Body & Soul

Georgetowner • January 11, 2016

The new year is great for my industry, because losing weight and/or getting fit is the number-one resolution in the U.S. Though it’s not in my best interest, I’m actually encouraging you not to make New Year’s resolutions, because I don’t think they work.

Resolutions are generally what psychologists call vows: solemn, often emotionally intense promises. For example, “I will work out more this year” or “I will eat better this year.” These kinds of resolutions fail at least 88 percent of the time.

What to do instead?

Reflecting on your life and goals is very important — this is a great time of year for that — and I believe your health and fitness should always be high on your priority list. Here are three keys to successfully changing the course of your health and fitness in 2016.

1. Doubt yourself. Research on smokers shows that those who are the most confident in their ability to quit are paradoxically the least successful in doing so. This is because they don’t think through what to do when they’re tired, stressed or having insane cravings. Quitting cigarettes is hard, and working out consistently — even if it’s “only” three times a week — is no different. You have an unlimited number of things competing for your time and money, and everything is more urgent than being proactive about your health and fitness. The good news is that acknowledging reality empowers you to set up strategies to keep the tired and stressed self of the future on track.

2. Make it concrete. Again according to research, the key to follow-through is writing down the answers to four questions: What? When? Where? How? For example: On Monday and Friday at 6 p.m., I will work out with a coach at True 180 Fitness, and on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., I will sprint the hill at 34th Street for 30 minutes after a warm-up.

3. Get accountability. Can you lean on a friend who is already consistent? Sticking to his or her schedule can change your life. But please don’t team up a friend who is also struggling to work out — you are likely to support each other in not changing. A good personal trainer can also be very helpful in holding you accountable. (Just don’t expect to be able to outsource your health and fitness to a personal trainer. He or she is only with you one to three hours per week.)

Have you heard some or most of this before? Probably, but hearing and doing are two very different things. Don’t wait until Jan. 1 — that’s the same old song and dance. Stop what you’re doing and invest 10 minutes to write out your concrete plan right now.

A best-selling author and fitness expert, Josef Brandenburg owns True 180 Fitness in Georgetown. Information about his 14-Day Personal Training Experience may be found at true180.fitness.

Josef Brandenburg • December 8, 2015

Remember: You can’t give the gift of fitness to someone who doesn’t want it. Giving a fitness gift to someone you think should work out is likely to backfire. But with these gifts you can support your friends and family members who have already made their own decision to pursue fitness — even if they’re just starting out.

A glass water bottle. Staying hydrated is great, but plastic isn’t. There’s significant evidence that plastic — even BPA (Bisphenol A) free — has harmful effects on your health and weight. Glass and stainless steel are the way to go. BKR makes glass water bottles that are really cute and really durable. You can find them at Georgetown University Bookstore and Georgetown Running Company.

My Zone. Wearable technology, especially for tracking movement, is hot, but most of the devices out there don’t give you feedback beyond how many steps you took while walking or running. They offer hardly any accurate data on intensity or calories burned outside of those two activities. My Zone makes movement measurable. It uses a very accurate heart rate monitor to let you know how hard you’re working relative to your own fitness levels.

A good sports bra. I used to wonder why some female clients would hug themselves during any bouncing exercises. It turns out that a well-designed, well-made sports bra is hard to find, and very important for a good workout. I’ve received a lot of positive feedback about the many different brands and helpful staff at Athleta. A gift certificate to the Georgetown store would probably be best.
Better nutrition. I see two options for gifts. One is a membership to a local CSA (community-supported agriculture network), which generally runs $25 to $100 per week. Getting fresh, organic fruits and veggies delivered to your recipient’s door helps him or her eat better. The other is a gift certificate to work with a local nutritionist, such as Julie DiBella at justbewellhealth.com.

Body work. Massage isn’t just for when something hurts or you’re feeling overwhelmed. You’ll get much more out of it if it’s part of your regular lifestyle. There are two ways to take advantage of the mental and physical benefits: self-massage and seeing a professional. For self-massage, pick up a foam roller from Georgetown Running Company and you can loosen up most parts of your body on your own schedule. But self-massage has its limits. Luckily Georgetown has some of the area’s best massage offerings at Aveda and M3 Massage, both of which have holiday gift-certificate specials.

A best-selling author and fitness expert, Josef Brandenburg owns True 180 Fitness in Georgetown. Information about his 14-Day Personal Training Experience may be found at true180.fitness. [gallery ids="102176,132253" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner • November 10, 2015

Don’t start making your list just yet, because the answer is one word. And that magic word is: YOU.

It’s not going to be your therapist, your accountant, your attorney or even your friends. Yes, your posse, of course, is necessary to the process. But at the end of the day, it is little ol’ you that is going to get you through. Let me explain…

Your therapist can help you sort through the emotions; your accountant can tell you the bottom line; your attorney will draft the MSA; your friends will listen. But you hold the cards to the one thing that will propel you to the other side, and that, my friend, is attitude.

What I am about to say will cause the hair on some people’s neck to stand on end. But before the hate mail starts coming in, I ask that you take some time to digest what I am about to say.

Divorce is just another bump in life, albeit a big bump, but a bump nonetheless. People change jobs, move from house to house or city to city, first careers don’t work out, second ones are born. Divorce is no different. How we perceive it, and then react to that perception, is what makes it different.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating divorce. I, myself, was married for 15 years before the plug was pulled. But when faced with this life-change, how you “see” it will make all the difference as to when the phoenix rises from the ashes.

Divorce can cause you to sit, fester and ruin your life OR it can jump-start it. Fact is, you got a divorce; you did not lose a limb or go blind. You can spend countless hours ruminating over something that is over, or you can look at all the doors divorce opens.

You have what hundreds of people every day get taken away from them, and that is the gift of life. Don’t squander it. Divorce has a way of making what you do and don’t want in your relationships, and in life, a lot clearer. Believe it or not, this time is a gift, so use it wisely. Don’t just live through this change, embrace it.

My son told me that we all live to learn. I disagree with him. Only the self-actualized people live to learn, and I invite you to become one of them. Use your divorce to raise you up, not push you down. Divorce robs us all. It robs our children, our sense of safety and security, our self-esteem, our finances, our trust, and our overall well-being.

So how much more will you allow it to rob you of?

We have one life, and none of us know how many chances we will get to course direct and live it the way we were intended to. So, ladies, put on your Katherine Hepburn glasses, and men, adjust those Top Gun Ray-Bans, and get out there and say, “Bring it on!”

Trained in Collaborative Divorce, Debbie Martinez is a certified Mindful Life Coach and Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator. Reach her at debbieatthepowerofdivorcecoach.com.

Stacy Notaras Murphy • October 26, 2015

Dear Stacy,

I have a crush on my boss. She is about my age and we have had chemistry from the start of my employment (professional office) three years ago. We both were in relationships at the time I started working, but now are both free and available. I want to ask her out, but I am worried about the outcome. While there are no overt policies against this in our work environment, of course I wonder what could happen if things don’t work out and we still have to work together. Then again, career-wise it makes sense for me to be looking for a new job elsewhere regardless. But then I wonder how long finding a new job will actually take.

You see my dilemma. I’m not normally a risk-taker, but for some reason, I just can’t stop thinking that we might be really good together. Should I put this out of my mind?

– Crushing

Dear Crushing:

Let’s start by acknowledging that you would likely get vastly different advice from a business coach or a career counselor. But as a pro-relationship person, I say: Go for it. If there’s no policy against it, why not give it a try? Every day I sit with people struggling to find connection and partnership in this city. I’m not going to tell you to search for it elsewhere when it might, in fact, be staring at you across the room during a staff meeting. You’re right, this would feel risky, but without some level of risk we never make ourselves available for the really good things in life.
All of this being said, however, please do proceed with caution. She’s The Boss, so that means she is in control of whether this gets any further than an invitation to dinner. Respect her decision. She may have good reasons for keeping her distance (e.g., there’s a secret policy against this or she’s been burned before or she’s planning to quit next week …).

Stacy Notaras Murphy is a licensed professional counselor in Georgetown. For information about the adjustment group for female college students she is co-leading this fall, visit stacymurphyLPC.com. This column is meant for entertainment only and should not be considered a substitute for professional counseling. Send your confidential question to stacymurphyLPC@gmail.com.

Josef Brandenburg •

Did you know that the average American gets sick two to four times per year? And we tend to stay sick for seven to 10 days. That’s an entire month spent feeling tired, achy and miserable.

The good news is that working out three days per week is one of the most powerful tools for prevention and a speedy recovery. The even better news is that the time you invest in your own fitness (156 hours or six and a half days) is much less than the time you’d spend being sick (960 hours or 40 days).
Why does it work? There are several theories.

One explanation is that the full, deep breathing helps to flush out your lungs so that pathogens don’t get too much time to set up camp. Another is that reasonable exercise helps to balance stress hormones such as cortisol. When cortisol is too high for too long, it suppresses immune function. A third is that exercise increases the proportion of what are called your regulatory T-cells. T-cells — a type of white blood cell — fight infection, and this increase makes your immune system better at keeping you well.

But here’s what not to do. In fitness right now, the fad is “harder and longer” — pushing until you collapse or can’t keep going. While hard work is important, there is too much of a good thing. Excessively intense or long workouts increase your risk of injury and suppress your immune system (because they stimulate excessive cortisol production). Keep your workouts under an hour, and leave something in the tank.

Should you work out when you’re sick? If your symptoms are above the neck, then, yes, you can work out. The workout will probably boost your immune function and suppress microbial growth. But remember to listen to your body and keep your intensity relative to your energy. And don’t forget to wash your hands! However, if you have below-the-neck symptoms — diarrhea, vomiting, fever, etc. — then hold off until they run their course.

A best-selling author and fitness expert, Josef Brandenburg owns True 180 Fitness in Georgetown. Information about his 14-Day Personal Training Experience may be found at true180.fitness.

Josef Brandenburg • September 17, 2015

Most people have an energy lull in the afternoon. This is an opportunity either to improve or to (unfortunately) reduce your health and fitness. Marketers try selling blended caramel coffee drinks that have two candy bars’ worth of sugar and energy shooters that are the nutritional equivalent of soda.

These high-sugar “solutions” will pep you up for the moment, but they will put you on a blood-sugar rollercoaster. Also, the long-term metabolic impact of these kinds of foods can lead to progressive exhaustion and weight gain.

Here are five healthy alternatives:

1. Get 10 minutes of sunlight. Get moving and help your internal clock remember that you should be awake right now.

2. Check your lunch. If you’re sleepy after lunch, then the content and/or the quantity of your lunch isn’t supporting you. Focus on veggies and healthy fat and protein and skip the starch and sugar.

3. Sprint the stairs. If you’re on the second floor, then run as fast as you can up to the fifth-floor restroom. Nothing saps your energy more than sitting on your butt. Intense exercise stimulates your body to release its own natural supply of stimulants, getting you back into high gear.

4. Caffeinate with caution. Moderate amounts of caffeine aren’t usually a problem — unless you drink a caffeinated beverage too late in the day and your sleep is disrupted. Most people have a cutoff for caffeine between 2 and 4 p.m. in order to sleep well.

5. Stay hydrated. People confuse thirst with “I need a nap” and “I’m hungry.” Staying adequately hydrated helps you feel great, maintain focus and lose weight. Super-cold water is also a nice jolt, similar to the stair sprints. Hot weather, air conditioning and lots of talking all dry you out. Keep a water bottle near you.
You can sum it all up as follows: Eat a better lunch. Move. Get sunlight. Hydrate and (maybe) caffeinate.

A best-selling author and fitness expert, Josef Brandenburg owns True 180 Fitness in Georgetown. Information about his 14-Day Personal Training Experience may be found at true180.fitness.

Stacy Notaras Murphy • August 19, 2015

Dear Stacy,

I am in my early 50s, a father to three sons and husband to a great wife. But I feel like I missed out on the chance to have the right career. I am a contractor, basically because I have never found a place I wanted to spend more than a six-month stint. I truly hate the work I do every day and can’t believe I’m this far into a career that I’ve never liked. I am so disappointed that I didn’t take more risks after college. I just fell into a field that never made me happy or excited about work. Whenever I talk about changing careers to something I might actually like (chef, psychologist, teacher), my wife freaks out because we are about to have our third kid in college. The thought of following my dream, even though I’m not even sure what that dream is, scares me to death, so instead I do nothing. Advice?

– Frozen

Dear Frozen:

Okay, let’s start by saying that, while you didn’t outright blame your wife for holding you back, I worry about how much of this you lay at her feet. Anyone facing three tuition bills would be concerned when her partner says he might become a novice food-truck proprietor. Her anxiety is not unreasonable, but if you label it the reason you can’t move forward, you are doing long-term damage to your marriage. Let’s turn the focus back to your role in all of this.

I work with a lot of college students and I know about the pressures to follow the trajectory set out when you pick a major at age 18. I also know that many people spend lots of time in offices like mine lamenting those youthful decisions, feeling powerless to change course. The conversation almost always leads back to a fear of embarrassment about having to “admit you made a mistake” about what career path to choose.

We have to change this narrative. Most of us have no idea what we really want to be when we are 18, because we have no idea who we are yet. We make decisions based on feedback from others (e.g., “You’re a good arguer? You should be a lawyer!”) rather than on any understanding of what it will really feel like to live that life. And that’s okay, as long as we allow people to change lanes later.

I was “a good writer,” so I became a journalist. Little did I know that phone interviews and solitary writing would feel like punishment to my overly extroverted self. When I changed course and went to grad school at age 28, I was one of the youngest people in my program. The people sitting around me were mostly in their 50s and 60s, taking a chance to find the meaningful work that circumstances or lack of self-knowledge kept them from for the first few decades of their working life. It wasn’t too late for them and it’s not too late for you.

Josef Brandenburg • August 17, 2015

For many, an invitation to a summer BBQ can feel like a choice between having fun and staying fit. Luckily, fun and fit are not mutually exclusive. Here are five ways to keep your hard-earned results without slimming down your social calendar.

1. Skip the sugar water. Juice, soda and sweet tea have more sugar than many desserts. Not only are the calories from sugar especially hard on your metabolism, but the fact that they’re liquid means they won’t make you feel full. Stick to unsweetened tea, soda water with lime or plain water.

2. Beware of the sides. At most BBQs, the side dishes will make or break your meal from a nutrition standpoint. Steer clear of the obvious: chips, mac and cheese, sweet “salads.” Instead, load your first plate with veggies and protein. You’ll soon feel full and you’ll keep feeling great.

3. Don’t show up empty-handed. A simple way to make sure the right side-dish options are on hand, while being a great guest, is to bring them with you. Find out what the host will be serving and see how you can honor your nutrition plan, your taste buds and the menu.

4. Pick your battles. One of the keys to having your cake and eating it too is deciding in advance when you’ll treat yourself and when you won’t. It’s much easier to say “no” to today’s mediocre casserole when you know you’ll be saying “yes” to next week’s amazing bread pudding. And by not waiting to decide, you’ll save your brain some decision fatigue.

5. Empty the tank. A session of strength or interval training (or one of each) before you decide to treat yourself will help your body metabolize the extra carbs. This is because “emptying the tank” of your muscles (glycogen stores) improves the function of hormones such as insulin. These hormones tell your body if it should send your food to your fat cells or somewhere else. You want the later.

A best-selling author and fitness expert, Josef Brandenburg owns True 180 Fitness in Georgetown. Information about his 14-Day Personal Training Experience may be found at true180.fitness.