LIVEFIT NEWS
November 2016
Issue 10
LiveFit with Coach
Shelby
Shelby Caulk
Account Manager
Health Fitness Specialist
Stay Fit Through the Holiday
Over the next two months you will likely be inundated with
social gatherings, celebrations, family get-togethers, work
functions, and other situations that push you out of your
regular routine and potentially over the (wellness) edge.
Albeit fun, many people, when consistently outside of their
routine, struggle to stay on track and unfortunately end up
gaining unwelcomed weight. An increase in calories (sweets,
alcohol, and rich foods), a lack of exercise, not enough
sleep, and too much stress are the typical culprits. Although
easier said than done, you can avoid the weight gain and
still enjoy your holidays.
Start by practicing mindfulness. This means being aware of
your thoughts, actions, and surroundings. For instance, if
you know you have a holiday work party tomorrow, start by
being mindful today. Think how you will balance the extra
calories and late night ahead of time. You could choose to
add 15 minutes to your workout today and get to bed a bit
earlier. You can pack a snack to take to work with you to
have before you head to the party. This way you don’t arrive
hungry. If you can be mindful you are way ahead of the
game.
The next equally important task is to use your time wisely. If
you can order a gift online rather than scourer the mall for
it, why not? Still not on board with online shopping? The
With winter approaching,
warming up before exercise
becomes even more important.
In cold weather your blood
vessels narrow to conserve heat,
which inversely causes your
blood pressure and heart rate to
increase because your heart has
to work harder to pump blood
through your body. Without a
proper warm up, a sudden spike
in your blood pressue or heart
rate can lead to injury. Also, the
restriction of blood �ow to the
muscles leads to cold, tight
mucles which are more prone to
injury. A proper warm up will
RivalHealth team suggests Amazon.com for gift buying. The
site is user friendly, the selection is endless, and you can
shop while on the treadmill! This could buy back a couple of
hours of your day to grab a quick workout and a homemade
meal. Another time saving tip is to stock up on last minute
holiday gifts. Have a few bottles of wine or a couple
Starbucks gift cards stashed at home for a white elephant
gift you can grab and go!
Managing your stress is critical over the holidays. We often
over commit ourselves and end up burned out. If you are
practicing mindfulness and managing your time your stress
will be limited. However, putting a couple of stress relieving
techniques in your back pocket can never hurt. A few deep
breaths, a 10 minutes walk, or a few drops of lavender
essential oil can save you. Know what works for you and
never be afraid to use it!
increase blood �ow, at a safe
rate, and increase your �exilbity
and range of motion. Imagine
you are stretching a rubber band.
At room temperature, you can
easily stretch it to a certain
point. Now imagine quickly
stretching a rubber band after it
has been sitting in the freezer.
Due to decreased movement of
molecules, the rubber band has
lost elasticity causing it to snap.
During the winter moths,
increase your warm up to at least
10 minutes to prevent injury and
get the most out of your workout.
Don't underestimate the
importance of a proper warm up!
The morale of the story is to try to stay on your regular
schedule as much as possible and when you can’t, have a
plan. When in doubt, rely on the basics; eat breakfast,
getting a little exercise is better than no exercise, limit
sweet alcoholic beverages, choose the healthiest option
available, use a small plate, balance your caloric intake with
exercise, and by all means, have fun!
The RivalHealth team wishes you a very happy and healthy
holiday season!
Alyssa’s Alternatives
Farro & Butternut Squash
Ingredients
Discover Your Ideal Bodyweight
Along your personal journey to improve your wellness and
LiveFit, you may �nd yourself wondering how to quantify
your goals. Achieving an ideal bodyweight is a good starting
point.
1 Whole Butternut Squash
1 Cup Farro
1 Bag of Baby Spinach
1 Carton Sliced Mushrooms
1 Tbs. Maple Syrup
1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
3 Garlic Cloves
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Directions
1. Cube butternut squash
and line on a baking pan
with extra virgin olive oil,
Still, you may �nd yourself struggling to understand what an
“ideal” bodyweight is. Fortunately, there are many effective
ways for you to de�ne this goal for yourself. Let’s examine a
few of them!
Fitness First: Okay, this one is a bit of a cop-out (and a total
plug), but it’s also a fantastic way for you to discover your
ideal bodyweight: focus on your �tness-level. Set your
sights on achieving a RivalRating that you can be proud of
(something above 100, perhaps). Once you’re able to
consistently achieve that RivalRating, note your bodyweight.
This is the bodyweight that allows you to move, live, and
feel the way you want. This is your ideal bodyweight. After
all, achieving your ideal bodyweight is only as desirable as
it is empowering – and what is more empowering than
feeling �t and capable?
Body Composition: If you’re looking for a more detailed
de�nition of your ideal bodyweight, consider focusing on
your body composition. Understanding your body
composition will take more time and diligence than merely
stepping on a scale every day, but it will provide you with a
much more de�nitive goal to pursue. Calculating your body
composition incorporates your weight, height, body
circumference measurements, and skin-fold measurements.
With this data, you can easily calculate your body-fat and
lean muscle-mass percentages for each area of your body,
or average them together for your overall body-fat and lean
muscle-mass percentages. Bodybuilders, actors/actresses,
and models commonly utilize this approach for achieving
their ideal bodyweight – or rather ideal body image.
BMI: Calculating your body-mass index (BMI) is another
effective way to de�ne your ideal bodyweight. However, it is
also the vaguest means of doing so. You can calculate your
BMI by dividing your weight (kg) by your height (m). Your
resulting score will give you an indication of how your BMI
compares to those quali�ed as either Under Weight, Normal
Weight, Over Weight, Obesity, or Extreme Obesity by the
National Institutes of Health. While this score does not
incorporate how much of your weight is fat versus lean
muscle-mass, it may provide you with a good indication of
what your bodyweight should be for your height.
Whatever your means of de�ning your ideal bodyweight,
please remember that your bodyweight will �uctuate over
time naturally. Don’t use this as an excuse to allow yourself
to lose control of your bodyweight, but do embrace the
concept of pursuing your “ideal bodyweight” as an evolving
goal. Lastly, achieving your ideal bodyweight should leave
you feeling proud, happy, and healthy. If you can feel proud,
maple syrup, salt and
pepper.
2. Bake at 400 degrees for
40 minutes or until
cooked through.
3. Follow directions on the
back of farro bag. Saute'
garlic and mushrooms in
a pan with olive oil,
cayenne pepper, salt and
pepper.
4. Add spinach and cooked
farro. Once butternut
squash is done, add to
mixture and serve.
happy, and healthy with your bodyweight, then you’re on
the right track!