Get Fit For Life!

Hidden blessings

2011-07-19T13:09:00.011-07:00

I was watching a show that had a young girl with chronic pain so bad that her doctors prescribed so much pain medicine that she continuously overdosed. It was really tragic to see.

I think of people like this girl and others that have terrible illness and I'm so thankful for the health I have. I was diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue, which has been life changing. But, not all in a bad way. Through this illness, I've learned how blessed I am! I enjoy every day I can get up, work, exercise and live my life. Some people can't.

I am so thankful that I can go for a run. Some people can't. I'm not fast and because of my illness, it's really tough. I don't see a lot of progress. I have to work a lot harder to reach my goals. But I can work. I CAN run, bike, swim, jump. Some people can't.

My doctor told me it would be like starting from scratch every time I workout. He was not that far off target. But since my diagnosis, I've been able to run half marathons, do countless sprint triathlons, an Olympic distance triathlon, mountain bike all over creation, and now I'm planning on my first half Ironman triathlon! What a gift! Do you feel like exercising and health is a gift?

I learned that most people with my 'condition' are considered disabled. They have trouble holding down a job. I'm my own boss, so I'm able to control my working hours. If I'm feeling ill and need a nap, I can take it. What a blessing!

So, on days I'm feeling bad about myself because I don't run fast or see much progress, I think of that. On days I don't feel like running because I'm tired or lazy, I think of the people who would give anything just to get up and walk for a few minutes. Those are the days I put on my running shoes and thank God for a body that can do it.

Don't bargain for wellness

2011-07-14T11:50:00.003-07:00

Have you seen this commercial: a lady is looking at cheese cake. She’s bargaining in her mind, thinking all of the things she could do to counter act eating that one piece of cake. Jogging in place for 10 minutes or maybe going up and down the stairs for half an hour. The list goes on…

Sound familiar? I think most of us have been there at some point. I have to admit, it’s been a really long time since I’ve done that, though. Why? It doesn’t work!

Let me break something down for you. Let’s take one small piece of cheese cake and let’s say it has 400 calories. If you eat that slice on top of your daily allotted calories because you plan on burning it off, you’ll have to do the equivalent of running 4 miles.

What if you go out to eat for that cake and decide to have some nachos and cheese before your meal, plus the cake at the end? We could be talking some extreme calories here, but let’s be conservative: 400 calories for your appetizer and 400 for dessert.

Be honest, are you going out for an 8 mile run after dinner just to ‘break even’?

I’m NOT telling you to cut out all desserts and appetizers. If you want that cheese cake, eat the cheese cake! Enjoy every delicious bite and don’t feel guilty. But work it into your allotted daily caloric intake. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’ll do an extra 8 miles on the treadmill to burn it off! This mindset is outrageous, depressing and simply put; you will fail at your quest for wellness.

If you don’t know how many calories you need, there’s a great website that can help. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

I’d like to leave you with one last thought; moderation is the key to success. In anything, including dessert or even exercise, moderation is key.

Fitness dreams

2011-07-13T21:29:00.007-07:00

We recently relocated from Indianapolis, IN to Yuma AZ. It's funny because lots of people warned us about the hot desert weather. Duh, right?

We heard from so many people how terribly miserable we would be. We went for it anyway.

We've been here for eight months now. It's mid July-summer in the desert. I can now tell you that yes it's hot. It's the desert. But 115 degrees in the Sonoran Desert is not as bad as 98 degrees in Indianapolis. One word: humidity.

I look at this and I think about the other areas of my life. People usually mean well when put a damper on our dreams. But sometimes we have to take the challenge and go for it anyway.

Everyone telling you it's crazy to train for a marathon? Go for it! No one you know would ever do a triathlon - even better reason to do one! Dreamed of teaching Zumba? What are you waiting for?

Don't be afraid to take a leap of faith and do something you've always wanted to do. Don't let other people's fears hold you back!

You'll be glad you went for your dreams!

5 Tips to stay on the fitness track

2011-06-09T12:30:00.009-07:00

As a personal trainer and business owner, my schedule can differ from week to week. Sometimes appointments are changed at the last minute. I may start my day with just a few things on my schedule and it ends up being a busy day. That's just part of the job.

It would be difficult if didn't to get anything done, including my workouts, if I didn't do a few key things.

1. Know where my priorities are.
This means that I know what absolutely has to be done each day. If something comes up to take me from what's most important, I say no. Conversely, I try not to waste my time on things that don't matter.

2. I set fitness goals.

I'm either training for a specific event or I'm on 'off season'. Either way, I have goals. This way, I know what I need to accomplish in each workout, each week.

3. Knowing what I need accomplished each week & each day, I schedule my week's workouts.

For example, I know how many runs, bikes & swims I need to get in. I also know how many resistance training workouts I need. From there, I schedule my own workouts, just as if it were an appointment with a client.

I place high priority on my workouts, but it's not necessarily the highest. A few things (very few, but a few) come before this - just like it is with my clients.

4. I have a backup plan for when things go awry.

I rarely skip a workout even if something more important come up. I simply look at my week, and fit it into one of my scheduled days off (I take two per week) OR, if I can do it the same day later, then I will.

5. I know my limits

I know how many appointments I can handle, know when I need a nap & know when I just need to take a break from everything. If I kept pushing, I would inevitably work myself to the point I had nothing left for myself.

Dance for exercise

2011-05-17T12:46:00.004-07:00

My husband and I are ballroom dance teachers and have recently started teaching at Arizona Classical Ballet.

I'm always amazed at how much fun dancing is, and how great exercise it is! The best part, you don't think of dancing as exercise because it's so fun. I mean, how often do you think "I need to get some exercise, I think I'll go dancing."??

And, then I think, shouldn't that be how all exercise is? If you don't enjoy it, why do it?

So, I'm challenging you to find something that's FUN this summer. You might have to step out of your comfort zone and try something new, but it just might be worth it!

Total body video exercise: burpees

2011-05-16T22:10:00.004-07:00

Add this exercise to your routine to gain strength and burn calories. I demonstrate how to do a beginner style burpee all the way to a more advanced version, and I threw in a little extra for added calorie burn and fun.

This is also a great exercise to do in an aerobic circuit workout, as it really gets the blood flowing and the heart pumping!

Video exercise: Abs & obliques

2011-05-11T12:33:00.007-07:00

You've asked for it, we finally have done it! Video exercise highlights!

Our first one is called Progressive ab exercise. We'll walk you through how to properly work your abs and obliques, starting from beginner and going to advanced.

We plan on doing more of these videos, so if you would like a specific exercise or muscle group highlighted, let us know!

Progressive ab & oblique

5 more motivational tips

2011-04-20T15:35:00.004-07:00

On my last post, I listed 5 tips that successful people do to in order to make healthier lifestyle changes. (click here to go to the post).

Well, I've got 5 more, as promised:

1. They use a workout log
It can be as simple as writing your workouts on a calendar, or as elaborate as using an online log (I like dailymile)

2. They get a support system
You might have to go out and look for one (ex, finding a group to exercise with) or if you're lucky you'll have it right there at home!

3. They use pedometers
If you're just starting out at creating a healthy lifestyle, using a pedometer is a GREAT way to constantly remind yourself to get moving!

4. They get adequate sleep
There's always reasons to stay up, but if you want to be healthy, go to bed! No one, I repeat, no one feels like exercising when they're sleep deprived. Don't make it harder on yourself than you have to. (Not to mention that studies show lack of sleep makes it hard to lose weight)

5. They don't skip meals and they drink plenty of water
I don't think I need to elaborate!

While every tip may not work for every person, there is a common thread among the tips & the people who are successful. They're determined, organized and they have support. Remember this - if you're truly ready to make a change, nothing is going to stop you. So get out there, and get healthy!

Did I miss a tip? Share with us your experience!

5 Motivation tips

2011-04-17T17:18:00.013-07:00

Lately I've been thinking a lot about motivation. What will motivate my clients to get healthy, and more importantly, stay healthy for life.

I don't have all of the answers, and because everyone is different, what works for one person won't for another.

But, there are some things I've noticed most successful people have in common that's helped them make healthier lifestyle changes.

Here are 5 things that successful people do to make a healthy lifestyle change:

1. They have their life prioritized.

This means they know where fitness is on the list. Some things are going to take priority, but not everything. So, when something low on the list comes up, they can say no to it and not feel guilty.

2. They've realistically set their goals & have them in writing.

We all know writing goals down makes them more 'real', so I ask, have you written your health & fitness goals down? If so, where are they? Display them somewhere so you can see them!

3. They plan their week, including their workouts (they don't just hope for the best).

You can't just hope exercise happens. Believe me, if you leave it to chance, chances are you will NOT exercise. Plan when, where, what, you'll be doing.

4. They have a back up plan for when things go wrong.

We all know life rarely goes according to plan. So, have a backup plan for when this happens. Example: plan on walking outside but the rain got in the way? Put in a DVD & get moving. Simple!

5. They've set a goal like a 5k.

No, this isn't redundant, it's different than having goals. Set a specific event in the future, like a 5k, to work toward. If you have a set date to get fit for, you're more likely to get that workout in even when you don't feel like it!

I've got 5 more tips on the way, so make sure you come back!

Let's talk nutrition

2011-04-11T13:26:00.008-07:00

Did you know there are 3,500 calories in just one pound of fat? I don’t know about you, but that makes me stop and think before I eat. Things like “are those chips really worth it?” run through my head.

I’m not telling you to never eat chips, but knowing that it takes a loss of 3,500 calories to get just ONE pound of fat off, makes some foods look less appealing to me!

When trying to lose weight, it’s difficult to lose and keep it off with just diet or just exercise – that’s a lot of calories to cut back or burn alone. It takes a little of both to succeed long term.

Here’s what I mean:

If you’re trying to lose one pound per week (1-2 pounds lost per week are ideal), and you cut out 300 unnecessary calories from your diet (one donut or two cans of soda) and spent an extra 200 calories through physical activity each day, you would lose one pound every week.

That’s an awfully lot easier than trying to cut out 500 calories every day or burning 500 calories through exercise (think running 5 miles/day).

If you’re trying to lose weight, look at your food intake and find something you’re willing to cut back on. Move more every day to burn calories. You’ll be surprised how much easier this is than you thought.

If you have a story about how you've lost weight through proper nutrition and exercise, we'd love to hear it. Share with us!

Take the next step

2011-04-06T17:15:00.010-07:00

So, you've set your goals and you've started becoming more active, what's the next step in the process? Start adding regular, formal exercise sessions into your routine. You'll also want to start implementing better nutrition. Here are some tips on how to start; of course, before you do any of this, consult with your doctor.

1. Start doing cardio 20-30 minutes, 3 times per week
Once you're aware of getting more activity, it's time to add a little more. Cardio will burn calories and get your heart & lungs stronger.

2. Twice per week, add some resistance training
You can do this on the same day as cardio or on a separate day. Resistance training will strengthen and add to your muscle mass (no, you won't become a bodybuilder!). The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism, which is very important -- especially if you're trying to lose weight!

Resistance training can be done with body weight, bands, dumbells, stability balls, etc. If you have no idea where to start, there are hundreds of exercise DVD's, or you can contact us!

3. Make small changes in your nutrition
This is a critical piece to losing weight and getting healthy. Because you've been keeping a food journal, you can see where you need to make adjustments. If you're like most, you'll need to add more fruits & veggies. Also, make sure to ALWAYS eat breakfast, lunch & supper. It's a good idea to also add a mid morning & mid day snack if you're hungry.

Another important tip about nutrition -- get used to grocery shopping! Planning ahead and having food in the pantry will help you from grabbing fast food on the go.

If you're struggling with this process, it's a good idea to consider having a professional help you implement these changes. Working with a trainer and/or a dietitian, even just for a little while, can save time and can ultimately save money. They'll show you exactly what you need to do and walk you through the process to make this a lifestyle. a lifestyle

Staying motivated to be healthy

2011-04-04T13:48:00.006-07:00

How do you stay motivated to keep exercising and eating healthy? Believe it or not, everyone, even long time exercisers, has to work at staying motivated.

1. Find an activity that you enjoy

For example, if you love being outside, don't go to a gym, find outdoor activities.

2. Mix it up

Don't do the same exact workout, week after week, month after month. Change it up a bit once every 4-6 weeks. How? One simple way is to use the FIT approach: Change Frequency, Intensity and/or Time (how long you exercise).

3. Make yourself do healthy things, even when you don't feel like it!

If you're inconsistent, you're not going to see results. What does this mean? You aren't going to stay motivated to keep going! Seeing results is the biggest motivator. If you're consistant and you're not seeing results, something isn't quite right and you either need to re-evaluate what you're doing or enlist the help of a professional.

4. Join a group

If you're part of a group that is working towards the same goal, even if it's as simple as getting through a brutal 1 hour fitness class, you'd be surprised how helpful & motivating it is! Knowing you're not the only one out there working is nice; plus, you may make a new friend or two.

5. Exercise the same time of day

If you're a morning person, workout in the morning. If you're not a morning person, like me, do it either first thing when you get home or at lunch. Make it a priority!

6. Subscribe to a healthy cooking magazine

You'll have an endless supply of healthy recipes and you will never get bored! My favorite is Taste of Home Healthy Cooking magazine. It's got tons of really great, easy and healthy recipes every issue.

Read some success stories here.

Stop the yo-yo routine

2011-03-28T10:52:00.012-07:00

Have you been on a yo-yo fitness routine for years? You know, someone who goes from ‘couch potato’ to ‘elite athlete’ in a week. Don’t feel bad, you’re not alone!

Often times when people are new to exercise, they start out very excited about making healthy changes and do too much, too soon. By that, I mean they go from not exercising at all, to a workout program geared for someone in tip top shape. Then, when the effort involved doesn’t equal the results, discouragement followed by feeling like it’s not worth it and ultimately quitting the program, is inevitable.

Here are three tips to make sure this doesn’t happen to you:

1. The first step, in any life change, is to set specific, measureable, attainable, realistic & timely goals (SMART goals). If you don’t have goals, how do you know what you need to do to in order to reach them?

2. If you’re new to exercise, or haven’t exercised for a while (6 months or more), start by simply increasing your daily physical activity. This means finding ways to just get up & move in your day. Pace while on the phone, stand while folding clothes instead of sitting, put fun music on while cleaning (you’ll go faster & you’ll get done sooner, win win!), take the stairs, etc, etc. This may not seem like a lot, but remember that every little bit adds up AND it will get your mind & body ready for more.

3. Find a physical activity that you enjoy…and then do it! For example, if you’re someone that loves being outside, start taking walks after dinner. If you pick something you like, you’ll be more likely to do it.

Good luck on your journey to better health and fitness. If you need additional guidance, let us know. We’re here to help!

Great welcome to Yuma

2011-03-24T14:32:00.012-07:00

I recently moved to Yuma from Indianapolis, IN and brought OnTrack Fitness with me. I’ve been teaching an activity and exercise class series at the Yuma Library, and it’s been an educational experience for me, just as much as the class participants.

I feel like I’ve learned so much just from listening to the class as we discuss health and fitness. I’ve given them information about how to get fit, training guidelines, etc, but they’ve given me a perspective I couldn’t have gotten anywhere but Yuma!

The class is an eight week series and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many different people. There’s been such a wide variety of folks each week – from a three year old that can already do pushups and break dance, to an eighty five year old lady that is still biking, walking and doing senior Olympics! We’ve had people that are trying to learn English, winter visitors from all over and people that have lived in Yuma their entire lives.

Here are three things I’ve learned from my class participants:

1. Age truly means nothing.
You can do pushups, walk, bike, swim, anything - at 3 just as well as you can do it at 85.

2. Learning never stops!
Open your mind to learning throughout your life and it keeps you sharp and active.

3. You have more of an influence on people that you may ever know.
I’ve seen this in two ways: The mother that brought her two young children to class. I was impressed on how much these kids knew all about fitness and health and they obviously got that from their parents.

The other way I learned about influencing people is how the class has influenced me. The people I’ve met, I’ll never forget. They are so friendly, positive and eager to learn. It really had an impact on me.

So, this class has been a great ‘welcome to Yuma’, and I thought it was worth sharing with everyone. Thank you for the wonderful experience.

Trustworthy wellness website

2011-02-25T12:52:00.012-07:00

I've been teaching an exercise and activity class at our local library (click here for details) and what I've noticed is that a lot of people are confused about what they need to do to get fit.

There's so much information floating around that's it's easy to get confused. You may read an article talking about one subject, then see something else that seems to contradict it. There's so much misinformation and misleading statements, diets, fitness programs, that anyone can get confused!

Here are a few links that you can trust to educate you properly about fitness, wellness & health:

1. ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine). They set the standards, so you know when you see their name behind something or read an article from them, you can trust it!

Here's the link to their position stands.

2. CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). You might think this is unrelated, but just like the ACSM, their word is final and you can trust it. Read all about healthy living and prevention of disease.

3. My Pyramid.gov Everything you need to learn about nutrition. This is an interactive site, you can even input your stats to see how many calories you need/day. Plus, you can track your daily food log and it will tell you if you're getting the correct amount of each food group. Pretty cool!

4. American Dietetic Association (aka eatright.org). Tons of great info about healthy eating - Find a registered dietitian, get education about healthy eating, recipes, etc. Remember, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist but you must have the degree and have passed a rigorous test of knowledge to become a RD.

Check out these websites and let us know if they helped!

A marathon decision

2011-02-16T13:14:00.019-07:00

I've been training for my first marathon, in June, since the end of December. It's been a goal of mine for about 1 1/2 years, and I've had to put it off due to my chronic illness.

Since I have adrenal fatigue, I must be very careful and conservative with my training. My body doesn't respond to exercise like the normal person's body does.

For one thing, I don't have as much energy as most people. My doctors have told me that 60% of my body's energy goes to deal with my illness, and that a lot of people with my condition are considered disabled!

So I have to make every training session really count. Rest days are as important as training days. Maybe more.

Things were going really, really well at first. I felt great after my long runs, even though all things considered, they weren't very long (6-10 miles)!

Then, something changed inside. I noticed my chronic fatigue (a symptom of adrenal fatigue) was 'flaring' up. I wasn't recovering like I should be.

But, I continued a couple more weeks, because I had a training rest week coming up. Once I got to my rest week, I used it to fully recover and I felt great.

Last week I started up my training runs again. I did one 8 mile long run and one 10 mile long run.

After much consideration, I've decided to be smart with my health and push my marathon back. I'm still going to do one, but not the one in June.

I'm shooting for the Malibu marathon in November. This gives me many more months to very slowly climb my mileage up and rest when needed. I'm hoping by taking it very slowly, my body will adjust much better.

It was a tough decision, but I feel comfortable with it. Here's why. I asked myself: "Why do I exercise? To stay healthy or to push and push for a goal that only matters to my ego?"

Reaching a goal is great - unless the cost is my health. No, I want to cross the finish line in better health than when I started my training. I want to be a good role model for health, not just for reaching a goal. And that's exactly what I'm going to do!

Have you ever had to make a hard decision like I did? Please share it with everyone!

Body composition

2011-02-10T15:07:00.012-07:00

I work with a lot of people who want to loose weight. What they actually mean by this, is that they want to loose body fat and gain a little muscle so they have proper body composition.

Proper body composition is one of the four components of fitness. It's also the component that you can see the most obviously - and it takes more than exercise to achieve!

Exercise alone is only going to get you so far. A healthy diet, eating the right amount of calories AND exercising, is the only way to get it.

To find out what your actual body composition is - what your body is composed of (fat free vs. fat) - you need to get tested from a professional. There are several ways to get tested, one of the simplest is via the skin caliper test.

If you don't have access or the money for a test, there are a couple of things you can do. It won't tell you what your actual body composition is, but it will tell you if you're at risk for obesity related diseases. It will give you an idea of if you need to lose weight. Here are two tests you can easily do with just a measuring tape:

1. Waist to hip ratio
Take measurements of your waist & hips.
Divide the waist circumference by the hip circumference.

If your ratio is greater than .95/men and .85/women, you may at a higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure & certain cancers.

2. Waist circumference
Simply take your waist measurements.

If you're measurement is greater than 40in/men or 35in/women, you are at risk.

If you find that your measurements are high, don't panic! Just get up, get moving and start eating a little healthier!

Retake your measurements after about 3 months. If you've been diligent, you should see noticeable improvement!

3 Tips for beginner marathoners

2011-02-07T13:34:00.008-07:00

If you're new to marathon training, I have three tips that I've found to be really helpful in my own training.

1. Hydrate during your long runs. Not just before and after, during. I park my car with sports drinks inside it, where I'll pass by it once or twice in the middle of my run.

2. Incorporate training rest weeks. Not only are they important for a mental break, they also help your body recover and come back stronger than ever.

3. Ice baths are wonderful! Well, not wonderful, but sure do help. Take an ice bath at least after your long runs. I wrote a blog all about it, click here to read.

One more thing - don't forget that this is supposed to be fun! Marathon training is a big commitment, but it's also a fun challenge. Don't take it too seriously!

Muscular fitness

2011-02-02T20:31:00.009-07:00

One of the main components of fitness is muscular fitness (go here to read all about components of fitness).

Muscular fitness includes muscular strength, which is defined as the amount of force a muscle can produce in a single effort. It also includes muscular endurance, the ability of a muscle to sustain repeated contractions against a resistance over a period of time.

Both muscular strength and endurance are important in every day life. We need them both to do daily activities without injury, to increase our functional ability, increase motor performance and many other reasons.

So, how do we gain muscular strength and endurance? Resistance training! Before you click off of this blog, this does not mean we have to spend all of our free time at the gym. You don't even need to go to a gym. You can use your own body weight!

Simple exercises like pushups, squats, crunches and plank (see picture), are just a few exercises that can be performed without any equipment.

Some guidelines to remember:

Add resistance training for all major muscles, at least twice per week

Perform 8-15 repetitions per exercise

Perform 1-3 sets per exercise

The last 2-3 repetitions should feel very difficult (without breaking form)

One last thing about muscular fitness. The more muscle you have, the more calories you're going to burn, even at rest! And, who doesn't like that?!

Fatigue and marathon training

2011-02-01T21:49:00.014-07:00

This week is my rest week in my marathon training. It's a much needed break.

I've noticed over the past few weeks that I've been feeling fatigued. It's nothing unusual with adrenal fatigue, but it's no fun when training for a marathon. I know I'm not over training, and I'm being careful with my diet and nutrition. So, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm not yet up to logging in the mileage...

So, I'm enjoying this week to the fullest. I'm taking full advantage of cross training, but also adding a bit more rest. After that, I'll give it one more round of training and building mileage/rest week (3 weeks build, 1 rest week) and if I'm still fatigued, I may have to put marathon training on hold for a while. It stinks, but my health isn't worth the sacrifice just to do a marathon.

10 training tips

2011-01-24T13:36:00.012-07:00

I'm really enjoying my long runs in my marathon training. I'm not much of a sprinter, I'm more of an endurance runner so it makes sense I would enjoy the long, slow runs.

I'm not quite at my half way mark, though. Yesterday, my long run was 8 miles. I'll be going up to 20 miles during training, so 8 miles really isn't that long, considering my future.

I've participated in several half marathons, so I know what it feels like to run 13.1 miles, but that's as far as I've gone. I'm really excited to see how my body adapts to the new training as time goes on! It's been fun to see that my body can keep going and feel good during and after the run.

But, since I have health issues, I have really been doing everything I can to keep my body strong. Here are a few things I do in all of my training (triathlons, half marathons and now full a marathon). There's nothing here that's magical, but it's what's always helped me reach all of my fitness goals injury free for many years, even with my health issues:

1. First and most important, I gave myself plenty of time for training (6 months for my marathon).

2. I incorporated rest weeks every 4 weeks to give my body a chance to recover and get stronger.

3. I only do one long run/week. I also 'doubled' up on some of my long run mileage. For example, I'll do 10 mile long runs two weeks in a row.

4. I cross train and resistance train.

5. I always give myself 2 days a week off to recover.

6. Ice baths are a lifesaver after a long run.

7. Lots of water all week.

8. Extra attention to highly nutritious foods, plus I eat a light snack about every 3 hours to keep my energy up.

9. I get lots of sleep.

10. I 'front load' my workouts. Meaning, I like to do my long runs at the beginning of the week, take a day off, then finish up so I don't wait til the last minutes of the week to do everything because, what if something comes up and I can't do it? This way, I have lower stress to get things done.

11. I have what I call a floating workout schedule.

What I mean is, I know each day's workouts and miles plus my days off, but if I don't feel well physically or mentally, I allow myself to rearrange a bit. This way, I'm not a prisoner of my workouts. BUT - this can be tricky if you're not fully committed because you can end up putting it off and not getting your workouts in.

So, this is what works for me. It all might not work for you, but maybe you can take a point or two away to help in your own training or exercise schedule. If you have tips of your own, please share!

Past failures, future fitness

2011-01-20T13:00:00.018-07:00

Not everyone succeeds in their quest for fitness when they hire a trainer. A lot don't. I used to lose sleep over this, worrying about how to motivate clients who aren't doing well in their training. I worried a LOT about it.

I don't know if it was all at once or after much research and talking to mentors, but I realized that this is just a reality of life. Some people aren't ready to make a change. They want to, they think they are, but when it comes down to it, they aren't willing to make the changes it takes to have a healthier lifestyle.

This doesn't mean they'll NEVER will succeed. It doesn't mean their trainer is a failure. They just aren't ready, simple as that. Successful lifestyle change takes making health a high priority in life. That can be tough when it hasn't been high on the list (or even on the list at all).

But it can happen. People can, and do, change. They get fed up with feeling bad, being heavy or whatever their personal reason and something inside switches. Even if they've tried and failed in the past, once that spark is ignited, there's no stopping them.

For as many people (and more even) I see fail, I see people get a spark in their eye, and kick butt! It's a wonderful experience to be a part of and it never gets old. It reminds me that I'm just a tool to be used, and I'm happy to be used!

You can make a healthier life for yourself. It's something that must come from the inside, though. It can't come from a personal trainer, a husband or wife or anyone else. Just you - and you CAN do it!

Ice baths

2011-01-16T18:55:00.012-07:00

Since I've started training for my first marathon, I started reading up on ice baths. I never did ice bathing while training for other events, but I figured that if I was ever going to do it, now is the time!

So, I took the plunge a couple of weeks ago, and jumped into a bath tub full of ice water. Guess what? It wasn't that bad! Yes, it was freezing cold at first. But, after a minute or two, not that bad. I was really shocked.

But the best part was later. I felt GREAT! No tired legs, no pain. My body felt fresh and healthy. It was wonderful.

Today when I did my ice bath, I put a stocking cap on my head to keep my head warm, got in and just read a book for 15 minutes or so. It was relaxing and believe it or not, enjoying in a way.

So, I'm hoping that as my mileage gets higher that the ice baths play a role in helping my body stay healthy and injury free.

If you're like me and have never tried an ice bath after a long run, bike or another long workout, I urge you to just try it! You may be, in a way, pleasantly surprised.

Marathon!

2011-01-09T22:24:00.008-07:00

I took a break from doing extra things, like blogging, for a while because of my health. Read more about it here.

Following doctor's orders, I rested as much as possible, rearranged my schedule to sleep late, cut back on anything I was able to, etc, etc. Oh yeah, and I relocated from Indianapolis, IN to Yuma AZ!

Now that I'm here in Yuma, I'm actually starting to feel better! The low humidity is a HUGE relief. Even in the winter in Indiana the humidity is high. Not to mention the extreme cold.

So, taking precaution for my health, giving myself plenty of time and listening to my body along the way, I've decided to go for the goal I've had for two years: to run a marathon!

I'll be blogging about my experience along the way. It's my first marathon, so this experience is new to me. I hope that I can count on you for inspiration, and maybe encourage you to go for a goal that you've had (a marathon yourself possibly?!)

Priorities

2010-07-22T12:56:00.004-07:00

So, obviously I haven't posted a blog for quite a while. As I mentioned in my last post, I had taken some time to get other things done.

June was a tough month for my health, so I ended up doing only what was necessary. Lots of rest in between training sessions and then there was a lot of planning for our beginner 5k program with Fit City and planning for our newbie triathlon club, etc. But, I'm happy to say, that I really felt good about how I took care of my health. It's hard to stop and rest, even when you're exhausted! But, I did and I had no major problems and now I feel pretty good!

So, I guess what I'm saying, listen to your body, take care of yourself even if you have to let a few things fall away for a bit. You'll be thankful you did.

Personal struggles with work and exercise

2010-06-12T18:12:00.009-07:00

As a Personal Trainer I live fitness; whether it’s writing a workout/exercise prescription for a client or helping them add small doses of daily activity. But with work, private clients, family and friends getting in my workouts can be a bit of a challenge.

The good thing is I know myself, this makes the challenge doable. I use many tools & tips. Here's a list of 10 tips I'd like to share with you:

1. Schedule your workout into your day. Adding exercising to your to-do list makes fitness and important part of you day and life. (This sometimes means I’m working one or two body parts, in-between clients.)

2. Choose a convenient gym/fitness center. If you like going to a gym, find someplace close to work, home or school so you don’t have to go out of your way. When your gym is out of the way, you will stop going.

3. Set attainable goals. Set small (short term) and big (long term) goals; your small goals will add up to your long term goals.

4. Keep a journal. In this journal track food and training, this will keep you accountable and tell you why you received your current results.

5. Use the Buddy System. Having a workout buddy can be great for motivation; just make sure your buddy have similar goals and is as dedicated as you are if not more so.

6. Choose/Find a Role model. Choose a person who is where you want to be, and maybe someone where use to be where you are now.

7. Surround yourself with positive influences. I’m not telling you to drop or kick anyone out of your life. I just think you should know positive thoughts and people contribute to overall health; negatively takes away from overall health.

8. Music. For my cardio the beat gets me up and moving; for strength training the music helps me focus and blocks out everything little distraction.

9. Photograph Evidence. A picture is worth a thousand words; I take a Front and Back picture of myself every 4 weeks (in a bikini). I know what needs more attention, I take measurements too. But really seeing is believing.

10. Visualize. If you can see yourself the way you want to look; it makes those early morning or late night workouts easier to fit in.

As you can see Personal Trainers are people just like you. We must schedule, plan, and find tools and tips to motivate and keep us going. I just add tools 6, 7 and 10 a little while ago. They have already made big differences in my exercising and my results.

Written by Laurel Horne, OnTrack Fitness personal trainer. Read more about Laurel here

Practice what you preach

2010-06-09T12:19:00.008-07:00

It's been a while since I wrote a blog post, and there's a reason I decided to put if off for a while!

Being a small business owner is really great, and my fitness business is a lifelong dream come true. I love every minute of it, every day is an adventure. It's also a lot of hard work. I could work 24 hours a day and still have things to do. Combine that with my energy draining chronic illness, and a desire to have a personal life and you've got the makings for a really unhealthy lifestyle if you aren't careful!

Since I try to practice what I preach to my clients: being healthy is about the whole package including stress management and a balance in life not just fitness, I decided to cut something out until things died down. I used my extra time to rest, enjoy life and of course to keep fit!

I think everyone, but especially women, tend to try to do too much. Maybe it's a need to please, maybe it's a desire for control. Who knows, but I do know it's unhealthy to take on too much and then personally suffer. Nothing is worth that!

So, that's my story of why I haven't written a blog in a couple of weeks. Do you ever find yourself in the same situation I was in? What do you do? Do you keep pushing, missing sleep and denying yourself a healthy body? I hope not, it's just not worth it. You know what, the world doesn't end if we put something aside for a bit to get a little rest. Try it!

Fun filled healthy weekend

2010-05-28T16:32:00.006-07:00

Well, we're coming up on a long weekend and I've been thinking about the plans we have. We're hosting a party with friends and family, my in laws are staying over a night and we're squeezing in a trail run & mountain bike.

It's a lot for someone like me, who doesn't have a lot of extra energy. Here are 3 tips to enjoy a fun weekend and stay healthy:

1. Sleep is still important. Sometimes when we have a busy weekend planned, we tend to stay up late and get up early. Then when we get back into our routine, we wonder why we're so tired. Could be as simple as not getting adequate sleep!

2. Don't forget to drink water. I can really tell if I'm not hydrated enough. Tired, brain fog, etc. So, in the middle of all the fun goings on, don't forget your water bottle. Especially if you're going to be outside a lot!

3. Don't be afraid to say no if you need it. If you're running low on energy, it's ok to say no to an activity that comes up. Really, it is!

Or, if you've planned a big day and can't get out of it, try taking a quick nap or rest a few minutes. Last weekend we went to an amusement park. It's a long day for me, so I made sure to take breaks every hour or so to sit down and relax. It helped.

Don't forget that a weekend packed full of fun can still be a healthy weekend. Listen to your body, and you'll have more fun and feel better when the work week starts back up.

Enjoy and take a moment to give thanks to all that sacrificed their lives for our freedom!

Family, fun and races

2010-05-27T05:17:00.009-07:00

This past weekend was my husband's birthday. We went to King's Island and did a 5k there with family, then went to the park for a day of fun. It's become a yearly birthday gift to him because it combines three things he likes: 5k races, family and amusement parks.

I've been thinking about that day and even though it's a tough day for my adrenal fatigue, it still brings a smile to my face.

First, if I'm going to spend the day at a hot, crowded amusement park, the only way I want to is with a really good workout beforehand. This 5k fits that bill.

Second, we get to spend time with our family including our 3 young nieces and nephew. They really love the trip, and they get so excited about doing the race. I feel like we're making a positive impact in their lives as they run the race together (I think we are, read this post about my niece). Hopefully, they'll have good memories of exercise and maybe they'll keep doing it.

Third, even though this is a gift to him, as cheesy as it sounds it's also a huge gift to me. I'm so blessed to have a husband that enjoys doing races as much as I do. When we first got married, he would attend my races and take pictures. I remember wishing he would participate. One day, he decided to try one, and the rest is history!

So, I figure I can endure a long day in the heat at King's Island. It's a small price to pay for so many good things!

Fitness health

2010-05-17T14:03:00.015-07:00

I was on my bike, half way up a HUGE hill when I asked myself "why". Why was I there?

Don't get me wrong, I love a challenge. I don't shy away from a good, hard workout. In fact, I enjoy it. There has to be a reason in it, though. But being on a mountain bike, riding up the pavement, I didn't see the point.

Especially since I had doctor's orders not to push too hard.

Nevertheless, I found myself there, pushing way too hard. I didn't know it would be so difficult to get up that hill! My husband and I were at Brown County State Park, going over the same trail that we have our first mountain bike race in June.

I finally made it, lungs burning and panting for air. Guess what? I saw another one ahead. So, I took in what air I could, and started in on the next one.

I thought that if I could just make it through these hills, I could do the race...I had my heart set on it. A car pulled up directly behind me, almost taunting me not to stop. I didn't care, I was going to push it...

Then, I had a voice inside telling me I'm never going to get better if I keep pushing up this horrid hill (read what's wrong here and here). Is it worth setting my health back, just to say I made it?

I'm pleased to tell you, I swallowed my pride, got off the bike and walked the remainder of the hill. Nothing happened. The world didn't end, no one cared -- but I feel great!

Fitness and injury

2010-05-14T08:49:00.007-07:00

A warning to pushing too hard, too fast by Matt Collins...

As a kid I was very active. As a matter of fact I was pretty active up until only about 6 years ago. Once I started an office job, I simply dropped all physical activity.

Over the past few years I started doing some exercise here and there, but was never consistent. The World Cup, the Tour de France, and even my wife’s races would get me excited to be fit again, but the feeling would only last until I was too tired to work out.

Finally, last year I began training and made it a habit. I successfully trained for and completed three triathlons, a handful of 5k races, and the P90X workout program. I loved the way my body felt and hated missing a workout. Aside from all the training I also did a lot of mountain biking.

Once the winter rolled around, I didn’t really have anything enjoyable to do for a workout. I was occupied with my studies and bored on a bike trainer and treadmill. Nicer weather rolled around and I was ready to pick up where I left off – only, my body wasn’t.

At the end of last year I was running at a 6:30min pace during races and mountain biking for miles. My first time out running I started off just like I used to – pushing hard for my best time. Around the ½ mile mark my back seized up and I was done; I was pushing way too hard too soon and my body told me to stop.

That was pretty painful, but I was able to recover fairly quickly and I had to get out and train for my first race. I didn’t push quite as hard the next time, but it turns out my body wasn’t even ready for that. After only a few times out I developed shin splints and it’s taken me months to recover.

I had three races in five weeks and I had to be ready. As a result I prolonged my injury. I had a goal to accomplish and I let that override my better judgment. I thought that because I was in good shape last year I could simply pick up where I left off with no ramp up period. That’s a mistake I won’t be making again.

From this I learned that even though I am capable of certain things, my body still needs to be reintroduced to the punishment it used to be able to handle. If you are getting ready to start an exercise program back up or even for the first time, remember, your body needs to be acclimated to being worked. That first time out it’s easy to push; however, a day or two later you may find yourself in loads of pain and possibly injured. I see it all the time with folks trying to get fit again after a long or even short hiatus. They start off hard, then quit shortly thereafter.

Whether you were very athletic as a kid (as I was) or even completed strenuous workouts as recent as a few months ago, take it easy and work your way back in gradually – you’ll be better off, trust me.

Written by Matt Collins, OnTrack Fitness ballroom dance instructor. Read more about Matt here.

Fitness regrets, lessons learned

2010-05-13T08:28:00.009-07:00

There was a client that I had several years ago, a client that I learned a big lesson from and will never forget. Unfortunately, I learned what she really needed from me a little too late for her good, but a lesson I keep with me that has made me a better trainer.

This client was a female with small children and a very demanding career. Her job demanded that she traveled throughout the week which caused a lot of stress to her and her family.

When I met with her in the consultation she struck me as already thin, athletic and fit. Her goal was straightforward: tone up a little, become a faster runner and create a healthier lifestyle by exercising consistently. She was going to do all of this by working with me only once per week. Not impossible but rather difficult, I thought at the time.

I created a program for her and we got started. I quickly realized that we would have to squeeze in a run and resistance work in our training sessions, as she struggled to get her workouts on her own.

What I later realized was she really needed me to take away having to think of one more stressor in her life. Exercise was the last thing she wanted to have to worry over and think about what she had to do. She needed someone to come to her, tell her what to do, and then be there to encourage and ensure she did it.

We worked together for almost two years, the entire time struggling to get consistency in workouts and obviously not seeing much progress.

The entire time I pushed education: why she needs this, how to get to her goals, what she needs to do on her own. I talked about how it relieves stress and how she needs to learn to get into a healthy routine so she can finally be able to do all of this on her own. Then she wouldn't need a trainer, thinking that was her mindset.

Yet, every week the report was the same: she may or may not have done her workouts. During this two year period, I often pondered why there was never any change, what was wrong? - My client obviously needed something and I wasn’t giving it to her!

Finally, the inevitable came. She decided to ‘cut back on family expenses’ and personal training was out. I knew it was coming, but it didn’t make it any easier to take. Although I knew a trainer can’t be solely responsible for client’s failure, I felt like I had really failed her.

I used to think back on the situation, beat myself up, wishing I could go back in time to do things differently. Then I realized the best thing I can do is use what I learned on my future clients.

This is what I learned: some people need us, as trainers, to come to them and tell them everything is ok, and not worry about putting them on their feet to exercise on their own. Some people need us to take that stress away from them.

Certain people may need a trainer for a very long time; this is something that I always believed to be a horrible trait of a trainer – that they must not be doing their job if they have clients for a long time. But this client changed my mind. She needed me to work with her – every workout if possible, to take the stress out of a very high stress life.

This was a hard lesson learned for me but an important one.

Everyone we come in contact with is an opportunity to touch their lives. Are you going to be open to it? Is there someone that sticks in your mind like mine?

Chilren's fitness, adult behaviors

2010-05-07T18:44:00.017-07:00

The other day I was talking to my sister about an upcoming 5k our family is doing. I found out my eight year old niece is really excited and wants to run the whole thing. I had no idea of her interest!

I've been thinking about the conversation ever since. I started wondering: What makes some adults stay fit even when life gets hectic, and other adults struggle just to stay active?

I think part of it comes from childhood. Just like all other behaviors, at least a portion of this comes from what we did as kids, what we were praised for and what we felt good at.

Think how easy it would be for someone to stay fit if it's all they've known since childhood.

Now, think how hard it would be for someone to get fit if they've never been introduced to the behaviors of being active and healthy! It's so important for our children to be introduced to healthy behaviors while they're still learning.

I guess that's why I'm excited to hear about my niece.

I know this was true for me. My interest started at age 9 when our school introduced the President's Physical Fitness Challenge. I took it to heart, practicing my running and especially the arm hang for hours and hours. My dad even rigged a pull up bar in our garage...the rest is history.

My thoughts are still on my niece. I hope I can be supportive and encouraging to her so she grows up healthy, fit and confident.

What are you doing to support healthy behaviors in your kids?

Desk job workout

2010-05-07T10:10:00.014-07:00

I have a lot of clients that have stressful jobs. They sit at a desk all day, every day. It's hard to come home after a long day at the office, have supper, get the kids to bed and then try to get in a workout.

Here's a few exercises that you can do in the office in no time at all. These exercises will help keep in shape, relieve stress and refresh your mind.

Exercises

1. Pushups: You can do these right at the edge of your desk, sitting in your chair or if you're like me, do them against a filing cabinet while you're standing there making copies.

2. Squats: Easy, just stand up and sit down a few times at your desk. You've just done squats! Note: make sure your knees are behind your toes. (If you sit/stand normally, you'll do this.)

3. Leg extensions: Sitting at your desk, straighten your leg to strengthen your quads. No one will ever know your exercising, it'll be your little secret!

4. Toe/heel raises: You can do these exercises to strengthen your calves and shins either seated or standing (again, at the copier). Tip: if you're seated, put a stack of files on your lap to add a little weight.

5. Tricep dips: Easily done at the edge of your desk or file cabinet. Or, you could do a tricep pushup the same way, instead of dips.

Stretches

It's just as important to stretch your muscles as it is to strengthen them, and it can really relieve tension. Remember to hold your stretch about 15 seconds, and don't forget to breath.

1. Chest/shoulder/bicep: Our chest muscles get so tight, especially if we sit at a desk working on the computer all day. Clasp your hands behind your back and lift up until you feel a stretch. Repeat a few times during the day.

2. Glute/hip: A simple stretch that feels great. Sit tall at your desk, cross one leg so the ankle is sitting on top of your lap, right above the knee. With a straight back, lean forward until you feel a great stretch in the outer hip area.

3. Back: Again, a great stretch to relieve tension. Clasp hands together in front of you and round your upper back. Enjoy!

4. Full body: just like the picture!

I used to do these exercises all the time when I worked at an office. No one noticed, so if I did it, you can -- don't be shy! Who cares if they notice, you're taking care of your body.

Don't forget, good posture while you're seated will give you more energy and won't leave you feeling tight and tired after work. Sit tall, abs tight and shoulders pulled back and down. Oh, and don't forget to take some deep breaths as you work.

Now there's no reason you can't get a little exercise, even with a busy schedule. Try it!

Kids and fitness

2010-05-03T08:59:00.027-07:00

This past weekend I had the chance to be a part of something really special. I help sponsor a race series called Kids Racing For Kids. It's an all kids triathlon, ages 7-14.

This first (of six) race was at the IUPUI Sports Complex. I was pleasantly surprised to talk with so many kids, a lot of them very young, that were veteran triathletes! There were also a lot of first timers there. I must say, all of those kids were much more light hearted on race morning than I am.

I'm a triathlete myself, so I have a special place in my heart for anyone that swims, bikes and runs. But to see a child participating in an event like this is so exciting! What a great time to introduce an activity that is not only fun, not just going to get them in great shape, but it's a huge confidence builder.

When I first started training for triathlons, I didn't know if it was something I could even finish. Then when I finished my first race - WOW! What a thrill! The sense of achievement is indescribable.

I think about how a simple race can truly be life changing.

I now think about those kids. I think about how, by participating in events like these, it actually helps form a person's life. Starting as a child, it helps mold their behaviors, their sense of self worth for the rest of their lives!

Any kid can do this. There were all kids there - small, big, shy, confident. I saw every personality. The cool thing: they all belonged there.

I wish there had been kid's triathlons when I was a kid. Would it ease my race day jitters? I imagine that it would be second nature to find time to go to the pool, or get on my bike every day.

Do you have kids? Do you encourage them to participate in events like this?

Fitness inspiration

2010-04-30T09:05:00.007-07:00

Being fit is something that requires dedication. It can be difficult to at times to stay focused, even for a fitness professional. So, how have I done it for so many years? I find inspiration to be fit in just about everything. This is something I learned, not something I was born with. That means, you can learn it too!

Here's an example. When I worked as a full time ballroom dance instructor, I was surprised to find that most of my colleagues didn't work out.

Sure, dancing was great exercise. But I looked at it like this: I wanted to be fit so I could be focus on my job. I wanted the dancing not to be the workout so I could put my focus on my technique and on my students I taught. I was inspired to be as fit as possible to be better at my job.

It's the same now that I'm a trainer and group fitness instructor. I enjoy staying fit so that when I work with clients or groups, it's easy for me. That way, I can put my focus on my clients rather than on how hard I'm working.

I've noticed that a lot of people have a different view than I do. I think most people would say that having an active job is enough. I see it the opposite. I want to be as fit as possible so my job is easy. It's just a matter of adjusting the view point.

What's your view point? Maybe you don't have an active job, most people don't. Do you have kids? Stay active and fit for them. Kids are little bundles of energy and they require us to have energy, too.

Find your inspiration in whatever your circumstances are and stay fit for your life!

What inspires you to stay fit? Share you secrets with us!

Push ups: a closer look

2010-04-28T08:01:00.033-07:00

Push ups; what do you think when you hear those two words? If you're a beginner exerciser, maybe you think push ups are only for the elite, very fit athlete.

Wrong! Push ups are for everyone, from the beginner to the advanced exerciser and are a great addition to any workout routine.

Let's take a closer look.

Benefits: Why are they so great? First, you can do push ups anywhere. You don't need any equipment and little space. Second, if done properly, push ups strengthen not just the upper body, but they give a great core workout, and can help strengthen the lower body as well.

Muscles worked: The main muscle group is the chest, but it also strengthens the triceps and deltoids (anterior). By stabilizing and holding proper form, your upper back, core (torso) will also benefit. If you are performing push ups on the toes, the quads will come into play a little.

Technique: Get on the floor facing down (prone). Start with arms straight, hands on the floor at chest level and slightly wider than shoulder width apart.

From head to toe (or, if you're doing them on the knees, head to knees) keep your body straight. Pull the abs in tight, shoulder blades pulled back and down (if you were standing, this would be good standing posture).

Inhale, bend elbows, lowering your body toward the floor stopping when your chest is about 2-3 inches from the floor. Remember to keep the posture you started with.

Exhale and push back up to starting position. Repeat until they get very difficult but before your form breaks. 1-3 sets of 8-15 repetitions, 2-3 times per week will produce great benefits.

Where to start: If you're new to it, performing push ups on the knees instead of toes is a good place to start. If you're unable to keep your form while on the knees, you might try doing them against the wall.

Progression: Once they start getting easier, it's time to try them on the toes (see picture). Don't be afraid - they'll be difficult at first, but keep practicing!

No time like the present to start. Up and at 'em!

Fitness Fun Indoors

2010-04-26T08:47:00.022-07:00

Bad weather can bring us all down, especially if we've made plans to go outside. If you're anything like me, my weekends are filled with outdoor fitness activities. But when rain comes in and plans are ruined, what can we do to stay active?

Here are some ideas to stay active even when we can't get outside:

1. Have a library of exercise DVD's.

Get a wide variety so you have endless possibilities. You'll never get bored and you'll be well rounded in your fitness. You can pick up exercise DVD's just about anywhere, or go to collagevideo to find every possible type of fitness video you can imagine. They even have video previews you can watch.

2. Go shopping!

You don't have to be a senior to get fitness benefits from the mall. Get out there and get moving. Hey, maybe you'll find a cool outfit, too. Just stay away from the food court!

3. Find local indoor rock climbing clubs, skate clubs or indoor pools.

Why not put some fun back into your fitness?!

You may never have dreamed of being a rock climber, but try it! It's not as hard (or scary) as you might think, plus it's tons of fun and great exercise.

Remember going to the skating rink and pool when you were a kid? It was exercise, but it didn't seem like exercise. There are indoor pools (most high schools or colleges have open swims) and skating rinks all over, just waiting for you.

4. Break out the games.

Get the whole family involved and play games like Twister or Wii. I was shocked when my husband and I played a Wii game one evening and I woke up sore the next morning! It really gave me a workout...and I must admit, I had a fun time playing.

Don't let bad weather get you down. Be creative with your fitness and don't forget to have fun!

Need more ideas? We've got 'em here.

No Worries In Fitness

2010-04-24T09:03:00.008-07:00

"Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" ~ Matthew 6:27

How does this apply to wellness & fitness? Let me give you an example. When I was in high school, I was extremely strict about my fitness routine and my nutrition, to the point where it was an obsession.

I exercised way too much. Besides going to school, it was pretty much all I did. I wouldn't eat anything with more than 2 grams of fat (try finding anything with less than 2g/fat!). I wouldn't go out to eat - ever. I didn't hang out with friends or family because I would worry about when I would workout next.

How does that sound to you? Sounds pretty horrible, right? It was. I was a self made prisoner of my own health. I worried constantly about fitness and was obsessed with control.

One day, I realized the exact thing I was striving for was making my life miserable! I was so unhappy because I was worried about my own body that I couldn't enjoy being healthy.

Years later, I work to help people find a happy medium so they can enjoy life in good health.

Where are you in all of this? Are you obsessive about exercising, freaked out if you miss a workout or eat a piece of pie once a month? It's easy to be that person...Or maybe you're someone who's tried to lose weight several times but have been unsuccessful and you're worried you'll never get the weight off.

We all need to strive to be our best. Our bodies want to be healthy and fit - but, if we worry about it too much we're sabotaging the exact thing we're working towards!

Have fun with your fitness. Be thankful you have the ability to do whatever mode of exercise you choose. If you miss a workout every now and then, it's not the end of the world. If you're over weight, strive to get healthy yes. But don't forget to enjoy the process of learning a new lifestyle.

Remember, we all touch everyone we come in contact with, especially our families. We're not doing anyone any favors by worrying about our bodies. Be an example that fitness is fun and proper nutrition is not a chore.

I guess the bottom line is, leave the worries behind and enjoy the ride!

Learn more about Emily Collins here.

Exercise Vs Physical Activity

2010-04-23T09:13:00.020-07:00

Do you know the difference between activity and exercise? There is a difference and it's important to understand.

Physical Activity: This refers to any bodily movements that result in the burning of calories. Anytime you're up and moving, you're being physically active.

Exercise: A subcategory of physical activity; it is physical activity that is planned, structured and repetitive. The intent of exercise is to increase your fitness level.

When you are physically active, you aren't necessarily doing it to increase your fitness level. For example, when you mow the lawn (with a push mower of course), you're doing it to cut your grass, not to get fit. But, if you put in an aerobics DVD, that's exactly your intent. See the difference?

Everyone needs to exercise and stay physically active throughout the day. You wouldn't want to work all day at your desk, take a 30 minute walk when you get home, then sit the rest of the night watching tv. That's just not enough movement. Try to add more activity all through the day. Walk the dog, do housework, play with the kids, etc, etc.

If you're new to all of this, try adding more physical activity in your day before you jump head first into a full exercise program. You'll be more successful at making it a lifelong habit if you take one step at a time.

The old stand by's like taking the stairs instead of the elevator and park further away from the doors at the store are easy ways to start. Think of some other ways you can add activity.

Here's an idea: wear a pedometer. You'll have a constant reminder to get up and move. Plus, it's a great way to see how many steps your taking, set goals and stay motivated.

Wear your pedometer for 3-4 days to see how many steps you take. From there, you can set some realistic goals. Shoot for a minimum of 10,000 steps per day.

Remember to aim for a combination of activity and exercise for best results. Be creative and have fun with it!

Someone's Following You; Are You Aware?

2010-04-19T15:13:00.022-07:00

One of the reasons I try to be healthy and fit is because I want to be a role model to those around me. I want to be someone who encourages people to be their best, and show people they can do whatever they set out to do.

Do you struggle to stay motivated in your quest to become fit and healthy? Would it help to know that you're an example, good or bad, to everyone you come in contact with? Kind of a scary thought, huh? It doesn't have to be. To have the ability to be a part of a change in someone's life - what a privilege!

If you look at health and fitness as being strong for others, for preparing ourselves for what life may bring and for changing our family tree, it makes it easier to get up and exercise. It makes it fun to prepare a healthy meal for our family rather than getting fast food. Try it!

One of my favorite bible verses helps me remember I have a responsibility:

"So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong." Hebrews 12:12 & 13

In the last post, we talked about the first part of this bible verse and discussed discipline.

So the next time you're feel too busy for exercise, or want to swing through the fast food joint, take a moment to think about who is taking a cue from you. It might just strengthen your resolve to become healthy!

Do you have a favorite quote or bible verse that motivates you? We'd love for you to share it in the comment section below!

Choose Discipline

2010-04-13T17:04:00.037-07:00

Let's face it, staying healthy and fit isn't easy. It requires daily discipline. Some days it feels like a chore to get up and exercise. Sometimes it sounds like so much more fun to eat a bowl of ice cream than a bowl of fruit. Right?

Even for fitness professionals it can be difficult. I know for me, I've had days I'd rather sit on my couch and watch tv than to go for a run. Do you know why I pick myself up every time? I know the payoff is far better than the immediate satisfaction.

By payoff, I don't mean fitting into a pair of jeans, although sometimes that's what helps motivates me! But, it's more than that. Much more...

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11

Wellness, health, fitness -- whatever you want to call it -- is just like any other discipline. We don't enjoy discipline for it's own sake. Discipline is painful. But what comes out of the discipline is wonderful!

Think of the peace we have when our bodies are healthy. Training our bodies, making them strong, is so much more than looking good. It's about having stamina to play with and teach our kids. It's about being healthy so we can be the person we were created to be.

Our bodies are created to MOVE! They WANT to move, they shout out to be FIT.

Nowadays, if I miss a workout, my body screams at me. It's true! I've trained it to move and be challenged daily. If not, I feel tight, bloated and I've been known to get a little cranky (just ask my husband).

Have you felt the peace of being fit and healthy in life yet? If not, I encourage you to try it!

You don't need to go for a run to do right for your body. Get up and MOVE! Work up a sweat, and do something daily. You'll be surprised what a little daily discipline will do!

Share your story with us. What helps you with your discipline?

Get Your Cardio On!

2010-04-12T09:26:00.040-07:00

Ok, you've been trying to be healthy lately. You've been increasing your physical activity and watching what you eat. Maybe you've been taking a walk here and there and you're ready to tackle more...but what?

We've talked about the components of fitness, and we've touched on resistance training & flexibility. Today we're going to spend some time on cardiorespiratory fitness.

Cardiorespiratory exercise (aka 'cardio' or 'aerobic') defined:

The ability to perform repetitive, moderate to high intensity, large muscle movements for a prolonged period of time.

Examples of this would be walking, biking, running, swimming, aerobic dancing. Got kids? Be creative with your cardio and include them! Kids are natural exercisers, they can be enormous motivators if we let them.

Benefits include:

*Increased caloric expenditure (burns calories). Burn at least 150 calories per day, or 1,000 calories per week.

*Stronger heart

*Lowered blood pressure & cholesterol

*Increased metabolism

*Stress relief

*Many, many more. Try it & see for yourself!

Training guidelines:

Do some form of cardio a minimum of 3 times per week for a minimum of 20 minutes. More is better, but if you're just beginning, this is a good start point. If your goal is increased fitness or weight loss, work up to 5 times per week for 30-60 minutes.

Remember that when you're working on your cardiorespiratory fitness, it's important to know how hard you're working. Click here to learn how hard to work.

It's also important to find an activity or two that you enjoy. In other words, if you enjoy being outside, take a bike ride or go to the park for a walk.

Whether your goal is to lose weight, increase your fitness or just get healthy, adding some cardio to your workout routine is a must. Try it!

Don't forget this rule: have fun with your cardio! Challenge yourself, find a friend to workout with, be creative & try something new. Have FUN getting FIT!

Hey, if you have a favorite form of cardio, we want to hear it! Leave us a message below.

How Dwight Schrute Inspires Me

2010-04-11T12:54:00.062-07:00

I like comedy. The sillier, the better for me. Watching crazy situations that would never really happen make me laugh. If you've ever seen the tv show called The Office (NBC), then you know what I'm talking about.

I like it not just because it's ridiculous, but I love this character named Dwight Schrute. As crazy as it sounds, watching him has inspired me to be bold in my fitness goals.

Dwight is quite the oddity. He pictures himself a militaristic leader, believes that smiling is a form of weakness and is abundantly confident.

If you're familiar with Dwight, you may think he's just an example of what not to be and that I'm crazy. Let me explain this perspective...

Dwight has something that we in the fitness industry call a 'zest for life' that's unmatched. Yes, he's nutty. But no matter the circumstances, Dwight, in his odd way, always finds the bright side of life. He goes head on into everything he's involved in.

An example of this is in the episode Traveling Salesman/The Return. Dwight lost his beloved position (assistant to the regional manager) at the office and was forced to job hunt. Did this discourage him -- no way! He picked himself up and went out in the middle of winter and worked it. My favorite quote sums it all up:

"I am ready to face any challenges that may be foolish enough to face me."

What would happen if only we had that attitude when things aren't going our way? What if we tried new things or did something completely out of our comfort zone?

I try to keep Dwight's attitude when I'm in the water at the start line of a triathlon shivering with nerves, or when I face a long day and my adrenal fatigue has kicked in full force.

I'm also working on stepping out of my comfort zone this year. I'll be thinking about Dwight this summer during my first mountain bike race (yikes!)...

What have you always thought about doing but never had the nerve to try?

We all have challenges in life. Maybe it's weight we need to take off, health issues or trying to juggle a career and family. Bottom line, whatever you are facing take a fresh perspective & learn from Dwight Schrute!

If you need assistance getting started, let us help! Contact us

Have you conquered a fear? We'd love to hear from you!

Why Stretch?

2010-04-07T08:54:00.004-07:00

Stretching. What do you think of when I say that? Yawn; a waste of time?

Guess what -- flexibility is one of thecomponents of fitness. Yep, it's true. It's just as important to stretch as it is to work the heart & strengthen the muscles.

As a trainer, I've worked with a lot of people that thought stretching wasn't important. Some need a little convincing, but in the end they all agree how much better they feel afterwards.

A general relaxed feeling isn't the only benefit. Here are 3 of the many benefits of regular flexibility work:

1. Improved muscular balance. Balanced muscles will help your body feel better and reduce injury.

2. Reduced risk of injury. Including exercise related injury AND injuries in daily activity. For example, if you have tight/stiff hamstrings and you trip, you're more likely to injure yourself as you try to catch your balance. (Picture what happens when an elderly person falls with stiff muscles -- not good.)

3. Improved performance in sport related activities. If you're a runner or walker, or whatever your chosen mode of exercise, stretch! You just may see an improvement.

Guidelines for stretching:

1. ALWAYS warm up before you stretch. The easiest way, do it after you exercise.

2. Stretch all major muscle groups. Pay particular attention to tight muscles.

3. Hold the stretch 15-30 seconds.

4. Stretch until a level of discomfort but not pain.

5. Stretch at least 3 times per week. Every day is even better!

Don't forget, as we age our tissues stiffen and get tighter. That's why you sometimes see elderly people taking small shuffle like steps. We can fight that and make true progress in the opposite direction simple by stretching.

So the next time you workout, don't forget to spend a few minutes at the end to be good to your muscles, tendons and ligaments. You'll thank me later!

Have a favorite stretch, comment or question? We'd love to hear from you. Leave your comment below. If you enjoy our blog, follow us!

Change Your Family Tree

2010-04-06T08:03:00.041-07:00

I've been listening to Dave Ramsey on the radio for a couple of years, and one thing he always mentions is changing your family tree by getting debt free. When I hear that term 'change your family tree,' I can't help but think how it relates to health & fitness.

My thoughts always go to my own family. The other day my dad and I were talking about where I got this passion for fitness. It's funny, because when you look at our family, we're just like most people. Growing up there was really no one that exercises consistently. We were laughing because my passion for fitness seems to come out of nowhere.

Thinking about it a little more, I remember when I was really young my grandma loved to take walks. She and I would go for long walks in the evening and come back and get on the floor and stretch. I really enjoyed spending time with her, and it never seemed boring.

So, how can we change our family tree? How can we put a seed in our children's future so they live healthier lives and are an example and inspiration to others? It doesn't have to be a huge, instant change. Those don't usually last and you're likely to get some resistance. Making small changes in our daily lives -- and in our attitude, will make a bigger impact than we may ever know.

First and foremost important, be an example. 'Do as I say not as I do' isn't going to cut it here. Taking a few minutes every day to enjoy exercise will make a positive impact on how our family looks at being physically active. I tried for several years to convince my husband to exercise; finally, I gave up trying to convince him and just enjoyed my workouts. Guess what, that's when he started and now we workout together!

Second, do fun activities together. Don't be a family that sits on the couch every night. Find a family activity that you all enjoy. With the invention of the Wii, even video games are getting healthy these days! Whatever it is, find something your family can do together. You're not only making healthy choices, you're making memories! We've given some other ideas in our previous blogs about getting the family involved.

Another simple change: start stocking the cupboards with healthier food choices. My grandma was a great cook and always had good food in the house, including lots of fruits and vegetables. Instead of going super strict, find healthy foods you can start adding, like baby carrots to snack on or popcorn for a evening treat. Simple changes like this can make a difference as our children learn.

I know my grandma never dreamed her walks were creating a fitness professional in her young granddaughter! Even so, that little thing was a big impact in my life. In turn, I've devoted my life to not only changing my family tree, but inspiring others to do the same.

Remember, we're all role models for someone, even if we don't want to be. I urge you to be a healthy role model and change your family tree!

Clean Up For Heart Health!

2010-03-29T08:59:00.027-07:00

Did you ever think a personal trainer would tell you to do housework for better heart health? That's exactly what this trainer is saying to you!

Don't get me wrong, just doing housework isn't going to make you look like a super model. It's not going to allow you to go out and run a marathon or play an intense game of basketball without being sore the next day. But if your interest is simply to lower your risk of degernerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, get moving!

It's not limited to just housework. Yard work, gardening, repair work and anything that gets you up and moving, are important contributors to disease prevention.

Physical activities such as these will also burn calories. No, not as much as a formal exercise program, but don't count them out. Anytime you're up and moving, you are burning calories!

As a beginner, your goal should be to burn about 150 calories per day, or 1,000 per week. You also want to accumulate 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise on most days of the week. This can include your housework, yard work or other physical activities.

So, if your goal is to lower your risks of disease, simply start moving more. You don't have to become a runner or a bodybuilder (as some people may have that belief). Just get up and get going! Even better than that, put some fun music on, it will naturally inspire you to move quicker and thus burning more calories.

Be creative and start thinking of ways you can add more physical activity to your day -- start today!

What's your favorite way of burning calories? We'd love to hear from you, leave us a message below!

Need some ideas on how to get the family involved? Check out these ideas.

Why Water?

2010-03-26T10:52:00.014-07:00

Everyone knows drinking water is important, right? But do you know why it's important to drink, especially when you're exercising -- and when you're trying to lose weight? Probably not. Our makeup is 70-75% water, so you know it's got to be important to drink!

When you learn exactly why it's important to stay hydrated, it makes it easier to reach for the glass of water instead soda. I know it did for me!

A few facts you may not know about hydration:

*A 10% reduction of water in the body can make a person ill. A loss of 20% of water can cause death. Yikes!

*We can only survive a few days without water, and only hours in a hot environment! Our body can't store or produce water, it must get it from outside sources on a regular basis.

*A reduction of water means a concentration of blood. 5% loss of water equals 10% loss from blood! That's bad news because thicker blood is more likely to clot, less able to deliver oxygen to the brain, muscles & other tissues.

This is where it gets really interesting:

*Water is responsible for actions in energy production. If your kidneys don't have enough water, the liver is forced to to detoxify. This means that other functions the liver does are less effective -- including metabolism of food!

*Do you believe that dehydration can cause water retention? You should. When dehydrated, even a little, the body slows down the elimination of water, which results in water retention.

*Water helps with workout recovery by aiding fat based fueling of muscles. When you're dehydrated, that process is slowed down.

Starting to see how dehydration can effect workouts & weight loss? Need more? Read on...

*Water helps energy storage by being stored next to glycogen. When there's not enough water in the body, extra glucose will remain in the blood stream until reaching the liver where it's stored as FAT! This means you can actually get FATTER when you don't drink enough water!

*So, if you're dieting, you must drink plenty of water. This will help the liver effectively metabolize body fat.

If you're an active person, you must drink more than inactive people. We all know that.

*A reduction of 4-5% water may result in a drop in physical performance of 20-30%!

If you're a competitor, you know this is a HUGE deal! It's hard enough to exercise on a regular basis, but poor performance makes it even harder to continue. Don't make it hard on yourself!

The rule of thumb for drinking water when being active:

*2 hours prior to activity, drink 17-20oz

*Drink 7-10oz every 10-20 minutes

*Drink 16-24oz for every pound lost following activity

One more point -- don't rely on thirst. Start drinking before your thirsty and well after you feel quenched.

Bottom line: drink plenty of water throughout the day. Drink more when you're active or dieting. Drink even if you don't feel thirsty.

Well, the next time you go to grab a soda, think twice and instead go for a tall glass of water. Heck, why not grab one now!

Play Games

2010-03-23T09:21:00.006-07:00

Family time is so important to raising kids and growing together as a family. As a parent it is a great feeling teaching your kids about new things and creating fun memories. Now days, though, many of these family times are stuck on the couch in front of the TV.

Over the past several years there has been a big push for family game night. This is a great way to not watch TV, however does not always get everyone moving. As a parent you want to your children to be healthy too.

Family game night doesn't always mean gathering around the traditional board game. In warmer months there are many outdoor activities that can be done as a family. Some cost a little money or requires some sort of equipment but overall these activities are relatively cheap. Miniature golf or the driving range are inexpensive ways to spend time together moving outside.

Some activities that can bring you back to childhood are playing tag, running bases, catch, four-square, kickball, wiffleball, volleyball and shoot hoops. Why not have a jump rope or hula hoop contest? It's fun on a hot summer’s day to swim or even just play in the sprinkler, possibly have a water fight. What about simply going for a walk together?

There are those days where you just do not want to leave the house, you can gather around the table and play “21 fitness”:

Supplies: pen, paper and 2 dice, 2 different colors (if you don't have 2 different colors use nail polish to mark one die).

Designate one die as the exercise die and the other as the number die. The exercise die 1- push-up; 2- crunches; 3- jumping jacks; 4- squats; 5- lunges; 6- dips.

Roll both dice do the number of exercises on the number die and the exercise that appears on the exercise die. The first one to do all 6 exercises 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 times wins. In the meantime you get a little workout.

Gather up the family and have a fun exercised day! Click here for more ideas on family fitness.

Written by Angie Conway, OnTrack Fitness instructor. Read more of Angie's posts here.

Have a favorite family game? Share it with us, we'd love to hear from you.

Are You Working Too Hard?

2010-03-19T10:06:00.037-07:00

In my experience as a personal trainer, I've noticed there's two types of newbie exercisers: Those that don't work hard enough and those that work too hard.

Don't fall into either of these traps! Knowing how hard you're working will ensure that you get fit injury free, actually see progress and maximize your workout time.

Below are 3 ways to determine how hard you're working:

Percentage of Heart Rate Max

220-your age=estimated maximum heart rate (HR)

Estimated maximum HR X % (take it X 55% - 85%)=Target HR range

Once you've calculated your range, work within the percentages.

If you're just starting out, work on the lower end of the range. As you get fitter, you'll need to adjust how hard you're working. Your body will also be able to work at the higher end of the range.

Talk Test

During your cardio workout, you should be able to speak but not sing. If you can't speak, you're working too hard. If you can sing (or say a full sentence without feeling a little breathless), you're not working hard enough.

Rate of Perceived Exertion

0 No exertion

.5 Very, very weak

1 Very weak

2 Weak

3 Moderate

4 Somewhat strong

5-6 Strong

7-9 Very Strong

10 Extremely strong

* Maximal

These numbers are based on how you feel during your exercise, based on how hard your breathing, how your muscles feel, etc. This is a great way to learn to listen to do your body.

When your a newbie, work somewhere between numbers 3-5.

So, which one of these tests should you use? I suggest a combination of all of them at first. Find your Target Heart Rate Range. As you're working within your target heart rate, use the talk test, plus listen to how your body feels to learn your Rate of Perceived Exertion. As you get used to it, use the Rate of Perceived Exertion/Talk Test more than relying on the Target Heart Rate.

As you get fit, you can start doing workouts with intervals in them...we'll discuss this in another blog.

The next time you do your favorite cardio workout, try one (or all) of these. If you're an over-worker, you may be surprised at how much more enjoyable your workout become. If you're an under-worker, you'll be pleased with the results!

Questions? Write us in the comment section below, we'll get back with you!

Feed off Their Energy!

2010-03-16T17:24:00.014-07:00

Don't just sit there...get moving! Better yet, get that family moving, too!!!

Most people with kids would agree that the boundless energy and high activity level our kids maintain can sometimes be exhausting. Have you ever wished you could bottle up some of that energy and use it for yourself... maybe you can!

It's easy to get home from a long day and want to just take a minute to sit down while an excited child is pulling at you to play catch in the backyard. What if instead of suggesting that they find a sibling or neighbor kid to play with, you went out yourself and tossed the ball around? What if instead of just going out to play catch you kicked it up a notch and said I'll play catch after I race you to the end of the street and back? It's hard to fit in opportunities to get your heart pumping, a race to the end of the street would do it!

Finding time for physical activity is becoming increasingly difficult. Instead of working around the schedules of your children to fit it a workout, why not include them and let their energy and enthusiasm spread to you? This kind of thinking can be applied to children of all ages.

Babies - Try putting your baby in their infant car seat (strapped in of course) and do curls up an down. If one arm is too difficult use both arms. Your baby's cute little face looking up at you, and maybe even smiling will be motivation to keep going. You could also swing them back in forth mimicking the motion of their swing. Lots of baby's enjoy their swing, why not swing them yourself?

Toddlers/young children - Piggy back rides!!!! Who doesn't like a piggy back ride? Toss your kid on your back and run around around the family room, the backyard and even go up the stairs! This is sure to bring squeals of delight from your little one.

Play airplane. Lay on your back on the floor and hold your son or daughter under the armpits while supporting the rest of their body with your feet or knees. Go up and down and side to side. Just watch out for drool...

Another suggestion is a lap ride. Sit on the floor with your feet straight out in front of you and put your child on your lap. Sing songs while bouncing your legs up and down. This is sure to elicit giggles and sore thighs or both.

Older children - Go bowling, play active Wii games, go on nature hikes. If your child is in an organized sport, practice with them instead of just driving them to and from practice. Or if you have to drive them to practice and wait, spend the time walking around the park. Maybe you can find another parent who will want to join you.

Go out in the yard and be the goalie, the catcher, the blocker. Go to the driving range and hit a bucket of balls or go to the batting cage. Don't just stand there and watch, take a few swings yourself!! Take them to the pool and swim with them. Offer to go on a run or walk with them on the weekends. The possibilities are endless and spending active time with will no doubt turn into quality time as well.

All ages - A family walk around the neighborhood or bike ride through a park is always a great activity to keep everyone moving. Depending on the ages and abilities of your kids, I imagine they will want to keep going and going and going... and you will have to go with them. Now that's motivation!

Feeding off of the energy of your kids is a fun way to get the whole family moving. Instead of making excuses, follow their lead! Their energy can be contagious.

Need some more ideas? Go to FitCity for great activity & nutrition tips for the family!

Written by Chrissy McComas. Read about Chrissy's unique & inspiring story here.

Do you have a favorite activity you play with your family? We'd love to hear it, take a moment and leave a comment!

A Unique Perspective

2010-03-16T08:21:00.050-07:00

Believe it or not, personal trainers have the same struggles as everyone else. Some mornings we wake up and say 'I don't feel like exercising'. We have bad days, grumpy families and weeks that seem to drag on forever. Weight problems? Sure, sometimes! We've discussed this in our previous blogs.

Just like you may be, we struggle with health problems that interfere with every day life, including our fitness goals.

I've had first hand experience with this. I've been a personal trainer for a long time, a fitness nut since the age of 13 and I've always put a focus on my health. But the last few years have been a struggle for me with my health. It started with not being able to take a deep breath, I couldn't sleep and was constantly fatigued.

I went from being able to run 8-12 miles without blinking, to barely finishing a 15 minute walk. I mysteriously gained 40 pounds very quickly and couldn't take it off no matter how much I watched my calorie intake.

I went through several doctors (including trips to the hospital) and got many diagnoses: panic attacks, asthma, anxiety, etc.

Several medications later, no change. A few years go by and I was still pursuing better health, still miserable! Finally, a breakthrough came with the diagnosis of severe allergies, a 'mystery virus' and respiratory Candida (causing the weight gain and the breathlessness). I got on allergy shots and meds, which helped a little but I still didn't feel good, still very fatigued.

Six plus years later, I found a doctor with answers! Tests found that adrenal fatigue was the underlying cause of all of my issues, listed above plus some others she found.

Adrenal fatigue caused these issues for me: hypothyroid, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, allergies, respiratory Candida, chronic coughing, hypoglycemia, insomnia and my mysterious virus floating around...

So after six plus years,...numerous doctors and one telling me I'll 'never be normal and just deal with it', this is what sticks out in my mind: My newest doctor said 'You are going to feel better. There's alway hope.' You know what, I believe that.

This story isn't for me to feel sorry for myself. It's not to say I have health issues, so I'm 'sickly'. Quite the opposite! Just when I felt like I was never going to feel better, I was led to someone who gave me hope!

I'm so thankful for many things. I'm thankful that my friend referred this doctor to me, for a doctor that cares and a supportive family.

I'm not thankful for these health problems, but I am thankful that God has given me a unique perspective on life. I know this makes me a better trainer and a better person.

I pray I can be a voice of hope to people who may be struggling themselves. I want to be a good example to everyone I contact (definitely a work in progress!). Never give up. Don't settle for a life of mediocrity, don't let others tell you that you can't be the best you. Keep pushing, keep looking. If you are unhealthy, take action and find help! Take control and don't listen to Negative Nellies!

Everyone has areas in life where they struggle, and everyone that we come in contact with is dealing with something. We may not ever know what their struggles are, but whether we like it or not, everyone is an example. We each choose to be a bad, negative example, or a good positive example of hope. I'm choosing to be positive, which direction will you choose?

Do you have a similar story to share? Have a question? We'd love to hear from you, write your comment below. If you're enjoying our blog, please follow us!

Don't be a Chicken

2010-03-05T08:33:00.029-07:00

Have you ever been at the gym and seen those men that spend all of their time working on their pecs? If you've spent any time in a gym, I'm sure you've witnessed it. These are the guys that are always on the bench press, pushing up more weight than seems humanly possible.

Take another look, notice anything odd? If you look, a lot of these guys look big and tough on top, but they're walking around on tiny little chicken legs!

These guys are missing the point here. Working just one or two muscle groups is going to not only make you look awkward (think big top, chicken bottom), but it can eventually lead to more serious issues such as skeletal imbalances and injuries.

Building a strong, healthy body takes work, obviously. Working on each component of fitness will ensure you're well rounded, that you're heart and lungs are healthy, your skeletal system is protected and your muscles are strong and flexible. Today we're going to take a deeper look into muscular fitness, specifically talking about major muscle groups.

When you're starting on a muscular fitness program, the first step is to become familiar with what the major muscle groups are. This will help determine what exercises to do when you're working out.

When you work on muscular strength & endurance (both are part of muscular fitness), it's very important to spend fairly equal time working on these muscle groups through resistance training. Dumbbells, resistance machines (at the gym or a home gym), resistance bands/tubes and your own body weight are all great choices for resistance training.

I've listed each group below, in the general terms. Remember each major muscle group is made up of more than one individual muscles.:

Upper Body:

Chest (or pecs)

Back

Shoulders (or deltoids)

Biceps

Triceps

Abdominals

Lower Body:

Quadriceps

Hamstrings

Glutes

Calves

One thing to note: If you're working all major muscles in one workout, you want to work largest to smallest muscle groups, upper and lower.

If you're new to this, is can be a little bit scary -- but don't let those big guys in the gym intimidate you! Just think, if you follow what I've given you here, you'll be more well-rounded than them! You'll have a 'leg up' on them, so to speak...

So, if you want to be strong, have lower body fat and have less aches & pains, work those muscles!

Look for our upcoming posts with ideas for exercises in each muscle group!

Let us know what you think about this blog! Did you find it helpful? Any questions? Post a comment, I'd love to hear from you!

What You Can Learn From My Clients Part 2

2010-03-02T17:07:00.038-07:00

2. Your Attitude Points the Way

This point is common sense really, but it needs to be pointed out. When I work with a client with positive outlook on their fitness goals, they're more likely to succeed.

Making a healthy lifestyle change is difficult and there's going to be some ups and downs, plateaus and times when you just want to give up. If your attitude is one that says this goal you're working toward is worth the time and effort, you're more likely to stay consistent; and consistency is key!

My clients that have a positive attitude, reach their goals because they can look past the days that are hard -- yes, they have bad days (you will too, count on it)! But they keep looking forward. They know what they're doing right now is affecting what they'll feel & look like in the future.

On the other side, some clients I've worked with have had a negative attitude toward exercise, or life in general. It's really difficult for them to succeed, not impossible, but hard on them (and me!). Making big changes in life is hard, and facing it with a negative attitude will make it almost impossible. A negative attitude is saying 'I don't believe I'll be successful'. If you don't believe it, it's not going to happen...

If you're experiencing negative thoughts about your quest for weight loss or a healthier lifestyle, ask yourself why you're doing this. Come up with several positive reasons to make this change. For example, becoming healthy & fit in order to take an active role in your kids lives, is a great reason! Losing weight to finally be happy, is not the greatest of reasons (you'll find that this is an empty rat race style of looking for happiness).

Keep in mind that, life, in general, has it's ups & downs. There's always going to be struggles that get in the way of what we're trying to accomplish. If you go into a change acknowledging this, the hard times are going to be easier to deal with.

It's difficult to change, yes, but it's worth it in the end, and that's what we all need to focus on every day! Going through life with a strong, healthy body, is a great feeling!

Read Part 1 "Sticking a Feather Up Your Rear Doesn't Make You a Chicken!"

What You Can Learn From My Clients Part 1

2010-02-26T08:41:00.052-07:00

1. Sticking feathers up your rear doesn't make you a chicken!

What does this have to do with hiring a trainer? If you've never heard that cliche, I'm sure you've heard this one: 'there's no magic pill'. Both are true about hiring a trainer. It's really quite simple -- just because you have a trainer doesn't mean you're going to get fit; it doesn't mean you're going to lose weight or reach your goals. Now, this may sound severe, but sometimes a little severity is what is needed to spark a change!

Your success is determined by you, not your trainer, not your spouse, not your life circumstances. I've been a personal trainer for a long time & worked with a lot of clients over the years. Some clients get that, some don't. The client that gets it, succeeds.

Don't get me wrong, personal training is a great way to reach your fitness goals; but, the role of a trainer is to educate, encourage, and hold you accountable. Our role is not to work with you 3-5 times per week for the rest of your life! At some point we want you to make fitness a habit, so much so that you don't need us anymore. That means you'll need to learn from us, find social support and consistently do work on your own.

My most successful clients have been those that pick my brain (I love it when a client asks me questions!). They're the ones that email me in between sessions with questions or updates on what they've been doing on their own. They read all material that I give them and they fill out their workout & food logs diligently.

Supplementally, your trainer must help you set goals & teach you how to set goals on your own. They need to teach you fitness terms, guidelines, form and progression. Lastly, they need to slowly wean you off of depending on them every week.

What it really boils down to is this: if you're ready to make a change, you will make that change. A trainer is a tool for you to use, not your 'magic pill'. You must do the work, you must make the effort.

Stay tuned for parts 2 & 3 of this series!

Read Part 2 "Your Attitude Points the Way"

A Child's View of Sports & Weight

2010-02-22T18:48:00.015-07:00

Angie Conway is one of OnTrack Fitness's group fitness instructors with a unique viewpoint about being overweight in the fitness industry. She's shared part of her journey in the post Breaking Stereotypes, now she's going backward, to share her childhood...

I have been overweight all through my life starting at the age of 10. This is when I hit puberty and had a growth spurt, both up and out. By the end of fourth grade I was 5’4” weighing 120. Neither my doctors nor my parents saw what the charts indicated for my height they were all concerned about my weight for my age.

I participated in every sport possible. I was in dance classes, played softball, basketball and I excelled despite my size. I loved to ride my bike all over town. During the summer I would ride from sunrise to sunset. In my elementary school I was one of the fastest runners in my grade.

But, clothes were ackward for me. I was 10 and had the body of a 19 year-old. I was in Girl Scouts and the uniforms weren't made for my level in my size. When I was in fifth grade, I was on the basketball team and there were no uniforms that fit. I had to have special shorts purchased for me, the color was not the same as everyone elses. My jersey had to be altered to give the shirt another 2 inches around.

The summer after sixth grade I tried out for softball all-stars. There were a couple other girls that were big, but I was the biggest. When it came time to be timed on our running, I had the fastest time. I made the team. This team had great success. We won state tournaments in two different divisions and went to play at a national level, several states away in Kansas!

By the time I got to junior high I weighed about 160 and still expanding outward. The town I grew-up in had several elementary schools that all poured into one junior high. The beginning of my seventh grade year we played dodge ball for the first time in class with a mixed boys and girls teams on teams. I was the last one picked. It always hurts to be last picked, but in junior high it is a popularity contest, and the fat girl is not popular. No one in my gym class really knew me and what athletic abilities I had, they only saw a fat girl.

The art of playing dodge ball is to hit others with one of those red rubber playground balls. And, of course, to catch one that someone hurls at you. Again no one in the class knew that I had just spent the last summer playing softball all over the state of Indiana and across the mid-west. I was not the shy girl hiding in the back or the prissy girl saying “oh don’t hit me” -- I was up front throwing and catching until I was the last one standing. From then on this fat girl was never the last to be picked.

Read more about Angie in her other post.

Components of Fitness

2010-02-20T15:43:00.041-07:00

Most people, when they start an exercise program, know they need to do a little cardio and maybe pick up a few dumbbells here and there.

There's more to it than that. You'll get better results if you know all components of fitness -- and you work within them! You'll be as fit and healthy as you can be, plus you'll be less likely to become injured.

Below are the components:

Muscular Fitness

This includes muscular strength & endurance.

Muscular Strength: the maximum force a muscle can produce against a resistance in a single, maximal effort.

Muscular Endurance: the capacity of a muscle to exert force repeatedly against a resistance, or to hold a static contraction over time.

Both muscular strength and endurance can be work on through resistance training.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness

The ability to perform repetitive, moderate to high intensity, large muscle movements for a prolonged period of time.

'Cardio' training can be worked on through exercises such as walking, running, aerobics class.

Flexibility

The range of motion around a joint.

Flexibility can be worked on simply from stretching major muscles after each exercise session.

Proper Body Composition

Body composition itself is the makeup of the body in terms of the relative percentage of fat free mass and body fat.

Proper body composition is where good nutrition and exercise meet.

The first thing you need to do is ask yourself if you're touching on all of these components, or are you focusing all of your time on just one or two.

Knowing the components is the start point, but remember there are training guidelines for each components, which I'll be talking about in another blog.

The Processes of Change

2010-02-19T18:06:00.031-07:00

Have you been struggling to get on an exercise program for years, never quite able to make it a habit for longer than a few weeks at a time? You're not alone -- and there is hope!

Many people jump into a full exercise program with good intentions but it ends up being too much, too fast and the whole thing just fizzling out. We're not used to hearing people say to ease into a workout program. We've been told 'no pain, no gain'.

We have a different philosophy at OnTrack Fitness. We work with new clients through what is called the 5 Stages of Motivational Readiness for Change (click to read more and to find out what stage you're in) and work them through the processes of change. This isn't something we created, this is a proven method of behavior change. These processes were originally used for smokers, we now use them for people wanting to become more physically active, like yourself.

We briefly discussed the processes of change in the previous post, 5 Stages of Change. Once you've determined which stage you're in, it's time to implement strategies & techniques to modify your behavior to become a fitter, healthier you.

They're divided into 2 categories:

Cognitive Strategies:

*Increase knowledge - Read & think about physical activity

*Being aware of risks - Learn about how/why inactivity is very unhealthy

*Caring about consequences to others - Recognize how your inactivity affects your family, friends & co-workers

*Comprehending benefits - Understand the personal benefits of being physically active

*Increasing healthy opportunities - Increase your awareness of opportunities to be more physically active

Behavioral Strategies:

* Substituting alternatives - Participate in physical activities when you're tired, stressed, or unlikely to want to be physically active

*Enlisting social support - Find a family member, friend or co-worker who's willing & able to provide support for being active

*Reward yourself - Praise & reward yourself for being physically active

* Committing yourself - Make promises, plans and commitments to be active

*Remind yourself - Set up reminders to be active (ex: keep comfortable shoes in the car and office to be ready to be used any time)

These processes describe how people change, and depending on what stage of change you're in will determine what process you will you start with. If you find you're in stage 1 or 2, start working on the suggestions we give in the cognitive processes. If you're in stage 3, 4 or 5, you'll want to put more of your focus on the behavioral processes.

If a smoker can become a non smoker, you can become healthier. Remember, just like a smoker may take several attempts to quit, and may always have an urge to smoke, you might cycle through the stages of change several times before making physical activity a true habit. Even people in stage 5 may fall back a little now and then. The key, though, is never give up.

Information from: Motivating People to Be Physically Acitve

Breaking Stereotypes

2010-02-17T10:00:00.034-07:00

What is a fitness instructor suppose to look like? Most people have a stereotypical thought of a fitness instructor. Picture this: A male instructor w/ buff muscles, a ripped 6-pack, tan and always pumping more iron. What about female instructor? See if this comes to mind: Stick skinny, perky, leotard wearing.

If this is who I had to workout with, I would be intimidated. How would you feel? I would feel too fat to workout with them! Just as someone would clean their house before a cleaning lady came, I would want to drop 20 pounds before working out with them, maybe even squeeze in a marathon for good measure. This may or may not be how you feel...

Not all fitness professionals fit into this stereotype. Don't get me wrong, there's a place for this kind of trainer, and I'm sure it appeals to a certain type of clientele. To be honest, though, fitness instructors are regular people just like you. We have a passion to workout and help others gain from the healthy benefits of fitness. Just like you, we have medical conditions and sometimes we have problems with our weight. Sometimes a medical condition (such as thyroid disease) can cause a person to gain weight. Some medications, like steroids or other hormone containing prescription, can too. But, we have a passion to work through these issues and in turn, to help and encourage others who may be struggling with similar problems.

When I started teaching fitness classes, I didn't fit that stereotypical mold. In fact I broke it. I weighed 280 pounds -- Yep that's what I said! I'm 5’4” and had a BMI over 40. At the weight of 280 I ran, did push-ups, crunches, jumping jacks, heck I even played women’s professional football. My philosophy in my classes is “if I can do it, so can you.” But, I never gave up on my quest for fitness and health!

There's a certain scrutiny around fitness instructors. I know I'd want an instructor/trainer that's knowledgeable, has my best interest in mind and cared about my health. I wouldn't want someone that doesn't know what it's like to be overweight and out of shape. I'd want someone that I can relate to. Since I started teaching fitness 4 ½ years ago I have lost almost 100 pounds. So if I can do it so can you!

Written by OnTrack Fitness's group instructor, Angie Conway. Angie has been married for 13 years and has 2 daughters, 6 & 9. She played women's professional football for 5 years and grew up playing softball and basketball.

After struggling for many year's with weight, Angie started a fitness ministry at her church, Greenwood Christian Church in Greenwood, IN. This ministry has been successful and growing for over 4 years.

Angie understands and wants to help others obtain a healthy weight.

She is a certified group fitness instructor and is currently working on her personal trainer certification and is pursuing her degree in Health and Wellness.

5 Stages of Change

2010-02-14T11:13:00.001-07:00

When we work with clients, one of the first things we do is determine how physically active they are through a simple model called the 'Stages of Motivational Readiness for Change'. It's a long term for something quite simple. If you're struggling to get on, and stick with an exercise program, this information may just be what you need to change your lifestyle.

First, you must determine what stage you're in. Studies have shown that anytime people are trying to make any lifestyle change, they go through 5 stages. If you're aware of this and can determine which one you're on, it's much easier to walk through the stages to eventually make the change you desire.

This model focuses on your motivation to change and the actual behavior change, two very different things!

Here are the 5 stages:

Stage 1: Not thinking about change. These individuals do no physical activity and do not intend to start in the next six months.

Stage 2: Thinking about change. These are individuals who do not participate in physical activity but intend to start in the next six months.

Stage 3: Doing some physical activity. These individuals participate in some physical activity but not at levels that meet the CDC/ACSM guidelines of accumulating at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most/all days per week or the ACSM guidelines of at least 20 minutes of continuous vigorous exercise at least 3 days a week.

Stage 4: Doing enough physical activity. These individuals participate in recommended amounts of physical activity but have done so for less than six months and may or may not maintain this level of physical activity.

Stage 5: Making physical activity a habit. These individuals have participated in recommended amounts of physical activity for six months or longer.

Which stage are you on (I hope you don't say stage 1!)? Maybe you think you've been on stage 3, but have fallen away a little and now are on stage 2. Not to worry, it's normal to move around a little within these stages. The goal, of course, it to get to stage 5 and stay on it most of the time.

So, now what? How do you make the change? There's actually a process you can use. We'll briefly go over this process today, and will talk in detail in a later blog.

Cognitive process: Increase your knowledge, be aware of risks of not being physically active, care about consequences of others, comprehend the benefits and increase your healthy opportunities.

Behavior process: Substituting alternatives, enlisting social support, rewarding yourself, committing yourself and reminding yourself.

This may all seem complicated and confusing, but it's really quite simple. If you take anything away from this blog post, I hope it's this: everyone struggles with change so don't give up, learn where you're at in the process, learn as much as you can and start thinking about how you make healthier choices in your own life -- starting right now!

3 Basic Fitness Terms

2010-02-13T22:56:00.001-07:00

It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with some basic terms. Today I want to discuss three terms: physical fitness, physical activity and exercise.

Physical fitness is an outcome that can be attained through exercising at the frequency, intensity and length of time prescribed by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), below.

Physical activity is any bodily movement that results in the burning of calories.

Exercise is a subcategory of physical activity; it's physical activity that's planned, structured and repetitive.

The ACSM physical activity & public health guidelines for healthy adults under age 65 is this:

"Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week
Or
Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week
And
Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week."

It also states that you may split the 30 minutes of cardio into 3 -- 10 minute bouts.

For more information about these guidelines and more, click here to go to ACSM website.

Remember that's it's important to become knowledgeable about fitness terms & definitions. When you have a basic understanding of fitness, you'll be more likely to understand what you need to do to become fit.

*Always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program*

Welcome to all Things Fitness

2010-02-13T18:23:00.004-07:00

Welcome to OnTrack Fitness's first blog! We are dedicated to bringing you all things fitness & wellness related. When you read our blog, know this information is here to teach, encourage and help you become fit for life.

We're determined to share our knowledge to help you achieve your fitness goals. Our hope is to give you a trustworthy place to learn terms and tips; a place to teach you how to discern what claims are true or false about fitness. We'll also walk you through the process of going from a non exerciser to a fit, healthy person. We'll also write about how to safely and effectively challenge your body as you get fitter.

If you're interested in OnTrack Fitness helping you get fit & healthy, feel free to contact us: 317-281-7922

Check out our website ontrackfitness.net

I hope you enjoy and continue to come back!