Exercise Bulimia - the "new" eating disorder

Exercise Bulimia is an eating disorder that is difficult to detect in a society that praises and admires those that adhere to a rigorous exercise program. I know all to well about compulsive exercise, and how easy it is to hide behind the title "elite" athlete... Nobody second guesses or questions you when adhering to an exercise routine right?

From the age of 18 to 22, I was competing in NCAA cross country and track for a Division 1 University, Racing and Competing for the National Junior Olympic Triathlon team, and a closet compulsive exerciser- or exercise bulimic.

It was easy to hide, exercise is a positive and healthy outlet, right? My parents thought I was extremely motivated and were proud of my hard work and determination. What they didn't know was that I was running, swimming and cycling for all the wrong reasons. I was so worried about gaining weight, and keeping my body fat down that my exercise routine was getting in the way of all other aspects of my life. I would skip class to exercise, I wouldn't attend social events if it was conflicting with a workout, and I would constantly monitor what I was eating. I was extremely fit, and the attention from friends, guys and coaches only snowballed this compulsion at first... My life revolved around when my next workout was gonna be. I was winning races, training at the Olympic Training center, yet my obsession to exercise was the only importance to me. I crossed the line from fitness enthusiast to compulsively burning calories by excessive exercise.

My body could only take my 2-3 hour workouts for so long. Now that I look back on my career as a college athlete and Junior Olympic athlete, I'm sad. I had so much potential, but my over training, and unhealthy motives hindered my progress and success. At first, my running times were strong, I was improving and getting faster... but the long workouts and not giving myself time to recover and rest, started to catch up with me. While training at the Olympic Training Center, one of my coaches suspected something was up. They made me wear a heart monitor at all times so they could track my workouts, I was sneaking workouts and he caught me. I was crazy, here I was at the most prestigious and elite facility to train and excel, and I wasn't following proper protocol because I was so worried about gaining weight? Yeah stupid, but at the time, I was so caught up... I was clueless that I had a "disorder". Exercise Bulimia wasn't really acknowledged yet like Anorexia and Bulimia, to most people I was just an extremely fit and motivated girl... but if I didn't get 2-3 hours of exercise in a day, I'd freak out.

Running for one of the most highly acclaimed college running programs, made me a small fish in a big pond. I was running on a team of the best college runners in the nation. While training in Colorado, I was recruited by a smaller school in Southern California, it was a full ride, and I had nothing to lose... so I jumped on the opportunity. I was on my way to become a big fish in a small pond... or so I thought.

When I got down to California, the first thing my new coach said to me was that I looked like I had gained weight since the last time she saw me. Obviously this freaked me out, being my worst nightmare... I started to amp up my workouts. I was pretty naive about nutrition and over training, and my times started to suffer. My new coach was so hard on me, she criticized me about my weight, my times... and running, once my passion, was now my worst enemy, I hated it. My body wasn't happy, all the overtraining was beginning to catch up... and I threw in the towel, and it was like a light bulb went off in my brain, and I knew things were messed up.

So what happened, how did I learn balance? Well I stopped exercising cold turkey for awhile, and I began to enjoy food. Did I gain weight? Hell yeah I did... but it was what I needed to do at the time. I needed to learn about balance, nutrition, rest and exercising right. I needed to see food as nourishment and enjoyment, and I needed to live a normal social life. Part of my recovery process was talking about my exercise compulsion. I was an Americorps member for two years, and I put on eating disorder workshops, and taught health and exercise classes to middle school and high school girls. I slowly began exercising again, and started teaching exercise classes and personal training. Recovery from exercise bulimia isn't like some other addictions. Unlike an alcoholic who gives up drinking, it isn't realistic for an exercise bulimic to give up exercise for life. I have to constantly monitor myself, give my self rest, and put my life and people I love ahead of my workouts.

That part of my past was quite along time ago. I'm grateful that I was able to overcome and conquer it. I am so much happier, put emphasis on making my workouts fun, rather than just a means to keep my weight down. I am healthier and wiser now, still a bit crazy, but I don't think that will ever go away!
I was 21 years old in this photo drinking beer!!!!

Winning first place at Vineman, qualifying for the Junior Olympic Triathlon Team

Crossing the finish line at another race I won the women's division... even though I was skinny- I still couldn't lose that butt! haha

Me now... 10 years later, healthier, wiser and happier!

Burpees- The Ultimate effing Exercise!

People often ask me, "Jocelyn, what is your favorite exercise?" Without a doubt, I always answer Burpees! Burpees are the shit. In my opinion, they are the ultimate exercise. What are burpees? A burpee is a compound exercise: a combination of a squat, a push-up, and a vertical jump. It is similar to a squat thrust, but there is a jump at the end, which separates the "boys from the men". It requires strength, balance, endurance, and flexibility. It increases cardio endurance while working the entire body, including the core muscles. The burpees is a highly challenging and effective exercise. I love incorporating them in my classes and personal workouts. The burpee can also be modified in different ways, which can stave off boredom.



To perform a basic burpee, just follow these instructions:

Begin in a squat position with hands on the floor in front of you.
Kick your feet back to a pushup position.
Immediately return your feet to the squat position.
Leap up as high as possible from the squat position.
When performing burpees, the key is to perform them in quick succession in order to get the conditioning benefits this exercise is famous for.

Benefits of Burpee

Strength Training- Burpees are a great exercise in order to build and strengthen muscles. Some of the muscles worked during a burpee include trapezoids, lower back, pectorals, deltoids, triceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, quadriceps, and abdominals.

Aerobic Exercise- Doing burpees for 15 to 30 minutes constitutes a full cardio workout. This exercise will keep the heart rate up at a maximum rate. (A great workout to do when you can't get to the gym or on vacation).

Flexibility- Burpees provide an increase in flexibility in areas of the body such as the back, hips, legs, and core.

Weight Loss - Burpees are a great fat burner and can be used effectively to lose excess weight. It's pretty apparent, when you are gasping for breath and your muscles are burning, that you are getting you ass kicked by these funny named exercises.

Cardiovascular Endurance- Burpees are useful for reducing muscle fatigue for long athletic events, as they improve cardiovascular endurance.

Tone Muscles- Because the burpees work numerous muscles and areas of the body, muscle tone becomes much improved with frequent exercising, creating a better looking appearance.

Time Efficient & Convenient- The burpee is a very convenient exercise; it requires no equipment and can be done almost anywhere. Also, this exercise is not time consuming and does not require going to a gym or getting out any equipment.

Inexpensive- Because the burpee requires no gym or equipment, it provides a highly inexpensive workout.

Since most muscles of the body are used during a burpee, some say that they stress the body into producing higher levels of testosterone, which is useful in building more lean muscle and dropping excess body fat.



Drawbacks of Burpees

The burpee is a great exercise, but it should not be the one and only aerobic and strength exercise used. It does not adequately train some of the muscle groups, such as the pulling muscles (unless a pull-up variation is included). You can do a burpee underneath a pull up bar, and jump up to the bar and complete a pullup- CRAZY FUCKING HARDCORE!
For these reasons, burpees should be added to a well-rounded aerobic and strength training workout program.

On Monday, I'll be doing the 100 day burpee challenge... any takers?
Day 1 = 1 burpee.
Day 2 = 2 burpees.
Day 100 = 100 burpees.
Day 101 = Rest.
Day 102 = "Hey, shouldn't I be doing burpees?"

Taking time off is tough

I had surgery, (nothing major) about ten days ago. Before the surgery, I was told I would have to take an entire month from exercise. I'm able to get up and around, and do most normal daily activities, but I can tell I'm getting a bit ancy. I'm trying to make the most of this situation, and focus on my eating habits and nutrition. Of the three components for weight loss, eating is definitely my weakness. I like to explain the three components for successful weight loss, as a three legged stool. If one leg is broken, the stool will collapse and fail. The three components are cardiovascular exercise, strength training and diet.

I think the reason why I haven't had to worry so much about my calorie consumption was the fact that I exercise A TON! With all my classes and my active lifestyle, I haven't had to worry so much about my daily calorie consumption. Now that my lifestyle has been put on hold, I'm a sedentary couch potato. Thank god I found this really cool website, through my friend Laura, that helps me track my calories, nutrition and my weight loss goals. It's really helped me with portion control and being conscious about what I put in my mouth. I've actually already lost a pound, which is pretty surprising, seeing as the total amount of exercise I've gotten in the last ten days was today- and hour long stroll with my little dog, Dorothy.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

You can use the app for your smart phone so you can easily input your meals/snacks as you go which is really helpful to stay on track. I love it! It's so easy and helpful. It breaks down your carbohydrates, proteins and fats and takes into account your goals and daily exercise. I highly recommend it to anyone, especially if you are trying to lose some weight.

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools

I have three more weeks till I can start moving again, but I think this has been a great learning lesson for me. The rest is nice, I'm learning more about nutrition and I'm able to focus on other hobbies that I haven't had the time for! Try "my fitness pal" and see if you like it... I'm not getting paid or getting any incentives to promote it, I just think it's a really cool, easy and helpful tool. Remember for weight loss, thirty percent is exercise and 70 PERCENT IS DIET. So if you are going to the gym every day and not seeing results- add this tool to your daily regimen.

Inspirations and Goals

Having inspiration is extremely important if you want to achieve your goals and reach your potential. Before I begin a workout, I like to think about what my goal is for that particular workout and my overall goals in general. When I bring purpose to my workout, I'm more motivated, pumped and driven. I like to write my goals out and place them near my fridge- where I can see them everyday. I guess it kind of puts a little pressure on me, if they are visible for not only myself to read, but to friends and family that visit. I'm a true believer in goal setting, whether small or big, there's no better feeling than accomplishing something you have worked hard for. What are your goals? My goal this year is to run my first marathon, take a yoga class weekly and to do a one legged squat, starting with my butt on the ground. I'm honestly nervous about how I am gonna balance my marathon training with all of the classes that I teach, but it's a good challenge for me to learn how to take it a bit easier in my classes so I can avoid injury and overtraining. I'm finally at a mental place in my life, where I can slow down and enjoy a yoga class, it's just being disciplined with my time to squeeze it in. The one legged squat is gonna be tough, I'm nowhere close yet, but hey I've gotta start somewhere. If you are having a tough time staying consistent or motivated in your workouts create some goals for yourself. Make a few that are realistic to meet, and a few that are challenging. Also be specific in your goals. Instead of saying you want to lose 10lbs, think about what your game plan is. For example, running a 10k, competing in a triathlon, eating more vegetables, taking a dance class are all goals that will help you reach your target weight.

I've selected some inspiring photos of athletes that have motivated me as an athlete. It's apparently obvious they have worked hard to attain their athletic achievements and amazing physiques. Good luck with your journey, and don't forget, hard work and determination really do get you far!

Michael Jordan

Gabriel Reece

Serena Williams

Michael Phelps

Suzy Hamilton

Prefontaine

Flo Jo

Brandi Chastain

Zusana from Bodyrock

Watch the video below to check out the one legged squats I mentioned!

Ever tried a Spinning Class?

I've been teaching Spin Classes for over 10 years. Spinning is an energized, fun, calorie blasting, group exercise class on stationary bikes. I really enjoy teaching these classes, participants of all levels of fitness can benefit, it's challenging and the varied workouts stave off boredom. If you have never taken a spin class, I'd recommend coming in early to have your instructor fit you properly on your bike. Bring a towel, water bottle and wear comfortable workout clothes.

In the following video, I briefly talk about getting fitted on your bike and demonstrate the different positions used in class. All instructors have their own style and energy- so give a few a try, and you'll see which instructor you prefer working out with. Classes are usually about 60 minutes, don't let this scare you off because usually the first 10 minutes of class are the warmup and the last ten minutes are cool down. The average amount of calories burned in a class is between 400 and 600 calories. It's a fun and effective workout, and I highly recommend trying a class! For more information on Spinning- check out the following link:

http://www.spinning.com/spinning-enthusiasts/spinning-program-faq.asp

See you in class!

Blow some Steam, Blast some Calories

You ever have one of those days when you just feel like you need to blow some steam? Today I felt like I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs and sprint till my legs gave out. I'm not sure if it was waking up late last night to hear about the tragedy in Japan, my bad luck with sleep this week, or some frustrations I've had with typical everyday life stuff, but I knew the second I woke up, and after drinking a whole pot of coffee to myself- that I was in need of a kick ass workout. I really wanted to run stairs at Mt.Tabor, or 400's on the track- but unfortunately I was running out of sunlight due to the errands I had to run and a long meeting with my accountant, (which probably added to me feeling ancy). So I hit the gym instead. Here's a really simple, challenging, cardio workout, that will have you sweating buckets. Put your ipod on and zone out the world for an hour...

30 minute: tempo run on treadmill - the fastest pace you can tolerate for 30 minutes, RUN HARD!
30 minute: alternate jumping rope one song, with hill climb in/out of saddle on spin bike one song

Total 60 minutes

After this workout, I felt energized and much better. Since I don't jump rope consistently, jumping rope was probably the most challenging part for me. Doing a whole hour of cardio can be really boring and monotonous in the gym- so I like how this workout was broken up and varied. Try it- it goes by pretty damn fast! :) Below is a chart the gives the average amount of calories burned per hour of a specific exercise. It gives you a good idea of which exercises blast them most calories.

Okay- now to hit the shower and blow off a little more steam with a few adult beverages! Have a good weekend. Cheers!

Improving your ASSets - the Deadlift

Clients, students and friends ask me frequently how to improve the look of their behinds. The gluteus maximus is the largest and the most superficial of the three gluteal muscles. It gives shape to and has the most influence on the appearance of your back side. I'm not gonna lie- genetics does influence the appearance of your backside, but there are plenty of exercise you can do to strengthen, lift and improve the shape of your behind.

Of the many exercises that target the glutes, my favorite is the deadlift.

The deadlift is a complicated movement, if you have never performed it, I'd recommend having a certified trainer instruct you. I like it because it is a functional movement- meaning you you can use this movement in the "real" world, moving heavy equipment or furniture. I also like the deadlift because it works more muscles simultaneously than any other movement- even squats!

Below is a you tube tutorial that demonstrate the proper technique for the deadlift! There are many variations of deadlifts as well as single leg deadlifts. Have fun with them and enjoy- they hurt soooo good!!





Cautionary note: Those with an existing lower back condition, or any form of heart disease, should approach the deadlift with caution (the deadlift does placed tremendous, although not damaging, pressure on the back, and does significantly raise blood pressure. Anyone experiencing any of these problems should consult their physician first.