Keeping it Real with Candice Yarde-Olkus

Q: Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do?

A: By profession, I’m a personal trainer/health and fitness instructor certified by ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine). I help people devise a work-out plan that they enjoy and that fits their lifestyle. I am also the mother of two daughters, ages 9 and 6.

Q: Today, many women are juggling the demands of work and family and often feel there’s no time to work out. What are some things women can do to fit exercise into their day?

A: One of the best solutions is to try to work it in as part of your day. For some people, that may mean biking or walking to and/or from work, [and] taking the stairs versus elevators whenever possible. When you take your children to the park, don’t sit and watch them get exercise. Get up and run around with them, play tag or jump rope. I’m also a big fan of the in-home workout, which can require as little as a pair of 5-pound dumbbells which most of us already have in our possession. Working out at home cuts down on commute time for many, which can add up if your gym is more than five minutes away. It also makes it easier to sprinkle exercise in throughout the day.

Q: Are there alternatives to the traditional forms of exercise that would provide fitness results, while not consuming extra time? If so, what are they?

A: There are many activities that can be done around the house that can be counted as exercise. Mowing the lawn is a perfect example. Some other excellent forms are: shoveling snow, gardening, house cleaning (vacuuming, sweeping, mopping), painting and raking leaves.

Q: How do you tell if you’re doing enough of an activity to benefit from it?

A: Every little bit counts. The key is to stay active, keep moving.

Q: Are there ways to organize the day that makes it easier to fit in a workout?

A: That’s a very individual subject. There are some people who love exercising at 5 a.m., and others who can’t comprehend being awake at that hour, much less working out. I think a lot of people get overwhelmed by the prospect of having to carve more time into an already busy schedule for working out. What is important to remember when assessing a time that is right for you is: a) An effective work-out regime can take as little as 20 to 30 minutes a day b) You can break up your workout throughout the day. Two 15-minute walks can be as effective as one 30-minute walk and certainly much more effective than no walk at all.

Q: What’s the first step to successfully working an exercise program into your day?

A: I believe that the first step is to find something that you enjoy. After that, the rest will come naturally. If you enjoy doing something, you find a way to fit it into your day. When we’re reading a great book, we always find 20 minutes here and there to keep plugging away at it until we finish it, don’t we?

The second thing to remember is that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Start off small and for short periods of time. If you're just starting a new cardio regime, whether it is walking, running, biking or rollerblading, keep it to 15 minutes for the first week or so. If you’re weight training for the first time or just getting back into it, start with one set for the first couple of weeks. It’s better to be safe than sorry. If you start off working out hard in the beginning, you’ll be sore and fatigued, which physically will make it difficult to continue working out with any regularity, and mentally is not exactly a winning combination when it comes to staying motivated.

Q: How do you stick with it?

A: If you enjoy what you do, if it’s convenient and if you’re getting results (which by the way is not measured solely on the scale, use your energy level and the fit of your clothes as well), then it becomes a regular part of your day.

Q: What if you miss a workout or you haven’t been as active? How do you get back on track?

A: Well the first thing is to not beat yourself up about it. Guilt can be very unhealthy. The second thing is to set small, achievable goals and as they are realized, enjoy your accomplishments and keep setting new ones. Don’t say, "On Monday, I’m going to eat only salad with no dressing and I’m going to run three miles each day this week." Do say, "I’m going to try to eat five fruits and/or vegetables each day and to aim for drinking eight glasses of water. I’m also going to shoot for working out at least two to three times this week." The best motivation is the sense of accomplishment. Keeping a food and activity journal can be eye-opening.

Rest is also a very important part of any exercise regime. Learn to listen to your body’s cues. If you had a couple of days where your energy level was low and couldn’t make it to the gym, perhaps that was your body’s way of letting you know that it was fighting off an illness. Fatigue and frequent illness are also your body’s way of telling you that you may be over-training. Be sure to speak with a health professional if your symptoms persist.

Q: If you’re always on the go, and you’re barely able to fit in some cardio, what should you do about your diet?

A: Your dietary needs can fluctuate based on your activity level. On days that you weight train or have done strenuous activity, your body will burn a great deal of calories, and therefore, you can and should be taking in more calories than a day when, for example, you may have just been sitting at a desk. Each day, you should aim for at least five fruits/vegetables and at least eight glasses of water. If you can manage that, you may find it difficult to fit in extra junk food.

Q: Do you adhere to any special dietary regimen?

A: Pretty much what I just described above. I listen to my body’s cues and try to give it what it wants in as healthy a form as possible. As an example, if I crave a hamburger, I’ll have filet mignon or turkey burger because I know my body is saying it needs protein or iron but those alternatives have significantly less fat and calories than a regular hamburger. I also try not to ever get too hungry because it’s very difficult to hear your body’s cues over a growling tummy. I eat very little processed and/or refined foods and am a big proponent of organic foods.

Q: What is your fitness routine?

A: For cardio, from spring through fall, I rollerblade, bike ride and power walk. I weight train about twice per week and usually it’s circuit training, which is a combination of cardio and weight training. I’m very big into functional training, which is an efficient and effective workout. It is a way of working out which strengthens your muscles in ways that they may be required to work in everyday situations. I also have two young adventurous daughters and a very fit husband who keep me very active.