Keeping it Healthy for the 4th!

Holiday Eating…

DO’S AND DON’TS!

 

DON’T…expect to gain weight, if you go into the season

saying/thinking, “I always gain 5 lbs over the holidays” you will!  Take control…”I will not gain 5 lbs this year!”

 

DO…determine priorities.  Keep your healthy eating principles.

Stay conscious of what/how much you’re eating.  Choose “this or that?” The bread or the dessert…the greasy finger food appetizers or the alcohol.  Not both!

 

DON’T…skip meals to save room for the big one.  This is a

recipe for overeating.  If anything, have a healthy snack before the big meal so you won’t stuff your plate.

 

DO…eat from a plate. (No unconscious hand to mouth eating!)

 

DON’T…get distracted and ignore satiety (when you’re full)

         Cues.

 

DON’T…overload your plate.  There is no contest, it’s not an

         all you can eat buffet, it’s not a race, you don’t HAVE to         

         clean your plate (regardless of how guilty relatives may

         try to make you feel )        

 

DO…stop eating when you’re satisfied! 

DON’T…eat to eat.  Only eat things you really enjoy.  The only

         Reason to eat is because you’re hungry, and that’s it!

 

DO…prepare a healthy dish if you’re the host.  Use “low” and

         “reduced” fat products, stay away from creamy or fried

         dishes.  Use “low” or “sugar free” when possible.  Substitute

         2 egg whites for each real egg called for in a recipe.  Use

         olive oil or canola oil instead of butter and etc…

 

DO…Help the host!  It’s good manners and moving around

         And serving people burns calories J

 

DON’T…Wear pants with an elastic waistband.  If anything

         Wear more restricting clothing so you’ll feel uncomfort

         -able if you over eat…and don’t unbutton the top button!

 

DON’T…say, “The diet starts tomorrow”…stick to your program!

 

DO…exercise throughout the holiday season. Maintain your

         Good habits, be consistent and you will avoid that

         Holiday weight gain.

 

DON’T…drink your calories! 3-5 drinks can add up to almost a

         Whole day’s worth of calories, on top of the eating!

 

DON’T…go to a party hungry, you won’t be able to resist the

         Unhealthy appetizers, and you may even fill up before

         The really good food comes out!

 

DO…drink plenty of water, and be aware of the difference

         Between hunger and thirst.

 

DO…keep a colorful plate, veggies are high in fiber and will

         Help you feel full, and prevent over eating.

 

DON’T…avoid the scale.  Stay on track, weigh yourself before

         During and after the holidays and hold yourself

         Accountable!

 

DON’T…taste all day if you’re cooking, that can add on tons

         Of calories.

 

DO…try a new whole grain, quinoa, barley, faro…

 

DO…check out:

Cookinglight.com

Epicurious.com

Eatingwell.com

For healthy holiday recipes and alternatives.

Stepping out of my comfort zone!

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”
-Brian Tracey

I have two objectives with this post. #1.  To get you thinking about what makes you uncomfortable? and how can you attack it? get it under your belt, cross it off the list and feel the triumph of knowing you did something that you REALLY didn't EVER think you'd be able to do.  Whether it's in health and fitness, your job, your personal life.  People tend to seek pleasure or avoid pain.  In doing that we often miss out on opportunities or take the easy way out.

#2.  I'd like to use this forum to promote an amazing photographer Julia Newman!

Since the gym kind of slows down in the summer as people are traveling and enjoying the outdoors (when it's not pouring rain in the Northeast)...I was looking for something to do with my extra time.  I'm cruising around on craigslist and come across a lot of ads for promotional modeling, to be an extra in videos, tv shows, commercials and etc.......then I'm looking through Women's Health thinking, I do these exercises everyday-I wonder how much they pay these chicks to pose for the fitness photos?!  So I put an ad on craigslist for barter to find a photographer who wants to trade headshots/body shots for personal training and I found Julia Newman!

If you know anyone getting married she travels all over and she is AMAZING.  You have to understand how uncomfortable I was for my whole photo shoot-being the center of attention if I'm telling a joke or making someone laugh (or giving a big speech at a Cutco conference in front of lots of people, LOL) is no problem-but having my picture taken and having to pose?! Not so much.  Julia guided me through, made me laugh, asked me questions and got me to do some pretty silly stuff I wouldn't normally do-and even some serious stuff (which if you know me, you know is not my style).  Above are some of the photos she took of me...she has a very user friendly website and you must check out her blog.  Her style is unique, she's been featured in The Knot...so keep Julia in the back of your mind if you or anyone you know has any need for a photographer!!

Weight Training for Busy People

"The simplest things are often the truest"

-Richard Bach

As I was deliberating what to cover with regards to weight/strength/resistance training for people with busy schedules-I became overwhelmed because it's such a vast topic.  That's when it hit me-keep it simple! Busy people don't have time for complicated, the simpler the better so here you go :)

FOCUS ON THE BASICS

Because it may be difficult for many of you to make it to a gym as often as you'd like I want to highlight some very basic exercises that you can do at home with little to no equipment that can absolutely help you launch an attack on unwanted fat so you can start losing inches! Some of you know what these exercises are, if you're unsure click on each one and you'll be taken to a youtube video explaining them (I'm aiming to make my own videos within the next 2 months!)

Push Ups (can be done on knees for beginners or those with limited upper body strength, work your way up to "man push ups" as many of my clients call them)

Planks (challenge yourself to hold this longer than 10 seconds like she says in the video, get up to 1 minute +)

Bent Over Row (she uses plates in the video but you can also use dumbells or a barbell depending on what equipment you have)

Plank Row (ask any of my clients, this is one of my FAVORITE exercises, works the back and core)

Squats (please if you have knee or lower back pain pay close attention to these areas when squatting so as not to exacerbate any existing condition-my tip is to squeeze your glutes on the way up-kind of like you're trying not to pass guess, not the best example but you all know EXACTLY what I mean.)

Lunges (I really like his elevator not escalator analogy!)

SIDENOTE... for people who are not in the habit of doing squats and lunges regularly, I've had clients tell me after a few weeks of incorporating them into their programs 2-3x/wk their booties have lifted......yesssss! fighting gravity is sweet (guys you may not care if your booty lifts, but you may want to share this w/ the ladies in your lives :) )

Side Leg Raises

Bicep Curls (you can go ahead and FF through the first 30 seconds of this one)

Tricep Dips 

Shoulder Press (in the video his palms are facing each other-you can also face your palms out)

Sit Ups (I'm not attaching a video, because I couldn't find one I like.  When it comes to sit ups you may need to find something to tuck your toes under to keep your feet down so you can sit all the way up.  Cross your arms over your chest and sit ALL THE WAY UP.  When you get to the top really squeeze your core and bring those elbows over your knees so you feel that work all the way down through your lower abs, lower ALL THE WAY DOWN one vertebrae at a time and repeat!)

Bicycles

I recommend doing as many exercises as possible in a standing position (obviously this doesn't apply to push ups, planks and etc) versus sitting because many of you spend a lot of time sitting on your commutes in your car, on the train or at your desk all day-please don't sit when you work out!

Need more of a challenge or want to be more efficient? 

Combine some of the exercises. For example:

squat to shoulder press

lunge to bicep curl

do side leg raises while holding a side plank and etc.

*most of the videos I posted are the most basic forms of the exercises, there are progressions when these get too easy-but that's not really something I can cover in a blog!

Standards of Good Form

-Keep your shoulders back and pressed down away from your ears

-activate your core (contract your abs, squeezing your belly button towards your spine whether you are seated, standing or laying down)

-If you're in a laying down position, back should be flat on the ground

-Hips are under you giving you a good center of balance and preventing back from arching

-Exhale against gravity i.e.-during a push up on the way up, during a bicep curl as you raise the weight.  Why? because your core contracts when you exhale anyway-giving you a little extra umph during the hardest part of the exercise :)

Really strapped for time??!!-remember this. 

 Train your larger muscle groups first-chest, back and legs.  

Here's why-the smaller muscle groups and your core all assist and are technically working during exercises for your major muscle groups.  For example during a push up-your shoulders are stabilizing your arms.  During a squat your core stabilizes your body and keeps you from falling backwards (if you're squatting properly).  During a bent over row your triceps, shoulders and biceps are involved in helping you raise and lower the weight and etc.

As always, I'm here if you need me elizabeth.dialto@gmail.com

Prenatal Training

**NOTE: before starting any exercise program PLEASE consult your doctor, make sure you don't have any of the pre-existing conditions listed below, and be sure to ask if you're at risk for anything that could be triggered by exercise and/or positioning your body in certain ways during exercise.  The recommendations below are general suggestions-results and effects vary based on the individual***

This post was inspired by a friend of mine who had some questions about exercising while pregnant.  I can't take credit for a lot of the information in this post because my main source was one of my favorite fitness professionals Annette Lang.

If you are extremely active before pregnancy it makes a lot of sense to stay active.  There are tremendous benefits to being active while pregnant.  Exercise alleviates a lot of the normal aches and pains that go with pregnancy, reduces weight gain and stress, improves sleep, and also makes it easier to lose the weight and recover after giving birth.

A few precautions you want to take:

Reasons NOT to exercise would be any preexisting conditions and/or conditions that develop during pregnancy like heart disease, lung disease, incompetent cervix, multiple gestation at risk for premature labor, persistent second or third trimester vaginal bleeding, pregnancy induced hypertension (high blood pressure), any water breaks before 36 weeks, placenta previa, premature labor.

Some reasons to discontinue exercise would be: (some are pretty obvious)

vaginal bleeding or leakage of amniotic fluid, preterm labor, dyspnea (difficult/labored breathing), heart palpitations or chest pain, headache, nausea or vomiting, dizziness or fainting, muscle weakness, sudden change in body temperature, swelling or pain in ankles or calves, decreased fetal movement.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists no longer recommends a specific heart rate but rather recommends moderate exercise which really means on a scale of 1-10 of how hard you feel like youre working you should stay b/w 4-6.  Most importantly you want to gauge the intensity of your exercise with the objective of maintaining a favorable environment inside the uterus so if you do cardio make sure you warm up and cool down, avoid warm pools, steam rooms, saunas and etc.  Avoid outdoor activities in hot temperatures.  As pregnancy progresses certain things may become uncomfortable and your center of balance will shift so be careful to avoid things with a high risk of falling. (again some of this is really obvious....)

Guidelines:

Starting in the second trimester you want to avoid exercises in the supine position (laying on your back)...due to the weight gain your circulation can be affected and cause a drop in blood pressure and/or heart rate which would make you feel anxious, dizzy or nauseous.  If this happens at all rolling to either side can immediately relieve the compression on your veins and restore normal heart rate.  The left side is especially recommended because your major blood vessels are primarily on your right side.

Keep your posture in mind, try not to give into the tendency to arch your back and push your pelvis forward as your tummy grows.  You can do this by engaging your core muscles and consciously trying to maintain a neutral spine.  Towards the end of pregnancy be conscious of keeping your shoulders and head upright and straight so you dont restrict your breathing at all.

To avoid weakening or damaging pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy or childbirth Kegel exercises (which you usually read about in Cosmo and other such magazines more related to sex than helping you during pregnancy) are recommended.  Your pelvic floor muscles are what you would use to stop the stream of urine while you're going to the bathroom.  You dont want to perform the exercises while using the bathroom, but when you do them you want to contract the muscles for up to 5 seconds and repeat 10x.  Do this a few times a day-it's an easy exercise to perform while sitting at the computer/watching TV, in the car and etc. Very efficient!

Exercise recommendations:

Walking, Swimming and Cardio machines (as you are not exposed to the elements, and can easily manipulate intensity and track time).  30 minutes or so is recommended for many of the reasons listed above although again-people who are very active before pregnancy may push themselves a little harder.

Strength training is ok again you just want to avoid anything that compromises your balance or could cause a fall.  Keep the weights light and remember "moderate" means don't push your self past working at a 4-6 on a scale of 1-10 of exertion.

Also check out this article from webMD on myths vs facts of working out while pregnant!

As always, feel free to reach out to me at elizabeth.dialto@gmail.com with specific questions, ideas and concerns!

Keep it Moving Busy People!

"The 5 P's: Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance"

I realize today's opening quote isn't the most glamorous-but it's true!  Before I get into ideas on putting together an exercise program when you're busy I want to refer back to my June 4th post about planning.  I won't waste your time by completely repeating myself, but just to review it's a great idea to:

1. set a goal (how many days/wk you want to workout)

2. use Sunday to sit down with your calendar and find the time slots to get it done.

3. Plan for extra so if you skip a workout you're still on track for the original goal-if you make all the workouts you're in bonus land!!!

onto this week's topic...

CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE

 If you find yourself constantly in a state of "being too busy" or "not having time to workout" your main objective should simply be to MOVE MORE!  Even if that means taking the stairs instead of the elevator-lock it up!

Suggestions:

-Find time to workout a minimum of 3x/week.  I don't care if each workout only lasts 30 minutes, at the end of the week that's 90 minutes of exercise you weren't getting before!

-What you do with your 3 workouts depends on your goals.

Since weight loss is part of A LOT of people's goals, I'm addressing cardiovascular exercise first-as it can play a very significant role in hitting those goals.

-As always I suggest intervals!  This means vary your intensity via speed, resistance or incline (depending on what kind of cardio you are doing) throughout the workout in bursts of 30 seconds to 90 seconds or more.

simple example: run/walk on treadmill for 20 minutes

*warm up walk for 2 minutes @ incline of 2, 4.0 mph

*jog 3 minutes @ same incline bumping up speed to 5-5.5 mph

*sprint 30 sec to 1 minute @ same incline bumping up speed to 7.5-10mph depending on how fast you can manage

*slow down to a run at incline of 3-4 at 6.0 mph for 2 minutes

*bump incline up to 10-15 and walk up hill at 3.0-4.5 mph (may need to hold on) for 2 minutes.

*REPEAT (NOTE: you should always give yourself 3-5 minutes to cool down to get heart rate back to normal)

This is just an example to illustrate how you might manipulate speed, resistance and incline on a piece of cardio equipment, the methods can be applied to any cardio.  Also note some machines have interval settings, or options called something along the lines of "random hill"...not a bad idea to check these out and feel free to pick up the pace or add on more resistance if it's not challenging enough for you.

-You can apply these ideas to any cardio outside as well although obviously incline will depend on your course.  You can walk/run/sprint/jog outside, ride a bike and manipulate your speed and resistance settings, rollerblade and etc. all outdoors.

-swimming is not only great cardio but an excellent total body workout.  If you belong to a gym with access to a pool, have a pool of your own, or are fortunate enough to have easy access to a river, lake or ocean jump in and start swimming some laps!  I don't care if you're not Michael Phelps, like I said earlier MOVE MORE! get in the water, move your arms and legs and burn some calories.  If you're really into it, take some lessons and work on those strokes :)

-UNDER RATED IDEA OF THE WEEK: get a jump rope...many of us have not considered jumping rope since back in the day during recess. Check out this article (very entertaining I might add) on the benefits of jumping rope.  

*if you're not sure how to get started, youtube "jumping rope" and hundreds of videos can help you out! (or just pop in any Rocky movie :P )

*How can jumping rope be super efficient? Multi-task! At some point in the week we all sit down and watch TV or a movie-instead of sitting down why not jump rope?!!! (I did this over the weekend while watching a movie for spurts of 2-3minutes w/ 30 seconds or so of rest in between for about 45 minutes, it went by super fast and I worked up sweat in my own living room as if I stepped of a cardio machine at the gym)

*I'm totally biased as I've been in love with spinning since I was 19 years old, so that is my next suggestion

-If you belong to a gym that offers spin classes consider taking at least one a week.  By nature the class will vary over the course of the 45 minutes and really challenge you.  Most gyms offer classes early in the morning, in the middle of the day and later in the evening on most days of the week and the weekends.  (NOTE: if you're a first time spinner please ask the instructor to show you how to set up your bike properly to avoid injury)

*if you're a runner, especially if you're training for a race of some sort, spinning is excellent cross training as it increases your cardio and muscular endurance and gives those joints a break from the impact of running!

-last but not least once you incorporate some of these ideas, don't forget to push yourself each week, challenge yourself to not only move more but move faster, add more resistance, bump up that incline...even if it's just a tiny bit each week-in a few months you'll be really surprised with your progress :)

Next week I'll address strength training...Questions about today's post? Need help planning?

I'm always here for you elizabeth.dialto@gmail.com.

Good luck and keep it moving!

Eating Healthy WHEN YOU'RE BUSY!

"Excuses are the nails that built the house of failure"

-Anonymous

Too many people make excuses for why their diet isn't as healthy as it could be.

When it comes to being busy and trying to stay healthy one of the most difficult parts is eating well.  Mainly b/c it's just SO EASY to grab something quick, sometimes you haven't eaten all day, you're starving, not in the mood to be picky and just need something FAST!  My tips for you this week are all about...

DIET

TIP#1: Pack your lunch

It's difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle when the majority of the meals you eat during the week are purchased which is the case for extremely busy people.  Who has time to make their own food?! or even pack a lunch?! 

Answer: Everyone.  We always have time for things that are important to us.  My roommate makes her lunch for the next day every night, it takes her approximately 90 seconds to 2 minutes.  If she decides to cook up some chicken and brown rice or something that takes more time but usually happens while she's doing other things (watching TV, laundry, painting her nails etc)...so really its just not that much extra work!

 

The benefits:

Saves $$, you control what goes into the meal which = healthier choices, eliminates temptation 

Let me paint a picture for you....ever go to get lunch w/ the intention of getting a healthy salad, wrap or sandwich and get derailed along the way somehow? Like when you get there you're faced with rice krispy treats, cookies and brownies at the register? the italian ice guy on the corner, you might get a waft of delicious pizza or chinese food, pass a Chipotle and start drooling at the thought of an enormous burrito all on your way to get your healthy lunch?  PROBLEM SOLVED! if you packed your lunch you wouldn't have had to deal w/ any of that :)

 

TIP #2: Make the meal you purchase (if you must) a nutritious one

I define a nutritious meal as one that has some good carbs (nothing white or processed), good fat, and some protein.  (click on the words carbs, fat and protein for links to great explanations of the kinds of choices you should be making when it comes to these foods!)

Suggestions:

1. a healthy sandwich or salad on whole wheat or whole grain bread  

-ditch the cheese 

-ditch the fatty dressings

-If they ask "would you like to make that a combo" and your options are chips, cookies, soda and etc.  say no!  Some places do offer fruit like an apple or veggies like a bag of baby carrots as an option-if that's the case, go for it!

-Olive oil is a healthy source of fat-good old oil and vinegar is a great choice to top sandwiches and salads.  

-get some protein in your life: chicken, turkey, tuna, hard boiled eggs, beans and etc. all make good additions to sandwiches, wraps and salads

-and if you just can't stay away from Mexican-opt for the burrito bowl (so you lose the tortilla) OR burrito salad (you lose the tortilla and the rice-your carbs come from the veggies!)

-BE CAREFUL of cafeteria style eateries with salad bars, hot food bars and etc.  You don't know how that food was prepared, but if you must...stick to grilled options not fried and avoid creamy/thick looking sauces and dressings.

TIP #3: Sunday planning/cooking

One of the main arguments of busy people is no time to cook.  I'll piggyback on my last post that talked about planning your week and your workouts on Sunday.  Why not plan your meals as well? Take it a step further and prepare a few meals that can last you throughout the week.  For you this could mean putting together whole meals and storing them in the fridge or the freezer to be re-heated, or marinating some meats or veggies so it will be easier to put your meals together later in the week. While it may not yield the freshest meals since they will have spent some time in the fridge, it will save you the "time you don't have" during the week.

TIP #4: Better snacks

Too many people tell me they snack on granola bars, 100 calorie packs, yogurt, and other foods high in sugar-y carbs and lacking protein.

Ideas:

-Greek yogurt, it's higher in protein and lower in carbs/sugars

-cottage cheese and fruit

-(my favorite!) apple and almond butter

-protein shake or bar (get a shaker and keep it at your desk, bring your protein powder and shake it up when you need a snack!)

-keep some almonds, walnuts or etc at your desk

-hard boiled eggs (ditch the yolk if you don't like it)

STAY TUNED NEXT WEEK...exercise tips and strategies for busy people!

Busy People are Healthy Too!

"If you want to get something done give it to a busy person"

-Anonymous

Busy people get more done!  Why? Because they have better time management skills, they find ways to fit more into their schedule.  So...if you are busy and that is your excuse for poor health I'm here to tell you-THAT'S EXACTLY WHY YOU SHOULD BE HEALTHY!  You need energy and you need to be well, after all-you're busy, you don't have time to be sick, injured or sluggish because you're not eating well, exercising or taking some down time for your mental health.

My best friend Kate is in her busy time of year at her job and asked me to put together some ideas for how to eat well and workout efficiently around a busy schedule.  And when I say busy I mean days that start at 7am and end at 10-11pm sometimes.  As I gathered my thoughts I realized I could write a whole book on this subject so this will be the first in a series of posts to address this topic.

THIS WEEKS TIPS:

DIET

*Please eat breakfast.  I get it, I was a busy District Manager like Kate in my past life.  I know that extra 15 minutes of sleep instead of eating breakfast seems like a good choice but it's really not.

The benefits:

-get your metabolism up and running

-give your body what it needs to function at a high level, fuel!  You wouldn't leave for a road trip without filling up your gas tank would you?  Think of your stomach as your gas tank :)

-You won't be starving at lunch time which will prevent you from over-eating

Suggestions:

-whole wheat english muffin with almond butter (or any other nut butter just make sure you aren't using Jiffy and you pick something organic and raw)

-egg whites in a wheat wrap, on wheat toast, or on their own and a piece of fruit or a bowl of oatmeal

-oatmeal with some kind of nut butter or nuts mixed in (fruit is also an option for more flavor)

-cottage cheese and fruit (I suggest peaches, strawberries or pineapple...yum!)

-hard-boiled eggs, fruit, toast or an english muffin

-protein shake

-protein bar

(be careful with these last two that they're not overloaded with sugar)

You get the idea...a quick, balanced breakfast that has some protein, fat and carbs in it to get your metabolism up and running and give you some energy to get your day started.

*bonus tip: I can't take credit for this, another trainer mentioned it in conversation the other day but it's worth sharing.  In terms of eating-try to stick to things that are either produced from the earth or were once living.  Pretty much do your best to avoid foods manufactured and processed by man.

EXERCISE

If you work 10-12 hours a day how can you possibly find time for exercise?  I'll show you...

1.Pick a goal-how many days a week can you commit to exercising? (it can vary depending on the week)

ex: my goal is 3 days/wk

2. Sit down on Sunday night with your calendar/planner/ whatever you use to keep track of your daily activities and find 3 time slots of 30-90 minutes for exercise.  When you write them in consider them etched in stone!

-Think outside of the box on this one, the morning and the evening are not the only times of day when you can workout.  what about lunchtime? if you have a flexible schedule or have time between functions at work why not skip out for a workout and head back to the office later?

*bonus tip, why not pick a 4th time slot as a back up? this way if you have to skip one you still got in your 3...and say you make it to all 4-you surpassed your goal, yesssss!

3. Plan what you will do for each workout-this will save you time during your busy week-you won't even have to think-just do!  Have you ever heard someone say "fail to plan, plan to fail"? It's a true statement.

4. FOLLOW THE PLAN! It's easy and sometimes fun to make a plan, the crucial part is having the discipline to follow it.  

MENTAL HEALTH

It's easy to get caught up in a busy schedule and forget how important it is to take some time to yourself.  Do you have a journal? do you meditate or pray? what do you do to calm your mind and reflect throughout the course of the week?

Suggestions:

*Journal...I like to write down goals, steps I need to take to reach them, things in my life that I appreciate (always a good practice to focus on what you have and what's going well vs. what you don't have and what's not going well), how I feel, what I can do to feel better, when I read I write down quotes or thoughts I like in my journal...the options for what you can express in a private journal for no one's eyes but your own are endless and very comforting/helpful

*Spend some quality time with yourself...take a bath, go for a walk, watch a movie, make a solo shopping trip to the grocery store or the mall...etc.  Many of our lives involve constantly being surrounded by people-there's nothing wrong or selfish about finding some time for just you! (this is something else you can put into your schedule when you're planning your workout times on Sunday night :) )

As always, I'd love your questions, comments and feedback.

You're always welcome to reach out to me personally at elizabeth.dialto@gmail.com if you don't want your questions on the blog for everyone to see.

In Fitness and In Health,

Liz

Inspired by Heather Kinley

"RULE #76: No Excuses, play like a champion!"

-from the movie Wedding Crashers

I want you all to be inspired by my friend Heather this week.  Heather has struggled with illness, medication and was letting that be her excuse to stay out of shape.  She recently decided to cut the crap and get down to business.  Not only am I glad she wanted to share her story with me but I'm really proud of her...WAY TO GO HEATHER!  She also did a really smart thing by asking questions about how she should approach her workouts moving forward.  I encourage everyone reading this to do the same, that's what I'm here for.  I love your updates, results, stories, hearing about your wins, AND your losses because I can help pick you back up ;)

As you read Heather's story ask yourself "what's my excuse?"...I strongly encourage you to LET IT GO and GET MOVIN'!

Heather wrote:

"Hey Liz,

I figured since you're into working out and kinda do it for a living, you might be interested to hear that I've decided to turn my life around. I am sick and tired of blaming my surgery and medications for me being overweight. Yes, they did cause it, but I haven't exactly helped with my diet and exercise (or lack there of). I watched 2 seasons of Biggest Loser and was a complete mess (bawling my eyes out) and I think that's when it all clicked and I was like "there is no excuse, and if these guys can do it, and they are twice my weight, I can do it!" 

So, I have completely changed my eating habits and am actually conscious of calories now, and I've just joined the gym! I've joined before but really didn't know what I was doing and had no motivation, and didn't change my eating habits, but now hopefully I have it all in gear!

My first day at the gym I jogged at 6.0km/hr for 3 minutes and thought it was tough...and now I'm jogging 3K at 7.5km/hr and feel like I could still bump it up slowly or go a longer distance but don't want to kill myself doing it. I think mostly I've learned to just fight through the pain and it eventually goes away. My goal is to be able to run a 5K without stopping as a mini goal, and then maybe in a few years I'll be able to do a marathon (let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet)!

I do have a question about the rower. My first day, the trainer person had me on it at a level 5/10 and I rowed 1000m in 7 minutes. I'm now able to do 1000m in 5:30 but am wondering if next I try to go further, or if I try to beat the time, and when to actually increase the resistance?? I still find 1000m quite difficult to do as I have horrible upper body strength and absolutely no back strength!

I'll stop blabbing on for now. I almost didn't go to the gym today because I was feeling crappy and bloated but I felt so good afterwards and I'm so glad I just went!!!!"

Bounce back from the holiday weekend!

I like to approach working out like a system of checks and balances.  If I know I'm going to eat badly or go out for a night of drinking, I'll work out harder the day before/after or BOTH...

Thoughts on bouncing back from the holiday weekend (which more than likely entailed eating crappy food and lots of drinking)....

1. Drink a lot of water this week.

2. Put in an extra cardio workout or two, sweating more will help get rid of the toxins in your body.

*Don't forget bursts of intensity are key, for 30-60-90 seconds increase intensity,  (speed, resistance, incline) in some way and PUSH YOURSELF throughout your workout

3. Use this week as an excuse to try something new, try a class you've never taken, push yourself past your normal workout time, find some way to TURN IT UP and WORK HARDER than you usually do this week.

4.  Try ditching bread, cheese and sweets for the week.  Eat more fruits and vegetables this instead.

In season fruits and vegetables!

5. Try to carry these habits into the next few weeks (Fourth of July is right around the corner!)

Shelley Johnson Testimonial

Shelley has been training with me for about 5 months now and she is a perfect example of why I love my job.  Two weeks ago she shows up for her session and says "I almost texted you from the mall yesterday because I bought a dress and it was a size 6!"...to which I responded that next time she definitely needed to send me that text message!  Shelley had low back pain and was seeing a chiropractor 2-4x/wk when we started training and she's since been able to discontinue the chiropractor, her posture has improved massively and the exercises she is able to perform now shock the both of us constantly versus when she first began.  Way to go Shelley and thanks for being my first video testimonial!!

ULTIMATE PLAYLIST MISSION!

COMMENT WITH YOUR FAVORITE SONG/SONGS TO WORK OUT TO...

YOU KNOW THE ONE THAT WHEN IT COMES ON YOU PICK UP YOUR PACE ON THE TREADMILL OR ELLIPTICAL, START PUSHING THOSE WEIGHTS A LITTLE BIT HARDER, AND MAYBE EVEN LET OUT AN AUDIBLE "YES!" IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GYM :P

I'LL START:

"Remember the Name " Fort Minor

"If" Janet Jackson

....YOUR TURN!

Larysa Zubach Testimonial

Larysa is a client I worked with for two months from the middle of January to the middle of March when she moved to another town in New Jersey.  She is one of the most energetic and hard working clients I've had and I miss working with her.  Below is her testimonial.  Thank you Larysa!

"It is without hesitation that I recommend Liz for a personal training. I'm in my mid 30s and was looking to tone my upper body and core area. I work out often and I'm in decent shape, but was never able to see results or feel good about my workouts. With Liz, all that changed! Liz was able to teach me new and effective ways of excercising while at the same time she took the time to explain the effectiveness of the workouts and made sure I understood which muscles I was targeting. Liz is a lot of fun because she keeps it exciting and keeps me intersted.She is very good, very energetic, she's kind, she's fun, she knows when to talk and when not to talk, she's patient, she's smart so no complaints!! She mixes it up she uses different equipment.  What I learned from Liz I will take to the gym for years to come!"

Delicious Healthy Snacks!

1. Apple of your choice with almond butter (Raw and Organic)

-Trader Joe's is my recent favorite (thank you Mike!)

Find a Trader Joe's near you

2. Guacamole

-Yea, I said it! Here's the key, make it yourself.  Avocado's are high in fat, but it's the good fat-monounsaturated.

Here is my healthy recipe (serves 4-6):

2 Avocados

1/2-1 whole (depending on the size) diced tomato

1/2 chopped onion

squeeze in lime to taste

minced garlic/garlic powder to taste

*I usually mush up (yes that's the technical term) the avocado before mixing in everything else.

*I'm not a huge fan of spices but if you are cilantro and chili peppers are an awesome accent.

*Try dipping veggies instead of chips

*If you MUST have chips, baked and/or whole wheat are better for you :)

3.  For those of you with a sweet tooth like myself here is one of my favorite discoveries...

No...not Bill Cosby, but Jell-O makes Sugar Free pudding snacks that are ONLY 60 CALORIES and come in a VARIETY OF FLAVORS including Dulce de Leche, Chocolate/Vanilla Swirl, Boston Creme, Cinnamon Swirl...and believe it or not, they taste pretty good and will satisfy those killer cravings!!

*the key = don't eat more than one in a day (if you're laughing right now it's because you've done it or can see yourself doing it)

CORE TIME!

"All life is an experiment.  The more experiments you make the better."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

For the last several months I have placed a lot of emphasis on core training with my clients.  In addition to total body exercises that address all of their muscle groups  we are constantly looking for new ways to challenge the core and incorporate that into every work out.  Today I'd like to share some thoughts with you on core exercise and encourage you to jump on my bandwagon!

What is your core? Put simply, it's not just your abs! For the purposes of visualization go ahead and consider your core everything below your neck down through your pelvis (minus your arms).

Click here if you'd like more specifics on what your core entails and it's functions.

Most importantly you should know your core has two parts...stability and movement.

The stability core muscles do just that, help to stabilize during dynamic movements.  The movement core produces the dynamic movements.

What most people get caught up in is training their movement core (doing all kinds of fancy ab exercises) but not putting enough emphasis on their stability core (by doing plank exercises, variations of plank exercises, floor bridges, a drawing-in maneuver to activate your core during other exercises and etc.).  Not addressing your stability core enough is equivalent to building a house on a sand foundation and can result in aches, pains, and injuries particularly to the lower back.

Below are three VERY BASIC stability core strengthening exercises that you can start with.  I recommend incorporating these into your program 2-3x per week.  Challenge yourself to last longer each time you try them.

1. Plank

2. Side Plank

*NOTE: beginners also have the option of keeping the one or both knees on the ground.

3. Floor Bridge

*simply lie on the ground, engage your core (suck in your stomach as if you were trying to get your belly button and spine to meet, this will create a flat back on the ground), squeeze the glutes and raise your hips towards the ceiling, slowly lower back to starting position and repeat.

More posts to come on core exercises and training!

In Fitness and in Health,

Liz

300 Workout

Here are two separate links to the 300 Workout.  My friend Chris recommended it.  It's a very challenging circuit work out.  Although it's from Men's Health ( http://www.menshealth.com/cda/homepage.do ) and I do not always recommend workouts from magazines, after watching the videos I can see why this is effective, a few pointers first though.

**The weights used are recommended, please feel them out and adjust accordingly for your own capabilities.

**If you can't finish a set that is ok, once your posture and form are compromised because the work gets too challenging its' time to stop and evaluate whether you should adjust weight/reps.

**Even though there are videos if you are unsure of proper technique and or form to perform the exercise PLEASE PLEASE ask a trainer at your gym to help you out with this, especially deadlifts, you can really hurt your back if this is not done properly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ETHPvJzMQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggiYjRelWgc

Enjoy and let me know how it goes!

In Fitness and in Health,

Liz

Change!

"Change is the essence of life.  Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become."

-Anonymous

Happy Easter and/or belated Passover to everyone!

I have some exciting stuff in the works for the blog...but I need more followers!!  If you read the emails regularly please become a follower of the blog, you'll be glad you did :)

One quick thought and one quick idea for you to kick off a new week...

THOUGHT:

Change is good, for many reasons but In Fitness and in Health change is something your body needs to keep the results coming...so try something this week you've a) never done before or b) haven't done in a while.

Suggestions:

*run/walk/sprint...faster than usual or up a steeper hill than usual

*a new exercise class like spin, kickboxing, or even a cardio dance class

*a new machine at the gym

*an exercise you've been afraid to do because you think you'll look silly

*jumping rope (for some of you I bet it's been since elementary school!)

*push ups until failure 

*take your plank from the ground onto a bosu ball, put medicine balls under your hands (and if your core is really tough try putting your feet on one too), or put your feet on a stability ball

IDEA:

Check with your employer/HR department and/or health insurance provider to see if your benefits offer any discounts for gym usage.  This is a new trend that could benefit you in two ways:

1.  you'll save money

2. you'll be motivated to keep your attendance to the gym up because it's helping you save money :)

Lastly, I'll be working in the coming weeks on making the blog more interactive, adding more links, pictures and other such useful tools for you all so please, comment, ask questions, offer feedback, let me know what you'd be excited to see featured on the blog...and you shall receive!

In Fitness and in Health,

Liz

Getting Results!

"There is no such thing as failure, there are only results."

-Anthony Robbins

I have two posts for you this week, the first of which is weight training.  Many people expect to get results without implementing the three major components needed to get results.  It isn't just diet and exercise-it's diet, cardiovascular exercise and weight training.  We tackled cardio last week so this week I want to address weight training.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FIRST...

There are many philosophies on weight training and they all depend on what you're trying to accomplish.  Most of my female clients are interested in "toning but not bulking up" and some males share this goal as well.  Other males are interested in building muscle mass.  The main thing to realize is that everyone's body reacts to exercise including weight lifting, differently.  There may be some trial and error involved.  It makes sense to test things out and pay close attention to how your body reacts and if you're getting the results you want-if not, discontinue that exercise and try something different.  You should also set reasonable expectations-most people are not going to see major results in 2-3 weeks however if you are on a consistent program there is no reason why you shouldn't at least begin to see results within 6-8wks (if all major factors, diet, cardio and weight training are in place).  Just don't be the person who says "I've been working out for 2 weeks and I haven't lost any weight"...get a hold of yourself, be patient and keep putting in the work, your results will come!

STRATEGIES:

1.  High reps, low weight.  Traditionally this is what I recommend to my clients, male or female who do not want to bulk up.  As long as you can do three sets of 12-20 repetitions of an exercise you should not have to worry about bulking up.  Take about 20 to 30 seconds of rest in between sets.  Once rep number 12-20 of set number three gets easy, it's ok to up your weight, that just means you're getting stronger-whoo hoo! 

2.  Circuit workouts.  This is a great way to weight train if your ultimate goal is weight loss because you will burn more calories.  Circuit style just means you minimize rest and have the option of adding in short bursts of cardio 30 seconds to 2 minutes in between sets to keep your heart rate up.  The circuit should address several different muscle groups.

Sample circuit: 

To start, jump rope 2 minutes (this could also be jumping jacks, mountain climbers...etc.)

15 body weight squats, plank for 30 seconds to 1 minute, 15 bicep curls to shoulder press, 15 push ups, 15 tricep extensions then you would go back to your 2 minute cardio burst and repeat the circuit 2-3 more times.

*According to SELF Magazine online- Ashley Borden, celebrity trainer to Natasha Bedingfield recommends planning out your circuits in advance to increase efficiency once you get into the workout-no thinking, just doing!  I strongly concur :)

3.  Low reps, high weight.  Lots of men train this way, but it can be effective for females as as well depending on your body type.  Again, some trial and error may be necessary.  This would mean only doing 6-10 reps in 3-4 sets with more weight and longer rest in between sets.

4.  Body for Life Weight Training Plan.  I like this plan because it's a hybrid between some of the strategies I've already mentioned.  

*Alternate training your upper body and your lower body on different days.

*Perform two exercises for each major muscle group of either the upper or lower body.

*For each exercise you choose you will do 5 sets, beginning with 12 reps, and working your way down to 6 reps, each time increasing the weight, then reduce weight again and go back to 12 reps.

*For each muscle group, rest for one minute between the first four sets.

For example: Shoulders

1st set: 12 front deltoid raises with 3 lb weights

2nd set: 10 front delt raises with 5lb weights

3rd set: 8 front delt raises with 7.5 lb weights

4th set: 6 front delt raises with 10 lb weights

5th set: 12 front delt raises with 5 lbs weights.

This should be a good start with weight training...I look forward to your comments, questions and feedback as always.

In Fitness and in Health,

Liz

CARDIO!

"Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness"

-Edward Stanley

Based on some of the feedback and questions I've received from readers this week's topic is CARDIO!

WHY DO CARDIO? WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?

*Burn more calories.  If you remember last week's newsletter burning off more calories than you take in is a major key to weight loss.

*Make your heart stronger so it doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood.  Those of you reading this message in your early 20s to late 50s may not recognize now how important this is NOW because your heart may be functioning just fine.  In January my grandpa passed in large part due to a weak heart and I'll never forget my uncle (who is a cardiologist) saying that the exercise you put in through your 30s, 40s and 50s will strongly impact your cardiovascular health into your 60s, 70s, 80s ( and 90s if you're really lucky :)! )

*Increase lung capacity.  This is especially beneficial for smokers looking to quit or people who have already quit. I have a client who has been trying to quit and once she started walking on the treadmill and going to spin class it finalized her decision and sharpened her focus because she doesn't want to jeopardize the great results she's been getting.

*Reduce your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack and diabetes.

*Boost immune system function and increase blood flow to the brain which increases alertness.

*Mental and emotional benefits.  Sleep better, reduce stress/anxiety and feel better when you're finished!  Studies show that people who exercise regularly are less likely to eat poorly and abuse drugs or alcohol.  Exercise alone cannot cure mental and emotional health issues but it does have a positive impact.

WHAT KIND OF CARDIO SHOULD YOU BE DOING? 

*Find something you like. Understand there is no "right" or "best" when it comes to cardio.  While some forms of cardio burn more calories than others-the most important advice I can give you is to pick something you enjoy doing.  There is no point in forcing yourself to do something you dislike because you will lose motivation very quickly.

IDEAS : 

1.  Walking/running (indoors, outdoors, alone, with a buddy or  with a group)

**Lots of times finding a friend to do it with you will keep you motivated, accountable and increase your likelihood to keep it up 

** check out  http://www.runningintheusa.com for races, results and running groups in your area OR  http://walkers.meetup.com to find a walking group near you

2.  If you belong to a gym or health club there are lots of options for cardio.

Try out all the machines (bikes, treadmills, ellipticals, climbers, stairs, steppers...etc), see what you like and do that!  

Check out what kind of group exercise classes are available at your gym-this helps to break the monotony of your own routine...remember VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE :)  Many clubs offer cycling, kickboxing, cardio dance, Zumba and other such classes that you may enjoy.

"Cardio hopping"-  for those of you who get bored quickly.  Do 10 mins on three different machines, this is just as effective as 30 minutes on one machine

One last tip on this point- Have a favorite show? hop on the cardio machine during your show and tune in-the time will fly by before you know it! (this also works well if you have cardio equipment at home)

3.  Lastly today, here's a workout for those of you who are "too busy"...it's ONLY 20 minutes and taken from a program called Body for Life (www.bodyforlife.com).  This can be applied to any form of cardio.

Minute Intensity Level (how hard you feel you're working on a scale of 1-10)

0-2 5 (warm up)

*increase intensity by going faster or increasing resistance/load

2-3 6

3-4 7

4-5 8

5-6 9

6-7 6

7-8 7

8-9 8

9-10 9

10-11 6

11-12 7

12-13 8

13-14 9

14-15 6

15-16 7

16-17 8

17-18 9

18-19 10 (peak)

19-20 5 (cool down)

*NOTE:  your rate of perceived exertion or intensity level will change over time as you increase your endurance and can handle more strenuous exercise-always remember to listen to your body, if you're not working hard enough-pick up the pace or crank up the resistance.  If you're extremely short of breath, dizzy or woozy, slow down, turn down resistance and grab some water.

In Fitness and in Health,

Liz

5 Helpful Tips!

"Variety is the spice of life!"

This post will not focus on one topic like "motivation" or "commitment" but rather a variety of tips.  When it comes to realizing your health and fitness goals, it's very rare that changing one behavior will make all the difference.  The Law of Thermodynamics simply states, "burn of more calories than you take in."  Here are some suggestions on how to make that a reality...

1.  Drink more water!  According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine the daily recommendation for water consumption is 96 oz.  Many of us drink a few bottles of water per day and figure that's enough-start keeping track and shot for a full 96 oz.

2.  Sleep more!  More and more studies are linking sleep to weight loss and building immunity.  This month's issue of Glamour Magazine featured an article where a group of women aimed for 7.5 hours of sleep per night for 10 weeks and the results were weight loss of four to 15 lbs across the group.  Two main reasons why this works:

*People tend to not only eat more, but junkier food when tired

*How many people have said, "I'd spend more time exercising if I only had the energy"? Well, more sleep = more energy!

3.  Portion control!  Next time you go to the grocery store take a look around and notice how many foods come in "100 calorie" packs.  It's not that the foods are much healthier (in some cases they may reduce the fat or sugar) they just come in small packages!  There's no reason to pay Nabisco or those little Keebler elves any extra to do this for us when it only takes a few extra seconds to do it at home.

While it may take a little more time to actually read food labels-you'd be surprised how many extra calories we ingest because we don't both measuring the serving size.  This is especially helpful with carbohydrates like pasta, cereal and rice.  Try it out!

4.  Pack your lunch, dinner or both!  This is a calorie saver and a money saver :) You can choose healthier options if you put a meal together yourself rather than relying on stores/restaurants/food chains to provide healthy options that are often not as healthy as we presume.  (For those of you who live or work in NYC, we learned this the hard way when they started posting calories in all our favorite food chains and some of the salads/sandwiches/wraps we all enjoyed telling ourselves "weren't so bad" were listed at 700-1000 calories each, what??!!)

and finally my personal favorite...

5.  Laugh more!  For year's I've joked that I'll never be fat because I laugh too much-but there is some truth in that statement.  Laughing burns calories and engages your core muscles...So go ahead...laugh until your tummy hurts, it's good for you :)!!

Commitment

"At the moment of commitment the universe conspires to assist you"

-not sure who said it originally, I heard it from Jon Vroman a long time ago

Commitment is the next logical step after motivation.  One you figure out what motivates you it's time to make a commitment.  Motivation is the fuel and commitment is what keeps your foot on the gas pedal.  Lack of the commitment is the reason most people fail-not just in health and fitness but in life.  When you're commited 100% nothing gets in your way because you have your eye on the prize.  When you're feeling lazy or your schedule gets busy, you remind yourself of your commitment and you drag yourself to the gym or make that healthy meal instead of ordering out.

A friend of mine recently shared her commitment with me:

"I'm going to Florida in a few weeks and want to look great. That means gym 6-7 days/wk.  I work an 8am-5pm job Monday through Friday.  Last week I had something to do EVERY NIGHT after work.  It was brutal-that means...no time for the gym at night.  So what did I do?  I woke up at 4:30 every morning and got my ass to the gym before work.  It was SO HARD getting out of bed, even getting my eyes to stay open.  My MOTIVATION was picturing myself a few hours later, sitting at my desk at work, and feeling awesome.  Feeling awesome that I got my workout out of the way for the day, feeling awesome physically, energized, etc.  Feeling awesome that I actually pushed through it and felt amazing mid-morning, I wasn't dreading the workout all day that I knew I would have to do at night."

I give Kristen a lot of credit for waking up at 4:30am for five days straight, I don't even like dragging myself out of bed at 5:15am on Weds to teach one spin class!  For sure she is 100% committed.  Commitments less than 100% won't get you over the hump once adversity in the form of distractions, unhealthy temptations, reasons not to work out at night like, "but Dancing with the Stars is on" or "It's half price Martini night at Madisons!"

You may be thinking "easier said than done Liz," so this week's CALL TO ACTION will be steps to committing:

1.  For beginners start with something you are 100% positive you can do such as "workout 3 days this week" and commit to doing it for a month straight so it will become a habit.  Depending on your schedule maybe you work your way up to 4-5 days/wk by the end of the month-as long as that 3days/wk stays consistent.  This will boost your conficence and strengthen your commitment when you are able to say, "I said I was going to do it and I did it!"

For those of you who are more advanced and have been working out for a period of time, maybe you get to the gym/exercise 4-6 days/wk challenge yourself to switch up your routine and push yourself beyond what you've been doing.  But again-still apply the principle of only committing to something you're 100% positive you can do so your commitment promotes confidence-not disappointment because you challenged yourself to do something unreasonable.

2. Start telling others (like me if you'd like to comment) what your commitment is so you are now accountable to someone other than yourself.

3.  When you get out of bed in the morning and before you to go to bed at night remind yourself what motivates you and tell yourself (out loud even!) that you are committed to that goal.

If you're unsure of where you should start, let me know-I'm happy to make suggestions!

"People often say that motivation doesn't last.  Well, neither does bathing-that's why we recommend it daily" -Zig Ziglar

I'm starting this blog as a means of keeping on my toes and paying it forward.  I'll do my best to keep the posts short, powerful and most importantly USEFUL!

To get started I'd like to ask...what motivates you?!

There are 3 types of people reading this message...

1. Those who exercise in some way, shape or form 3+ times per week and consider yourself dedicated.

2. Those who dabble, sometimes you're dedicated and sometimes you're not.

3.  Those who talk about getting in shape but never actually find the time to get around to it.

Often, figuring out what motivates you, why you do what you currently do (regardless of what category you fall into) is the first step in taking it to the next level.  You may decide it's a great motivation, you may decide to find something more meaningful.

What motivates you can be broad, "to be healthy", "the Dr said I really need to start exercising" or specific, "I'm motivated to look amazing in that Victoria's Secret bikini I just ordered this summer", "I have a history of cardiac health issues in my family and use exercise as a preventive measure."

CALL TO ACTION:

Take 10 minutes out of your busy schedule this week and decide what motivates you. Write it down and put it in a place where you can see it everyday, on the fridge, tape it to your alarm clock, a post it not in your car or near your computer...etc.  And finally, feel free to comment on what motivates you!