RDsWeighIn

5 ways Dietitians motivate themselves to exercise

As a Registered Dietitian, I don't think a day goes by that I don't hear about another benefit of exercise.  Research has shown exercise to be a powerful aid in so many areas - better sleep, sharper mind, better mood, more energy, and of course - a bikini bod. 

Despite the knowledge, I do find myself low in the motivation department on occasion - it usually has to do with my time-crunch (sound familiar?).  How am I supposed to get everything done and fit in my yoga class?  I wondered how other RD's get themselves over the motivation hurdle, so I sent the question out to a listserv - I received a great response, and here are the top five techniques that came back to me:

1.  Exercise with a friend (or friends!): 

        "I exercise in the early morning with a group of friends, so I'm accountable to someone if I don't show up.  We have coffee together after our run - we joke that we run for coffee and not wanting to miss our 'coffee klatch' " - Kerry Neville, MS, RD,  KLMN Nutrition Communications

        "I have five different exercise partners - I live in Maine, so it really helps that I know that even if it is only 10 degrees and there is snow on the ground I will have someone waiting for me!" - Susan Quimbly, RD, LD

2.  Make a plan and get it on your schedule:

        "I look at my gym's schedule to see when yoga is offered, then plan my workouts around that.  Then, I figure out cardio and weights for the rest of the week" - Milton Stokes, MPH, RD, CDN, miltonstokes.com

        "I schedule my workouts on my calendar.  My dropout rate is nearly 0%, as I am committed to my calendar - it truly does work!" - Robin Plotkin, RD, LD, robinplotkin.com

3.  Add purpose to your exercise:

        "I ride my bike to work - it serves the purpose of getting me to work, but also allows me space in the day to think without interruption from car radios, telephones, emails, kids, or clients." - Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD, nancyclarkrd.com

      "I have done many walks and runs for charity, which is a great motivator to stay in shape." - Kate Scarlata, RD

4.  Focus on the outcome:

        "I remind myself of the tremendous payoff I get immediately after exercising.  It's a great way to destress, decompress, and refocus" - Tina Marinaccio, MS, RD, CPT, Health Dynamics, LLC

        "I feel so good after a workout - all sweaty and loose.  It's great.  I miss it when I don't exercise." - Sharon Salomon, MS, RD, diaryofadietingdietitian.blogspot.com

5.  Just do it:

        "I just put my workout clothes in the car and drive to the gym every day after work.  Once I am in my workout clothes, I never look back!" - Sandy Sfikas, RD, LDN, Editor, Diabetic Cooking

    Finally, my personal technique is to pull a line straight from an Austin Power's movie - whenever my brains starts rattling off everything I could get done if I skip the yoga class today, I say "zippit!" to myself.  Then, I repeat as needed until I find myself standing on my yoga mat, ready to begin. 

Carbs are Premium Fuel for Exercise

Have you ever “hit the wall” when you are exercising? It is miserable, but if you eat right and train properly, you never will have to experience it! The reason why many people find themselves exhausted and unable to continue in the middle of training or a competition is because they have completely depleted their body’s energy storage, or glycogen stores.

Your body has three levels of energy sources, similar to the different ways to store your money.

 

Cash: Glucose in your bloodstream

Checking account: Glycogen in your muscles and liver

Savings account: Fat for future energy

Once your cash (glucose) is almost gone, it will go into your checking account (glycogen) to replenish the cash. If your checking account gets too low, it will dip into your savings account (fat) for energy. If your checking account (glycogen) gets too low during exercise, your body does not have time to go to savings (fat).  You might just “hit the wall.”

The good news is that as you train, your body’s ability to store more glycogen goes up, making it possible to exercise longer before running out of energy. In addition, if you eat or drink carbs while you exercise, you will fuel your cash and checking accounts immediately.

 

How many carbs do I need?

The Institute of Medicine recommends a minimum of 130 grams per day. However, athletes should eat at least 2 grams per pound of body weight per day. If you are training hard and long, you may even need 4-5 grams per pound. No Atkins diet here!

If you think in terms of percentage of your calories, athletes should get between 55-65% of their calories from carbs.

Do I have to carbo load?

In order to make sure your glycogen storage is at it’s peak, loading up on carbs for the hours and days before a racing event is beneficial for endurance athletes. It can take between 24-48 hours to replenish your glycogen stores during heavy training. Carbo loading means you cut back on training (tapering) a few days or weeks before your event and increase your carb intake during that time.  If you are a recreational exerciser, don't worry about it!

It is important to try to eat something before you go exercise.  Even if it is something very small, try to eat if it has been more than 4 hours since your last meal or snack.

If you exercise longer than 60 minutes, plan on using a sports drink (or sports gel plus water), starting 15 minutes into your exercise. Try to get 10-15 grams of carb, or 6-8 ounces of sport drink every 15 minutes during exercise, keeping your cash and checking from bottoming out.

What are good sources of carbs?

Fruits, fruit juice, sport drinks, bread, bagels, cereal, rice, pasta, tortillas, potatoes, legumes, vegetables, and milk are all healthy sources of carbs. Foods that are high in sugars are also high in carbs, but many are empty in nutritional value.   If you need a sweet fix, try a piece of fruit.  If you really want chocolate just keep your portion under control! 

If you have some good tips on how you eat before or after exercise, send them along!