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American Council on Exercise

Budget Friendly Workout Equipment

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A personal trainer walks into a gym….stop me if you’ve heard this one before…and she sees all of the fancy, sparkling, state of the art equipment and her mind races. “Look at all of this amazing equipment that I can use to help my clients get into the best shape of their lives”.  The next day the same trainer walks into a clients home that is free of equipment and she is asked by her client, “What equipment can I buy on a strict budget to help me get into the best shape of my life?” And again, the trainers mind races at the idea of all of the fun, inexpensive and effective ways to help her client get a great workout.

You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on the latest gadgets to be fit and healthy. In this economy many of us have had to eliminate our gym memberships and workout in a cost effective way in our own homes. Here are a few items that I use with my clients that can be used in your home or when you travel and won’t put you in debt.

The Gymboss Interval Timer gives your workout the discipline and structure necessary to take your workout to the next level. The easy to use timer allows you to stay on track during your interval or tabata workouts by eliminating the pesky issue of checking the time during your intervals. Just set it, forget it and put all of your focus on your workout!

Resistance Bands are THE BEST way to workout in a cost and space effective way! Unlike free weights, resistance bands are lightweight and travel well. With dumbbells, each time you want to add or decrease weight, you have to go grab another set of weights. But with resistance bands, all you have to do is tighten or loosen your grip. It’s like having multiple sets of weights in one piece of equipment.

THE ULTIMATE  must have for the in-home exerciser is the TRX. The TRX system is great for the traveling fitness freak, an outdoor enthusiast or the average Joe who doesn’t have much space to work out. The TRX is a little more spendy, but it is your perfect all-in-one piece of equipment.  Hook the TRX up to a tree, pole or sturdy beam in your house and your set for a great workout using just your body weight. Cardio, resistance, stretching – the TRX can do it all.

Back To The Basics

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Many people think that in order to get in shape you need to buy the latest fitness gadget or spend all of your hard earned money on “the ONLY workout system that will get you fit”. Not true! Some of the most effective exercises are basic, require no equipment and best of all – FREE! These exercises are the basic building blocks to a great workout and having a fit body.

Pushups

Pushups are the THE perfect exercise. They can be done anywhere and there are a million ways to do them. Inside, outside, on the knees, on a bench, at an incline, at a decline – the pushup is the jack of all trades when it comes to exercises. Pushups work multiple muscle groups in one exercise: the chest, core, shoulders, glutes, back and triceps. To do the pushups with perfect form, make sure your core and glutes are tight, and the movement comes from the shoulders and elbows, not the hips and neck.

Lunges

Lunges are an amazing exercise to tone the lower body and get the heart rate soaring. There are many different types of lunges, but the one I think is the most effective is the walking lunge. Walking lunges are very similar to the way walk but include an extra element, the lunge. With your right leg, lunge forward about three feet until your right thigh is parallel to the floor and your left knee is nearly touching the floor. Pause momentarily and then repeat the forward motion with your left leg.

Tricep Dips

Tricep Dips are a great anywhere exercise and tone the back of the arms in no time flat. They can be done on a chair at work, on your nightstand or on a park bench. To do the tricep dip, sit on a sturdy platform and grab the edge keeping your hands close to your hips. Walk your feet forward slightly until your hips are off of the platform and your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Bending your shoulders and elbows, bring your hips straight down towards the floor. Push yourself back up.

Interval Training

Interval training can supercharge your fitness, boost your metabolism and burn off those extra calories. Interval training is an extremely effective form of cardio that mixes higher intensity bursts of exercise with moderate intensity recovery periods. A great outdoor example of this type of training would be walking for 4 city blocks then running for 2 blocks and repeat this for 20 – 30 minutes. Another fun way to interval train is to walk or run as fast as you can up a hill. When you get to the top, slowly walk or jog back down.

Park Workout To Go

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July is National Parks and Recreation month and what could be better than a spending an afternoon enjoying the weather in the park? How about soaking in the sun and getting a great workout at the park! When the weather is beautiful, the last thing we want to do is be cooped up inside any longer than we have to. Step out of the gym and head out to your local park to get in your workout. The 30 Minute Park workout is a fast paced workout that is guaranteed to torch calories, burn fat and get you results. No need to bring equipment with you – this workout uses items that can be found at any local park. And the best part about the 30 Minute Park Workout, it’s a workout that you can do while your child is at play right there beside you. No babysitter needed!

 

The How To’s

This circuit style workout consists of 6 exercises that can be done on equipment found at most parks. Each exercise should be done for 30 seconds or 15 reps each. After you complete one exercise, move right into the next exercise without rest. After you have completed all exercises, give yourself a 60 second rest. Beginners should stop the workout after one circuit and go right into the cool down. Work up to doing 3 circuits of all 6 exercises for the complete 30 Minute Park Workout. Do this workout 3 times a week for the best results.

The Warm Up

Start warming up your muscles by taking a 5 minute walk or light jog around the park.

The Workout

1. Platform Pushups

Find a platform that is about waist high, like a step on the jungle gym. Place your hands about shoulder width apart on the platform. Keeping the back flat, core tight and hips down, perform a pushup. Make sure the movement comes from the elbow and shoulders – not the hips.

2. Bench Step Ups

Using a bleacher or a bench, step up on to it with your left foot. Use and up, up, down, down cadence. After 30 seconds, switch and step up starting with your right leg.

3. Plank

To get into the plank position, start on elbows and knees, locking hands together. Straighten legs and raise your body so that you’re supported by the balls of your feet, with feet hip-distance apart. Face the ground, being careful not to arch your back or stick your hips in the air.

4. Walking Lunges

Walking lunges are very similar to the way walk but include an extra element, the lunge. With your right leg, lunge forward about three feet until your right thigh is parallel to the floor and your left knee is nearly touching the floor. Pause momentarily and then repeat the forward motion with your left leg. Lunge forward for 30 seconds and turn around and lunge back the way you came. To make this exercise harder, try doing the walking lunges up a hill. Your butt will thank you for it!

5. Bench Dips

Say goodbye to the “Batwing” and hello to the bench dip! Bench dips are an awesome exercise that will tone the back of the arms in no time flat. To do the bench dip, go back to your bleacher or park bench and have a seat. Grab the edge of the bench keeping your hands close to your hips. Walk your feet forward slightly until your hips are off of the platform and your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Bending your shoulders and elbows, bring your hips straight down towards the floor. Push yourself back up.

6. Hanging Abs

This one is tough! Hang from the high monkey bars. (Your feet should not be able to touch the ground.) Pull your knees up towards your chest and then lower them back to your starting position. Be sure to keep the movement slow and controlled. Remember – this is an ab exercise, so your abs should be doing the work, not the legs. Try not to use the momentum and swing the legs.

The Cool Down

Walk around the park for 5 minutes at a slow pace. Finish off the workout by stretching the muscles you just worked. Reflect on the AWESOME thing you just did for yourself, your body and your health. This is a challenging but very effective workout. Whether you did one circuit or all 3, you deserve a high five! WAY TO GO!

No Excuses For Parents

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I think I have heard every excuse in the world on why a person can’t workout. Seriously, I could write a book on the subject – 101 Excuses to Not Workout and Other Fun Ways to Tick off Your Trainer. I’m too tired, I’m too busy, I have to cancel our appointment because my son flushed my car keys down the toilet. True story – that one made me giggle for a week. What I’ve noticed in my years of “excuse hearing” is that most excuses come from parents. Now, it’s true,  I don’t have kids, but  I can only imagine what a world filled with diapers, play dates, midnight trips to the ER because someone stuck a toy car up their nose AGAIN, school functions and all the other “perks” of a being a parent would be like. Being a parent, from what I’ve witnessed only, is a tough job. You are constantly running somewhere to pick up someone/something or racing to drop something off for someone who forgot said something and at the end of the day you are exhausted. (I’m exhausted after writing that sentence). It seems like there is never enough hours in a day to do the things that you really have NO energy to do anyways. Well parents, that is the one reason right there why you should make time to workout. Imagine a world where you can take time out of every day to destress, get energized and maybe even have a little peace and quiet to yourself. What if that could be a reality? Well, maybe not the peace and quiet part, but you know where I’m going with this. Taking as little as 30 minutes a day to workout will do wonders for your energy level and mental health. Exercising releases these amazing endorphins that make life’s little stressors easier to handle and gives you more energy to do all the things you want to do in a day. How great would it be if at the end of a long work day you actually had the energy to go outside and play with your kids? Combine the exercising with a healthy diet and you and your kids will both be living a healthier lifestyle that will benefit the whole family. And don’t be selfish and keep the fun of exercising to yourself – get the entire family involved. Take walks or bike rides together, sign up to do a Family Fun Run/Walk or do something as simple as play tag. Starting a fitness routine now will not only benefit you, but it will teach your children the importance of their health as well as yours. Be proactive in your health to ensure that you can have a long, active and healthy life with your children.

Dude – This month’s for you!

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June is National Men’s Health Month and most of us wish our man was a little more active and a little less of a couch potato. It can be tough on a relationship when one person is “pro fitness” and the other person isn’t. Not only do you worry about the other person’s weight, you also worry about their health, mortality and stress levels. It’s unfortunate we can’t make people do what we want, but there are some ways you can nudge your partner in the right direction. And if gentle nudging doesn’t work using your womanly mental manipulation skills always does the trick.

Don’t Nag! Telling the man in your life over and over and over again that he should workout with you will only discourage him. Beating him over the head with the fitness stick won’t crack that thick skull of his. Plant the seed and let it grow. Tell him when you are heading off to the gym. If he doesn’t speak up and say he wants to join you, leave for your workout. When you get back mention how good the workout felt and then drop the subject.

Make a game out of it. Exercising doesn’t mean jumping on a treadmill and running until your legs fall off. Exercise is just the simple task of moving. Want your man to work up a sweat, challenge him to his favorite game. My hubby usually picks the one sport that I hate – basketball. He only picks it because he knows he can beat me at it every time. I always go along with it because the winning makes him feel oh so manly, but secretly I WIN because I got him exercising. Tera – 1 , Hubby 0.

Brag. Tell your hubby about all the amazing gains (and losses) that you’ve made in the gym. Model  your “pre workout jeans” and let him see how fit you have become or challenge him with a pushup contest and show him how strong you’ve gotten. BTW – getting beat by a girl in a pushup contest will definitely get him to the gym more often, so if you really want him to workout – start working on your pushups.

Make it interesting. Just because you love doing Body Pump and Zumba doesn’t mean he will too. If he is an absolute newbie to the gym, help him find activities that he would like and want to stick with. Are you unfamiliar with all that a gym has to offer? Hire a trainer for your guy. A trainer knows all of the ins and outs of a gym and they can help steer him in the right direction to find what workouts would fit him best.

Be Honest. Tell your partner why you want them to get more active. Is it because heart disease runs in his family? Is it because you’ve noticed a few health problems? Or do you notice that he’s having a harder time doing things that he used to do with ease? Honesty is always the best policy, but also remember their feelings. Even though our men seem to be made out of steel, they still have feelings too. Imagine how you would feel if the love of your life told you that you were getting a little soft around the middle? Harsh criticism hurts, so be gentle.

‘Tis The Season! Goblins, Gobblers, Gatherings & the Gift of a Spare Tire.

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As we enter the holiday season, many of us stress out about gaining excess weight. With all of the delicious meals & family gatherings filled with baked goods, how could one not be tempted? There are many ways to stay on track & even improve your fitness level before the New Year rolls around. This year let’s try to do things a little differently…No more punching extra holes in your belt, refuse to buy yet another pair of stretchy waisted pants to help with post-meal discomfort & win the battle of the bulge! If you’re looking to maintain or lose weight this Holiday Season, here’s a SMART PLAN you can refer to help you stay in shape & avoid the typical holiday weight gain.


Sweets

Meals

Alcohol & Agua

Rest

Training


Plan ahead

Light

Adjust your Attitude

Nutrition


Sweets: Sweets & treats are THE downfall of the Holiday Season. You can have them, but limit your sweets & treats to the actual holidays and days that being with “S”. Eat your sweets slowly & REALLY enjoy your treats. Savoring the flavors will cause you to slow down and be more conscious of what & how much you are eating. You can indulge, but remember to do so in MODERATION!

Meals: Eating 5-6 small meals a day instead of 2-3 large meals will help keep cravings and overeating at bay. Each meal should be between 200-300 calories and be rich in lean proteins, produce and whole grains.

Alcohol & Agua: Limit your alcohol consumption and increase your water intake. When drinking alcohol, try to make low-cal choices like wine or champagne and stay away from high calorie drinks like daiquiris. Also, drinking water or a low-cal non-alcoholic drink in between your alcoholic drinks will help reduce your calorie intake.

Rest: All of the running around we do during the Holidays can be exhausting. Make sure to get your 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Being rested will lead to you making better food and exercise choices and ensure you have the energy to keep up with all the holiday activities.

Training: Get in 30-60 minutes of exercise 3-5 times a week. Exercising doesn’t mean being a “slave” to the gym. You can make it fun – take the kids outside & go sledding, snow shoe on hiking trails, have an old fashion snowball fight. Whatever it is, just get yourself moving.


Plan Ahead: Schedule workouts in your day planner & treat them like you would any other important appointment. Make a grocery list of good food choices for healthy meals so you won’t be tempted to buy “whatever is easy & in a box” at the store. Having a plan in place will make it easier to stick to your goals. If you know you are going to a big Holiday party on weekend, then you can plan out healthy meals and a workout schedule for the week so you won’t feel guilty splurging a bit at the party.

Light: As the amount of daylight decreases, so can our moods. The combination of the cold weather & the lack of sunshine can cause you get the winter blahs and want to snuggle up on the couch with some junk food until spring. Get outside and exercise or open up the shades on sunny days to let the rays in to increase your mood.

Adjust Your Attitude: Stop thinking “It’s the Holidays, it’s ok to put on a few pounds” and start thinking about how you can look HOT FOR THE HOLIDAYS! You can stick to a healthy diet and moderate exercise program and still have fun. Eat healthy and exercise most days of the week and you can “cheat” without destroying your diet.

Nutrition: Make sure you are getting the right foods to keep your body healthy during the hectic Holiday Season. A diet full of colorful fruits and veggies, lean proteins and whole grains will give your body the nutrients that it needs to stave off sickness, give you energy for workouts and keep you up and running to all those Holiday Events.

10 Ways To Stay Motivated

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I often hear people say, I need to workout, but I just can’t get motivated. Even seasoned athletes experience highs and lows occasionally before getting started.

There are so many ways to motivate yourself to exercise, and I want to share some ideas that have helped me. Sure I’ve had days when I’ve struggled with exercise. Just like everyone else, there are days when I’m too tired, or have too many things scheduled to find time to exercise. With 2 full time jobs, I have a plate full of responsibilities and everything seems to require top priority. But my workout is my time for myself, so I have a secret stash of motivational jolts that keep me on the fitness trail.

1. The post-workout high. I always feel on top of the world after a good workout. I feel strong, confident and like I can accomplish anything!

2. “Me Time”. This is your special time for yourself. While many women make time to take care of others (kids, husband, other family, co-workers, boss), they often neglect taking time out for themselves. Make your “you” time a priority, and don’t break that exercise appointment.

3. The dread of feeling disappointment from not exercising. I hate the guilt, frustration and feeling like I have missed something very important when I skip my workout.

4. REWARDS!!! After every fitness milestone, I reward myself with something. It doesn’t have to be anything expensive: a book, cute shoes, a pretty new nail polish, a bouquet of flowers or my favorite – a new purse. If I am having trouble getting motivated, I remind myself that after I reach my goal I will be sporting a new purse.

5. Fitting into “new” old clothes. Remember that sexy pair of jeans that you are just dying to wear again? Remember how amazing you felt the last time you wore them? Enough said – get moving so you can wear them again!

6. Stress relief. Stressed from a long day at the office? Get out and work it off. It really helps to have this physical outlet to let go of all that tension.

7. Time for contemplation. Sometimes, I enjoy losing myself in my thoughts when I exercise. I’ve found it often helps me uncover solutions to daily problems.

8. A workout partner. Not only is it much more fun to exercise with a friend, you have a sense of responsibility to them to keep your workout appointment.

9. A coach or trainer. Worth the money, if even just for the motivation and the accountability of having to keep an appointment. Need the name of an AWESOME trainer? Let me know…I think I might know someone. LOL!

10. Keep an exercise journal. People who keep a journal of their workout routine have a far better chance of success than those who do not. The journal is your own personal checkpoint to remind you where you came from, where you are now and what your intended goal is to be.

7 Rules to Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions

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As the first few months of the New Year slip away, do you find your resolutions slipping away as well? Resolutions should be reasonably attainable so that you are setting yourself up for success rather than disappointment. Try focusing on small intermediate goals that will ultimately lead you to your primary goal. Do not expect to be perfect. Aim for a healthy lifestyle that you will feel comfortable sticking with.

1. TAKE SMALL STEPS:
Simply establishing the goal of leading a healthy lifestyle should make you feel good about yourself. To make that goal more attainable, come up with small goals you know you can meet each day to help keep yourself feeling positive. Accomplishing the smaller goals will leave you with a more immediate feeling of success. If your goals are too large, you may get caught up in them and feel disappointed when you do not see immediate results.

2. CHANGE FOR YOURSELF:
Any goals that you set should come from a sincere desire to change for yourself. Research has shown that negative feelings are a frequent cause of relapse in behavior-change programs, and resolutions that feel like punishment can cause negative feelings. All resolutions should be perceived as positive changes that will help you reach optimal health and well-being. Do not decide to change to please anyone other than yourself. Stick to your resolution by considering it a promise to yourself, not a test of your willpower.

3. BE CREATIVE:
Perhaps you can find ways to exercise while also accomplishing other goals. If weather permits, try walking to do errands that are in close proximity to your home or office. Maybe you need to spend more time with your family. Try walking with a family member or bringing your children along on bikes while you walk or jog.

4. BE REALISTIC:
Be sure that your plan of action is realistic. Plan to work out at times when it is convenient for you. If you are not a morning person, do not plan to work out early in the morning or you will just be setting yourself up for failure. Try to make things as easy as possible for yourself. Set your goals at reasonable heights so that you can reach them one by one without feeling overwhelmed. The only way your goal is going to become reality is if you believe in it and, most of all, if you believe in yourself.

5. BE POSITIVE:
If things like weather and illness will prevent you from sticking to your plan, make alternate plans for situations that you cannot avoid. Most importantly, do not let a missed day or two throw you completely off target. Instead, do your best to get back on track as quickly as possible, which should not be extremely difficult if you have set appropriate goals. It is easier to stick to your plan when you feel good about yourself. Try to find a new and healthy way to reward yourself when you meet your smaller goals.

6. BUILD A SUPPORT SYSTEM:
Get the support of your family, friends and co-workers. Let them know your goals and ask for their respect and support with your decision to live a healthier lifestyle. Remember that you are your best supporter.  Focus on positive self-talk. Congratulate yourself every time you take a step towards your goal. Be your own best cheerleader.

7. USE COMMON SENSE:
Avoid situations that put you in temptation’s path, in other words…if you’re on a diet, don’t go to the ice cream parlor.  Keep your gym bag packed and in the car so you don’t have to run home and get it.  You will be more likely to want to stay home once you get there.

10 in ’10

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Now that the Holidays are over and I’ve had some time to get back into the swing of things, I’m FINALLY ready to make my list of things to do in 2010. They are not really resolutions, but things I WILL accomplish in the new year. My 2010 Bucket list – minus the whole death thing, hopefully.

The 10 Things I WILL Accomplish in 2010:

1. Learn how to swim. I’ve tried a million times, but this year I will finally be floatie free in the pool. Not sure exactly how I will do this because every instructor I’ve had says I’m made of stone because I sink like a rock. I wonder if Dana Torres is available?

2. Run my FIRST half marathon. If all goes well, it will be March 7th in Florida – The Disney Princess Half Marathon. How cool is that? Running while Cinderella is cheering you on!

3. Learn the power “yes” and the freedom of “no”. If I keep saying yes to everything, I’ll have 2 truck loads of Girl Scout Cookies that I can’t eat, 20 stray dogs, a missing arm from “rasselin’ gators” and bright red hair.

4. Hunt a new animal. (Yes I am a hunter!) I’d love to shoot the cougar in my woods, but I’m pretty sure the DNR wouldn’t like that. Maybe I’ll try pheasant hunting, shoot a merriams or go “big” and hunt Elk or Moose.

5. Start teaching outdoor bootcamps this summer. I’ve never had a place to hold them, but now that my yard is finally landscaped I can hold them at my house.

6. Do my FIRST fitness/figure competition in September. My plan is to do the 2010 Natural Badger Classic. When I do that, I will have to accomplish goal #6 1/2 – Wear a bikini in public. I’ve NEVER done this, so I guess I’m jumping in feet first and doing it on stage. YIKES!!!

7. To make every negative a positive – no matter how difficult that may be.

8. To ask for help when I need it. I am a my own Super Hero, but even Superman has his Kryponite.

9. Have a bigger presence on the web. In 2009 I jumped right into the whole social networking thing with Twitter and Facebook, but I want to blog much more in 2010.

10. Do the Polar Plunge Twice in one winter. (ok I was going to have #10 be to quit swearing so much, but the Vikings are STILL in the Playoffs, so I’ll jump in a frozen lake instead)

STOP THE EXCUSES – EXERCISE IS BORING

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“Working out is too boring.”

This to me is one of the lamest excuses out there. Where do people get the idea that exercise has to take place in a gym, on the same boring piece of equipment, EVERY DAY for 30 to 60 minutes? Let me let you in on a little secret – it doesn’t have to.  If a particular workout is boring to you, then STOP DOING IT. There are a million different activities out there that you can do – don’t just limit yourself to the ones that you despise.

This may come as a shock to you, but exercise can be fun. You just need to find something that you like & look forward to doing. You should be excited about working out. You don’t need to waste valuable time plugging & chugging away on a Stairmaster if you really dread doing it. Find something that motivates you to get moving.

Here are some tips to help you find a workout that you enjoy:

1. Try new classes/exercises. This can be a great way to find what types of exercise you like or dislike. A few months ago a client asked me to go to a pole dancing class. I was positive that it was something that my 2 left feet would hate. To my surprise, I loved the class. I was laughing, having a great time & I got an awesome workout. Try kickboxing, take a Kettlebell class or join in on a Bootcamp session. Who knows? You might just find your new workout passion just by trying a new class.

2. Think outside of the box. If dancing outside in your unitard and leg warmers to Bruce Springsteen gets your blood pumping – then dance away.  Exercise doesn’t have to be limited to the inside of a gym – if you find something that you enjoy & gets you moving, then by all means DO IT.

3. Hire a Trainer. Personal Trainers brains are overflowing with ideas for different types of exercises.  Let your trainer know your likes and dislikes with exercise and they will come up with some new & fun ideas for your next workout.

4. GET EXCITED TO MOVE! If you get excited about a particular workout, chances are you will stick to this routine. Find something that motivates you to want to do your workout. For me, shoes are the key. Every time I buy a new pair of running shoes, I can’t wait to use them. All I want to do is run in my new, cute shoes. (Hey – I’m one of those  girls with a SEVERE love for cute shoes. I can’t help it…I’m a shoe junkie.) I also get uber excited to workout every time I download new songs on my ipod. Nothing beats fresh, new music to help energize your workout. What works for you?

5. Challenge yourself. For those of you out there who have always worked out but you’ve lost your passion for exercise, here’s a tip for you. Challenge yourself. Just because you have always been a runner (or whatever you are into), doesn’t mean you have to be “just a runner. ” for the rest of your life. Try training for a sport that incorporates what you are already doing with something new – like a triathlon or a duathon. Heck, you can even try something completely new – like martial arts.

All in all – your perception of exercise is up to YOU. YOU and ONLY YOU decide what to make of it. If you choose to make it fun, it will be. If you want to keep using the excuse that working out is boring, then that is YOUR CHOICE and you have to live (or not) with it. It’s up to you.

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