Instead, check in with yourself mid-workout. “You must respect the environmental conditions,” says Caldwell, who notes that signage at the 2012 Boston Marathon—where a heatwave elevated temperatures by as much as 25 degrees so that it reached into the 90s on race day—read “Reevaluate your goals.”
Tip: Give yourself a break
Make it happen: Think big picture
The idea of slowing down during a workout or taking an entire day off is foreign to some exercisers. But “life presents many stresses, especially lately, and we must respect those stresses by adapting through changes in the exercise workload. This means continuing a regular pattern of exercise while temporarily decreasing the intensity of the workouts,” Caldwell says. “Whether it’s a break in the middle of a workout, or a break spanning a few days, both bring great value for the long-haul.”
So if you struggle to acknowledge that it truly is too hot to workout outside or to reduce your intensity mid-circuit, remember your big-picture goal. Hitting it too hard today and ignoring your body’s signals that it needs a break isn’t worth possibly giving yourself heat exhaustion and being forced to take at least a day—if not several—off.
Ayesha Curry’s Premium Summer is in full swing—and we’ve absolutely loved tuning into her series on Fitbit Premium so far. Whether you’re seeking a new workout regimen or looking to spice things up in your kitchen now that we’re all cooking at home more often, there’s something for everyone in this series.
During a time when things are so uncertain, Ayesha’s focus has been on staying present as much as possible, as well as keeping on track when it comes to her health and wellness journey. She also recently launched her own lifestyle magazine, Sweet July, the first issue of which includes a whopping 22 recipes, Ayesha’s guidance on finding gratitude in every day (especially now), feeling peace through time spent safely with family and friends, and more.
One thing is for sure, we’d love to quarantine with Ayesha. Keep reading to find out why.
FITBIT: How have you been keeping fit during quarantine?
AC: I’ve been doing the opposite of what a lot of people have been doing while sheltering-in-place. I’m constantly on the road for work, which is a huge disruption to healthy eating or fitness habits. Being home has afforded me the opportunity to hit the reset button on that, and I’ve been taking full advantage.
FITBIT: Talk about motivational. So, can you tell us what a “day in the life” looks like right now when it comes to your nutrition and fitness routine?
AC: It’s a mish-mash of things. Typically, I’ll start with a bulletproof coffee with Ghee and coconut oil, blended. I try to drink 32 ounces of water before noon with cucumbers and lemon; a protein shake and bar, then I’ll work out if I haven’t already.
For lunch, I’ll have an avocado or make a robust salad with either shaved Brussels sprouts or kale for extra nutrients and a protein like chicken or salmon. I’ll either drizzle lime and honey or homemade dressing made with maple syrup, lemon, and EVOO. For a salad like the papaya salmon one I created for Premium Summer, it’s so flavorful, I don’t need a ton of additional dressing.
For snacks, I usually stick with nuts, banana chips, and dried mango slices. I also like jicama—that crunch!—carrots and hummus, crispy chickpeas (love the ranch flavor), and kale chips. If I’m eating dessert, I love cereal; or I’ll have late night fruit—the fam and I are super into mangoes, white peaches, and apples.
I’ll have one “cheat day” a week so I don’t go crazy. Actually, I look forward to it all week long—it’s the best day ever! Usually Sundays, but lately it’s turned into Saturday. I’ll spend all day preparing, shopping, and planning it out. Usually, I’ll pick a theme or a cuisine to plan it around. I recently made an Indian-themed meal: butter chicken, tikka masala, and paratha. I’ve also done a Greek night and recreated some menu items from one of my favorite San Francisco restaurants, Kokkari. I’m a wine person—I drink Cabs—and chocolate is my go-to food to indulge in.
I’m really into portion control over any kind of diet, and try to stick to nourishing, delicious food in moderation. I keep track of the food I’m putting into my body through the Fitbit app on my phone, and the calories toward my daily goal are at a glance on my watch.
FITBIT: How do you stay motivated to stay healthy?
AC: I started my fitness journey because I wanted to be strong and healthy for myself and the people who depend on me. But it was important that I did it my way, which meant I needed working out to fit in my life, NOT take me away from it. I hate the term balance, because I don’t think there’s any formula that works for everyone, but I do believe that creating time for yourself to exercise is never time wasted.
My worst habit (that has been a constant battle) is not getting enough sleep. Sleep is so important to your mental and physical health, but when life gets busy or stressful, I get a touch of insomnia. It’s definitely something I’m conscious of and working towards improving.
FITBIT: How do you keep meals exciting during COVID-19 times?
AC: Despite the fact that we’re all home, we’re all still very busy. So we make mealtime our family time to connect. Usually I’ll put on a good playlist for the kids, pour some wine or mix up a cocktail for Stephen and I, and just try to make the most of this time together. Keeping mealtime exciting is really all about variety, so I have my staple dinners I’ll always lean on, but also try my best to occasionally mix in a few new proteins or cuisines to keep things interesting.
I’m about to release my new cookbook The Full Plate in September, so it’s been really fun to make the new recipes from the book for the family. The kids have been loving them which makes my heart very full.
FITBIT: What’s a favorite weeknight meal?
AC: Chicken Parm is a family favorite—it’s comforting. It’s a fairly basic dish, but it’s also one of the first things I made for Stephen when we were dating, so it’s nostalgic. I do a lighter breading using panko instead of regular bread crumbs, and whip up a super fast and fresh tomato sauce for the topping.
We’re a “green veggies” family—we love Brussels, asparagus, and broccoli. I like to roast them on high heat to give everything a nice char and enhance the flavor of the veg. There’s nothing I love more than a one-pot or one sheet pan dinner, so most nights I’ll season up a protein and roast it alongside the vegetables. Easy, tasty, and (my favorite part) no dishes to clean up after! Since I’ve been trying to eat healthier, I’ll usually make dinner two ways with a slight modification for myself. It might be rice for the kids and a lettuce wrap for me, or simply subbing in a gluten-free pasta for traditional noodles. Little, easy swaps help me stay on track.
My heritage is Jamaican and it’s my go-to cuisine, but my mom and grandma don’t really have documented recipes. It’s a pinch of this, a dash of that; so I’ll make dishes from memory. I’ve been making Jamaican food a lot to feel connected to my grandma, who lives in Canada, and whom I haven’t seen in MONTHS due to COVID-19. We FaceTime and share the bond over family-favorite meals.
FITBIT: What kind of activities have you and the family been doing to stay active together?
AC: Stephen and I have been riding bikes outside together which has been really nice, or try and time our workouts together. Even the kids will get in on the workouts sometimes! It’s kind of like summer camp with Stephen and I both home, so we try and keep the kids active.
FITBIT: Home gym must-haves? Fave and least favorite exercises?
AC: Two and three-pound weights; resistance bands; a good, cushy mat; and a bench or chair. I’m very into bodyweight, so I don’t need much, equipment-wise!
My favorites are cycling on my Peloton, as I can see my stats right in my Fitbit dashboard, and HIIT workouts. Toning my arms has always been a challenge, so I’m always looking for exercises that target that part of my body. One of the Fitbit workouts I created is a favorite of mine that I’ve been doing lately and seeing results from.
FITBIT: And a few fast, fun facts . . . Do you prefer a group or solo workout?
AC: Solo. I don’t need a lot of conversation or anyone yelling motivating words, I like to just get into it and do the work. Stephen and I will work out together every once in a while, but we’re both so competitive it never turns out very well.
FITBIT: Weights or cardio?
AC: Can I say both for different reasons? I love the way that I feel after cardio, but not during (ha!). I love weights to see more results. For me it’s all about focusing on different body parts, as I do in some of my favorite workout moves from Premium Summer, like “Arms-a-gettin Lean” for arms and “Yes, I ABS-olutely workout!” for abs and core. I do HIIT circuits, too.
It’s rewarding to see my body working hard for me and the lasting effects of a great workout throughout a day. I pay attention to my heart rate and calorie burn the most, but I’ll also notice my heart rate is up—and if it stays up—after a workout, so I can see the impact that has on me.
FITBIT: Most recent fitness trend you tried?
AC: I’m really into the infrared sauna bed after a workout, and always think of post-workout smoothies as a way to replenish and sustain you. I love the Green Smoothie from my cookbook, The Seasoned Life.
FITBIT: Let’s talk about your Fitbit watch! How has your Versa 2 impacted your health and wellness journey during this time?
AC: My family got me a Fitbit Versa 2 for Mother’s Day and I’ve been obsessed ever since I put it on my wrist. I’m loving it to keep me on track and get me over the last hurdle on my fitness journey.
I love that at any moment, I can glance down at my Fitbit to see my stats and progress—even small things around the house or everyday life can add up! I’m still on my health journey, so it helps me to not be worried or stressed about how I’m doing.
FITBIT: What’s your favorite feature on your Versa 2?
AC: I’ve been doing a lot of at-home cycling classes and HIIT workouts, and I love that my Fitbit syncs with those programs and I can see my results right on my wrist. There are more than 20 workout modes that can track my activity and goals right on my wrist, no matter what exercise I’m doing.
It’s also a 24/7 companion that helps me stay motivated to live a more balanced life all day (and night). I have a crazy schedule, so being able to stay accountable and informed about all my data is important.
I can wear it day and night, which is great so I can track my sleep, as well as go straight from a workout to my next activity. Plus, the battery lasts so long—I can go more than four days between charges.
FITBIT: How has Premium changed your life for the better?
AC: A subscription to Fitbit Premium gives you more personalized and actionable guidance, coaching, and insights to help you eat better, sleep better, and move more and stress less. Premium was great while I was traveling and out of my routine—I was able to tap into the vast library workout content anytime, anywhere so I didn’t fall off track. It’s a great resource for at-home and on-the-go workouts!
Check out Ayesha’s Premium Summer series on Fitbit Premium now, and get involved by sharing your own workouts and recipes using the hashtag #FitbitSummer.
Many of us are stuck at home right now trying to juggle working from home, preventing our kids from turning into screen zombies, and maintaining some sense of household order. We get it, the juggle is real: Finding time to shower and brush your teeth some days may seem like a struggle, let alone fitting in a workout!
But practicing healthy habits doesn’t have to take hours out of your day. By setting an intention and having a positive outlook, it can be easier than you think to enjoy healthy meals, find time for fitness, squeeze in some quick stress relief, and wind down for a good night of sleep. Hint: You may even be able to recruit your kids to join in and prevent those screen time minutes from getting completely out of control.
Try carving out fewer than 10 minutes of your day, every day this week, and notice how you feel by the end of the week!
One minute to a more mindful meal.Intuitive eating is one way to improve your health and wellness—science says so! Choose breakfast, lunch, or dinner this week and devote just 60 seconds to any one of these mindful actions:
Practice deep breathing: Check in with your mind and belly before taking that first bite.
Drink a glass of water before you eat.
Slow down, sit down, and eat away from distractions.
Keep a physical or virtual tracker and jot down what you’re eating and the emotional cues that may be triggering you to eat for non-hunger reasons.
A week of healthy brekkies in three minutes. Enjoying a bigger breakfast than dinner may help prevent obesity and help with blood sugar management. How can you make a wholesome and hearty breakfast that’s also quick and easy? Make a big batch of overnight oats once a week! Combine oats, milk, yogurt, and fruit into a container and refrigerate. Each morning grab a bowl, dish up a few heaped spoonfuls, top with a sprinkling of nuts or seeds, and a splash of milk—voila!
Need more ideas? Check out these 16 Make-Ahead Breakfasts or when in a fix, a basic snack may be better than nothing at all!
Do a short, 10-minute (or less!) workout. Squeezing in short workouts throughout the day comes with huge rewards. Not only does it get you to nix that all-or-nothing mindset that may be preventing you from getting fit, but just one minute of intense intermittent exercise three times a week has heart-healthy benefits.
In the Discover section of the Fitbit app, you can find short Premium Workouts such as the 10-Minute Core and Legs with Fitbit Coach or the 5-minute Flat-Belly Ab workout with POPSUGAR. Just think: If you add a five-minute workout each day this month, you’d achieve about 155 extra minutes of physical activity, which all add up as you work your way towards hitting your 150 Active Zone Minutes weekly goal!
Squash stress in three minutes. Did you know that just two minutes of guided breathing has been shown to reduce resting heart rate? Look no further than the Relax feature on certain Fitbit devices! Or try one of the 3-4 minute Meditations for Stress in Fitbit Premium.
Wind down for a good night’s sleep in 10 minutes. Feeling a bit wound up or restless before bed? Try a full body scan to calm your mind and ease you into a good night’s sleep. In the Fitbit app, tap the Discover tab and under Mindfulness, you’ll find a variety of options including Meditations for Sleep, Relaxing Sounds, and Stories for Sleep.
If you’re wondering which way to be healthy first, consider which action might benefit you the most this week and go from there. Each action you take, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction. You’ve got this!
This week’s guest on our second episode of Fit in Focus is Amy McDonough, SVP and GM of Fitbit Health Solutions. What is Fitbit Health Solutions? It’s our corporate wellness business here at Fitbit, and Amy shares with co-hosts Eric Friedman and Andrea Holing all about how that business started from emails Fitbit received from companies asking for ways to motivate and engage employees.
Amy was also one of the first Fitbit employees after co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman, and was actually the first female employee. She shares the insights she brought in those early days about the product from a female perspective.
Eric, Andrea, and Amy also discuss how they are working from home during COVID-19, and what it means to have work-life “integration” instead of a work-life “balance.”
You can listen to this week’s episode on Google Play, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. And make sure to subscribe so that you never miss an episode!
The number on the scale is just that—a number. And while that number isn’t necessarily a reflection of your health (and definitely isn’t a reflection of your worth!), seeing it go up, especially when it’s unexpected or unwanted, can be a challenging experience.
Here are a few tips to help you deal with unexpected weight gain, get your mind and body in the right place for you, and not let a number on the scale derail you from hitting your health and fitness goals:
Don’t beat yourself up
Your first instinct when you see a higher-than-you’d-like number on the scale might be to start beating yourself up about your weight gain. But it’s extremely important to fight that instinct. “From a mental health perspective, it’s important to not beat yourself up too much if you’ve gained weight,” says New York-based psychotherapist Paige Rechtman. “Shaming yourself is not motivating, and can make you feel worse.”
Instead of beating yourself up for unexpected weight gain (which can be extremely unmotivating—and, ironically, can make it harder to lose that weight), try practicing a little self compassion. Remind yourself that weight is in a constant state of flux, and even if you’re not where you’d like to be, your body is perfect exactly the way it is. When you accept yourself and your body exactly where you are, it can be easier to find the motivation to make positive choices for your health and fitness.
“We all have an inner critic that will shame us and criticize us for not being perfect,” says Rechtman. “Learning how to quiet that inner voice, and instead, turn up the voice that cultivates self-love and forgiveness takes practice but can help a person cope not just with weight gain, but other ways too.”
Switch up your workouts
You 100 percent don’t need to focus on losing your unexpected weight gain; again, the number of the scale isn’t a reflection of your overall health. But if you do decide you want to lose the weight, mixing it up in the gym can be a great place to start.
Your body adapts to exercise over time, which can make it less effective. So, “one way to ‘reset’ the body after a weight gain is to change up your workouts,” says Adrianne Delgado, RD, LDN. Not only will switching up your workout routine make your body work harder (which can help support weight loss), but it can also make it easier to find the motivation to get to the gym.
“Find a new routine, try a new fitness class or new piece of equipment,” says Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer Nick Occhipinti. “The novelty of a new fitness endeavor can be great motivation to get moving again after some time off or unwanted weight gain.”
Just remember to be patient with yourself as you’re adjusting to your new workout regimen. “If you have gained a significant amount of weight in your time off from the gym, your body may move a little differently than before; that is okay and [to be] expected,” says Occhipinti. “Ease back into your routine by warming up thoroughly and find exercises or machines that fit your body.”
Make sure you’re getting enough calories
Lowering your caloric intake can help you get rid of your unexpected or unwanted weight gain. But cutting your calories too much can actually have the opposite effect—especially if you’re hitting it hard at the gym.
“As you increase the intensity and frequency of your workouts, your body may need more calories than you previously were consuming,” says Delgado. “Eating too low of a calorie intake can lead your body’s metabolism to slow down and have a reverse effect on your weight goals.”
Make sure to figure out your personal caloric needs—and then make sure you’re getting enough high-quality calories (including carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats) to support your workouts and your weight loss goals.
Stop focusing on the number on the scale—and start focusing on how you feel
When you gain weight—especially if it’s unwanted or unexpected—it can be easy to obsess over the number on your scale. But health isn’t about a number or a particular weight; it’s about taking care of your mind and body.
Stop focusing on the number—and instead, focus on how eating well and exercising makes you feel.
“I want my clients to get in tune with their body, their mood, and their relationship with exercise and food as they go through their training programs. I want my clients to feel energized, happy, healthy, and strong after and during their workouts,” says Occhipinti. “Focusing on this instead of weight loss is a constant reminder that exercise is a celebration of the amazing things our bodies are capable of and a powerful means to achieve health and happiness.”
“Being mindful of how you feel can be much more effective in creating healthy self-care habits instead of trying to attain a certain weight,” says Rechtman. “Think less about how you want to look and instead focus on how you want to feel.”
Remember, your health journey is a marathon, not a sprint—and focusing on your health and happiness in the long-term (instead of a number on the scale in the short-term) can help inspire you to make the right choices for you and your health. “When you realize this journey is about the long haul and creating consistent habits, it can decrease the stress around the scale number and help you enjoy the process,” says Delgado.
Uncertainty is a part of our lives at any moment, but when it comes to 2020, so far it may be the defining trend of the year. Given what life keeps throwing our way individually and as a collective society, chances are you have been exposed to the advice to “embrace uncertainty.” Psychotherapists say that embracing uncertainty can help you constructively cope when things seem unpredictable, allowing you to move forward rather than drowning in anxiety.
“The brain likes to predict things. That makes us feel safe,” explains somatic (body-centered) psychotherapist Tara Topper. “So when most things are thrown up in the air and have to be dealt with in a way that’s new, it’s overwhelming.”
Not surprisingly, research suggests that people with lower “uncertainty tolerance” can fall prey to emotional exhaustion. On the other hand, those with a higher tolerance for uncertainty are more likely to adapt and also report less stress. “Instead of fighting something, we know from research that if you accept it, it helps you cope better, decreases the body’s stress response, and improves depression and anxiety,” says Nina Vasan, MD, MBA, clinical assistant professor at Stanford University and psychiatrist at Silicon Valley Executive Psychiatry, a boutique concierge clinic for executives, entrepreneurs, and elite performers.
If uncertainty is causing you to excessively worry, avoid situations, and spend more time than you’d like planning and double- (or triple-) checking things, consider opening your mind and embracing that uncertainty with the following pro tips.
Be aware. The first step to change is to notice when you do things to avoid uncertainty. You may find yourself spending hours online researching something, putting off a task, seeking reassurance from others, or checking things over and over. When you recognize that you’re doing any of those behaviors, stop and acknowledge that you are trying to protect yourself by avoiding uncertainty.
Sit with the discomfort. Rather than doing your typical habit, find the courage to face your feelings. “A lot of times what causes anxiety or depression is we had something bad happen to us [in the past], but we couldn’t fix it through our own power. If we don’t have the help or resources to deal with those events, the pain can stay stuck and we may disconnect from it,” Topper explains.
She recommends stopping, pausing, and sitting with that discomfort so that you can process those feelings. To help, tune into the sensations in your body—where do you feel buzzing, tingling, radiating, warmth, coolness, etc—and make room to feel those sensations.
Recall past successes. As you challenge yourself to embrace uncertainty, if you feel tempted to use your old coping strategy, pause and think about times in the past when you successfully faced uncertainty. Or if this is new to you, reflect upon times when you experienced a challenge and overcame it. What helped then that might help you now?
Focus on what you can control. Rather than attempting to up-end your life and go all-in on uncertainty, focus on one thing at a time. “What do I have control over today?” Topper says. For example, you can’t make other people wear a face mask. But you can choose where and when to go out in public so that you are more likely to avoid crowds and be able to maintain social distancing.
Lean on mindfulness. A key component of mindfulness practices is focusing on the present moment. You don’t ruminate on the past, nor do you worry about the future. Instead, you try to be as fully in the moment as you can be. Consider bringing your attention to your breath or trying to notice what all five senses are taking in right now.
Accept that this is hard. “Especially for those of us whose nervous systems thrive on predictability and structure, [embracing uncertainty] sucks,” Topper says. “Try to deal with what is in front of you today so it doesn’t feel like an unending, overwhelming thing.” That’s particularly useful right now when things are changing day-to-day.
Be patient. “The most important thing you can do as you embrace uncertainty is to be patient with yourself,” Vasan says. “It can be very uncomfortable, but self-compassion will give you the ability to take on the challenging time ahead. While we can’t be certain what is ahead, being kind to yourself and investing in self-care is the best way you can keep yourself healthy.”
and coming soon to the Fitbit Versa and Fitbit Ionic families.
