Tone Those Arms!

My younger sister's wedding is next month, and yes, we are wearing strapless dresses for all the world to see our arms. So what is a girl to do when she is faced with an impending deadline and a lifetime of pictures to look back on? BODY BLADE!

The Body Blade is a funny looking piece of equipment. See for yourself here: http://www.bodyblade.com/

I often take my clients out to local parks to work out, and whenever we use the Body Blade it draws in some attention. To many people it looks as though we are preparing to sword fight and are swinging our way into battle, I have even heard comments like: "those look dangerous." Whatever onlookers are thinking as they watch our sessions, one thing is for certain, the Body Blade produces RESULTS...especially to the arms, shoulders and core.

I train men and women, but the majority of my one on one clientele are women 40 and over, and they all have a similar, chronic complaint: the jiggle on the back of their upper arms. I have been training women for years using many different types of exercise routines, and I have to admit the Body Blade targets the upper body and core and produces fast results. And no, I am not being paid for this endorsement, I just enjoy this product and so do my clients.

The Body Blade is easy to use and most people report it is fun too, and I have to agree. With one simple piece of equipment I can train a client's entire upper body. Throw in some squats, lunges, step ups and intervals and we have a complete training program with one piece of equipment. Now I really do sound like an advertisement.

Remember, it is important to vary your workouts, no one resistance training routine will solve all of your fitness needs, but this product is a simple, efficient and inexpensive piece of the puzzle. I hope you enjoy using it.

Have a healthy day!

A Spoon Full Of Sugar

Did you know that being overweight can cost you more? Yesterday's Associated Press reported that some companies are now determining your health insurance premiums based on your life style. You can see the entire article here:
http://health.yahoo.com/news/179186;_ylt=AhdePsYxTu9oOftCkCVGUQqmxbAB

In a nutshell, employers are beginning to feel the burden of the obesity epidemic in their pockets, and they have found a solution: if you weigh more you pay more. Obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are some of the determining factors in how much someone would pay for their share of employer based health benefits.

Luckily, there are bonuses too. Some employers are offering bonuses to employees who practice healthy lifestyles and reduce health risk factors or maintain good health.

So here is the question: Is it fair? Well, let's look at it this way, do you like paying higher premiums for car insurance when you have a spotless driving record, but you neighbor is averaging 1.2 fender benders a year? Doesn't your car insurance policy reward you with a lower rate for your abilities? Is that fair?

We are now living in an era when health insurance is becoming a luxury item. The burden placed upon health insurance costs over the next 15 years are going to sky rocket because of the obesity epidemic we as a nation are facing. So I have to say yes, yes it does seem fair that I would pay less for insurance than someone who eats at McDonald's 3-4 times a week if they are truly basing the premium difference on PROVEN CONTROLLABLE side effects of living an unhealthy or high risk life style.

And please don't blame it on your Thyroid, I have Hoshimoto's Disease and have been treating my hypothyroid disorder since 1996...though THAT disorder is probably going to be protected under the Americans With Disabilities Act....so you will be fine.

Have a healthy day.

A Spoon Full Of Sugar

Did you know that being overweight can cost you more? Yesterday's Associated Press reported that some companies are now determining your health insurance premiums based on your life style. You can see the entire article here:
http://health.yahoo.com/news/179186;_ylt=AhdePsYxTu9oOftCkCVGUQqmxbAB

In a nutshell, employers are beginning to feel the burden of the obesity epidemic in their pockets, and they have found a solution: if you weigh more you pay more. Obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are some of the determining factors in how much someone would pay for their share of employer based health benefits.

Luckily, there are bonuses too. Some employers are offering bonuses to employees who practice healthy lifestyles and reduce health risk factors or maintain good health.

So here is the question: Is it fair? Well, let's look at it this way, do you like paying higher premiums for car insurance when you have a spotless driving record, but you neighbor is averaging 1.2 fender benders a year? Doesn't your car insurance policy reward you with a lower rate for your abilities? Is that fair?

We are now living in an era when health insurance is becoming a luxury item. The burden placed upon health insurance costs over the next 15 years are going to sky rocket because of the obesity epidemic we as a nation are facing. So I have to say yes, yes it does seem fair that I would pay less for insurance than someone who eats at McDonald's 3-4 times a week. If they are truly basing the premium difference on PROVEN CONTROLLABLE side effects of living an unhealthy or high risk life style.

And please don't blame it on your Thyroid, I have Hoshimoto's Disease and have been treating my hypothyroid disorder since 1996...though THAT disorder is probably going to be protected under the Americans With Disabilities Act....so you will be fine.

Have a healthy day.

The Key To Health

Continuing on my healthy lifestyle blog from yesterday, I found a report from the Harvard Medical School Newsletter promoting the virtues of exercise as a critical component to health and longevity. You can read the article for yourself: http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HEALTHbeat_062107.htm



But here is a quick quote from their June 21, 2007 newsletter:

"In a nutshell, exercise can:
-reduce your chances of getting heart disease. For those who already have heart disease, exercise reduces the chances of dying from it.
-lower your risk of developing hypertension and diabetes.
-reduce your risk for colon cancer and some other forms of cancer.
-improve your mood and mental functioning.
-keep your bones strong and joints healthy.
-help you maintain a healthy weight.

-help you maintain your independence well into your later years."

When you are sick, you do not feel good, you do not want to get out in the world and live life to the fullest. When we are sick life has to slow down until we are better....and some of these illnesses take months or years to recover from, if you can recover at all.



Find time for fitness and exercise, there are more reasons to do it everyday.



What is your motivation?



Have a healthy day!

Don't Lose Weight, Feel Good

A Little Inspiration

I don't normally blog about spiritual subjects, but today I am.

Click this link http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/

Dax Moy, a personal trainer in the UK, sent me this link a few months ago and I just played it again.

It is quite possibly the most beautiful message I have read in my entire life, and that is not an exaggeration.

See for yourself.

You may just want to share this message with others too, as I am now. And while you are at it, send them a link to www.curvygirlfitness.blogspot.com, and share the gift of fitness inspiration!

Have a healthy day

Let's KISS

Let's K-I-S-S

Keep It Simple Silly. I love when I can share the easiest and most practical information with you, because let's face it: if it gets complicated we may not take the time to do it.

So today's info is the best nutritional advice I have heard in a long time.

There has been so much debate and advertising lately that carbs are bad for you, and should be avoided. I have heard them all too, but today I was reading an interview with Dr. Chris Mohr, PhD, and I loved what he had to say: EAT MORE FIBER!

Talk about keeping it simple!

Think about it, the carbs that are good for us contain more fiber: veggies, fruit, and whole grains. Refined carbs have less fiber (or none at all) and those are the carbs you want to limit your intake of.

So make sure you are eating vegetables with every meal and you will have better results with your nutrition program.

In the spirit of keeping it simple, that is all I have to say for today!

So add more fiber and have a healthy day!

AAAUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!

Have you ever had one of those days?

As Shania Twain says:

"...I'm falling apart....I am late for work and my car won't start....

My panty line shows, gotta run in my hose, my hair went flat,

Man I hate that......"

Yeah, one of those days....

Where you just want to sit and cry, forget anything else.

Yup, I know those days too, we all have them.

Now, I know this is going to sound like a cliche because I am a trainer,

But really, going and working out has been proven to elevate your mood.

Exercise increases serotonin levels, the positive chemical in your brain,

And your mood is lifted.

But sometimes it is so much more than that: sometimes it is the release.

Have you ever tried a kickboxing class when you are angry?

Did it feel satisfying?

Or taken a spinning class when you were faced with a large burden in your life,

And those hills were a little easier to climb.

You would be amazed how much more weight you can lift when you are really angry,

But I don't recommend going too heavy because you will feel it the next day.

Exercise is a great place for us to release the stress that occurs,

When life happens.

And guess what.....life happens.

So take the dog for a walk, or a hike, or a run,

Whatever you think you need to release the pressure.

Turn on your favorite music and dance, that will always lift the spirits.

You may even want to go try that kickboxing class you have been thinking about,

Just don't punch too hard, you will feel that later.

Have a fit day!

Food For Thought

Have you ever noticed that when you sit and watch TV you want to snack?

I have.

I will be satisfied and full from dinner,

Sit to watch a show,

And be hungry!!!!

Read this article and maybe you will understand why:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/sns-ap-diet-preschoolers-mcdonalds,0,7776295.story

Marketing and advertising are POWERFUL!

We are subjected to it every time we watch TV,

Or listen to listen to radio,

Or open a magazine,

Drive our car,

WALK DOWN THE STREET!!!!

AUGH!!!! There is no where to hide from advertising.

There are even advertisements for pretzels in a couple of the gyms I go to!

Pretzels????

A refined carbohydrate in the gym?

What is my point?

Becoming aware that you are being brainwashed

Is half the battle.

Advertisers are trying to convince us all day long

That we NEED their products.

So learn to listen with a trained ear

And stay focused on your plan to live a healthy lifestyle.

By the way, this is where it would be helpful

To have a really strong MANTRA to motivate you.

When you think about it,

All those cute jingles from the food companies

Are their mantras...and you have been listening to them

Tell you what you want

All your life!

Fight back,

Be aware,

Stay healthy.

Have a fit day!

Are You Talking To Yourself?

What's on your mind?

What do you want to get off your plate mentally?

What are the goals you want to achieve?

Have you ever tried to write them down?

The year 2000 was literally a living hell for me,

And it was an inferno that got hotter in 2001,

And self combusted in 2002.

There is a practice I developed during this chaos

That helped me through my most challenging days.

This practice was journaling.

On days I did not want to get out of bed,

Or I wanted to starve myself so I could not feel

The suffocating emotional pain,

I journaled.

I used to hide in the upstairs of the local Starbucks

And write until I said everything I needed to.

Until all of the pain and anger trapped in my mind

Was released on the page

And I felt infinitely better.

I am blessed to report that there has not been any trauma

Even remotely similar in intensity

To those three years of my life,

But I still journal all the time.

Every letter, for me, begins: Dear Lord,

Then I share all of my thoughts,

Dreams,

Pains,

Fears,

And accomplishments.

And it works.

Journaling has allowed my to clear my head and

Set new goals,

Celebrate my life,

Say Thank You for the blessings all around me,

And see that I am a human being

With so much left to learn in this lifetime.

And even though those lessons are sometimes painful,

They are always worth while.

If you don't journal, my suggestion is to try it.

Even if you type it on your computer,

And never save it,

You may be pleasantly surprised at the amazing things you discover

About yourself.

Because you are already Perfect, Whole and Complete,

And you are just learning the lessons of life,

Like everybody else on this enormous planet.

Have an amazing day :-)

Who Woulda Thunk It?

One of my mentors in the Fitness Industry shared this article with me:

http://health.yahoo.com/news/177766

Take a moment to read it and come back,

I'll wait.

Wow, who woulda thunk it?

I have a question, on a positive note:

If you are in a group of people who are living a healthy life style,

And losing weight, is the social stimulus just as powerful?

There is strength in numbers,

And whether your goal is to lose weight,

Or maintain the status quot,

Be mindful of those you are surrounding yourself with.

When you are trying to live a new, healthy life style,

Enroll AS MANY of your friends and relatives in the program as you can.

You will have the support you need,

As well as be able to offer support to others who need you.

THAT sounds like a win/win situation to me!

Have a healthy day!

CAUTION....PROCEED WITH CARE!

I wanted to chat a bit about nutrition today,

Or more precisely, the LACK of nutrition

In our daily eating habits.

I am on the same emotional roller coaster you are.

We all have our good days, and our more challenging days.

Sure, it is easy to eat healthy on days we feel great,

But what about the moments when we are confronted by stress?

How do you handle your eating skills then?

In the past, I would have either binged on some chocolaty snacks,

Or I would have refused to eat all together.

It occurred to me last week, on one of my more challenging days,

That I still feel the impulse, albeit ever so slightly,

To return to my destructive habits of eating.

After years of being aware and working on healthy eating patterns,

I was amazed I still felt the urge to binge and purge.

So why didn't I?

Because I developed a much stronger Mantra.

That Mantra is: I deserve to eat healthy foods that nourish my body.

I never told myself I should, because there is an opposite: shouldn't.

What I have been telling myself is that I DESERVE to eat.

For a long time I didn't believe I deserved anything positive in my life,

And it showed on a daily basis in my actions and how I treated myself.

So, the next time you feel compelled to binge or starve

Ask yourself a question:

Why do I want to do that?

You can discover your own Mantra in your answer,

And find that you are stronger than you ever knew.

Let me know what your Mantras are, I would love to hear them.

As always, have a healthy day!

Not All Created Equal

This weekend I was meeting with a friend of mine to discuss

My boot camps.

He trains kick boxers, specifically Muay Thai Fighters,

And asked if I could hold sessions for his team,

He wants his students to develop: Power, speed, endurance, and Strength,

And he finished by saying something about working them so hard they throw up...

EWWWW......

Was my first thought,

My second thought was that I understood what he was saying....

Take them to their limits.

But I quickly reminded him that making a group of guys work so hard they vomit,

Well, that's easy.

Making them work hard WITH a specific purpose in mind that supersedes the work load,

That is responsible training.

See, some trainers will work you hard just to prove a point: That they can.

But often it is to the detriment of the client or student.

I'll put it another way: I can make you run and squat and do push ups until you puke,

But if those exercises are not designed to help you attain your goal,

You are more likely to get an injury before you get a result.

Why am I mentioning all of this to you?

Because there are some trainers who will design the MOST difficult workouts

Just to prove something,

I want you to feel free to ask questions about the overall program design.

If you are not happy with the results you are getting, please know that you can ask

Or comment about how your body looks and feels.

Your trainer should be able to support the workout structure,

And modify it accordingly, especially if you feel any pain.

The myth about "no pain, no gain" went out the window with the type writter,

It is archaic and old school.

Yes, exercise IS uncomfortable, but there is a vast difference between true pain and general workout discomfort.

As for the kick boxers, they may actually throw up, but these guys are getting in the ring

With other guys who are punching and kicking them because THEY WANT THEM TO!

They will get pushed beyond their current fitness and endurance limits

So they survive in the ring.

They are elite athletes,

You do not need to work THAT hard, or be incapacitated the next day due to your workouts.

Stay in communication with your trainer,

And if they are not helping you, find another trainer who will.

Be safe and sweaty.

Have a healthy day!

Baby Steps

I often tell my new clients:

"The only difference between you and I

Is that I have been practicing longer than you."

Really, it is the only difference.

I was working out in a new gym this week performing my

BOSU routine, which can best be described as

"Cirque gravity defying" training, when I was approached

By another personal trainer.

She complimented me on my routine and remarked that she might kill

Herself if she attempted my workout.

My response to her was this.....

It only takes Baby Steps to learn this routine.

She quickly understood that comment, as I am certain she has used

Similar philosophies while training her own clients.

Even those of us in the fitness profession marvel at the skills and techniques

Of other fitness professionals,

So why would you consider yourself any different

If you really want what we have, start practicing little

Baby Steps everyday to get you there,

And eventually, you will!!!

Think of this: What are you really good at?

Can you play a musical instrument,

Cook a gourmet meal,

Maybe paint or draw?

Did this skill show up in an instant,

or did you take time and effort to practice and perfect your skills?

It is the same concept when setting a workout or weight loss goal.

You focus upon what you want to achieve,

And keep taking steps to arrive at your destination.

Believe me, there was a day when I was not in shape

Or inspired to workout.

In college, I played sports and my dorm mates would

VOLUNTARILY go to the gym!

I was puzzled by their motivation.....ME!!!!!

I had no idea that what I admired in them would

Blossom into my mission in life.

It took me Baby Steps in aerobics classes,

Baby Steps lifting weights,

Baby Steps trying new workouts,

And HERE I AM!

Whatever you want, as long as you put one foot in front of the other

And continue to travel in that direction,

You will attain your goal!

It just takes the first step,

And never stop....Baby Step by Baby Step.

If you get stuck or distracted, you are off course,

Just get back on track

And keep steppin!

A Great Big Yawn....

A great big YAWN.....

Is that how you feel when you are going to the gym?

That this is just another big boring workout session?

If that was how I felt about my workout

There is no way I would have kept working out in a gym

For the past 18 years.

So, how do you keep the romance alive with your routine?

Don't make it ROUTINE!

Try new things, starting with your favorite interests.

For example, if you love Hip Hop music, try a Hip Hop dance class,

If you enjoy Gospel music, find a local "Praise-ercise"

That book you have had no time to read, download it to your MP3

And listen to it while you lift weights.

Get a subscription to your favorite fitness magazine and

Try the newest class or move of the month.

Whatever you do,

Don't keep it boring.

It doesn't work in your romantic life

And it certainly won't help your healthy lifestyle.

By the way, the more confidence you build by getting in shape...

That will DEFINITELY spice up your romantic life!

See, a win-win situation!

Have a great workout!

And The Burn Continues

So yesterday we chatted about intervals,

And I just got back from the gym having completed my own:

Sprinting on the treadmill.

In 20 minutes I am able to have twice the effect

In half the time of a traditional Cardio Workout,

Pretty Cool, huh?

Especially on a hot day.

So today let's continue the conversation about burning more calories

Through resistance training.

You already own one of the best resistance training systems available,

And it's free,

It's called your body weight.

Yes, machines keep your workout simple and focused,

All you have to do is align your body and move the weight,

But there is little stability training,

If any,

If you had the choice of doing more work in less time,

Or less work in more time,

Which would you choose?

Exactly!

Most body weight exercises are highly efficient because

They are training multiple muscles and functions,

So, What are some body weight exercises?

Squats, lunges, step ups, push ups, reverse push ups,

Pull ups, dips, planks and side planks.

There are a wide variety of moves you can incorporate into

Your workout.

Looks like I am going to have to pull out my video camera this week

To show you some of these moves,

I'll figure out how then post them later on YouTube,

Till then, have fun with your fat burning workouts!

Stay Cool!