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Archive for the ‘Exercise(s)’ Category

Ah. The good old stability ball. I love this thing. I actually had one instead of a regular office chair back in Hawaii. Yes, I used it to sit on..and bounce on when I was being goofy. What can I say? Sometimes it was slow. Anyway, that’s besides the point.

The stability ball is an excellent tool to have at home, the office or to use at the gym. It originated from physical therapy and rehab, but it’s potential was seen as benefiting the general paopulation as well. There are many different ways to use it in order to target different areas of your body. Most people associate it with strengthening the core muscles (abs and back). But we can’t forget that you can also target the quads, hamstrings, glutes (butt), and chest! Folks, Spring is here and we are just around the corner for summer…in other words, bikini season! Or board shorts, one piece, t-shirt, whatever it is that you soak up the sun in.

If you didn’t know, stability balls come in different sizes. In general, the taller you are, the larger the ball you want. It’s really important to find a ball that fits you properly to help avoid risk of injury.  This table summarizes the general ball size appropriate for your height and how tall it is (the diameter) when it’s fully inflated.

You can find these balls almost anywhere these days such as Wal-Mart, Target, Sams Warehouse, Costco, and any sports store. Prices range anywhere from $14-$35, depending on the quality and place you get it at. But personallly speaking, I bought mine for $15 and it has lasted me years.

ONWARD TO THE EXERCISES!!!!………

1. Push-up on the ball. Start off with 5 reps, and work your way up to 2 sets of 15. Targets your arms, chest, shoulders, and core muscles.
2. Squat with the ball. Start with 5 reps and work up to 12. Rest for 30 seconds and do another set. Targets your quads, glutes
3. Overhead squat with a ball. Keep your arms lifted as you do 12 to 15 squats.
4. Ball Pass. Continue to pass the ball back and forth from your hands to your legs 10 to 12 times.
5. Bridges. Strengthens the lower back and hamstrings. Start with 8-10 reps.

These five exercises are a great start if you haven’t used a stability ball before. Remember to take it slow and make sure to have plenty of room around you. Doing these exercises take up more room than you might think!

Aside from using the ball for exercises, you will learn that this sphere is truly a diamond in the rough!

There are many benefits of training with stability balls. Here are just some of them:

• Promotes muscular balance
• Increases postural awareness
• Improves balance and coordination
• Allows you to work through a greater range of motion than you can with many traditional exercises
• Targets your core muscles
• Strengthens and tones your muscles
• Provides dynamic exercises for your entire body
• Strengthens weaker muscles
• Improves kinesthetic awareness and helps prevent injury
• It’s portable and inexpensive
• It can be used anywhere

I hope that I’ve given you enough info and motivation here to get on the ball! Good luck and have fun!!!

Today was another day at work. Pretty routine as far as doing blood pressure measurements, cholesterol checks, glucose screenings for diabetes and of course health coaching. As so, there were a couple of times during the day where we had a few lulls and we would walk around…organize the education pieces…talk with other health educators, and so on.

Well, at some point, I decided that, “hey, I want to check my cholesterol just to see where it’s at”. I mean really, I’m pretty fit, I eat healthy foods and have a consistent blood pressure reading of 106/69….what could go wrong, right?????

I waited the normal 6-7 minutes that it takes for the blood to be read and like an easy bake oven, the beep went off. My co-worker turned the machine towards me and as I casually (and confidently) read the numbers, I couldn’t believe my eyes. 241. That’s it. I saw 241. I looked at her, then looked at it again and I saw 241. Did I mention that it was 241?

Oh My GOSH!!! I knew that I was somewhat border-lined due to a genetic disposition, but I had never even gone over the recommended max of 200, and yet here I am, fit as a fiddle, health nut mom and owner of a health coaching company and I was just sideswiped with a 241 cholesterol reading! *sigh* but I digress. What to do, what to do.

This is a perfect time (I think) to not only say, “I told you so,..I’m NOT superwoman”, but to also engage you on the topic of cholesterol. It’s an important number to know for your overall health. Cholesterol builds up in your arteries along the walls, similar to how a drain slowly gets clogged up over time until water can’t get through it anymore. Eventually if it gets totally clogged up, your heart can’t do it’s job and you have a massive coronary and bye-bye (shock factor). But just because you get a high reading, doesn’t mean you’re about to pop like a kernel and drop dead, but it’s a pretty good idea to know what it is so that you can do something about it if you do happen to pull a high number. 
First things first: what exactly is cholesterol? Well, in a nutshell, it’s a waxy substance that is produced by your liver and travels in your bloodstream. Kind of sounds nasty huh? It is also found in fats, particularly animal fats. Our bodies produce approximately 1000 mg of cholesterol per day, so we really don’t need to consume much of it at all…but we do, don’t we! Don’t mistake me though, not all high cholesterol occurs because of poor diets. Sometimes (like in my case) our bodies produce more than necessary for one reason or another and it’s hard to remove the excess. Total cholesterol is broken down into several categories: HDL (high dose lipoprotein-Healthy kind), LDL (low dose lipoprotein- Lousy kind), and Triglycerides. My 241 includes all three of these, but in the test that I was screened in, out of the three it only shows the HDL number, which I scored a whopping 75! (you want to be above 45). Guess what this means? I’m going to be taking a trip to my provider to get a complete cholesterol test done. I’ll have to fast for 12 hours before, but that’s ok. I want to know all my numbers!

Speaking of numbers, here’s the scoop on that: According to the American Heart Association, which is what we also use for work, less than 200 mg/dL of total cholesterol is desirable; 200-239 is considered to be borderline-high risk; and 240 and over is considered high risk (DON’T REMIND ME), but I don’t consider myself to be a ticking time-bomb. Wanna know why? Because my HDL was pretty darn high. HDL cholesterol is also known as the “healthy” kind. In the average woman, HDL’s range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. An HDL cholesterol of 60 mg/dL or higher gives some protection against heart disease. Score one for the Spanish girl! What I don’t know yet is my LDL levels or triglycerides. The lower the number for these two, the lower the risk for heart disease. At least I have my HDL going for me!

LDL Cholesterol Levels (American Heart Association)
Less than 100 mg/dL	Optimal
100 to 129 mg/dL	Near Optimal/ Above Optimal
130 to 159 mg/dL	Borderline High
160 to 189 mg/dL	High
190 mg/dL and above	Very High

So now you have your number (assume), and it turns out that it’s above the desirable 200 mg/dL. What can we do? Diet: Foods that are low in fat are best. Saturated fat in particular is a BIG culprit. Saturated fats are those that typically become solid at room temperature. If you cook ground beef and leave the grease behind to cool off, what happens to it? It hardens right? That’s your saturated fat. The more lean your meat is, the less saturated fat it will have. Milk, egg yolks, cheese, and butter all contain fats, but you can modify the amount of fat by choosing the skim or 1% milk over the 2% or whole; reduced fat cheeses are available; egg beaters have no cholesterol and 2/3 less calories than whole eggs; chicken breast and fish are excellent protein sources as oppose to red meats and chicken legs/thighs/wings. These are just a few examples of little changes you can make to reduce your saturated fat consumption. More fruits and veggies is ALWAYS a great idea to incorporate into your diet. Eat more fiber! Remember that there are no bad foods…everything in moderation. Learn some discipline and self control.

Physical Activity: I said it before and I’ll say it again. Do something you enjoy!! If you don’t, you’ll quit. To lower cholesterol levels, aerobic exercise is better than strength training, but I’m not saying not to do weight bearing exercises, ok? Don’t put words in my mouth. Aerobic activity specifically helps to raise the HDL levels too…bet you didn’t know that! On the flip side, exercise doesn’t always lower the cholesterol for everyone. Just keep that in mind, but please don’t dismiss it. We need to be physically active either way because it is part of a healthy lifestyle.

Tobacco use: Just don’t. Can I be any more clear? It’s bad, it’s bad, it’s bad. In case you didn’t know also, it’s bad. Just don’t do it. Medication: You and your doctor will work this part out together. She/he will decide (with your feedback) if medications will be necessary. In my humble opinion, a good doc will opt for lifestyle changes first. Perhaps the simple addition of fish oil pills, skim milk and walking an extra 2 days a week will help to reduce your numbers. Who knows, but what I do know is that if your doc recommends putting you on meds immediately after taking one test…I would get a second opinion.

Well, well well. Shall I go crawl under a rock and wallow? Of course not! I’ve come out! Well, sort of…I am a fit, healthy eating 35 year old mom of two, triathlete, and health educator….and my number is 241!

I’m off to the doctor now….

Truth be told, I’m stressed right now. I shouldn’t be though. But somewhere between my work life and personal life, I’m feeling it. I think I know what it is, but I’m trying to write it off to being all weather related :o) Often times we find ourselves anxious, stressed and just down right blech!! Don’t we? It can have to do with anything from bills, work, our significant other, the kids, the car, our family or friends or the freakin’ computer going down! Well, there is a very good remedy for that and you know what it is….yes, come on…say it!!! EXERCISE! dun-DuN-DUN!!!

Instead, lets say that stress can be reduced by being active. There are other things of course that can reduce it in our lives, but I want to focus on a-c-t-v-i-t-y.

If you didn’t know, there are different kinds of stress, but all of them can be managed with a healthy diet and a good dose of physical activity each day. I’m not saying you have to break a sweat for 60 minutes to ease off the tension. Even a 10-15 minute brisk walk can alleviate the nerves. It is important to try to pinpoint the source of your stress so that you can learn to manage it and control the situation. It may not always be easy to pinpoint where it’s coming from, but at least try to find it.

Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week. Pent-up stress is pretty easily remedied through aerobic exercise. Annoyances or frustrating situations can sometimes build up and you can feel stressed or even experience a low level of anger even! If you’re feeling motivated enough, a higher energy form of exercise can help release some of those emotions. Kickboxing, boxing, weight training, crossfit or going for a LONG NEEDED RUN when you didn’t think you needed to go so long, can all help reduce stress.

If you don’t believe me, read on:

The American Council on Exercise reminds Americans that one of the most effective methods of stress relief is exercise. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Association endorses exercise as a way to reduce stress, and recommends cardiovascular exercise that elevates the heart rate for 15 to 30 minutes – three to four times per week.

I told you so. When you are less stressed, you tend to have a more positive outlook on life you know! There is no “magic exercise” that you can do to reduce your stress. Actually, different activities can help with different kinds of stress. The important thing is to do something that you enjoy. One of my most favorite activities now is to take the dogs to the lake and walk. It usually takes almost two hours out there, but it always seems like half the time. It’s a perk if you enjoy the company you’re with too!
One of the things that can happen is that you feel so stressed, that you don’t want to do anything…it kind of ends up as a vicious cycle. The more you stay sedentary, the more stressed out you can get! They say that yoga is an excellent way to relieve stress. Only from research can I say that this has been proven to be true. (Remember, doing yoga is one of my resolutions for this year). Breathing exercises, aromatherapy, and meditation all contribute to sanity as well.

So go for a walk, jog, leisure bike ride….take the dog out, play with the kids, stretch, punch a bag…do jumping jacks, do JUMPROPE (10 calories for every minute!!), clean the house or work in the garden. There are so many different things you can do. Finally, if you think you need just a little bit of help to relax more, ask your favorite pair of hands for a nice massage, fingers through your hair, or gentles touches on your back.  Then there’s always a nice glass of vino that you can have at the end of your long day with or after a  yummy shrimp pasta dish! (Man I’m getting hungry)…

Now you know what you can do to wash away that stress...

You know how when you’re working out, you usually take a break in between sets, or maybe a break from running and just walk a little bit? Oooo, oooo, better yet, what about when you take a “few” minutes to chat with your friend as a little break? Ask a Crossfitter to take that opportunity and you’ll hear “NAHHHHHH!! Breaks are for wimps!”

Have you heard of it, Crossfit? The first time you ever participate in a Crossfit session, you’ll never forget it. My girlfriend and I used to joke around about how we would pass or fail the toilet test. Basically, if we had a hard time “squatting” for the next couple of days, then we did a good job on our workout! ;o)

There are MANY benefits to doing Crossfit. Here are a few reasons to add some spice into your workout life:

• Cardiovascular
• Stamina
• Speed
• Agility
• Flexibility
• Strength
• Power
• Coordination
• Balance

For those that really enjoy exercise or want to vamp up their routine, Crossfit is like a chocolate delicacy from Bavaria. You don’t need cardio machines or free weights. You don’t need a pool or a fancy gym. As a matter of fact, Crossfit is a pretty plain Jane basic workout regime that will ultimately just kick your ass into the next day. Crossfit is a highly adaptable and constantly changing strength and conditioning program. In all honesty, it’s a workout that anybody can participate in, but truly will be appreciated more by those who are at a higher level of  fitness. Running, jumping, gymnastic type movements, climbing, and weight-lift training  and any other type of challenging and functional exercises are all game. Crossfit can benefit all different ages and abilities because the goal of a Crossfit athlete is  to be as fit as possible.

There are different routines that you can pick from. They vary from competing against one other, yourself, time, weight, and it goes on and on. The possibilities are really endless if you think about it. One of the best perks….no gym membership is required! Use your garage, an open room in your house, the backyard, a beach, a park, your driveway, etc…etc. Of course if you belong to a gym, you can do your session there as well. To put it simply as possible, think UNconventional. Think ABnormal. Think Wicked. I could put you through the ringer with a jump rope and a tire if I wanted to. Just to whet your appetite, I’m posting a couple of workouts that were put together by myself and my workout partner back in Hawaii. She and I along with another co-worker put together a blog called 2 girls and 1 guy workout together. Now granted, the blog hasn’t been touched in a while, but that’s besides the point. We created these workouts to share with others and to kick our own butts too ;o)

Sample 1- Rose: 5 rounds (sets) for time (try to complete as fast as you can)
10 burpees
40 air squats
30 crunches
20 sumo high pulls (these can be done with a dumbbell, barbell plate, kettle bell, or barbell w/ weight)

Sample 2 – Stick in the Mud (20 minutes. As many rounds as you can do)

10 burpees (see above)

20 air squats (see above)

15 clean and press

20 ball toss (abs)

10 split jumps

This kind of workout is being used by individuals and groups all over. Fire fighters, police officers, military personnel, working moms, stay at home moms, kids (my own), dad’s from every corner and good looking men in politics get involved in Crossfit! (Ok that last one was for my own pleasure).

So what are you gonna do? I challenge YOU to challenge yourself.

Are you looking at the title and saying to yourself, “Why is she asking this? ” Well, I ask because I think it’s a legitimate question for parents. How much do you know about the importance of having a fit kid, other than the fact that you could stave off extra pounds of fat around his or her tummy? Well, the truth is, that kids who are overweight or obese tend to have more health problems as kids AND are at a 50% increased risk of being overweight as adults! Scary….

Dear mom and dad: get your kid moving, because THIS isn’t cutting it!!!

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, overweight or obese children and adolescents are at risk for many health problems. Some of the negative health outcomes that may be more obvious to children and their parents are asthma, sleep apnea, skin infections, and complaints of joint pain. In addition, research indicates that obese children have lower self esteem and self confidence than their thinner peers. Low self esteem and self confidence have been linked to poor academic performance, fewer friends, and depression. How’s that for an eye opener?!

So what can YOU do? For starters, if your child or teen is a video game  or tele junkie, then it has to be either removed or at a minimum, reduce the time used to play and watch TV. The boob tube doesn’t have too many redeeming qualities these days anyway, with all the crap that’s on and not even appropriate for kids. Then we wonder why they are growing up so fast (totally my 2 cents here).

Here are some ways to help you, help your child to be more active:

1. Find a fun activity that your child will enjoy
2. Choose an age appropriate activity
3. Provide a safe environment
4. Be a role model for your child
5. Play with your child
6. Make an appointment with your child’s pediatrician ;-)
7. TURN OFF THE TV!

Gosh just looking at this drives me crazy! But I d-i-g-r-e-s-s (there’s that word :) Having a fit kid has plenty of benefits. The obvious one is  having a lower BMI (body mass index). You want to make sure that your child/teen has a healthy amount of body fat, not too much or too little for that matter. While being able to run around is great when you’re lighter on your feet, it also gives them more confidence and ambition to participate in group sports. Self esteem has been shown to increase with the decrease of weight when needed. Being at a healthy weight reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes, which unfortunately for many kids these days is becoming a more common diagnosis. Want your kids to have better grades in school? Studies have shown that exercise may actually boost academic performance by burning off pent-up energy, boosting mood and increasing blood flow to the brain.

There are Three Elements of Fitness which parents can focus on whether your child is in elementary school or high school. There is endurance, strength, and flexibility, and the earlier you start teaching them this, the better. For example, when your kid is running away from the kid who’s “it” , it builds endurance. When your kids is crossing the monkey bars, it builds strength, and when your kids bend down to tie their shoes, it builds flexibility. By doing different activities, you are helping to encourage your “mini me’s” develop these elements of exercise. Finally, be a role model…a GOOD role model. There’s only so much credibility when you push someone to be healthy but you’re not doing it yourself. Lets get real now! Would you really want to take exercise advice from someone that isn’t fit? Ok, ok…maybe they’re on a “break”, but they shouldn’t let it get out of control that they’ve let themselves go either. Get outside with your child. Go walk the dog with them, ride your bike with her, kick the ball with him and don’t forget to eat well together. By “well” I mean healthy of course.

It’s pretty amazing to think that you could have so much to do with the longevity of your offspring and how they will live after you are gone. Will it be to a healthy (for the most part) 85-90 years old, or a medicine ridden cabinet and in an electric wheelchair when they are 60? It can all start with you…

The parent.

It’s the last 5 minutes before each race starts that I always feel the most need to go pee!!! I get the butterflies, a little anxious, and a TON of adrenalin going through my body like   you wouldn’t believe, but it’s all good. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever gotten involved in…the triathlon.

For those of you that aren’t familiar with this kind of race, let me indulge you. It’s one that includes swimming, biking, then running all within the same race one event right after the other. I got involved with this activity because I wanted to add more challenging activities to my life. Something that could help me set a big goal and accomplish it. The biggest perk is that it helped whip me into shape in a different way like I’ve never known! It’s definitely hard work, especially if you plan on doing them on a competitive level.

So on with my point; you should think about setting a goal for yourself this year of participating in an event that ends with an “ON”. TriathlON, MarathON, DuathlON, get it? Before you start with the heart palpitations or cursing me under your breath, or saying “YEAH RIGHT!” to yourself, let’s think about this for a moment. It’s an opportunity to challenge your mind, body and spirit to something that maybe you’ve wanted to do for a long time, or something that you never thought you could possibly do, and yet you CAN!

Let’s go over my fave first…the triathlON: Like I mentioned earlier, this race is made up of a swim, bike and then a run. There are 4 different distances that you could try. First there is the Sprint distance race. It usually consists of a 500 yd swim, a 10 mile bike ride and a 3 mile run. Next is the Olympic distance. A little further, it goes for about .93 mile swim, a 25 mile bike ride and 6.2 mile run. Following that is the Half Ironman :) with a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride and a 13 mile run. It’s also nicknamed a 70.3 race if you’ve ever heard that term before. Finally, we have the Ironman, most famously known as the Kona Ironman race in Hawaii, but NOT the only ironman race out there. This monster is made up of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run, or in other words, a marathon to complete the race. If you’ve never done any of these races, I suggest you start with the sprint distance. Don’t be fooled though. Although it’s the shortest distance, it’s supposed to be a SPRINT race. So you’re giving it your all the whole time, unlike the longer races which you can pace yourself. Again, this applies to the competitive level. So if you want to do one just to say you did it, start with this one. Training programs for all distances are available through me, or you can check out several at beginnertriathlete.com. This is a great site to get information for newbies. You can search for all different distances through the triathlon calendar which is the site I visit to find my own races. The MarathON…dun-dun-DUN!!! I find that the best way to train for a marathon is do join a team or recruit a partner or two. Team in Training for the leukemia and lymphoma society has a wonderful training program as well as organization that you can sign up with. I remember the first marathon I did in Chicago…I swore I would never do another to be honest, but it didn’t work out that way :) It’s definitely hard work because it’s the same thing for 26.2 miles, but under the right conditions (fundraising, cancer support, supporting a friend) it can be such a rewarding experience. You could also set your sights on a 1/2 marathon! Much easier to complete, but still a lot of sweat and hard work. Imagine the results you’ll be seeing as you train for any of these! Runners World is highly regarded among runners and the 1/2 ,marathon link above will take you there for some great info. Remember that you’re not limited to one of these two races for running. Start off with breast cancer walks/runs, local turkey runs, or even trail running for the beautiful views. I actually love trail running! The DuathlON: A neat race that has two events. These two events are usually a run and a bike ride. Occasionally there will be a swim and bike, or a swim and run, but for the most part it’s a run and bike. So there are two events, BUT, they can be divided up into three parts. So you can have a run, bike, run; or a run, swim run; or run and bike…you get the idea.

Past, current or future athlete beware!!! I can almost promise you that once you decide on an event, start training for it, begin to see results in your own physique and emotional well being, you may become addicted!!

There is nothing like the feeling of accomplishment when you’ve crossed the finish line. When you decide on one, let me know what you picked :)

I’m not referring to the sweat you break when you’re waiting for that cop to get out of his car that is parked right behind you. Now, now ladies…I know some of you may be breaking into a sweat right about now, so I hope I have your attention. That was your treat for the day :)

I hear this a lot: “Is the elliptical trainer better than running?”, “Are 3 sets better than 2?”, “Is walking fast just as good as jogging?”, “Is the steam room better for your skin than the sauna”…ok that last question was my own, but you get the picture. In the grand scheme of things, ANY physical exercise that you do is better than none at all. On top of that, any physical activity that you do that gets your heart rate up is even better!

Your traditional means of breaking a sweat usually occur in a gym. It’s pretty basic. You enjoy the mechanical fruits that the facility has to offer and you leave. Then you have the non-traditional means where you workout at home or outside. All three avenues can take you places far beyond your dreams of health and fitness. What usually lacks is the creativity when you are not in a gym per se, only because of unfamiliarity with what you can do with what you have. You want to avoid making excuses for not being physically active. Just do it. Here are two options below:

Ready,.. set,.. go! Walking, jogging, running, biking, swimming, strength training, hiking, bowling, tennis, gardening, roller skating, ice skating, inline skating, soccer, walking your dog, washing your car, climbing stairs, dancing, kickboxing, pushing a stroller, step aerobics, Zumba, jump rope, kayaking, canoeing, Crosssfit, mowing the lawn, cleaning windows, cleaning the house, raking leaves, chasing your kids, chasing your dogs, frisbee, baseball, basketball, golf (that one was hard for me to say), walking on the beach, flying a kite, shoveling snow, walking in the mall and even, do I dare say it… having fun in the sack! OH, don’t give me that raised brow!! You know you were wondering that too! There,  a “few” ideas for you.

Remember that these are just ideas of what you can do to be physically active, but if you want to burn calories and lose weight, you’ll need to rev up your engine and put a little work into it. This also means watching what you eat of course. Look at it like this: healthy eating and lowering your caloric intake will certainly take the pounds off, while being physically active will sculpt your body. Make sense? Capisce?

The most important thing to remember if you don’t remember anything else is this: DO WHAT YOU ENJOY DOING!!!!! If you hate running, then don’t run for pete’s sake!! Why the heck would you run? All your doing is sabotaging your exercise experience. But if you wanted to add running to your walk, for example, and do interval training to run for 2 minutes and walk for five…heyyyyy….look at you!

Mixing things up is always positive. It keeps thing alive and interesting. Not only that, but did you know that mixing your moves burns more calories? You’re making your body think harder which in turn works harder. Who says you have to do just one or two or three things every day and that’s it? You could do 45 minutes of cardio exercise and break it up into three different activities for 15 minutes each, or even four different exercises and a 5 minute blast of 5th one! The possibilities are endless is what I’m telling you.

The other important thing to remember is that if you want the weight to come off, then you must increase your cardio time to 30 min a day at least. Notice I said INCREASE your time. This may be a little rough for newbies, so that’s why I say “increase”, especially if you feel like your heart is coming out of your chest just walking around the block.

It’s not about keeping up with the Jones’s, it’s about keeping ahead of them :)

So you’ve made the decision that THIS is the year you’re going to get your healthy body back. I congratulate you no matter how many times you’ve resolved to do it. Now the question is, how do you get there?

For many of you, the mere thought of going to the gym gives you sweaty palms, blotchy vision, or a headache and that’s ok. More often than not, it’s because of the lack of knowledge we have for exercise and all of its benefits that we get so nervous. Of course there are always other reasons too. For example, some of you may be shy to workout around others because you’re very private; some of you may feel insecure and lack confidence; others may feel intimidated by the workout junkies already fit and think that they are staring at you. Not the case people! 99.9% of exercisers don’t even give a flip about what you look like, or you to be honest. They’re in there to focus on themselves, and perhaps to chat sometimes while they do it, but they’re not notating how jiggly, slow, sweaty, or tired you look. On the contrary, I can say with a confidant heart, that they ARE shaking their heads in approval to see you there. I can’t tell you how many times over the course of all my years working with people, where I have had a colleague or other member comment on how impressed they are on the hard work YOU are putting in. So don’t sell yourself short.

Now the fun part: Do you get the personal trainer or not? There are benefits to having one folks! And let me just add this important note: YOU DON’T HAVE TO BELONG TO A GYM TO HIRE ONE! [Come again?????] Yup, there are plenty of trainers out there that are available to come to you, so don’t feel as though you are tied to a gym in order to reap the benefits of one.

What exactly is a personal trainer? The term “personal trainer” over the years and more recently has been also known to be called, fitness trainer, health coach, exercise coach, wellness trainer/coach….you get the idea. The bottom line is that this special person should help you to accomplish your health and fitness goals through motivation and expertise all the while doing it safely.

Trainers can be male or female. It’s your own preference. Overall, female trainers are tougher. Personally, I’m no exception to that either. More importantly, trainers are tougher on the opposite sex—so female trainers on their male clients, and males on their females. 
But no matter which gender, there are several things that you should look for in a trainer that are important because it can make it a wonderful or a bad experience.

1. Are they educated? Having a college degree in human movement is always a nice perk to have as a coach, but more importantly, are they a certified/qualified trainer? Not all certifications are the same. I suggest doing your homework and reading up on the most highly appraised certifications. Once you open the link, scroll down and you will find a list of certified schools to research. Don’t be shy to ask them either! It’s a huge mistake not to. The last thing you need is for a trainer to not be qualified and disregard an injury you might have and then you get hurt, all because of negligence.
2. Are they experienced? So you have a choice between the trainer that is green out of college in kenisiology and just got certified a month ago, OR the coach who is college educated in business, but has several highly sought current certifications under her belt and has 10 years of experience with clients….I’m putting my money on the 10 years! This trainer has had the time to experience all different scenarios and ailments and learn from them.
3. Can the trainer communicate easily with you? ”Do you HEAR the words that are coming out of my mouth?” If you don’t watch Jackie Chan movies, then you won’t get it, sooooo moving on.  If I said to you on our first meeting: “Ok, lets start to work on your psoas major (pronounced soaz) so your flexion and external rotation in your hip joint can increase”…you would say “Huh?” So just be sure that the person you’re talking to can clearly explain everything to you, and likewise, is just as patient and open to any questions you may have.
4. Finally what is their history? I mean client history. A confident trainer won’t have a problem giving you references to contact. That right there would be a good first sign of relief, or red flag. Obviously some placed might not be at liberty to because of privacy, but in my own experience, it’s never been a problem.

The BENEFITS of a personal trainer/health coach can go on and on, but in short,  a good coach will help you achieve:

~Increased energy and stamina, weight loss, motivation, accountability, increased self-esteem and overall confidence in the way you look and feel inside and out!

I like to think that my readers don’t need need an explanation for every little thing. What you see above HAS TO BE self explanatory. It’s simple. Please tell me it is! You see what applies to you, and you do something about it. Things in life don’t typically fix themselves. There has to be some kind of momentum to begin the “fixing” process.

Just as a side note, trainers hire trainers too you know! Usually it’s a friend, but sometimes we need a different viewpoint ourselves and an exchange of ideas to us out of ruts from time to time; we’re only human.

A word of fiscal advice: Trainers are not usually free. Obviously they need to make a living as well. But nothing in this life is set in stone. If you kindly try to negotiate a reasonable rate, chances are you might be surprised what they can do for you, especially if you do multiple sessions with them vs. just one. Ask about group rates too! Many trainers, myself included, offer discounts to a group so everyone pays less than what it would cost for one on one coaching/training. I myself will not train a group larger than three, but no trainer should be coaching more than 5 if there are station. You still want the attention of your trainer to make sure your form is correct and that they are easily accessible for questions. Kind of like in school, parents like a smaller teacher to student ratio, right? Same concept.

Be strong, have courage, and just do it! Whether you hire a personal trainer, health coach or any other “guide” or none at all, make the commitment to yourself of following through with what you say you will do.

Our health is most valuable, once we’ve begun to lose it.

Oh the weather outside is frightful, But the fire is so delightful, And since we’ve no place to go, Let’s get toned! Let’s get toned! Let’s get toned!

You mean that’s not how it goes? Well, today it does! I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head that doesn’t desire to have strong, nice looking arms. If YOU do, let me know. I have to be honest, I love lifting weights. Although I really enjoy triathlons and have to train in each event (swim, bike and run), I always look forward to my lifting days. Narrowing that down even more, I think I enjoy working on my upper body the most. It’s a close tie between upper and lower, believe me, but I think because of all the little muscles that I can tweak in my arms, it’s my fav.

So let’s see, a little technical info first. The upper body consists of the deltoids, pectoralis, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, biceps, triceps, and forearm. Uuuuhhhhh, come again? (you might be asking). In simpler terms: shoulders, chest, back, arms. Better?

Did you know that even the slightest increase in body fat will show up first on your arms? Yup. Bummer. I’ve heard many times over the year’s of women fearing that they will “get bulky” from lifting weights, so they don’t strength train. First of all, women don’t have enough testosterone to bulk up like men do, and second, we’re not body building here, right? So I’m sharing a few of my favorite moves that are sure to help create sleek and sexy arms, as well as a defined back and shoulders, and you can include these in your New Year’s resolutions.

Please read the following print:

Exercise AND a healthy diet are BOTH NECESSARY to see the muscle tone you are working towards. You must do cardio also and not JUST strength training. You must burn the calories that you consume. Calories IN, calories OUT.

Not sure if you noticed or not, but what you see above is pretty important :) So let’s begin. We’ll again assume that you have been given the green light from your doc and you’re on your way to a better, healthier you! While getting sss (remember the title?), you’ll be doing exercises that will be toning all of your upper body. Lucky you!

• Push up: Shoulders, chest, arms, back. You can do this in several different variations. If you don’t have a strong upper body (yet), beginning with your knees on the floor will help you as you build strength. Over time, you will be able to do a military style push up and then a decline push-up, where your feet are placed on a bench, chair or ball and your chest is lower to the ground as you push.

The push up is one of the BEST exercises that you can do for your upper body. It’s almost like a miracle exercise move, also known as a compound movement because it works several muscles at the same time. It’s the easiest way to get a fit upper half. As an added bonus, push ups don’t need any equipment. After all, you’re using your own body as your resistance weight.

• Dumbbell Lateral Raise: Shoulders. I love these! My workout partner back in Hawaii always had to hear me rave about these. Bless her heart! The most common mistake people make with this exercise is that they start with weights that are too heavy. I don’t care if you are a man or a woman, ALWAYS start with lighter weights (2.5-5 lbs for women) if your just starting out and progressively move your way up in weight. Since you’re doing several repetitions, you will fatigue sooner, and with heavier weight, you’ll compromise your form. Technique is key with this exercise, but so worth it because this really focuses on your shoulders. How great will they stand out in a tank top?

It’s important to keep your palms turned downward as you lift the dumbbells so that your shoulders, rather than your biceps, do the work. You don’t have to go to a gym to do these either. You can buy a couple of sets of dumbbells at your local Wal-Mart, or sports store for pretty cheap. Several different weights will be useful as you get stronger :)

• Dumbbell or Bent over Row: Upper and middle back. Clicking on the link above will take you to a video of the proper way of doing a row with simple dumbbells. The row is a great way to tone the upper back by contracting the shoulder blade muscles together as you lift the weight at your side. What you don’t want, is to look like your trying to start a lawnmower….that’s bad form. Since the back is such a large muscle and is used on a daily basis, and is a major part of our core, and shall I go on? The bottom line here is that we need to be sure to incorporate back exercises to keep it strong and healthy. **If you feel any back pain, not soreness, but pain, be sure to get it checked out with your doctor.

• Biceps curl: Biceps. I’m smiling already! This exercise can be done with your new addition of dumbbells (unless you already had some), or a barbell, which is one single long weighted bar. Contracting the biceps brachii muscle, you will be creating definition and building strength to let’s say, carry two gallons of milk in one hand rather than just one! Again, this exercise, like most, can have several variations, but what I’m trying to do is give you the simplest ones that you can use at home if need be.

• Triceps Kickbacks: Triceps. There are three muscles that make up the entire triceps just as there are two muscles that make up the biceps, (tri, bi, get it?). But the most simple exercise and one of the most common is the kickback. With the dumbbells, you will be extending the arm while the torso is in a bent position. When defined, this group of muscles looks like a teardrop on the back of the arm, a high indicator of fitness. It’s one of the most common areas I get female clients to ask “How do I get rid of “this”, (as they extend out their arm  to the side and point to the jiggle hanging down).

So there you have it. My favorite exercises for my upper body and all I really need is a couple of sets of dumbbells. Now in all honesty, I do go to the gym and use their equipment because of the knowledge I have for advanced training. But I wanted to show you that you don’t have to belong to any special health club or need to go and buy a big cable cross center for your home.

Do these exercises along with my previous exercises on your lower body titled “Do you like your butt?”. You can check it out by scrolling down in the home page or looking in the “Exercise” link. It takes approximately 6-8 weeks for your body to get adjusted to regular exercise and for you to really start seeing your physique change. Stay motivated and keep a journal.

Questions? Jot ‘em down, jet me an e-mail, and just enjoy the new “weather” changes you’re making for yourself!

In honor of my pre-natal class moms and the handful of girlfriends I have that are prego at the moment, I wanted to share some insightful stuff for you to chew on while you’re awaiting that precious little bundle of yours! If you’re due any minute now, don’t think that you won’t benefit from this info. Being fit and/or becoming fit during the post-natal period is just as crucial, for different reasons, but it is important. So are you ready? Let’s go!

Let me start by saying that being physically “fit” is not all about having cut up biceps and a six pack! Always a very nice bonus, but it doesn’t define one being fit. By the same token, different people define being physically fit in different ways. I think it’s important to make note of that! As Dr. Nicholas Romanov puts it,

“The word “FIT” can be summed up along the lines of being “suited to the circumstances”, “meeting adequate standards for a purpose”, “physically and mentally sound and healthy”, “in harmony with”.

So lets stick to “fit” for birth. I’d like to assume that most women, all access barriers aside, receive pre-natal care. It’s of the utmost importance. So assuming that you have been/are/are going to receive your prenatal vitamins, I congratulate you! The nutrients and minerals that you need when you are pregnant are not that different from when you’re not. However, if you are low on any, your prenatal vitamins will help you get and stay on track for you AND that extra bundle that you’re a life line to.

There is tons of information just on pregnancy and nutrition alone, and I’d be more than happy to talk one on one with you if you so choose to get more info. Just send me an email and I’ll get back to you. But what I want to focus on is being physically fit during pregnancy because our bodies go through so much change and trauma at the end of it. Being fit can in fact make labor and delivery go much smoother than you think! Not to mention all the benefits you’ll receive from being active. Physical activity is any form of exercise or movement of the body that uses energy. Straight from the March of Dimes website, regular physical activity can:

• Improve a person’s mood
• Reduce feelings of  depression
• Help with managing stress
• Help with managing weight
• Help with sleeping better
• Increase energy throughout the day

Start smart by doing an activity that you enjoy. There’s not a better activity to do than one that you really like doing. If you haven’t been previously active, then start slow. If you can, try to be active at least 4x per week for about 30 minutes, and of course rest when you need to. ALWAYS bring water with you to stay hydrated and wear comfortable clothing and good shoes. Anything from washing a car, to working in a garden to dancing is game. Of the more common ways to be and stay active, walking, biking and/or jogging at slower pace are all great exercises. Swimming happpens to be a favorite because of the buoyancy the water offers. It’s also great to relieve stress from your joints from the extra weight you are carrying.  

Achieving fitness before, during and after your pregnancy helps you to relieve the typical aches & pains of pregnancy, improves your posture, and strengthens and stretches your muscles. A nice perk (and hopefully an obvious one) is that it helps to control excess weight gain. This is very common in first time pregnancies because the thought of “eating for two”  is misinterpreted. Yes, you are eating for two, but there are guidelines to this. (E-mail me :)

During labor and childbirth, unless you are a lucky lady who will go with perhaps one contraction, have the kid in less than 10 minutes with barley any pain and be the envy of all moms, you will need to dig deep for strength, stamina, and endurance, all of which will increase with physical exercise. Your recovery from the event will also be speedier than if you had not been exercising at all.

Strength training (my personal favorite) is by no means off the playing field! But you must be careful of certain exercises during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. You want to try to avoid heavy pushing using your lower body, such as in squats for example. Rather than doing squats with weights on a machine, consider doing them on a stability ball. As shown here, you can use the ball for balance to squat. You can go as low as you can and as you stand up, bring the ball back up with you, giving you a little bit of a workout for your arms as well :) Compound movements are great because they allow you to workout a few muscle groups at thee same time all within one exercise. So weight training is great about 3x per week. Keep things light and it’s preferable to use machines during this point. The reason for this is because when we are pregnant, our balance is not the greatest. So using machines not only helps maintain our balance while performing the exercise, but it also helps to keep proper form during the movement.

Both cardio exercise and weight training is very important for a healthy body. If you’ve started a routine for yourself, that’s awesome! If you haven’t, I strongly suggest that you start not only for your health, but for that of you bebe too.

Remember to drink plenty of water, take your prenatal vitamins, no alcohol, no smoking, get rest when you can, and get ready because before you know it, you’ll be fit for birth!!