Aaaand, we're back!

Helllloooo! I hope everyone enjoyed the end of the summer as much as I did. I appreciate some of your calls and emails asking what was going on-no! I did not abandon the blog, just took a little hiatus. Just like many of you who are getting back into a normal routine now that summer is over so am I so you can count on weekly/biweekly posts moving forward :)

Today I'm going to share two amazing females with you!

The first is Nisha Moodley a Holistic Health Counselor/Reiki Master who operates out of downtown Jersey City. Nisha is warm and friendly but more importantly extremely passionate about what she does. I know many of you work out and hit the gym hard but still aren't seeing the results you want, or in some cases feeling the results you want. Nisha has the training and ability to help you create a better relationship with food and identify how to live a more salubrious lifestyle. Check out her website!

The second is Janet, my first bride-in-training. In a recent email a few weeks after her wedding Janet wrote,

"I did want to tell you that I got several compliments on my back and arms during my wedding... ..all thanks to you!! In fact one of my friends said, "You looked like you got into sick shape for your weddding". How great is that!!! "

I share Janet with you for a few reasons. Primarily to motivate and inspire you because who wouldn't want to feel like that and get compliments from their friends about how great they look?! Because of her busy schedule as a pharmaceutical sales rep driving all over NY, NJ and PA Janet was only able to train with me once a week-sometimes for only 30-45 minutes. I know many of you have very busy schedules and often use that as an excuse to not put in the time your body deserves whether it's in terms of eating properly or exercising. More than likely the real issue is not a lack of time, but a lack of commitment and self discipline. I believe we always have time for things that are important to us-it's just a matter of making the time. Why did Janet look amazing in her wedding dress? Her self-discipline and work ethic. Aside from the work we put in together Janet was in the gym 4-5 days/wk on her own whenever she could find time to squeeze in a run, some cardio or some exercises she learned from our sessions. Put simply-she chose to make it happen and you can too!

Look at those arms!

And the back! No unsightly bulges in that dress :)

The week before her wedding during the last fitting the tailor told her to eat pizza all week becaues they'd already taken the dress in 3x! Congratulations Janet!

So...what can you take from the post this week? Make time for what's important to you! If you're not satisfied with how you look and feel-make a choice to change, there are 30 something posts in the archives if you need ideas on what to do.

Don't feel like scrolling through the archives for ideas? Need more specific personalized help? (read: would you rather just have someone do the work for you? :P) Stay tuned, solutions for that to come later in the week!

Questions? comments? Ideas for future posts?

email me at elizabeth.dialto@gmail.com

Activity Alert!!!

Last week I met a really friendly woman named Heidi who was asking if we had a bulletin board to post information to members about rental properties/vacations/activities and etc. While we do not have that at the gym I figured the blog would be a good spot for that.

Here's her link:

http://www.vrbo.com/230041

It's a beautiful townhome in UT, and there are a TON of things to do in the area.

If any of you have any similar information that you 'd like to share feel free to send it to me-I'm happy to promote anything that encourages travel and activity :)

More Delicious Healthy Snacks/Foods

After going to a body building competition in Vegas at the end of July and seeing all these ridiculously tight and sculpted bodies I was motivated to step up my game and eat healthier. First things first, I stopped eating carbs other than fruits, veggies, oatmeal and rice, second I stopped eating cheese. I know what some of you are thinking, "But I looooove cheese!" Do you love your belly fat too? Now, I am not saying "hey everybody I did it so you should too." I'm also not saying I'm never going to eat bad carbs or cheese ever again (Every once and a while a slice of pizza or a burrito is inevitable ;) ) But I am saying, think about it. If you're not willing to cut these things out completely, at least consider reducing your daily/weekly intake of these foods. I promise you will notice a difference in how you look and feel pretty quickly.

So! Here are some RANDOM ideas for DELICIOUS foods and ways to prepare your food that are extremely enjoyable and will assuage the absence of bad carbs and cheese in your daily life :)

1. Black bean and mango salad-I cannot take credit for this, my awesome soon-to-be roommate Maria introduced me to this at the beach last month.

Ingredients:

Black beans (rinse them off if canned)

diced mango

chopped red onion and your favorite peppers (red, green, yellow, orange...yummm)

cilantro to taste

garlic to taste

lime to taste

*diced tomato optionial

How to eat it...

Over a green salad solo or with chicken or steak

I cooked a chicken burger this afternoon and topped it with this salad-AMAZING!

If you're not cutting out the bad carbs you can treat it as a salsa with chips

2. Healthier twist on veggies and dip...ditch the creamy based dips for some hummus

dip broccoli, peppers, carrots, cucumbers or etc in hummus, I recommend Sabra, it's my favorite

3. Walnut oil...I recently read an article that talked about Walnut and other nut based oils being better for cooking because of the way they respond to heat-while olive oil is better for dressings and other room temperature recipes. I am always an advocate of diversifying any diet and trying not to eat or use the same foods/ingredients more than once a day or everyday for that matter. Remember, in every context the body needs change.

4. Turbo broiler!!! Years ago I got one of these as a gift-probably one of the best gifts I ever received. I get annoyed when I bake or sautee meat or fish and it comes out dry. My cooking skills apparently are not developed enough to figure out how to stop this from happening. But I don't need to because the turbo broiler does it for me!!! It may take a little longer than cooking things on the stove-but the juiciness of the food is totally worth the wait.

5. Hard-boiled eggs...so simple we sometimes forget. Inspired my friend Sandy I started hard-boiling some eggs in the beginning of the week and leaving them in the fridge (she recommends soaking them in cold water so they cool faster, and peeling them before storing them in the fridge in a ziploc bag). Easy snack and full of protein. If you're watching cholesterol ditch the yolk! Another benefit is that they are easily transportable for those of you on the run.

6. Adobo...makes everything taste better :) You can find it in the international foods aisle at the grocery store. It comes in a variety of flavors and there is a "light" option that's lower in sodium. Lots of time when dieting or eating healthy we settle for less flavor in our foods as well. A little spice never killed anyone, but savory foods ameliorate the dieting/eating healthy resentment we sometimes feel.

*Note if Adobo isn't your thing spend a little time in the spice aisle at your grocery store and try out a few that sound good to you. Last time I was in A&P I was taken aback by all the options and flavors! Sprinkling a little spice usually adds fewer calories than most marinades just pay attention to the sodium because some spices have salt mixed in.

7. Non-Dairy milk options. There are lots of options when it comes to milk that do not involve cows! I have a predilection for almond milk (great in protein shakes, oatmeal and cereal) but there are also other nut milks, soy milk, hemp milk and etc. Click on "non dairy milk options" above to check out the options. Some come sweetened or unsweetened, plain, vanilla or chocolate...and still offer a good amount of protein and healthy dose of fat.

8. Protein Pancakes! This is not the worst source of carbs if you buy whole wheat pancake mix. Follow the normal recipe (feel free to sub egg whites for real egg if you like and any of the above milk options for regular or skim milk as well) and I like to throw in a scoop of vanilla protein powder. If you want to get really creative here are some other delicious add in options:

blueberries

bananas

apples and cinnamon

oatmeal and cinnamon

While they can be tasty enough on their own if you MUST have syrup opt for a lite or sugar free choice for less calories :)

9. Egg White Frittata. I have to thank my mom for this one she made it for me when I was home last weekend! Takes 20 minutes and it's delicious.

Directions: Coat a pie dish with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil.

Pre heat oven to 375

Mix ingredients in pie dish

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until egg is thoroughly cooked

Ingredients (these are only my suggestions, you can vary according to your taste)

Egg Whites

Fresh Spinach leaves chopped

Diced tomatoes

chopped onion

low fat or fat free cheese is optional

garlic powder and oregano to taste

*not a fan of spinach? sub broccoli or peppers

10. Baked Sweet Potato Fries. My mom was on fire last weekend, she introduced me to this one also (via my Aunt Nancy). This one is also extremely easy and DELICIOUS! Low maintenance + healthy = ideal combination :)

Directions:

Peel sweet potato and chop into slices (any length is fine, I prefer about 1/4" thick but that's totally up to you)

Toss the slices in a bowl with olive or canola oil

*Salt and pepper or other spices optional

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned

**The trick, be sure to flip them at 10 minutes

Do you have any particularly healthy ways of preparing foods? favorite recipes? or other "go to" products for eating well? Share them with us by commenting or emailing me at elizabeth.dialto@gmail.com

NO EQUIPMENT NEEDED! Cardio/Sculpting Workout

I can't take credit for this workout, I found it in SHAPE magazine.

I'm posting it because I know many of you are busy and look for things to do at home that don't involve going to the gym...or some of you are always looking for those "in front of the TV" exercises. This is perfect for that!

*Note: RPE = rate of perceived exertion. It means on a scale of 1-10 how hard you feel like you're working. As your fitness level increases, your perception of how hard you're working will too. What does that mean? if you keep up the good work, in a month or two your current 8 will only be a 5-6. Yessss!

Time Activity RPE

0-3 minutes march/walk 3

3-5 Jumping Jacks 4

5-7 Run 7-8

7-8 Mountain climb 6

8-9 Squat Thrusts 6-7

9-10 Lunges to front kick 6-7

10-20 repeat mins 5-10 2x 6-8

20-21 push ups 5-6

21-23 Run 7-8

23-26 repeat mins 20-23 5-8

26-30 march/walk 3

*had a little trouble w/ formatting on this one, sorry the last column isn't perfectly lined up. If you can't figure it out email me at elizabeth.dialto@gmail.com and I'll send you a word document that is lined up!!

Thoughts, promotion and HELP!

Wanted to use the blog to promote some things that are going on, people I enjoy, businesses and causes I believe in and get your help brainstorming a name for my new website coming this month!

*****I'm trying to come up w/ a name for my new website. This will be my website for years to come so I want it to be a memorable name. It should be fun, fitness related, maybe or maybe not include my name. Here's what I've come up with:

lizdialto.com

loveyourlife.com

lizloveslife.com

crazysexyfit.com

lizdialtofitness.com

I need thoughts, suggestions, ideas...share youre creativity with me please!!!

*****Whether you're a NYSC member in Hoboken or Jersey City or not everyone should know about Ride For Reagan. Julie Huggins is the Fitness Manager at NYSC Hoboken North and has been working diligently to raise money for her niece's college fund. Julie herself is an awesome, positive person to be around, she's super helpful, extremely fit and knowledgeable about fitness. While pregnant with her niece Reagan her big sister Robin was diagnosed with cancer-Reagan had to be delivered very prematurely and luckily made it and is now 12 years old. Julie's big sister Robin however, was only around to enjoy one year of Reagan's life. From now until Aug 15 we're collecting donations at NYSC for Reagan's college fund. Even as little as $10 is appreciated!!

FRONT ROW FOUNDATION

Many of you are familiar with my knife selling background. While working for Cutco I was fortunate enough to work with some of the most amazing people I've ever met a few of whom started a non profit organization called Front Row Foundation. Their mission is to help people with terminal illnesses live life in the front row. They organize opportunities for people of all ages with terminal illnesses to be in the front row for their favorite sports team, singer, show and etc. These people often get to meet some of the athletes or celebrities during the event and it's a true gift to be able to forget about their illness, pain and suffering for one day and LIVE LIFE IN THE FRONT ROW.

How can you help? check out the site, there are fund raising opportunities and events to participate in one of which is the Atlantic City Marathon coming up Oct 18.

If you're a runner, or racer of any kind (5K's count too!) and you don't have a cause to run or race for, consider making the Front Row Foundation your cause. Go to www.frontrowfoundation.org for more details.

******I put up this video on my facebook today b/c in speaking with some close friends, family members, NYSC members I've been feeling lately like a lot of people are "in a funk" and some of you have even used those words to describe yourself. This commercial is about getting up just one more time than you get knocked down-which is a great way to think about it because we're all constantly getting knocked down.

Dwyane Wade...Fall down 7x, stand up 8.

Now, sometimes it takes more than a video to get back up. When I was struggling myself back in January after a tough break up and my grandfather passing I needed more than just myself to get back up and I sought the help of a life coach. It may or may not be for you but I have to say it's definitely one of the best investments I've ever made. So if you're in a little bit of a rut, and even if you're not-if your life is going amazing right now and you want to take it even higher check out my coach: Jon Vroman

Last but not least a few other sites that motivate and inspire me regularly:

http://www.miraclemorning.com/

http://400milerun.com/

We've covered a lot of WHAT...it's time for some HOW

Sometimes people ask me what I do when I'm not training clients or teaching classes. Other than catch some sun at the pier in Hoboken 8) I read voraciously to pick up ideas for the blog, my clients and future writing endeavors.

The two ideas I want to share this week are not about what to eat but how you actually eat your food.

IDEA #1

I came across this in Glamour Magazine (please note, I do not advocate any and all health and fitness tips from magazines, but I did like this one!)

"Eat with your opposite hand"...why? because it slows you down and requires more concentration. Many of us are constantly rushing around or have the tendency to eat our food too quickly which can result in overeating because we don't give our bodies the time to realize we're full. Slowing down when we eat is a great way to do this-so give it a shot, grab that fork with the wrong hand next time you sit down for a meal! (I have to imagine you'd probably burn a few extra calories laughing also because this is bound to be a little awkward :P)

IDEA #2

"Savor your food"...This idea is taken from a book called The Nutrition Solution by Harold J. Kristal, D.D.S. and James M. Haig, N.C.

Many of us love eating and enjoy the way our food tastes but we don't actually take the time to fully enjoy it. A lot of us eat in front of the TV or even standing at the counter, we grab things to go, eat in the car, while we're walking or multi-tasking in other ways. The Nutrition Solution talks about enjoying everything about your food-taste, colors, textures and aromas. Try to eat in a calm, relaxed atmosphere-obviously you'll enjoy the food more-but also which may come as a surprise to many of you as it did to me-this will also increase your body's ability to digest it. If you're on the run, stressed out or in a hectic environment you won't derive the maximum benefits of the foods you eat. Think of meal time as a time to slow down-eat slowly, chew the food thoroughly, which also helps digestion (don't just wolf it down between meetings or tasks). Savor your food, and take some time to appreciate it-not just the food itself, but that you're even lucky enough to have it!

Is this realistic for every meal of the day? Maybe not-but can we find time to slow down for 1-2 meals a day to more thoroughly enjoy nourishing our bodies? I think so! So if you forget everything you just read remember these two things when it comes to eating: slow down and enjoy!

Healthy Happy Hour!

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”

-Anonymous

This week's post is inspired by 3 things.

1. a few girls from my small group training class who suggested a "smelly dinner" (meaning we go out to dinner after class straight from the gym one night) Thank you Arielle and Kristen!

2. a group of girlfriends I met through salsa who really stick to things they can do together like classes.  Thank you Andie, Lanette and Sandy!

3. an article in Women's Health that suggested

 adding a social aspect to working out would increase the likelihood that people would stick to it.

So here's the idea...HEALTHY HAPPY HOUR!

Once or twice a week why not forego a real happy hour that often includes binge eating and drinking for a healthier version?

Many of you have friends who also work out, probably even at your own gym-and if you don't belong to a gym I bet you could find people you know who would like to walk, run, hike, go for a bike ride, play some recreational sports or etc with you.

Pick a night to meet up at the gym, or at a place where you can do any of the above activities to get in some exercise then either go out for a healthy dinner or host one at someone's house.  You can:

a) take turns finding a new spot with healthy options on

 the menu

b) take turns cooking a healthy meal (it's summer, there are a ton

 of great options. For example-you can grill or make an awesome salad since so many great fruits and veggies are in season right now.  Click here for a list provided by the CDC)

Suggestions for healthy summer meals at home:

*Grill up some shish kabobs-get the wooden skewers at 

the supermarket and load them up with your favorite meat, poultry, seafood and color it up with your favorite vegetables.  Peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, cherry or grape tomatoes are a great place to start.

*Fajita salad-grill some chicken, steak or shrimp, season some 

peppers and onions, if you don't eat meat or fish black, red or pinto beans are a great source of protein in lieu of meat or fish, dice up an avocado, add tomato if you like it or even some salsa and toss.  There are so many flavors going on you don't even need dressing!

*If you're not a fan of salad throw that mix over some brown rice for your own version of a "naked burrito" (minus the tortilla)

*Think "protein and a vegetable" at dinner time...there are so many was to prepare any of your favorite meats, fishes, tofus and veggies.  Try out a new spice or seasoning, switch up your combinations, test out something you never thought you'd like (I didn't try asparagus until last summer and now it's my favorite vegetable-thank you Molly Keane!)

*If you love seafood check out these cedar grilling planks, they're especially amazing for salmon.  If Williams-Sonoma is a little out of your price range they have them on Amazon too!

I'd love comments and your ideas if there are any dishes you love to cook up in the summer that fall into the category of "healthy"...please share :)

So grab a few friends, pick a good night and think about how good you'll feel after putting in a workout and nourishing your body with a healthy meal...

 INSTEAD of downing dollar beers, $3 martini's or mixers, and bar menu appetizers 

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!"