I love to laugh and it's usually pretty easy to get me going! Thank goodnees too- seeing as how laughter really is the best medicine!
Laughing has been researched and shown to strengthen the immune system, reduce the level of stress hormones, AND exercises the diaphragm, abs, heart, and even the back and shoulder muscles. There's even such thing as 'Humor Therapy'!
So this is a good excuse for you to chill out and relax with someone you love while watching a hilarious movie or TV show, just don't shovel handfuls of buttery popcorn or fatty chips in your mouth between chuckles!
Saturday, March 7
Wednesday, March 4
There's No Quick Fix:
There's always free cheese in the mouse traps, but the mice there ain't happy.
- Anonymous
I love that quote! Hehehe
You wondering how it relates to fitness? Basically I just want to encourage you to not be tempted by fad diets, and disregard the empty promises of diet pills and other products that claim to help you lose weight "faster", burn more calories, build more muscle, etc etc. Buying into the idea that you can see big changes without doing any work will leave you empty handed, and probably with a lot less money than you had to start.
The fact is that the process of changing your life takes work, time, positivity, and patience. There are no quick fixes. Now, in saying that, you will notice benefits right away when you start making little changes- take my dad for example, he never had to take heartburn medicine again after losing just a bit of weight. But, if you're judging your success by appearances alone, or by the number on the scale instead of how you feel, you're likely to feel frustrated and give up.
Your body just needs time to adapt. You can reach your goals, just give the body you abused so much, for so long, a chance to adjust. As soon as it does, great things will happen! Until then, focus on the changes that happen quickly and improve your overall life. Think about how much better you sleep at night, how much more energy you have in the day, and how great it feels to not be exhausted and out of the breath by preforming the simplest of tasks.
Don't end up like the mice in the mouse traps! Be weary of what's too good to be true, and work to earn what you want!
You CAN do it!
- Anonymous
I love that quote! Hehehe
You wondering how it relates to fitness? Basically I just want to encourage you to not be tempted by fad diets, and disregard the empty promises of diet pills and other products that claim to help you lose weight "faster", burn more calories, build more muscle, etc etc. Buying into the idea that you can see big changes without doing any work will leave you empty handed, and probably with a lot less money than you had to start.
The fact is that the process of changing your life takes work, time, positivity, and patience. There are no quick fixes. Now, in saying that, you will notice benefits right away when you start making little changes- take my dad for example, he never had to take heartburn medicine again after losing just a bit of weight. But, if you're judging your success by appearances alone, or by the number on the scale instead of how you feel, you're likely to feel frustrated and give up.
Your body just needs time to adapt. You can reach your goals, just give the body you abused so much, for so long, a chance to adjust. As soon as it does, great things will happen! Until then, focus on the changes that happen quickly and improve your overall life. Think about how much better you sleep at night, how much more energy you have in the day, and how great it feels to not be exhausted and out of the breath by preforming the simplest of tasks.
Don't end up like the mice in the mouse traps! Be weary of what's too good to be true, and work to earn what you want!
You CAN do it!
What is Failure?
Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, this time more wisely.
- Anonymous
We really need to change the way we think...well, most of us do. Understanding that beating ourselves up won't do us any good plays a huge role in our success. Feeling like we are failures won't motivate us to become winners.
Being in the fitness industry, I hear a lot of people talk negatively about themselves. People jokingly call themselves lazy or fat in a "well, it's just the way it is" kind of manner. No good ever comes of calling yourself names, or beating yourself down.
How can we feel worth it inside to make the changes we need to when we always label ourselves with negative and degrading terms? How can we want to work on becoming healthier when we don't feel respect and adoration for who we already are? Changing the tone of voice we use, and the words we use to describe ourselves will make a big difference in our mental health and strength.
So, right now I'm asking you, telling you, to stop being so mean to your inner self. Stop saying that you "suck", or "can't do it"!! Stop using terms like "fatty", "pig", or "couch-potato". And, good grief, chuckling at the end of such an insult doesn't make it a kind statement. It doesn't make it funny, and doesn't mean you've just accepted the way you are and have a good sense of humor about it.
We have ups and downs. We go through times where we don't feel valued. We miss workouts because we're stressed and we think it's pointless, or eat everything in sight for comfort. We get emotional, we hit plateaus, and we all get stuck in ruts throughout our lives. It's the inner dialogue that dictates whether or not we'll have the courage to pull through and thrive in the toughest times.
Stay positive and be nice to yourself! Believe you are worth it, because you are and believe you can reach your goals, because you can!
Inspiring:
That first peak is the best place to pause and look back, to see if you took the easiest route, to learn the lessons from the first climb. And it is the best place to examine the terrain ahead, to change your plans and goals, to take a deep breath and begin climbing again.
- By Michael Johnson
Tuesday, March 3
You don't need a gym!
Let me tell yas, when I got to grade 5-6 I started to become pretty unhealthy. As I entered Jr.High I slowly stopped being active, and became extremely insecure as I started to gain weight. Throughout grade 7-8 I wouldn't take off my jacket for the whole day.
When I got to high school, things really didn't improve much. My self-esteem was really low and I believed a lot of the negative things my internal dialogue was telling me. Sad. I wasted a lot of years being unhappy.
Towards the end of high school, and then once out of high school, I started hanging around some new people and getting out more....not "out" as in active, just out to parties and such. Little bit by little bit I started to feel a bit better about myself and weight started to slowly come off me.
I met my first "serious" boyfriend a few months after school ended and the more I hung around him, the more I wanted to become healthier. Before our first Christmas together we decided we were going to take a trip down south. As soon as January hit I was into a workout routine and eating right. I dropped about 30lbs within a couple of months. Crazy fast. And you know what's even more crazy? I never stepped foot in a gym, and never had more than 8lb dumbbells.
I know what it's like to feel indimated by the gym setting, and to feel like everyone's watching you. I know how much it sucks getting on a cardio machine and sweating like a pig in front of a bunch of people you don't know, or how it feels like having a "stupid" sign on your forhead when you stumble around the gym trying to figure out how to use the weight machines. That's why I started this business, to help those that hate the gym still achieve their goals all the while being in the comfort of their own home.
I started with using Tae-Bo tapes. Man, whatta great workout! Then progressed to DVDs geared more towards strength training. A set of resistance bands, 5 and 8 lb weights, and gravity- that's all I had and it's all it took.
It's not as hard as you think to get started. You just need to find something you enjoy doing. I'm not saying you never need to go to a gym, because eventually you may want to for a change or to mix things up, or you may find the weights you have become too easy. What I'm saying is...you don't have to start there!
When I got to high school, things really didn't improve much. My self-esteem was really low and I believed a lot of the negative things my internal dialogue was telling me. Sad. I wasted a lot of years being unhappy.
Towards the end of high school, and then once out of high school, I started hanging around some new people and getting out more....not "out" as in active, just out to parties and such. Little bit by little bit I started to feel a bit better about myself and weight started to slowly come off me.
I met my first "serious" boyfriend a few months after school ended and the more I hung around him, the more I wanted to become healthier. Before our first Christmas together we decided we were going to take a trip down south. As soon as January hit I was into a workout routine and eating right. I dropped about 30lbs within a couple of months. Crazy fast. And you know what's even more crazy? I never stepped foot in a gym, and never had more than 8lb dumbbells.
I know what it's like to feel indimated by the gym setting, and to feel like everyone's watching you. I know how much it sucks getting on a cardio machine and sweating like a pig in front of a bunch of people you don't know, or how it feels like having a "stupid" sign on your forhead when you stumble around the gym trying to figure out how to use the weight machines. That's why I started this business, to help those that hate the gym still achieve their goals all the while being in the comfort of their own home.
I started with using Tae-Bo tapes. Man, whatta great workout! Then progressed to DVDs geared more towards strength training. A set of resistance bands, 5 and 8 lb weights, and gravity- that's all I had and it's all it took.
It's not as hard as you think to get started. You just need to find something you enjoy doing. I'm not saying you never need to go to a gym, because eventually you may want to for a change or to mix things up, or you may find the weights you have become too easy. What I'm saying is...you don't have to start there!
Monday, March 2
Diet Myth:
One diet myth I hear about all of the time is about how you are not suppose to eat 2 hours before bed. What you need to understand is this- calories in a day, are calories in a day, whether you have them in the morning, noon, or night.
Now, having a good breakfast will give your metabolism a bit of a boost, help you feel energized, and get your brain working. And eating throughout the day regularly every 2-3 hours will help keep your blood sugar levels in check as well as many other benefits, so, I do not recommend eating a ton of calories late at night. Don't use this tip as an excuse to eat extra calories in the evening, or to skip your snack in the afternoon so you can have it later before bed.
The question is this- if you're suppose to get 2,000 calories a day, and 8pm creeps up on you and you've only had 1,700 calories, would it be terrible for you to have a snack? The answer is- NO!! But don't make eating late a regular occurrence for the reasons I mentioned in the previous paragraph. You just need to make sure you're eating the right amount of food each day. I don't count calories and swear I never will, nor will I ever make a client of mine, but you should know approximately how much you're suppose to eat.
If you find yourself feeling hungry in the evening and you realize you missed your afternoon snack, or didn't have the right servings of a specific food group, there is no harm in eating after supper. Or, if you're like me and you have supper late, don't force yourself to stay awake later because you think your body will shut down and stop digesting as soon as you fall asleep. That's not how it works.
It's better to get your calories in when you can than not to. Depriving your body of calories or certain food groups, beyond what is recommended by a health professional for weight loss, will cause you more problems and can even cause you to plateau and stop losing weight (or worse, gain) because you're body is in a starvation mode.
If you are unsure about your diet, feel free to ask me some questions and I'll help you figure out the basics.
Now, having a good breakfast will give your metabolism a bit of a boost, help you feel energized, and get your brain working. And eating throughout the day regularly every 2-3 hours will help keep your blood sugar levels in check as well as many other benefits, so, I do not recommend eating a ton of calories late at night. Don't use this tip as an excuse to eat extra calories in the evening, or to skip your snack in the afternoon so you can have it later before bed.
The question is this- if you're suppose to get 2,000 calories a day, and 8pm creeps up on you and you've only had 1,700 calories, would it be terrible for you to have a snack? The answer is- NO!! But don't make eating late a regular occurrence for the reasons I mentioned in the previous paragraph. You just need to make sure you're eating the right amount of food each day. I don't count calories and swear I never will, nor will I ever make a client of mine, but you should know approximately how much you're suppose to eat.
If you find yourself feeling hungry in the evening and you realize you missed your afternoon snack, or didn't have the right servings of a specific food group, there is no harm in eating after supper. Or, if you're like me and you have supper late, don't force yourself to stay awake later because you think your body will shut down and stop digesting as soon as you fall asleep. That's not how it works.
It's better to get your calories in when you can than not to. Depriving your body of calories or certain food groups, beyond what is recommended by a health professional for weight loss, will cause you more problems and can even cause you to plateau and stop losing weight (or worse, gain) because you're body is in a starvation mode.
If you are unsure about your diet, feel free to ask me some questions and I'll help you figure out the basics.
Sunday, March 1
Short on time? Have a Quickie!
Alright get your mind outta the gutter; I'm talking about a workout!!
I already spoke about how important it is to make the time for your health and fitness, and that if you don't, you'll be forced to take the time for illness. Well, today I want to explain that it doesn't mean you have to take a LOT of time.
Yesterday I had lots going on so I only had about a 25 minute window to do my workout. Some people would skip the workout because they think it's not enough time. Well, I made use of every second and am feeling it today! The trick to a quick workout? Don't not take long rests between sets or exercises.
Usually when you're strength training you want about 30 seconds to a minute and a half between each set and exercise. When you're short on time, switching between exercises without rest, and/or taking very little rest between sets, will still give you the burn and will also increase your heart rate, giving you the benefits of a cardiovascular workout as well!
You need to be careful when exercising this way because you don't want to overdo it and hurt yourself. You should use lighter weights so that you don't put too much stress on the muscle, but still achieve the overloading affect you need for improvement.
Yesterday was a lower body workout for me so I incorporated many exercises that only involved my body weight, as well as single leg exercises to train each leg individually- allowing one to rest while the other worked.
Hiring a trainer will help you learn how to fit exercise into your busy schedule safely and effectively.
I already spoke about how important it is to make the time for your health and fitness, and that if you don't, you'll be forced to take the time for illness. Well, today I want to explain that it doesn't mean you have to take a LOT of time.
Yesterday I had lots going on so I only had about a 25 minute window to do my workout. Some people would skip the workout because they think it's not enough time. Well, I made use of every second and am feeling it today! The trick to a quick workout? Don't not take long rests between sets or exercises.
Usually when you're strength training you want about 30 seconds to a minute and a half between each set and exercise. When you're short on time, switching between exercises without rest, and/or taking very little rest between sets, will still give you the burn and will also increase your heart rate, giving you the benefits of a cardiovascular workout as well!
You need to be careful when exercising this way because you don't want to overdo it and hurt yourself. You should use lighter weights so that you don't put too much stress on the muscle, but still achieve the overloading affect you need for improvement.
Yesterday was a lower body workout for me so I incorporated many exercises that only involved my body weight, as well as single leg exercises to train each leg individually- allowing one to rest while the other worked.
Hiring a trainer will help you learn how to fit exercise into your busy schedule safely and effectively.
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