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January 4, 2010 by Nikki Fitness  There is a lot of talk about working out to fit into your "skinny jeans" or "catch someone's eye" this
time of the year, as articles and news stories on fitness resolutions saturate the media. I want to give you another, more
important reason to fit in your fitness this year: because you CAN!
Every
day soldiers come home permanently injured from war. Just head out your door and you are bound to see someone in a wheelchair,
sight impaired or otherwise challenged. I try to be thankful daily that I can walk, talk and yes, work out each day. This
has become even more important to me recently. The emergency C section surgery during the birth of my first baby in November
left me with an infected incision, and a still lingering numb foot from the epidural. I think of the days when I took working
out for granted, and now I wish I could do 15 jumping jacks or run a mile. I have undergone daily tests, exams and painful
shock therapy to name just a few and no one can tell me when the feeling will come back to my leg. This is nothing
compared to the physical and mental anguish and challenges that injured soldiers, athletes, accident victims and otherwise
impaired people go through. If I am to get my feeling back through physical therapy I resolve to never take working out for
granted, never ditch a run because of rain, never complain about teaching a cardio-sculpt class when I would rather be at
a movie… I challenge you to think that way as we enter the new decade as well. I read a great quote in a recent
Prevention Magazine article by Michael Segell. It said "take care of yourself, because life is a gift that can be rescinded
at any time… to live irresponsibly is to dishonor that gift." So instead of eating poorly, complaining
about the gym or skipping that workout video because you are "tired," instead live responsibly, honor your gift
of health, work out because you can, and for those who wish they could! Fitness, Fit it in. Nikki Nikki February 2, 2010 by Nikki Fitness My lungs are on fire. I can't even tell if my legs are getting tired because I am breathing so hard I can't even close my
mouth. I am suddenly working above my target rate and would fail the talk test... and if I did talk, it would be to curse
the treadmill! I had to cool down and do some muscle machines and yoga with the rest of my hour at the gym. This is a personal trainer after three months away from running. Because of medical
issues, I had to stop my normal 5 mile runs several times a week and start from scratch. The scenario above was after only
15 minutes on the treadmill. It made me think about how I always advise clients and readers to just get started with
your daily workout and you will feel so good during and afterward that you will be more than happy you made the effort. But
yesterday on the treadmill I was anything but happy. I took home two lessons with my sweat drenched self... 1)
For those struggling to get in shape for the first time: I know that, as a workout addict, it WILL get better and be worth
the effort. But that is because I have seen the promise land of working out when you are in shape. I can't wait to get back
on the treadmill "horse" and get to an hour of running and feeling more energized, not less. But if you have never
been athletic, and don't really know how truly great it can make you feel, I sympathize. I finally remembered why so many
people quit after just 2 weeks of trying to get into shape. It doesn't feel good at first. For those of you struggling to
get into shape for the first time, trust me, it does get better and won't feel like lung and muscle torture forever! 2)
Lets say you are in shape, but getting bored and lazy with your workout, and you think that a week or two off won't matter.
IT DOES. I still worked out in the end of my pregnancy and after 6 weeks even with my medical complications. The only thing
I could not do was endurance cardio because of a numb foot from the epidural. Upon recovering, I was back at almost square-one
after 3 months away. So DON'T take that vacation from healthy workouts, just challenge yourself and cross train. Find a way
so that you won't have an uphill battle gasping for air to fight bulge. Soon you will turn the workout from hell into
a hell of a workout! Fitness, Fit it in. Nikki February 6, 2009 by Nikki Fitness  Sometime the incentives of a longer, thinner, stronger, healthier life are not enought to motivate you to get to the gym or
do that workout DVD.
It happens to everyone. Don't despair - I am here to help. Print this blog and stick it in your workout clothes drawer, gym bag, or maybe even on the fridge for some
other incentives to get your sweat on! - Working out helps you perform better at work (most successful CEOs are gym
rats) - It helps increase your sex drive (increased circulation is one reason) - Gives you what I call an "attitude
adjustment" (no more yelling at the hubby after a workout!) - Takes the stress knots out of your back and shoulders
(from a day at the computer) - Gives you time to think. (I have gotten the best ideas and sorted out the toughest problems
while jogging or lifting weights) - It wakes you up and gives you energy (coffee substitute!) - Makes you want
to eat better and take care of yourself in other ways. (I crave a salad and water after a workout instread of wine and cheese.) -
Social networking *off* the computer. (You can meet new friends at the gym in the staff, salespeople, class instructors, and
other members, or do your favorite workout DVD - like the Military Wife Workout or Booty Camp- with your best friends at home. So
... you can have more fun, wake up, solve your problems and de-stress. It's all in your power, so take control and put
on those sneakers! For more fitness motivation, new workout moves, music playlists and fitness DVDs that squeeze a full
hour workout into just 30 minutes, visit www.nikkifitness.com Fitness - Fit it in! Nikki November 16, 2009 by Nikki Fitness 10. That is the number of years since your job demanded sweat, laps, push-ups and you being out of breath. It s also the number
of push-ups you can do now since you've been sitting at the desk and exercising only your fingers on the keyboard. But don't
worry, your muscles have memory and they know that tone and strength are possible. Start from the inside out.
– Mind, Heart, Core and Posture The first place to start
is your mind. Look at the bright side, you have it better than most people out there who have never been in tip top shape.
Their muscles and endurance have never been made to work and therefore they maybe could never to what you can and will do.
Make up your mind to make over your body. Now you are ready for some easy cardio. This will remind your muscles what
it is to be warm and work while letting your build up your heart and core first. On your cardio days also do abdominals and
back strengthening exercises. Getting your heart back to pumping with ease should come before you can really work the rest
of you. As I discussed in the last column, and you should focus on running, biking, rowing, elliptical and walking.
Start with 10 minutes on one machine and do 10 on the next machine the next day. Take it outside as well. Get to where you
change it up every day you work out and increase gradually from 10 minutes to 30 at a time. Your core also needs to
be strong before you can really work the rest of the extremities. Crunches should be combined with lower back moves every
day you exercise. I went over some basic abdominal crunches in the last column as well, so for the low back it's as easy as
laying face down on the ground and lifting your arms straight overhead and up with along with your legs. Leave your neck in
line with the spine and look at the floor as you lift the arms, head, chest, shoulders knees and feet off the floor. Hold
for two seconds and relax back to the floor. Repeat 8-12 times. Finish with a cat stretch on all fours with your spine rounding
to the ceiling. Back not Pecs When at a desk, you end up rounding your shoulders and slouching.
Your pectoral muscles get tight and your trapezious and rhomboids get stretched and weak. In your first week of getting back
in shape, also start with your posture and correct the problems of years of desk work and stretch the pecs while strengthening
your upper back with reverse flies, bent over rows, and machines. Once your core is stronger, your pecs are stretched
and your upper back muscles are strong enough to pull your shoulders back, you should be standing tall and ready to move on. The
Marathon and Machines Ok, so you won't need to run a marathon, but your next cardio goal is 40-50 minutes,
doing different machines for 15 minutes each, or just taking our outdoor running and biking longer. You are also ready to
move to muscle building in your biceps, triceps, shoulders, pectorals, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes, and inner and
outer thighs . Start with some basic muscle building moves on machines. Chose machines first that let the rest of your body
rest and just focus on your arms one day (and yes you can add chest press machines and push-up simulator) and legs the next.
Day 1- arms, day 2 – legs, day 3 – cardio and core, day 4 off and then repeat. After you are building strength
back, take yourself off the machines and into free weights and balancing leg moves like lunges and squats. These will also
start working your core at the same time to balance and keep your form. Change up your cardio workouts by adding some
uphill jogs to your running days. Take the elliptical in reverse for 2 minutes and forward for 2 minutes at a time. Try a
spinning class to challenge your bike days or chose different trails outside. Multi-Tasking After
you start feeling stronger with the muscle isolation, you are ready to multi-task! This is a great time saver and will kick
up your results. You just need to add lower body non-machine moves with a free weight exercise for the arms. Start with the
basic alternating lunges with bicep curl and shoulder overhead presses. Calf raises and triceps French presses overhead and
so on. By then, 10 will be the number of push-ups you have left to get to 50. Nikki August 3, 2009 by Nikki Fitness  The reason I love yoga class is that it improves your body as well as your mind and soul. You leave wanting to be more calm,
treat people better, and be a nicer person… almost like church!
Part
of this comes from something called "PATANJALI'S EIGHT LIMBS OF YOGA." The American Fitness Association of America, or AFAA (www.affa.com), certifies personal trainers and provides continuing education about many areas of fitness, including
yoga. AFFA teaches that Patanjali wrote the Yoga Sutras, and he became one of the best known yogis while popularizing these
guideline for yoga practices. 
I would like to share with
you the first one, so you can start exercising your soul along with your body! LIMB ONE: THE YAMAS (Things
to Restrict) The following five restrictions are meant to clear away negative thoughts and actions to make way for pure and
clean living. Ahimsa
Do no harm. This yama means non-violence or non-injury to oneself and others. This
idea is central to yoga, as the focus of yoga is non-competitive. The idea of no pain, no gain, which is sometimes part of
the practice of conventional Western fitness modalities, does not belong in yoga. Ahimsa also means using non-violent words,
thinking non-violent thoughts and avoiding negative self-talk, such as I'm stupid or I'm fat. Negative self-talk is essentially
doing harm to oneself. Ahimsa is the embodiment of honoring oneself and others. Satya
Do not lie.
This yama also relates to self and to interaction with others and reminds yogis to act in complete truth at all times. According
to ancient yogic scriptures, the truth cannot bring harm. Being truthful in all parts of one's life creates higher standards
and builds loftier character. Asteya
Do not steal. This yama reminds yogis not to take something that does
not belong to them. Aside from tangible items, it is possible to steal intangible things as well, such as another person's
confidence, pride or attention. Brahmacharya
Do not ignore Virtue or Abstinence. This yama is believed by
some to be more about virtue than abstinence. It reminds yogis to think of others with love and respect rather than with selfishness
and lust. This yama does not demand that every yogi should live a life without a spouse or children and be celibate. This
yama, like the others, simply encourages purity of thought and action, in this case, in relation to love and sexual behaviors. Aparigraha
Do not be greedy. This yama is a reminder not to accumulate unnecessary things. Excessive possessions add clutter to life
and bring clutter to the mind and spirit as well. This yama encourages simplification and letting go of materialistic desires
and envy. Again, purity of thought and action are emphasized. Nikki January 22, 2009 by Nikki Fitness Eat more and cut workout time in half. Never be totally full and never be totally hungry. When your "tank" is about
a quarter full all the time, you will make healthier food choices because you are not starving and craving. In addition, being more efficient in your workout will take less time and you'll
tone up while at the gym and at rest. What I mean by this is, people exasperatingly say to me, "you eat all the
time." It is true. Before my morning run or while watching the news I have some whole wheat toast and milk, after my
shower a hard boiled egg, on the way to a meeting I am pulling an apple out of my bag, afterwards I am the first to break
for lunch to get a large, colorful salad, my afternoon snack includes more milk and some almonds, I have an orange on the
way to the gym if teaching after work, and order sushi when I get home. When I do work out, I combine chest presses
with glute and abdominal exercises at the same time. Then a cardio interval. Biceps with abs and outer thighs, come before
another cardio minute, which is followed by a toning move for the quads, calves and shoulders. My workout is cut in half because
in my classes and DVDs, I do 2-3 moves at the same time. This boosts my metabolism, heart rate and sweat. I waste no time
sitting at a machine that only works my triceps. After all, I have to run to my next meal! Fitness - Fit it
in! Nikki
Top 15 NikkiFit Tips - Set
goals that are realistic and specific. Have a set time period as your goal to help you stick to a new fitness regime. Write
down your plan of action for every day, week, and so on. Start with a plan that you think you can accomplish or exceed. For
example, walk for 30 minutes, and then run for 20 minutes. See how many times you have to stop and walk each time. Eventually,
work up to running for 30 minutes.
- Identify and eliminate your barriers to exercise and eating well. Make a
plan to conquer and avoid those specific barriers. Take each barrier or excuse and write down ways you can solve the problem.
- Put one sneaker in front of the other. Many of us waste too much time saying we need to work out but dread the
process. Get dressed to work out and don’t think about the next step. If you take it one step at a time, before you
know it you will finish the cool-down and feel amazing.
- Make yourself an upbeat iPod playlist or CD. You can
dance around as you clean up at home. Or, you can find a hip-hop or African dance class at the gym, learn to belly dance at
an adult education class or at the Y, or just plan a girls' night out dancing. You can find a great list on my website.
- Make dates to see friends and family and do something that doesn't involve eating and drinking. Walk through the
park, go biking in summer, ice skate or cross country ski in winter, walk the mall, take a yoga or cardio class, or run on
a treadmill right next to your friend.
- Think of food as a fuel, not as a gift. Passing on food that is high
in fat and sugar, and take half the portion everyone else heaps onto their plate. If you go out to eat, you should pack up
half food on your plate in a doggy bag.
- Practice good habits when you eat out. If you have to be at a restaurant,
identify the three healthiest things on the menu and pick between those.
- Follow the food pyramid daily. Focus
on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein and calcium, not sweets and fats. Also, take a daily multi-vitamin
- Don’t
eat any junk food lying around the office. Bring healthy, sweet or salty snacks to your desk, such as whole wheat crackers,
almonds, grapes, or chocolate soy milk. Buy a slow cooker so that you can prepare a healthy meal in the mornings, and it’s
ready for you when you get home (it’s like having a personal chef at home all day, and gives you that extra hour for
exercise.)
- Drink no more than two alcoholic beverages at parties and events (if necessary, cut extra drinks
with spritzers) and have a snack before these events so you don't attack the buffet line.
- Drive less and walk
more. Take the stairs when possible and never go a day without some exercise.
- Invest in a gym membership, if
you don't have one already, and use it. If you don't have the money right now, buy an inexpensive workout DVD.
- Weigh
yourself everyday to remember your goals and feel good about the choices you made yesterday.
- Keep reading health
and fitness columns online. Subscribe to weekly e-mailed fitness tips for regular inspiration, and subscribe to fitness magazines.
Whether it's a new and healthy dish you can make, news about a recent medical study, interesting moves to try at home, or
another person's story about how they reached their goals, any inspiration will help.
- Pass this advice along.
I saw a quote once that said “You are the average of the five people you hang out with the most.” So get your
friends to subscribe to a fitness newsletter, such as the NikkiFitness newsletter, and find a partner to work out with and
help you make healthy choices at a restaurant.
Jump Off the Fitness Plateau One
of the questions I get all the time from clients and readers is how to break out of a fitness plateau. This plateau occurs
when you stop seeing results, despite your workout routine. The answer is to pick up the intensity, challenge yourself and
cross-train. Here are five easy ways to do that:
1) Multitask your workouts Combine
two workout moves. For instance, combine side-lying outer thigh leg lifts with your side plank ab workout. Try
doing a side plank on your forearm and lifting the top leg for 20 reps. You'll shorten your workout and make each exercise
twice as difficult for your muscles. Use the extra time to do some different cardio.
2)
New cardio If you usually run, do one week of spin, then one week on the elliptical, then stairs,
then combine running, spin, elliptical and stairs in the last week. It's a month of new cardio workouts. You can also make
each day of each week harder with more weight or incline, and for longer by five minutes each day.
3)
Double your weight If you're used to doing 20 reps of shoulder presses with eight-pound barbells,
jump to 10 reps of 15 lbs. Usually work out on a machine? Jump off the machine and get barbells then jump down to number four.
4) Get tubing, therabands, or cable machines at the gym This offers different
range of motion and different resistance. Add more resistance three days a week and increase the weight each week for a month.
After that, add stability balls, bosu balls, body bars and kettle bells.
5) Switch up your
fitness classes, outdoor routines and fitness DVDs Try some hardcore moves that include intervals.
For example, half-hour workouts where alternate working out for four minutes, and easy for two, will challenge your muscles
and your heart. It will also help you burn more calories during and boost your metabolism.
Take
my month-long five-step challenge to push yourself off that plateau. Just don't blame me if you get sore -- that's how you
know it's working.
Fitness Resolutions BEFORE the Holidays! The
best way to make it through the holidays without overeating and drinking is to have a plan. Here are my 10 Fitness resolutions
to make it through the holidays and avoid a New Years weight loss resolution:
1. I will
make dates to see my friends and family and do something that doesn't involve eating and drinking. I will walk through the
park, ice skate, cross country ski, walk the mall, take a yoga or cardio class, or run on a treadmill right next to my friend.
2. I will think of food as a fuel, not as a gift, which means passing on food that is high
in fat and sugar, and taking HALF the portion everyone else heaps onto their plate.
3.
If I have to be at a restaurant, I will identify the 3 healthiest things on the menu and pick between those. 4.
I will follow the food pyramid daily, and I will take a daily multi-vitamin.
5. I will
not eat any bad food that is lying around the office. I will bring healthy snacks to my desk that are sweet and/or salty,
like whole wheat crackers, almonds, grapes, or chocolate soy milk.
6. I will drink no more
than 2 alcoholic beverages at parties and events (if necessary, cut extra drinks with spritzers) and I will have a snack before
these events so I don't attack the buffet line.
7. I will drive less and walk more. I will
take the stairs when possible and never go a day without some exercise.
8. I will invest
in a gym membership, if I don't have one already, and I will use it. If I don't have the money right now, I will buy an inexpensive
workout DVD. 9. I will weigh myself everyday so that I remember my goals and can feel good about the
choices I made yesterday.
10. I will reward myself when I stick to these resolutions with
something free or inexpensive that makes me happy and inspires me to look and feel good. I will get a new fitness video, a
manicure, a new skirt, or take the afternoon off to go on that hike with the kids…. Also, remember what is done
is done; don't beat yourself up for what you did yesterday if you slipped. Always look ahead. Live a healthy and active lifestyle
day by day February 11, 2010 by Nikki Fitness Seasonal Affective Disorder has many people wondering this time of year just how to shed the winter woes. With the snowstorms
hitting much of the country back to back this week, SAD seems darker when electricity goes out and shoveling chores loom. Winter
Blues by Norman Rosenthal sheds light on the causes and effects of this disease. Among its cures, is exercise and diet.
If you are feeling the effects of SAD, here are some things you can
do from Winter Blues: - exercise doing cardio 20 minutes or more several times a week -do muscle building exercises
to raise metabolic rate, making muscles "calorie burning factories" - resist being a couch potato and move
as much as you can each day while doing regular tasks, errands and chores -regulating your mood with sugar and refined carbs,
fast food, etc is only a short term upper that will crash you even worse. "Satisfaction is short-lived." Instead,
focus on eggs, fish, fruits, vegetables, hydration from water and many small, healthy meals and snacks a day. - avoid
alcohol and caffeine - investigate psycoanalysis and light therapy -move somewhere warmer (I am not making that
up, its in the book!) For more tips and exercise routines to get a hot, healthy and happy body in time for the sun-filled
days, visit my website www.nikkifitness.com. Fitness, Fit it in. Nikki Nikki January 20, 2009 by Nikki Fitness Ladies, You have almost made it through the first month of your New Year's resolution. Don't get bored and give up!
Instead check out a great new gym class or buy a new DVD to do at home! Lets face it, some of us don't have the option of
military trainings to get you in shape and we have to find ways to motivate ourselves. I teach at Crunch Fitness in New York City, a gym that is known for great classes. They have them all over
the country and just redid their website. It is the coolest gym website I have ever seen! They even have video snippets of
their classes so you can check out the moves and learn a few too before going. Here is a link to some of the "action sports" classes. I am even a few of them, instructing "Bosu Bootcamp" and participating in the Powerball video and
the Surfboarding. Navigate around the site for a map of locations around the country, and the different kinds of dance, pilates
and yoga classes as well. Even if you don't have a Crunch near you, invest in yourself with another gym membership or a DVD
you can use over and over again. Now get to class and keep the resolutions alive! Fitness - Fit it in! Nikki September 10, 2009 by Nikki Fitness You have a vacation hangover. I can see the signs. The Bob Marley music playing from your computer,
the non-stop coffee breaks, the computer screen wandering to travel websites... It's hard to focus on getting back to the
grind while daydreaming of summer bike rides and beaches! You want to avoid anything that could bring you back to the computer
slouching, blackberry -addicted, stress case you were a few months ago. By
playing, I mean taking that morning bike ride, jogging in the park at lunch, going to pilates or cardio-sculpt class after
work and taking active vacations on your weekends like hiking or yoga retreat. Staying in shape and eating right makes
you work more efficiently and productively. You won't eat yourself into a carb coma at lunch if you are having a healthy salad
and lean protein that your body craves when you are in a fitness regimen. In addition, mental stress is the most common
energy sucker at work, but it melts away if you hop on the Stairmaster. Fitness improves oxygen delivery to organs, heightens
circulation, and cuts back on doctor visits and sick days. Regular exercise and proper diet can improve your performance
at work in many ways, from the very start of your day, or any time you can fit it in: 6am: Have to prepare the kids
for their day and then do errands and chores all morning? Instead of being sluggish and holding onto your coffee cup for dear
life, working out can leave you looking forward to crossing off your list and excited about how many calories you'll burn
running around. 7am: Depending on where you live, you could be racing through the subway late for a meeting, sitting
in traffic, rushing in from the parking lot, or organizing the kids early in the morning to get out the door. If you are deconditioned,
you'll probably be sweaty, stressed, and or too winded to say hello to the people you are doing that business lunch with.
If you are in shape, you will be energized! 9am: Early morning presentation? If you are used to that 6am spin class,
this speech will be a breeze to get through, with less hills to climb! Noon: People who walk around the town or park
during lunch feel less ragged and overworked from this mental and physical mini-vacation each day and can turn if back on
full throttle when they are at their desk. Some of the best work ideas have come to me while running around the reservoir
track in Central Park, and you'll be happier with the endorphins, thus completing your day with a smile. 3pm: Big meeting
at the end of the day but feeling the 3pm slump? If you are not fit, coffee may be the only thing that gets you through the
day, still half in a fog. But instead of dehydrating on caffeine, a lunchtime walk has you more focused and gives you time
to think quietly and plan your talking points. If you are a stay-at-home mom or day, you won't feel sluggish and wish for
a 3pm nap lust if you are used to pumping iron at 5pm. 6pm: At the end of the day your back muscles may be tight with
stress and your head pounding with all the work you still have on your desk, taking a class at the gym will have you saying
"What work?" 11pm: Up at night trying to sleep but thinking about what you need to accomplish in the office
or at home tomorrow? If you jogged during the day, you'll be sleepy with a clear mind, and better rested when you awake to
tackle your tasks. More exercise = better sleep = better work day. And let's face it, the better the work day is, the
more likely we are to get promoted and can negotiate more vacation days!
Stay Motivated to Work Out in the Winter The
chill-you-to-the-bones weather left ice sticking to your hair and coat, you almost slipped and fell while scraping snow off
your car, and that was only after you managed to pry the frozen car doors open. You're exhausted from a full
day at work or with the kids, it's as dark as midnight, and it's only 4:30 pm. Slippers, hot cocoa and comfort food are
calling your name and you'd only consider going to the gym if someone paid you. When I was living in Syracuse, NY these
were the reasons I became a certified group fitness instructor. I realized I would only go if someone paid me and I
had 20 workout "buddies" waiting for me to show up and teach. You might not need to go to such extremes, though,
if you try five of my other tricks to fight winter fitness roadblocks: - Make yourself an upbeat iPod play-list
or CD and dance around as you straighten up at home; find a hip-hop or African dance class at the gym; learn to bellydance
at an adult education class or at the Y; plan a girls' night out dancing.
- Hire a personal trainer if you have the
money. If not, many gyms also offer free training sessions with a new membership. You'll learn some new moves and if you have
to meet someone for a planned session, you're more likely to show up.
- Heat yourself up by staying inside with
a new fitness DVD (like my new Military Wife Workout) or fitnes channel on TV. Just hit play and before you know it you'll
be done.
- If you're not up to a rigorous workout, yoga is as easy as rolling out your mat, or slipping on your
"yoga paws" (a travel set of yoga gloves for hands and feet). You will warm up, get blood flowing and ease stress.
- Get a slow-cooker/crock pot for hearty, veggie-heavy meals with minimal preparation and dishes.
If
these don't work, give a friend 50 dollars and have them hold it for a week. You only get the money back, in 10 dollar increments,
when you go to the gym. Sometimes you just need the cold hard cash for cold dark days. Stay Motivated to Work Out in the Winter, Part 2 Last
month I wrote about how your favorite fitness music, a slow cooker, a DVD, some hot yoga moves, and a personal trainer could
help get you in shape this winter. However, sometimes you need an extra push to get you motivated. Here are five more
ideas to get you through the next five weeks: 1) Put one sneaker in front of the other. Many
of us waste too much time saying we need to work out but dread the process. Trick yourself by just getting dressed for it
and not really thinking about the next step. If you take it one step at a time, before you know it you will finish the cool-down
and feel amazing. 2) During lunch breaks walk the stairs, or layer up and go outside. Take a walk with
your child, pet, husband or neighbor. Or just walk and talk on the cell phone. Put it in your calendar at noon. If it's
an appointment, you're more likely to keep it. 3) Try outdoor winter sports like ice skating, snow shoeing,
skiing, or sledding. Go build a snowman or igloo with the kids. Shoveling the driveway, as much as you hate it, is
a workout too. 4) Do 10. Waiting on hold on the phone? Do 10 crunches. Getting ready to eat breakfast,
lunch or dinner? Do 10 push-ups before your meal. Putting groceries away? Do 10 bicep curls and bent over rows for your upper
back with soup cans. Brushing your teeth? Do 10 squats. Making pasta sauce? Do 10 calf raises. You get the idea. It
sounds extreme, but if you do this for one minute every half an hour during your day, that is around 30 minutes of toning
exercise. 5) Keep reading Military.com health and fitness sections. Whether it's a new and healthy
dish you can make, news about a recent medical study, interesting moves to try at home, or another person's story about how
they reached their goals, any inspiration will help. Then, maybe, when you shed that coat, you'll realize the scale
is tipping in your favor. Get Fit for Spring Even
though spring is officially here, the cold days can and do still creep in. I have the following suggestions to get you
ready for shorts, sundresses, bikinis and the beach for the warmer months ahead. 1) Do the window shopper's
workout. Walk through the mall at a brisk pace and take the stairs. Do not take your wallet. Just browse. Note some
of the new spring styles. You can always go back and buy something in a month when you're in even better shape. Take along
a healthy snack so you're not tempted by the food court. 2) Start social sweating. Instead of going
out for drinks and fried food with friends or work colleagues, try something else. Hit the gym and chat while you're both
on a treadmill, or layer up and go outside. You can brainstorm while you walk. 3) Get on the scale.
Studies have shown that if you weigh yourself each day, you will keep your fitness and nutrition goals in mind. Skipping the
scale for weeks at a time can lead to problems. You may put on weight and not even know it. A weigh-in a day keeps
those pounds away. 4) Try something new. Never took a spin class? Never gone cross-country skiing?
Never gone hiking? What are you waiting for? Surprise your body and learn something new.
5) Take
a fitness vacation. Visit a friend in Florida, Arizona, California or some other warm weather climate. Swim, snorkel,
jog on the beach, join the gym for a day pass, and get the heck out of the cold! Don't do the buffet or over-indulge at bars
and restaurants. Take this mini-vacation for you and your health. Eat fish, salads, whole grains, and fruit, and drink lots
of water. Bikini body moves will be in next month's Column. Spring sunshine is here. Holidays
Approaching, Look for a Trainer So
you’ve decided that you’re going to fight the fall and winter “heavy holidays” in advance with a few
new fitness DVDs and a personal trainer. Shopping for the videos may be the easy part, but shopping for a trainer may leave
you making a list and checking it twice.
As a personal trainer, I know that trainers’ styles
and training regiments vary. And, it’s crucial to find one who is qualified and meshes with your personality.
Here are some tips to find the perfect personal trainer:
- Ask for proof of
their certification and how long they have been. Most common certification bodies accepted by gyms are AFAA, ACE and NASM.
The trainer should have a current certification (that requires extra classes, educational training and credits each year)
and a current CPR certification. Also, besides toning and cardio, you may want a trainer who can also do boxing and yoga with
you. Not all are qualified to do so.
- Decide if you want to go with a trainer at your gym, or if you’ll try
an independent trainer. Just because a trainer works at a gym doesn’t mean they’re better. Often, the best trainers
go outside the gym so they can keep more of the profit and have a bigger following.
- Once you find a qualified
candidate, ask for free first-trial session. Many gyms and independent trainers offer a free-trial session. Independent trainers
can charge less if they don’t need to pay a gym and can train you at your home or outside. At a gym you need to pay
for the membership and the trainer, but research which option is better for you.
- Ask your friends or family members
about their personal trainers. Inquire about the trainer’s techniques, training regiment and price.
- Observe
the trainers at your gym with their clients. Do they do the types of exercises you’d like to do? For example, do you
crave creative moves or need to start with machines? If haven’t worked out in years, or have any sort of medical issues,
you should start with machines that isolate. After a few weeks you can do upper body, then lower, then abs/back one part at
a time. As you get stronger, cardio intervals and multitasking toning moves can be added. I focus on these types of workouts
in my fitness DVDs, and you can see demos of these moves on my website.
- Talk with the trainer, the personal
training manager, or a sales person at the gym about your physical goals, limitations, and current fitness level. Let them
suggest the right trainer for your needs and budget, or let the trainer refer you to someone else if they’re not the
perfect fit for your fitness or price range.
- Emotionally, do you need a quiet supporter, a cheerleader, or
a drill sergeant to motivate you? Which one will you need to get you looking forward to session and push you the hardest,
not make you want to give up.
- Has your trainer ever been interviewed in a fitness magazine? Written his/her
own fitness-related articles? Does they have a blog where you can learn about their philosophy and style? Google them or check
Yelp reviews to see if their clients are happy with them.
- Ask for referral phone numbers and e-mail addresses so
you can talk to some of their other clients, especially for independent trainers.
- Know their cancellation policies.
For example, do you pay up front, for how many sessions in advance, and will you lose your session if you have to cancel within
24 hours? Many times that is the policy so that they don’t save a slot for you and show up, only to lose the money when
they could have been training another client or stayed in bed.
Print this list and use
it interview trainers. Hopefully, it will help you find the person to challenge your muscles before the Halloween candy, Thanksgiving
turkey and December treats try to challenge your willpower.
If all else fails, or you can’t
afford a trainer, I will be your trainer through the New Year through my DVDs and weekly motivational newsletters, all for
a quarter of the price of one session.
10 Motivational Marriage Fitness Tips The
honeymoon is over. You trained for your wedding and looked amazing, and as a reward, you indulged on your honeymoon so that
it was more like a butter/cream/sugar-moon instead. Don’t worry if you’ve put on all the weight you lost for the
wedding. I’ve got 10 tips to help you get back in shape and stay that way for many anniversaries to come.
1) Partner up with your spouse and motivate each other. As the adage says, “You are the
average of the five people you hang out with the most.” So plan your entertainment, meals, and workouts as a couple
and motivate each other when you’re having a tough or lazy day.
2) Set specific,
realistic goals and have a set time period. Then identify and eliminate your barriers to exercise and eating well.
With an easy-to-accomplish plan, you’ll even be able to exceed your goals.
3) Get
on the scale. Studies show that if you weigh yourself each day, you’ll keep your fitness and nutrition goals
in mind. Skipping the scale for weeks at a time may lead to unconscious weight-gain. A weigh-in a day keeps those pounds away.
4) Try something new. Never took a spin or Pilates class? Never gone cross-country
skiing or hiking? What are you waiting for? Surprise your body and learn something new together to keep things fun and your
fitness on track.
5) Cut workout time in half. Don’t waste time standing
still and doing biceps curls! Multitask instead by combing arm, leg, and abdominal exercises, like a curl, lunge, and twist.
Then add a cardio interval. Multitasking workouts cut time while boosting metabolism, heart rate, and perspiration. Check
out NikkiBeachBride.com for sample cardio moves and four challenging multitasking workout DVDs that take only 30 minutes to
complete.
6) Eat more. Think of food as a fuel, not as a gift, which means passing
on food that’s high in fat and sugar, and taking just half of the portion you’d normally heap on your plate. Also,
keep the tank half-full at all times with several small, healthy meals. If you never get famished, you’ll make wise
choices with your head, not your belly.
7) Put one sneaker in front of the other.
Many of us waste too much time saying we need to work out, dreading the process all the while. Trick yourselves by just getting
dressed for it, putting on your favorite workout music, and not really thinking about what you’re about to do. If you
take it one step at a time, before you know it, you’ll finish the cool-down and feel amazing.
8)
Too cold to go outside? The chilly weather and lack of daylight make this time of year tough on fitness resolutions.
Heat yourselves up with a healthy slow-cooked meal and break a sweat inside with a new fitness DVD or a fitness channel on
TV.
9) Reward yourself. When you stick to these resolutions reward
yourself with something free or inexpensive that makes you happy and inspires you to look and feel good. Maybe it’s
a combined personal training session for you and your sweetie or a mini fitness vacation together.
10)
Subscribe to motivational fitness sites or magazines. Whether it's a new and healthy dish you can make, news about
a recent medical study, interesting moves to try at home, or another person's story about how they reached their goals, an
inspiration will help you keep fitting in your fitness.
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