Exercise

7 No Nonsense Tips for Long Term Results!

January 26, 2022 by Kelly Devine Rickert

It’s that time of year. The time where we want to jump-start our systems, head back to the gym, vow to lose those pesky pounds. In lieu of crash dieting in 2022, here is some real life weight loss advice from a realistic dietitian!

7 tips for long-term permanent success when it comes to weight loss, weight maintenance and overall health.

Start planning! It’s not glamorous. It is MOST definitely NOT fun (for most). But it works. It truly does. If you plan out your breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner you are less likely to be hungry, to watch your portions and be less tempted to go through a drive thru. (and it saves money. Lots and lots of money!)
Go shopping weekly. And make a list!
Exercise! Have to have to have to. Find something you love or at least something you don’t hate. And do it often. Wear a pedometer and increase your steps daily. Take a class. Join Fitrec. But just get moving. Your body is not meant to be idle. If you sit all day and all night, you need to constantly get up and move to offset this. Get that heart rate up. Lift some weights. Do some stretching. Your body, metabolism and heart will thank you down the line!
Plan your dinner meals each week. No need to be a short order cook. Eating healthy is for the whole family! You can bake instead of fry. You can add vegetables… steamed, roasted or a nice salad. You can have fruit for dessert. The possibilities are endless. When I hear someone say, “I can’t eat this way, I would have to make 2 meals, 1 for myself and 1 for family”. I cringe. You can make food that is kid friendly but healthy. TRUST ME.
Make small changes. Make a small goal and then work towards it. Baby steps are better than none at all. I am not a fan of the “I’ll start my diet Monday” approach. What about your next meal? Can you squeeze a workout in today after work? Can you increase your pedometer step goal? Small changes add up over time. I had an almost wheel chair bound patient of mine increase her steps from 1,000 to almost 6,000 a day just by using this approach. You can do it! Stop listing your excuses and instead list what you can accomplish!
Please ditch the sugary drinks. Please, please, please. Your body, heart, pancreas are not a fan. Wean yourself off as much sugary beverages as you can. Drink LOTS of water. Ice cold, water. From a BPA free container. All day. Throw a slice of lemon or berry or cucumber in there. But drink water. It will energize you and help you burn more calories.
You only get one life. Let’s make the most of it shall we? Instead of constantly dieting, taking pills, hating on our bodies, embrace life and the body God gave you! Make goals, stop waiting for Monday to press the restart button!!!

~Kelly Devine Rickert, RD and Moraine Valley Community College Wellness Coordinator

devinerickertk@morainevalley.edu

Fitting in Fitness Through the Holidays

December 8, 2021 by Kelly Devine Rickert

Don’t forget about your fitness this holiday season! Here are some ideas to help you fit more physical activity into your day. Even just 10 minutes of exercise can blast 100 calories!

• Look for short periods of time (at least ten minutes) during the day in which you can do some physical activity.
• Do a 10 minute interval workout.
o Alternate the following exercises for the first 30 seconds of each minute followed by 30 seconds of rest.
 Pushups
 Sit-up’s
 Planks
 Burpees
 Jumping Jacks
 Stairs
 Walk/Run in Place
 Lunges
 Squats
 Tricep dips

• Park at the far end of the parking lot when at the store, mall or work. (When safe to do so!)

• Be active during lunchtime! If you bring your lunch to work, you may have time to take a brisk walk.

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

• Plan and prepare meals ahead of time, so you’ll have time to exercise.

• Get your family to exercise with you. It’s a fun way to spend some quality time together.

• Leaves still hanging around? Rake leaves for the evening.

• Keep a daily log; this can help you see where you can fit in more physical activity.

• Exercise inside using machines or DVD’s (PX90, Leslie Samsone, On Demand etc)

• Track your pedometer steps. Increase your goal each week!

Hit up the FitRec after work

Kelly Devine Rickert MVCC Wellness Coordinator

Heart Healthy Tips!

February 10, 2021 by Kelly Devine Rickert

RD Approved Heart Health Tips!

With the holiday season behind us (and hopefully soon this winter weather!), it is time to refocus your goals and get back on track with healthier eating and more activity. What better time to start than National Heart Month?

Did you know that heart disease is the #1 killer of Americans? Check out this 10 tips below to lower your risk.

1) Get moving! Incorporate more physical activity every day, outside of scheduled workouts. Walk when possible, take the stairs, and park further away from the entrance. Wearing a pedometer such as a Fitbit can also increase your day to day activity.

2) Maintain a healthy weight. Research shows the higher your BMI, the more at risk you are for heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems.

3) Ditch the salt shaker! Trimming your sodium intake to 1500 mg or less a day can help keep your blood pressure levels within normal range. (Normal blood pressure is less than 120 mm Hg systolic AND less than 80 mm Hg diastolic or <120/80)

4) Increase the Omega 3’s. Aim for at least 2 servings a week of an oily fish such as salmon or a heart healthy nut such as almonds or walnuts.

5) Aim for 5 (to 9) a day! Fruits and vegetables pack quite the punch! The more produce you eat, the higher your intake will be of heart healthy soluble fiber and antioxidants Your fruits and veggies help fill you up, as well as helping to ward off that hunger.

6) Quit smoking! Smoking can damage your entire circulatory system, and increases your risk for coronary heart disease among other problems. Enlist the help of your physician and contact your local hospital for Quit Smoking programs.

7) Maintain healthy cholesterol/blood sugar levels. Many people don’t realize how much of a role your cholesterol levels and blood sugars play in your heart health. The Heart Association considers diabetes one of the six major controllable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Aim to reduce or keep your fasting blood sugar under 100 mg/dL.

8) Fiber is your friend! Did you know that a diet high in fiber can actually reduce your blood cholesterol levels? For men aim for 30 grams/day, and for women 25 grams/day. Oatmeal, produce, nuts, whole grain cereals, breads and pastas are a great source of fiber.

9) Watch the Fats! We can’t talk about a heart healthy diet without discussing fats, the good vs. the bad. Kelly suggests you aim for most of your fat intake to come from heart healthy sources such as nuts, seeds, vegetable based oils like canola or olive, and avocados. Decrease the saturated and trans fats when you can, found in many processed foods such as fast foods, packaged snack foods, and fatty, darker meats such as pork, beef, sausage and bacon.

10) Keep a log. Keep a log of your foods can help you determine what lifestyle choices you need to focus on. By writing down everything you eat and drink you become more aware of what foods you are consuming. You can also try a electronic app such as Lose It! Or MyFitness Pal.

Kelly Devine Rickert MS RD LDN
MVCC Wellness Coordinator

Walktober Challenge! Tips to to get moving!

October 13, 2020 by Kelly Devine Rickert

Tips on how to Increase Your Steps and to move more during your day!

10 Ways To Walk Your Way To Better Health | Henry Ford LiveWell

Plan Ahead!
1. Set a goal for the length of time you will exercise or the distance you will cover while exercising.
2. Don’t forget to bring your walking/running shoes to work. (Side note from Kelly: Buy a GOOD pair of RUNNING shoes from a RUNNING store!)
3. Schedule a convenient time during your workday to work out and do it!
4. Make plans to meet a coworker for a walk break.
5. Write in your planner when you will exercise.
6. Warm up for a few minutes before getting into a faster paced exercise.

Getting to work:

7. Ride your bike to work (or before/after/lunchbreak)
8. Park your car as far away as possible and allow extra time to walk.
9. Come to work a ½ hr early or stay after to jog or walk.
10. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

At your desk:
11. Stretch throughout the day.
12. Squeeze a tennis ball to help strengthen your hand and wrist.
13. Try doing bicep curls with a paperweight.
14. Using a chair to brace yourself, do some calf raises to increase muscle strength.
15. Use your speakerphone for conference calls and stand instead of sitting!
16. Shoulder rolls, forward ten times, then repeat going backwards.
17. While sitting at your desk, rotate one foot to “write” each letter of the alphabet. Switch feet and repeat.
18. Wall sits during those conferences calls or on your break.
19. Get out of your chair and move around for a few minutes an hour.
20. Shoulder shrugs are a great way to loosen up tight muscles. Repeat 5-10 times.
21. Keep a water cup close by, but don’t forget to get up and keep filling it up! Everyone should drink 8-10 glasses of water a day.
22. Stretch your lower back. While seated, slowly bend forward at the waist. Reach forward with your hands until they reach the floor. Hold for 15 seconds before slowly coming up.
23. Move your feet and legs while you are sitting at your desk to burn calories and increase energy.

Take a break:
24. Spice up your breaks with a jaunt around the building.
25. Do you need to clear your head? Get up and take a five minute walk.
26. If you cant take a break for 20 minutes, try taking 10 min walks twice daily.
27. Leave a few minutes early for meetings to allow time to stretch your legs a bit.
28. Using the phone to talk to the person down the hall? Get up and get moving. The walk will do you good.

Lunch
29. Top off your lunch break with a 15 minute walk.
30. Going out to lunch? Why not choose a spot some distance away and walk.
31. Eat some whole grain carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables for energy.

Business Trips
32. Going on a trip? Take advantage of fitness facilities at your hotel.
33. Walk instead of using the moving airport walkways.
34. Pack hand and ankle weights or a resistance band for strength training on trips.

Stay Motivated
35. Try selecting indoor and outdoor activities
36. Grab a buddy. Exercising is always more fun with a friend.
37. Join a local health club for workday workouts
38. Keep track of your mileage. Choose a vacation spot and walk to it.
39. Have you met your goal? Don’t forget to reward yourself.
40. Bring along an ipod to play your favorite songs.

Staying motivated:
41. Habits are much easier to keep if you ENJOY them. Find something you like!
42. If you aren’t too excited about a strenuous workout, try something more low key like a walk or yoga. The important thing is just to keep moving!
43. To prevent boredom: change activity or location of activity often.
44. Don’t get down if you miss a workout, just schedule your next one.
45. Keep a record of your daily workouts.
46. Get a co-worker to join you for a lunch or break time walk.
47. Train for the Halloween 5k at Moraine Valley!
48. Buy some new exercise shoes (I recommend running shoes) and clothes.
49. Just Do It! 10 minutes is better than none at all!
50. Meet a friend at FitRec!

Happy Trrails!

Kelly Devine Rickert

Top diet pitfalls and how to avoid them!

January 22, 2020 by Kelly Devine Rickert

Looking to meet your 2020 goals? Want to jump start that weight loss? Here are some diet pitfalls I often see and how to avoid them

Diet Pitfall #1: Skipping Meals
Skipping meals only leads to being more hungry later in the day which leads to overeating and loss of control in the evenings. Start your day with breakfast, then try and eat something every 3-5 hours to maintain steady blood sugars. Skipping meals or fasting does NOT equate to long term weight loss.

Diet Pitfall #2: Eating diet, sugar free or fat free foods all day
Real food will fill you up and satisfy you. “Franken-food” will not. (AKA food that has been chemically processed). Eat real, wholesome foods. You will feel better. Look better. Have more energy and less cravings.

Diet Pitfall #3: Not exercising
You can lose weight by diet alone but it is very rare when someone can maintain long term weight loss without some exercise involved. Get moving!!! Thirty minutes a day for long term results. You will have more energy, fit into your clothes better, lose more inches with exercise AND diet vs. diet alone.

Diet Pitfall #4: Not drinking enough water/drinking diet pop or coffee all day.
Water is the BEST way to hydrate yourself. Add a slice of lemon, cucumber or sliced berries to flavor your water naturally. Increasing the water will hydrate you better, give you longer lasting energy levels AND help you burn more calories when you work out.

~Kelly Devine Rickert, Moraine Valley Wellness Coordinator and Registered Dietitian

Fitting in Fitness Around the Holidays!

December 9, 2019 by Kelly Devine Rickert