Short Online Workouts, Long lists of Nutrition tips, Other people's window views
All are worth reading about!
Hello Health Warriors!
Thanks for your patience as I took a week off. I’m fine, and hope you are too! Here’s what I’ve been up to:
I Did the 7-Minute (and 11-minute) Workout So You Don't Have To
(But you can if you want to)
In the "Before Times", when I was still teaching fitness and yoga classes at studios and gyms, classes were anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes long. The vast majority of classes were an hour (as was common in the industry), with the occasional 75-minute Yin Yoga or Intermediate Power Yoga class. No one really questioned or challenged the class length; it seemed like a reasonable amount of time to warm up, do the practice/workout, and cool down to both instructors and students alike.
Then, the pandemic started. Life as we knew it changed, A LOT.
Gyms, fitness centers and yoga studios closed; teachers, seeing a need to serve their students (and make up for their loss of income) began the mad scramble to get classes online. I know, because my colleagues and I were among them. Streaming live on Zoom, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook Live, and numerous other platforms, we tried to keep to the same structure as we had in the studio--including class length. We honestly didn't even think about changing it.
Of course, the fitness companies, seeing an opportunity, came along with their big budgets, affordable monthly memberships and high-end equipment and gradually began to chip away at our mom-and-pop mobile phone livestreams. We couldn't compete with their camera crews and seamless apps, but this post is not about that: what seemed odd to me, however, was that part of this phenomenon included a dramatic shift in class length.
Fitness apps like Peloton, Centr, Nike Training Club, and others began featuring workouts of all kinds--yoga, pilates, weight training, bodyweight, boxing, and more--that were less than an hour. Over time, it seemed like the workouts were getting shorter and shorter. First, the norm was about 40-45 minutes; but then I started seeing options for 30, 25, 20 and even 12-15 minute workouts.
Why the shift?
I'm not sure, but here are a few guesses:
Logistics: When working out from home while also working form home, managing home schooling and childcare, and the many distractions that come with being home, a shorter workout is more doable?
Commitment: we've all been stressed and anxious for a number of reasons these days. The added pressure we put on ourselves to workout may be so anxiety-producing that often we just don't do it at all. Maybe a shorter workout = less pressure and anxiety, and therefore we're more likely to follow through?
Safety: An hour-long workout in a studio/gym is done under the guidance of a trained professional instructor. This instructor can give you individual, personalized and often hands-on feedback on your form and technique, and help keep you safe: a coach on a small screen can only give general, superficial verbal feedback. A shorter workout reduces the risk of injury (although without eliminating it entirely) as the student is, literally, doing less.
So, that brings me at last to the point of this post: we have arrived at the 7-Minute Workout. Mind you, the New York Times originally posted a graphic of a 7-Minute home workout in 2013 (see graphic below), so this is nothing new: yet it does seem that these days the mini-workout (or workout "snack", as it's ironically being called) is enjoying a renaissance.
Should you try it? Is it worth it? Fear not, dear reader: your health coach Laura has sampled these workouts and here to give you a full report of their efficacy. For this issue, I tried both the NYT 7-Minute Workout published this month, as well as the less-specific 11-Minute workout.
The 7 minute workout app (save it on your phone or tablet!)
What I like about this workout (as presented in the video) is that modifications are already built-in. As much as I like vigorous exercise, years of accumulated injuries compel me to modify exercises very often. Many people who are starting a workout routine are concerned that they may not be able to do all of the exercises, unaware that ALL exercises can be modified. When you modify, you're not doing "less"; you're working smarter. Adding new injuries will only set you back. I'd rather do pushups on my knees and actually do them, than hurt myself doing a full push-up with bad form because of an existing injury or because my body just isn't ready (thus sidelining me for days or weeks).
Thus, I tried the 7-minute workout in my apartment, monitoring my progress using my FitBit. I was disappointed to see that my tracker only recorded 3 zone minutes and less than 100 calories burned:
While the point of these exercise "snacks" is movement and consistency, I knew that my weekly fitness summary courtesy of FitBit would come back to haunt me that I hadn't reached my goal zone minutes for the week. Therefore, I promptly followed my 7-minute workout with a 25-minute brisk walk.
A few days later, I read about this 11-minute workout posted on CNN (and also mentioned in the NY Times). This "workout" was far less specific in terms of offering a prescribed list of exercises, so it's a good thing that I know enough bodyweight moved to craft my own 11-minute workout. Curious to see if the four minutes would make a huge difference, I also tracked the results on my FitBit. The results were underwhelming: only one more zone minute, and a whopping 20 more calories burned than the 7 minute version.
CNN article: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/06/health/daily-exercise-increase-life-span-study-wellness/index.html
My 11 minute workout*:
I did a combination of the following:
jogging in place,
step lunges,
modified push-ups,
sit-ups,
oblique sit-ups,
step-jacks (low-impact jumping jacks that use side-steps instead of jumping),
plank walk-outs,
plank shoulder-taps,
shadow boxing,
air squats,
and finally, a last round of jogging in place
--all for one minute each (or 45 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest, if you prefer).
*(important note: although it's not listed as part of the workout, I was sure to do a minute or two of warming up and cooling down with gentle stretches. I'd highly recommend anyone else do the same)
So, bottom line: should you bother?
If the alternative is nothing, then absolutely yes: do a 7-minute workout. Ideally, however, I think it behooves you to use the 7-minute workout as a stepping stone to longer workouts. Like any exercise program, it's easy to plateau; the body becomes accustomed to a certain intensity level, and it's always a good idea to mix it up. Besides, if you build on the seven minutes to longer sessions, it's nice to have the 7 minute option to fall back on during days when a longer workout isn't possible.
Would you do a 7 (or 11) minute workout? Click the button and let’s talk about it!
Today is the day I send you a link from Buzzfeed, of all places.
I don’t know about you, but when I think of Buzzfeed, I think of a site known for curating shareworthy memes, fun little “Which [insert anything here] Are You?” quizzes, and other such pop-culture-influenced “lolz”. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve gotten a lot of entertainment from this site, and also happen to personally know several talented writers who have worked for this publication.
It’s just not the first place I’d go for, say, nutrition and health advice, ya know?
Well friends, the internet is full of surprises; and I was pleasantly surprised to see Buzzfeed use it’s unparalleled curation skills to put together a very impressive list of 36 Cheat Sheets That Will Help You Start Eating Healthier Immediately
It includes food swaps, cooking and food storage tips, label-reading guidance, and lots more.
*Note: I did go through the whole list, and agree with *most* of it: keep in mind, one size does not fit all when it comes to nutrition, and always seek the guidance of a health coach, nutritionist, registered dietitian or physician before making radical changes to your diet. Most of these tips are safe to implement, just keep track of how you feel. The only thing I would strongly challenge is the recommendation to swap out real milk for nut milk: I’m all for a plant-based diet, as you know, but read your labels: nut milks and other plant-based “mylks” can be loaded with added sugar.
Finally: travel virtually through people’s window views
Need a moment of calm? Look out a window. Sick of your own view (come on, it’s only been almost a year!)? Here you go: Window Swap
Until next time, Be Well and Feel Good!
Laura