Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Feast Without Feeling Guilty

I don't know if that is even possible really for even the biggest fitness fanatic.....But it is a nice concept...Every year, at this time of year people start freaking out about weight gain...All the parties, get togethers, celebrations, festivities over the next few months can definitely freak people out about gaining weight...Add to it all the pressures surrounding the holidays, which are supposed to be happy times that lead you (well at least me) to turning to comfort food...Not to mention the time crunch surrounding the hustle and bustle to accomplish everything which can quickly lead to people crossing "going to the the gym" off their list.....So here's what I think...During this time my strategy is to maintain my healthy eating habits most days of the week so a meal here and a meal there won't affect your weight...Before heading out to parties have a small snack so you don't over eat while you are there....And the funny thing is, sometimes I'm just a social eater.I will literally eat and eat because I am with people and we are talking, and I keep eating...Some people are social drinkers...I am a social eater...Knowing that I try to be mindful of what I am consuming without depriving myself....As far as activity goes, that can be difficult with all the things you are running around doing to prepare for holiday gatherings. A great goal is to still try to maintain 20-30 min/day, MOST days of the week of physical activity, this will also help keep the holiday pounds away. Finally little tricks like parking farther from the stores and malls so you add extra steps to your shopping experience (which will probably happen whether you wanna park far away or not). Take the stairs when possible, on the escalator actually walk up the moving steps instead of enjoying the free ride, or do calf raises while you wait in line to checkout... These are just some tips I have found to work!!!Happy Thanksgiving!!

Friday, November 18, 2011

The SKINNY on being healthy

Too often people use terms like "skinny", "small", etc along with tons of numbers (meaning what the scale says) to describe their health not really knowing what it exactly means because everyone defines it differently, but somehow many people share the common thought that being skinny/small (whatever that is) and having a low number when you step on the scale makes you healthier. WRONG! I have met many people with a low number on the scale or what they deem low and they have been completely unhealthy compared to others with a larger number...This was yet another misconception I had to get around, which took me years to understand....I was so consumed for years with a certain number that I wanted to see when I stepped on the scale. First, it was totally a number that I had created in my head, no real rhyme or reason behind it, and nothing that lead me to that number. I remember doing all sorts of ridiculously unhealthy behaviors to TRY to achieve THAT number..Everything from a seriously restricted diet, to starving, to bingeing and purging, all combined with hours of exercise every day. And somehow I never got to that number. I remember being frustrated and feeling like a failure, not to mention being totally confused as to why I couldn't weigh that number. Now years later I understand why. My body, as everyones body has a comfortable weight. A weight in which your body can naturally maintain with minimal effort. Of course you fluctuate depending on multiple factors...Diet, activity, stress levels, among other things can all affect your weight. But the bottom line is everyone's body is different and my wish for everyone is to not get caught up in the scale, or a certain image that is not realistic for your body type. Instead focus on factors that truly determine your health such as energy levels, mood, blood pressure, cholesterol, your heart/cardiovascular health, and how strong your body is (physically and mentally), not a number on a scale or a poorly defined adjective that gets thrown around in society.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

A tribute to the woman that inspires me

Being that it is my mom's birthday it only seems fitting that I dedicate my entry to her today...When it comes to fitness and health, my mom has struggled with her weight for years and definitely had her fair share of insecure moments when it comes to body image...I mean, who hasn't??Actually WHAT WOMAN HASN'T??With that being said as soon as I found the gym and became passionate about it I immediately wanted to be an advocate for it, and living a healthy lifestyle...And one of the first people I tried to "recruit" to impose my love of the gym off on was my mom....I would show her different exercises, explain everything to her, I even dragged her to the gym a few times...But nothing seemed to work...I didn't realize that just because the gym was MY thing, lifting weights and such when it comes to fitness, that it might not be everybody's thing....That's when I had my "ah-ha" moment and somewhat backed off of her, to give her space, hoping she would find something that was a good fit for her...And she did...It was YOGA....She has been doing yoga, faithfully and consistently for almost a year...And let me tell you I couldn't be more proud..And not just because she is being active...Taking yoga speaks volumes about many areas of her life...For a woman who has done without, never taken care of herself, made herself a priority, and wasn't consistent with too much besides always being there for her kids(which is huge...don't get me wrong) to set aside time each week, even if it is only an hour...says so much...It says she knows shes worth that time....That is HER time...And everyone else needs to respect it and not ask for anything during that block of time because she is doing something she enjoys..Also yoga has done wonders for her stress levels...I don't know why I didn't suggest it before to her, knowing what a stressful life she has lead...It has improved her balance, posture, and levels of flexibility...She is definitely overall more fit, and has lost  lots of weight...I even notice that she carries herself differently, she seems to have so much more confidence which is amazing for a daughter to see when she looks at her mother...She just seems happier...And that change in her life has snow-balled into her making other changes because she feels better about herself..She is eating better, she has bought herself new clothes, got a new haircut....She recently bought her first pair of high heels and I got to teach her how to walk in them...Can you imagine being almost 60 and never owning heels not to mention not knowing how to walk in them??She was so cute and I love moments like that with her, seeing her excited to try new things...She reminds me and I reiterate to her, that you are never too old to try new things. I remember how excited she was when she purchased her yoga mat for her first class...I have shown my support for her new found passion by giving her gifts that pertain to yoga during different holidays..This is huge to me...I think it is symbolic that I not only believe in what she is doing, but I support her.I have even taken an interest in yoga by going to a class with her..Whenever you are trying something new and you wanna stick with it, a strong support system is essential...With that being said my wish on her 59th birthday is that she continues to practice yoga to end her 50's on a high note and strives to set and reach new goals, try new things, continues to grow and I feel so blessed to be a part of this journey as she truly seems to finally be coming into her own and finding/becoming who she is meant to be...HAPPY 59th BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!I love you more than words could ever express.....

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Personal training and personalities

Before I became a trainer I had trainers....Several...I completely feel that everyone, especially if they are just beginning a workout program should have a trainer for a little while, even if it is just to navigate through the gym, various equipment, certain exercises, and even longer if they have a goal in mind that they are trying to achieve. When I think back to the trainers I have worked with and the experiences I have had and now standing on the other side of training, I must say it is important to find a trainer that you "click" with...Someone that listens, really hears you, gives you feedback, is attentive to YOUR needs, and someone you feel comfortable around....As I was training my client the other day she re-affirmed my thoughts when she told me how comfortable she feels around me, and that she is glad she is working with me, because she doesn't feel intimidated by my presence or embarrassed to do certain exercises in front of me. In that moment I was like "YES!!!!That is how it's supposed to be"..I remember feeling THAT way with some of my trainers and the complete opposite at times with different trainers. After all, at the end of the day, it is a relationship between the trainer and the client, so it is important that you find a good fit.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Quality versus Quantity

The constant struggle between these two can be found in so many areas of one's life....Would you rather have a large circle of friends that is filled with people that really don't know you, respect you, understand you, etc just to say you have "a lot of friends"??Or would you rather have a small intimate group that you know you can count on and call on when you need a good laugh, a shoulder to cry on, or someone to get you out of a sticky situation?? I definitely used to get caught up in the numbers...The more the better...Right??But as I have grown I have a small group of friends that are a part of my life, that know me, "get me", and that I choose to spend my free time with, whenever I get it....Or you can apply it to clothing or material items, shoes and such....Would you rather have 30 pairs of poorly made boots (well maybe that's an excessive number) or 1 great pair that will last FOREVER??!!Anyway you get my point...The same applies to the gym and your workouts....Let me preface this by telling you that it took me years to understand this concept...So I really hope by reading this you see what I'm saying and can save yourself some time and see results quicker!! I used to spend hours in the gym...Literally....Doing total body workouts, every day, the same moves, a million crunches (well maybe 1,000...seriously), thinking that it took all of that to achieve results or maintain what I had achieved, or whatever...Not realizing that I didn't need to spend 2-3 hours, 7 days a week in the gym...In fact you shouldn't..It is a waste...Anything over an hour is not beneficial...Unless it is a special situation like you are lifting AND doing cardio, then maybe a little over an hour is okay...But I shoot for cutting myself off at an hour regardless of what I am in there doing. It makes me work harder because I know I have a time frame, keeps my heart rate up, and gets me in and out and on with my day....Let me also add to it, when it comes to quality versus quantity in certain exercises....It is better to do 10 crunches with good form than 100 with bad form....Trust me I don't do that insane amount of crunches anymore....There are even days I don't do any ab work...I just try to keep my core engaged with every exercise I do, so it is constantly working....This concept was a struggle for me to wrap my mind around and then to give into and stick with...I am so OCD and a definite Type A, that to give into this theory was a personal battle that I feel pretty confident that I have FINALLY won!!!And the amazing thing is, is that once I gave into this, I actually started seeing more results! So yes....DEFINITELY always QUALITY over QUANTITY!!!!!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Training Day (Two)

Today actually went really well...We did a completely different workout than we did the first session, but still hit every body part for a full body workout...In addition I took her measurements because for some reason she has no idea what she weighs....She doesn't own a scale which can definitely be a good thing, because too often, especially women get caught up in numbers....We discussed using other methods to determine changes in her body...The way your clothes fit is an excellent indicator of weight loss/gain..I don't weigh myself that often because my body fluctuates depending from week to week, day to day, even time of day. So to keep from getting too consumed by numbers my rule of thumb is: DON'T WEIGH YOURSELF MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK. With that being said I decided to measure certain parts of her body and we will re-measure her in about three weeks to see what changes have taken place. Three weeks is a sufficient amount of time to see some changes when she is active most days of the week and is starting to improve her eating habits.We also discussed eating habits again and how important they are in seeing results...Diet is definitely 80-90 percent of it and the rest being divided between level of activity and genetics. For example, you could spend hours in the gym but if you only eat fast food/drink soda, you will struggle to maintain a healthy weight. Or on the flip side you could be minimally active but make healthy, nutritious choices when it comes to meals and maintain your weight. Ideally, would be the combination of both, because they do go hand in hand...

Friday, November 11, 2011

Where Do You Want To Spend Your Money??

This is a thought I keep repeating to myself when I think of things I spend my hard earned money on, things like new tennis shoes, a new sports bra, my membership at the gym, a variety of fitness classes I have taken over the years, my protein shake powder, all the healthy fresh food I consume...The list could go on and on but you get the picture...Even with the health nut that I am, with all my passion about fitness it can be a struggle to fork out the cash for these things...However, then I think about this: I am a firm believer that there is a direct correlation between fitness/activity and your health..DUH. So at that point I know the choice is mine, as it is yours....Do you want to spend your money on proper workout gear, gym memberships/classes/personal training, healthy food, etc to maintain a healthy lifestyle?? Or do you want to spend your money at the doctor's offices, with specialists, at the hospital, and on medication?? Something to think about.......

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Words For Every WOMAN

I already posted this on facebook, but if you missed it I thought I would share it again...My mom first shared it with me because she said when she read it she instantly thought of me...The words in this poem hold so much truth and I feel every woman should read this:
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .
something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
a youth she’s content to leave behind….
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .
a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to
retelling it in her old age….
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ….
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
one friend who always makes her laugh… and one who lets her cry…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .
a feeling of control over her destiny.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to fall in love without losing herself.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without; ruining the friendship…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
when to try harder… and WHEN TO WALK AWAY…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that she can’t change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that her childhood may not have been perfect…but its over…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to live alone… even if she doesn’t like it…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
whom she can trust,
whom she can’t,
and why she shouldn’t take it personally…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
where to go…
be it to her best friend’s kitchen table…
or a charming inn in the woods…
when her soul needs soothing…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she can and can’t accomplish in a day…
a month…and a year

Invest In YOU!!!!

Investing in yourself is so hard for most of us....I see it going on all around me...Women putting their boyfriends/husbands first, putting their children first, themselves last..or not at all...I witnessed it growing up with my own mom. I can't tell you how many times she did without so my sister and I could have whatever we needed or wanted...And although that is an admirable quality because of the intention behind it, what we all need to realize is that unless you take care of yourself and meet your own needs you are really useless to those around you to a certain degree....You are almost doing yourself a disservice by neglecting yourself and not taking care of yourself so you can BE THE BEST YOU, which will then domino effect into you being the best whatever to others....Maybe you don't agree, but it is truly how I feel..I realize that I am in a situation where I can for the most part take care of my needs/wants/etc because I don't have anybody that relies on me (this is by choice..lol) and depends on me, where many others are not in this situation...To which I say that putting yourself first while still tending to whoever relies on you will be a challenge, it will take balance and organization....but it can be done!

Muscle versus Momentum

This concept crosses my mind almost daily, especially if I am in the middle of a workout...I find myself often looking around the gym to try to see what others are doing, possibly learn new ideas, but often trying to figure out what is being done incorrectly, what can be done to fix it, or how I would alter the exercise. Call me crazy but I guess it's the student/new trainer in me. Anyway, I'm not trying to point fingers or single anybody out, but when it comes to muscle versus momentum (meaning you are using MOMENTUM instead of your MUSCLE to complete the exercise), it is most often seen in males....at least from my observation. It can typically be seen by the person that is trying to bench press, squat, curl, just to name a few, an excessive amount of weight, because they feel it is more beneficial or maybe they are trying to prove something...However, they incorporate momentum/speed into the equation, in addition to compromising form which leads to ZERO benefits and risking injury. So with that being said I advise everyone to slow down, it should take approximately 6 seconds total for a rep (approx 3 sec on the lifting and 3 sec on the lowering), go for a lower weight for whatever exercise you are attempting and really focus on proper form and contracting the muscle you are working when you are lifting...Follow those guidelines and you will see results so much quicker!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Training Day (One)

So today I trained my first client..FINALLY!!!It has been in the works for about three weeks, cancelled once, and today it finally happened...It is a female in her mid twenties, that just had a baby about six months ago and is looking to get her pre-baby body back. She has never really been active, and when she approached me about training she made it very clear that her focus area is her tummy...Although I loved the idea of training someone who has never been active because I feel like she is a blank slate, I couldn't help but feel instantly challenged by the thought of WHERE TO BEGIN??!!! On top of my nervousness of training my first client I was also facing a challenge of not knowing the facility and not being aware of what equipment would be available. We trained at her community center, so I knew I had to be prepared to alter and improvise the workout that I had written up prior to our session once I saw what was actually there...When I got there, things had to be altered..All that was available was a circuit of machines that isolated each major muscle group, one mat, one bench, one rack of dumbbells, and a few medicine balls...WOW!!!!Well going from my gym to this was...an experience..But we made it work...We did a warm up to get blood flowing and warm up her muscles, which consisted of mountain climbers and planks...Planks are amazing to engage your core and really fire that muscle group...As a new mom, those muscles haven't been put to work in a while so it is important to strengthen that area back up...Then we did a circuit of approximately 8 exercises which targeted every major muscle group, plus some ab work...We did some back strengthening exercises to balance out her core, because along with a weak core her lower back is also weak. And finally we finished with lots of stretching...Overall I felt the first session went well...She definitely felt it, and I warned her that she will feel it tomorrow because her body is not used to all that activity...We discussed eating habits which totally need to be modified. I'm  not a fan of a diet or the word diet in the traditional sense but I will say that you need to make healthy choices, there are food groups for a reason, you need to fuel your body because it is kind of like putting gas in a car, drink lots of water, everything in moderation, I mean it really is not rocket science...I don't believe in depriving your body of cravings, because when you finally give in, and we all do you will eat WAY more then if you had just satisfied that craving when you originally had it....Like I said EVERYTHING IN MODERATION! Honestly this session was great for both of us..She is the perfect candidate for my gym guinea pig...She was very cooperative and receptive to the training, and those qualities will really help me build my confidence as a trainer. I feel after today the first session of personal training regardless of which side of it you are on is a learning experience. A client needs to learn  and get a feel for the trainer and their style and a trainer needs to take an inventory of the client, strengths/weaknesses, goals, etc. We definitely accomplished all of that today, and she added increasing flexibility to her goals so I will definitely be adding those exercises to her future workouts. I think one of the best moments was her confusion that most of her exercises DID NOT involve any weights..It is amazing what a great workout you can get by just using your body weight..Meaning lunges, squats, tricep dips, pushups, just to name a few...We will be training three days a week..So stay tuned!

How It All Started......

This blog was a LONG time coming...Actually this chapter of my life was a long time coming...I spent all of my teens and most of my twenties drifting...Not knowing what I wanted to do with my life, what I wanted to be, what my purpose was...none of that..And maybe that sounds normal..But it didn't to me..It felt like everybody else knew what they wanted to be, knew their major coming out of high school and I WAS LOST. I remember growing up and when I would talk to my friends about what we were gonna "be when we grow-up" it seemed like they could all answer immediately and they never wavered all through high school. Me on the other hand? I would change my answer all the time or choose someone else's answer...My bachelor's degree (in Elementary Ed) was actually a spin off from a job I had at the time at a daycare...I THOUGHT I wanted to work with kids...But throughout the program it never felt "right". And by the time I was student teaching at the end of the program I KNEW it wasn't right, but my ability to see things through kept me in it till the end and I completed the 4 year program....Four years of my life that to some might seem like a waste because I changed my mind and the fact that I was back at square one led me to mostly feel the same....I took some time off, took some classes, and then I discovered the gym...Who knew that, that place would be the beginning of a snowball experience that would lead me to obtaining a master's in Kinesiology, a national certification in personal training, and coming to the realization AKA "ah-ha" moment of what my purpose was...I always knew I wanted to touch lives, make a difference, but I never knew how..Training people and working in the world of fitness will give me the ability to do both...I also knew that since I struggled with eating disorders (which I will talk about later) for several years and body image issues on top of self-esteem issues I knew that I wanted to empower people, specifically women to save them from wasting some of the time I did with my battle by improving their self esteem while improving their health thru fitness.....So on that note, welcome to my world which is consumed with allllll things fitness...It's gonna be a crazy ride!