Fit Your Life

SMART Goals for Your New Years Resolution Near the end of December, most people think about what the upcoming year will bring and what they want to achieve. Setting New Years resolutions should be more than thinking about what you should do, and more about what you will do in 2011. Health and fitness related resolutions are among the top for most goal-setters. I want to make sure that your 2011 resolutions will come true! The SMART goal setting system is one that can be applied to many situations. Here, we will use it to build our 2011 New Years Resolution(s). Specific – we must make sure that our goals are as specific as possible, as this makes them easier to visualize. An example of a specific goal is, “I want to lose 5 pounds of fat mass”, as opposed to, “I want to lose weight”. We can visualize 5 pounds of fat, and we can imagine our body after the loss of that mass. Measurable – to be able to measure our goals is to know that we have achieved what we expected of ourselves....

Christmas is a time that we are surrounded by delicious treats, but this year YOU are going to prevent a Santa belly from forming. My previous posts have given you multiple ways to help make healthier choices and this workout will help to burn the calories from those samples you had off Mom or Grandma's Christmas platter :) The core consists of the rectus abdominis (6-pack), obliques (twisting and side-bending muscles on sides of mid-section), transverse abdominis (deep core stabilizers), and low back muscles. This workout is going to target all four core muscle groups while increasing heart rate to burn calories! This workout is quick and intense ,   so you can add it to the end of a cardio workout, or do it on its own when you are short on time. Let's GO! 5 Station Fit-Tummy Circuit Perform the maximum amount of reps in 50 seconds , then 10 second break before moving on to next exercise. Have a pen and paper handy to record how many reps you did for each exercise. Perfo...

This 16 minute heart-pumping workout will have you sweating and feeling those Christmas cookies melt away from your body! Tabata workouts are based on 20 seconds of hard work, with 10 seconds of rest for 8 sets of one exercise - 4 minutes per exercise. We are going to do 4 exercises consecutively, so it will only take 16 minutes and keep your heart rate elevated the whole time! You will get the cardio benefits of a 3-4 km jog while strengthening and toning your entire body. Let's GO!! If you have an interval timer (most sports watches do) set it for 2 intervals: 20 seconds and 10 seconds and 32 rounds.  1) One-Legged Mountain Climbers targets arms, shoulders, upper back, entire core, quads, hamstrings, and glutes - set up in a high plank/push-up position from toes - bend one knee up and briefly touch toe on ground under chest, then kick it right back to start - perform as quickly as possible while maintaining good form - continue ALL reps on one leg for four sets (2 minutes per leg...

During one of my last boot camps of 2010 I asked each of my participants to come up with a plan to keep up with their hard work over the holidays. We do not want to ruin your hard-earned results during Christmas, however, this does not mean that you cannot still enjoy some holiday favorites! Here are some tips and tricks to stay fit and not feel any food-guilt over the holidays: 5) Bring a side dish of your own! Offer to your host that you bring a side dish to accompany their meal. Not only are you helping them out with less to cook, but you are offering your family and friends a delicious and nutritious recipe! 4) Use a smaller plate. Sometimes, we do not have choice of what will be served, and we do not have a way to bring our own healthy recipe. By choosing to use a smaller plate, you will eat less and still enjoy all of the delicious food provided for you! 3) Sample, do not indulge. Around the holidays, we are surrounded by cookies, cakes, and all types of delicious treats. So, ins...

It has been almost a whole week since my last post, and I apologize! With that in mind, I decided to give you an awesomely intense plyometric workout. Plyometrics use dynamic movements - when we perform these exercises, our heart rate increases (burning calories) and we gain muscular strength and endurance! Pretty fantastic! This is a great way to fit in an efficient workout between all the Christmas season bliss!! These four moves are tough, quick, and will have you sweating in no time.  Perform a complete set of the first exercise, take a 15 second break, continue to do the same for all four exercises. Once you have completed one set of each exercise, take a 1-2 minute break, then repeat two more times (3 set total).  Jack Squats (12-16 reps) Start standing straight with arms at sides. Engage your core and get ready to jump! Bring your arms above your head as you jump, land with legs just greater than hip width apart, into a squat position (knees bent to almost 90...

With the cold weather here and the Christmas season quickly approaching, delicious hot drinks are always tempting. These warm-your-heart treats can be full of fat and calories, so here are some healthier options if you just cannot resist :) Healthy Egg Nog 1/2 cup egg substitute ( we like www.eggwhitesintl.com – they are pasturized and safe to eat raw!) 2 cups Soy Milk 1/2 cup fat free soy creamer 2 tblsp sugar substitute (we use Stevia) 1 tsp Vanilla Spices: Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Pumpkin Spice to taste Alcoholic version: 2 tsp rum extract; or 2 tbs rum, brandy, or bourbon (or to taste) Preparation:  Pour all ingredients into a container and mix until thickened.   Store in refridgerator for at least 1 hour. Adapted from toneitup.com No-Sugar-Added Minty Hot Cocoa  2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1-2 packets of Splenda sweetener (to desired sweetness) Dash of salt 1 cup 1% milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extra...

It is COLD outside!! Here is a fantastic full-body workout that will keep you warm. The best part is that you can do this in the comfort of your own home - no equipment necessary!! Warm-Up 20 jumping jacks 50 body-weight squats Circuit #1 - Full Body Strength (20 seconds per exercise) 1) Split squat jumps  Position yourself in a low lunge, right foot forward. Power up through both legs, and switch their position mid-air. Land with left leg forward. Repeat. 2) Close-grip push-ups Position hands at least shoulder width apart, slightly narrower is better. Perform full push-ups from toes. Repeat.  3) Prisoner sumo squats Position legs double hip width, or more, with feet slightly out-turned. Place both hands on top of your head. bend knees to squat until knees are at 90 °. Rise and repeat. 4) Mountain climber Position body in a high plank or push-up position, with hands under shoulders and legs extended, toes on ground. Keeping pelvis as neutral as possible (bum down!), bend one k...

As much as I really do not want to admit it, Winter is here and so are the nasty colds and other "bugs" that come along with it... Being *almost* a nurse, I am a strong believer in natural remedies when possible! I want to share my cold/flu solution with you, so that you are able to fight your bug faster, and maybe even prevent it in the first place!! My husband started having a sore throat, I got him to follow this (strictly!) and within three days it was gone and never showed any other cold symptoms! I did the same "routine" while he was fighting his bug and I did not get as much as a runny nose :) IT WORKS!! Ok, here goes - when you start to feel something coming on: - Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Echinacae twice a day! (the amount of pills per dose will depend on the dosage you buy, so check the bottle) - Oil of Oregano 5 drops 3-5 times per day (with a full glass of water). You can find this at most organic food and natural food stores (Planet Organic). Please fol...

We have all been there - we have picked up something quick to eat for lunch in the middle of a busy day. This quick, easy, and not-so-nutritious food will boost our energy for awhile, however, when we sit down to try to work again, we crash. Try making something healthy ahead of time! A lunch that will keep you satisfied and full of energy right through the afternoon! Low-Fat-Low-Carb Turkey Wrap (1 serving) 1 large leaf green lettuce 1/4 tsp mustard (I like grainy mustard!) 2 slices of low-sodium oven-roasted turkey breast 2 slices of tomato Ground black pepper, to taste Lay the lettuce leaf flat, and evenly spread mustard on it. Lay down the turkey and tomato. Season with pepper to taste. Tightly roll up the lettuce and enjoy! NUTRITION PER SERVING Calories 32  Fat 1g  Protein 6.2g   Sodium 103mg  Fiber 0.4g  Carbohydrate 2.8g Grilled Veggie Salad (4 servings) *be creative with the veggies - choose ones that are in season and/or grown local...

As one boot camp session sadly ends, and I anxiously await the next, I want to share this awesome workout to tone and sculpt the whole body! First, start with warming up - approximately 5-10 minutes of jogging, stair climbing, skipping, or whatever you can do in your home or gym. Next, perform these six exercises using 'pyramid sets' of 10-20-30. 1) Jump Squats  2) Biceps Curls 3) Stationary Lunges 4) Push-Ups 5) Lateral Step-Ups 6) Triceps Extensions  * I usually pair them up to save time (ex - 10 jump squats, 10 biceps curls, 20 jump squats, 20 biceps curls... Then on to the next set) Cardio time!! Hard lifting, then tough cardio - 30-60 minutes of jogging, stair climbing, skipping, elliptical training, rowing, boxing, or a combination of any of these. You want to be pushing yourself enough that having a 'broken' conversation is possible - this is where you are able speak a few words at a time.  Core - my favorite part!! Eight exercises to trim and tone around the w...

With the cold winter months approaching, the thought of staying active and keeping fit can be daunting. The good news is that just because we live in a country that has beautifully snowy winters, it does not mean that our health journey needs to suffer. Why wait until January first for a New Year’s resolution? Start today with these winter active tips! 1)    Try something new. A new fitness class at the nearest gym to learn new exercises in a warm environment, an outdoor boot camp that will have your heart racing no matter what the temperature, or try one of the many clubs or groups our city has to offer through all seasons. 2)    Find a workout buddy. Making ourselves accountable to someone else is great motivation if that is what you are lacking. When we encourage others to commit to a class or to a new workout schedule everyone benefits and it makes taking a night off a little more challenging! Someone with a similar schedule, or who lives in close proximity is ...