This week's workout

This has been a pretty mild winter but I'm still ready for it to be over mainly because the days are too short.  I want to be outside, running, jumping and playing.  In the meantime, here's a workout to beat the Winter Blues.

Repeat each grouping of exercises 2 - 3 times

Warm up 5 minutes

10 squats

10 stepping forward lunge each leg

10 side lunges each leg.

Sit against wall 30 seconds

10 pushups

10 plank row with dumbbells

10 woodchops with dumbbells- each side

Sit against wall 30 seconds

With dumbbells either standing or sitting on exercise ball:

10 overhead press

10 reverse fly 

10 upright row

sit against wall 30 seconds

10 bridge press

10 dead bugs each side

10 quadrupeds each side

Stretch 5 minutes

Be well.

Personal Pep Talk

The other morning after seeing a disapointing number on the scale I found myself frustrated. Over the holidays I gained somewhere between 2 and 3 pounds.  Now that the holidays were over, I wanted the weight gone.

But these few pounds were stubbornly sticking around, overstaying their welcome. Exasperation was setting in and I was beginning to feel hopeless.

And then.  A moment of clarity.  I thought,  "What would I tell myself if I were my personal trainer?"

You have changed your life.
You exercise 5-6 times per week.
You are strong.
You eat more whole foods in one day than you used to eat in one week.
You are happy in your career choice.
You sleep peacefully every night.
You have lost more weight than you ever thought possible 3 years ago.
The scale is just a number, it is not the whole story.
Refocus.  Go back to the basics.
Reread the books that inspired you.
Do the exercises that you love.
Feel good about your achievements.
The weight will come off.  I promise.

And so, I got dressed.  I made my oatmeal, I packed my lunch. I had fun with my exercises.  I laughed.

And you guessed it.  The scale is moving down.

It may be another year before I reach my weight goal.  But I have already achieved so much more.  The weight is only one small part of this journey - I shouldn't let it weigh me down.  Pun very much intended.

Are you in need of a pep talk?

Be well.

Variation and Repetition

I just returned from Washington DC where I had the opportunity to visit the Phillips Collection and the special exhibition Degas' Dancers at the Barre.  The show was as wonderful as expected but what I didn't expect was to have one particular phrase resonate with me: variation and repetition.

Upon examining Degas' work using infrared light technology, archivists learned that Degas worked and reworked many of his paintings, painstakingly moving a dancer's leg a little bit here and a little more there.  Also, he often did multiple sketches and pastels of the same dancer both in the nude and clothed.  He would then take these separate drawings and create composite paintings reworking each of the models.  The attention to detail is both near obsessive and genius.

So, how does this relate to fitness?  It's a pretty simple connection.  Just as artists practice and perfect their craft, as amateur fitness enthusiasts, we can do the same.  Degas drew and sketched and painted the same subjects over and over and over again but making adjustments each time - until he felt it was finished. He often worked on one piece for years.  In fitness, we must exercise nearly every day, doing basically the same series of exercises every day, but varying them so that we continue to challenge and strengthen our bodies.  We must repeat the sequence almost daily but add a bit of variation.

I look forward to exercising, something I still find amazing.  I don't do the same thing everyday.  I'm just a regular person trying to maintain some level of fitness.  That said, seeing improvement is important and keeping my routines fresh is equally important.  I would never have made it this far if I hadn't tried new equipment or added just a bit more weight to a machine.  I also wouldn't have made it this far if I hadn't make the commitment to exercise most (5-6) days of the week.  I repeat what I'm doing but vary it just a little bit to keep it interesting.

I tell my clients that I really don't care what they do as long as they do it almost everyday.  At the same time, is important not to do the same thing day in and day out.  This can lead to boredom and stagnation - both can stop progress towards fitness goals.

And finally, the other important lesson I learned - we must feed and exercise our bodies to live but we also must nourish our souls and challenge our minds.  So this week take a walk to a museum: move your body and nurture your soul.

Be well.

The Simple Seven

I came across this list from the American Heart Association: Life's Simple 7.  Are you meeting all the criteria?  If not, think about changes you can make in your lifestyle today to put you on the path to healthy heart living.

Here's the list:

1. Get active
2. Eat better
3. Lose weight
4. Stop smoking
5. Control cholesterol
6. Manage blood pressure
7. Reduce blood sugar

Be well.

Vacation Exercising - Once Seemed Like an Oxymoron

Not all that long ago the  very thought of exercising on vacation was laughable.  For relaxation, I'd pack my bags with knitting, books and an ipod loaded with my favorite tunes.  My clothes were comfortable.  Maybe a nice dress.  Lots of shoes.

Wow, what a difference a few years can make.  Now, the first things I pack are my exercise clothes.  Then my exercise bands.  The last thing: my running sneaks because I go on a quick walk before traveling and my ipod because I would have just loaded it with my favorite podcasts that I will listen to while walking.

Back in the day, I would get up, make a big breakfast, read, sit, sleep.

Now, I eat a quick breakfast and head outside for a run, walk, bike ride, yoga, calisthenics.  Then I can sit and read or knit.  Instead of an afternoon nap, I take an afternoon walk.

Like I said, what a difference a few years can make.

However vacation exercising is not like non-vacation exercising.  What is different is that these sessions are generally, though not always, a bit less intense than my time at the gym and they are always more free flowing in nature.

For example, I might go for a 45 minute walk on the boardwalk and then maybe do a few dips or push-ups.  Another day, perhaps I will enjoy a bike ride then a few squats and lunges.  Maybe some box jumps on a retaining wall.  Really, it's whatever I feel like doing.

So, I've decided to incorporate some of this "free" programming into my weekend routine when I'm not on vacation.  Here's an example:

I get up. Put on workout clothes.  Drink my coffee.  Read the paper.  Stretch.  Go for a long walk.  Come home.  Stretch.  Do some push-ups outside with my daughter.  Hula-hoop.  Jump rope with my daughter.  Rest. Read the paper again.  Straighten the house.  Make lunch.  Enjoy with my family.  Knit or sew.  Go for a leisurely walk.

Sounds nice.  Not all weekends are like this.  Some are busy.  But what I've tried to do is bring the spirit of vacation to my own family routine.  And I love my exercise on a Saturday or Sunday.  I just do whatever I feel like without any worries about how long or how much.

Try it.

Be well.

Getting busy

I know, I haven't written in a while but that's a good thing.  I'm too busy.

The personal training thing has really taken off and I am loving every minute of it!  Here's why I love it: my clients are making progress.  I had one client who couldn't do a push up to save her life when we first met and now she can do 10.  Another wanted to lose weight and not only did that but lost 6% bodyfat!  Another no longer has pain in her back and can play with her son.  The list goes on and on.

I'm purely the catalyst in this.  These women came to me with goals and my job is to provide them with the tools to achieve those goals.  They're doing the work.  They're making the changes.  They're incorporating fitness into their lives.  It's pretty awesome to watch.

So today I have just a few links to share, all from the NY Times.  Enjoy and as always, be well.

Knee Exercises - all of these are wonderful

Crazy looking Samurai Class - I think I'll pass on this one!

Keeping your brain fit as you age.

Some foods are just not ok to eat.  Sorry.

Consistency and Change

The title of this post is pretty simple.  The idea is that you should be consistent with your fitness and wellness program while at the same time changing it up often.

Most of us crave routine.  And that is fine but, over time, your body becomes conditioned to both your exercises and diet, halting your progress.  Over and over again I hear from clients how they don't understand why they're not losing weight or getting stronger because "I exercise 3 or 4 times a week and eat pretty well." My answer is always the same: change it up.  Some changes can be simple, others drastic.  The point is to make your body adjust to the new program by using new muscles and jump starting your metabolism.  Below are a just few suggestions.

1. Add an interval cardio workout to your program.  For example, go at 90% of maximum heart rate (MHR) for one minute then recover to 60% of MHR for a minute.  Repeat for a total of 20 minutes. Be sure to warm up for 5-10 minutes and cool down for 5-10 minutes.  This can be done on any machine or jogging outside.

2. Instead of cardio 3 - 4 times a week for 30-40 minutes, try cardio 4-5 times a week for 25-35 minutes. The goal is to increase the frequency of your workouts.  Ideally you want to be moving your body almost everyday!

3. Swap free weights for medicine balls or exercise bands or body weight.

4. Try an exercise class.  Zumba, Spinning, Body Pump, Pilates, yoga, whatever - you don't have to love it and do it every week but it can be fun to do a group class every once in a while.

5. Hire a trainer.  Now, I know this sounds like tooting my own horn but I have reason to!  A good trainer will take into consideration what you have been doing (or not doing) and make a program that will introduce you to new equipment and exercises.  It's like getting a few more tools in your belt.  Always a good thing.

6. Eat lunch for breakfast and breakfast for lunch.  Again, the idea is just to change it up and increase your awareness of the food your put in your body.  

7.  Add one more serving of veggies and fruit to your daily intake.

8. Drink more water!

9. Meditate at least once per week.  Give yourself permission to rest, breathe and recover.  Acknowledge your accomplishments and be proud of the changes you have made.

10. Go for a walk after dinner at least 3 times per week.  It doesn't have to be an intense walk, maybe just a stroll.  Enjoy the fresh air.  Feel  your body moving.  Be grateful that your body moves when you ask it to.

Try one of the above, or try them all.  Ask your friends what they are doing.  Check out exercises on the Mayo Clinic Website or Spark People.  Have fun trying new things.  But be consistent - that is, make sure that you are doing something on most if not all days of the week.

Be well.  Change is good.