Holiday Health Horrors

Our society revolves our lives around food. Lunch meetings for work, dinner dates with clients, birthday dinners, treats for comforting, etc.... Why don't we revolve our lives around healthy things. Walking meeting with clients, birthday hikes, massages for comforting, etc....

That is everyday life. Now even worse, the holiday's are coming. I don't mean that the holiday's are bad...don't get me wrong! I mean that we are surrounded by temptations around the holidays. Cookies, candy, pies...they're always in our face. It's your job to say no. It's really not that hard...here are a few steps to help out.

1- BE PREPARED

Know when you go out into public, whether it's the bank or the office, you're going to offered some sort of treat around the holiday season. Expect this to happen, recognize it and resist it.

2- JUST SAY NO

Without a doubt you are going to be offered junk in the next month or so. It's easy, just say "no thank you." The more you say "no" the easier it gets and the better you feel about your decisions.

3- MAKE YOUR OWN

When going to parties, bring a dish that you know you can eat. Typically there are some sort of salads and meat at get togethers...but then there are tons of goodies too. Bring a goodie that you can feel good about eating. One good choice is fresh fruit (even indulge a bit and dip it in melted dark chocolate).

4- TEACH OTHERS

Your friends and family are the worst at pushing junk on you (well at least that's how it works in my circle). So, be ready to explain (not defend) your choices to them. Explain why you're avoiding the junk, explain that it's your choice and you would like their support, explain that you are trying to be healthy and you feel great about it.

5- INDULGE A BIT

I am not telling you that you can't have one piece of junk this holiday season...if I were to tell you that I would be a hypocrite. Just make sure you indulge intelligently. Know that if you eat something bad every day it will not be benefitting you. But know that cheating a little will not ruin you either. If you know you're going to a party on Thursday then make sure to eat really good the rest of the week.

Make this one of your healthiest holiday season yet! Most people gain weight in the next month or so...imagine telling your family and friends that you continued to reach your goals despite the horrors of the holidays! It's not that hard, you just have to commit to it!

Happy Holidays!

Extra Curricular

*Picture to the Left is from my glory days in college soccer for Cornell College. I'm #6 (the dirty one!). This is after a win!*

I've been a soccer player for most of my life and since college, I haven't been able to play competitively very much. After our summer travels for the our promotional waterski tour, Face to Face Tour (www.facetofacetour.com), I was ready to find a way to play again. When we found out we were going to be stationed in Silt, CO I called to the community center and found a league to play on.

Now, even though I've played my whole life, even at the collegiate level, I was a bit nervous to go play with a bunch of people I didn't know on an indoor court. But I wanted something different than running, the gym, and the bike. So...last week I made the plunge and did it. It was the BEST thing I've done for myself in a long time. I get to compete, I get to play my favorite sport, I get a great workout, and I get to have the time of my life for an hour every week. I also found out that on Tuesday nights there is are pick-up games going on...so really I get two nights a week to go have the time of my life! :)

Where I'm getting at with this is that there's nothing that says you have to get your exercise by strictly being in a gym going through the same ol' routine with the cardio machines and resistance equipment. Go to your community center or town hall and find active groups that may interest you. For example (runnin/wallking groups, masters swim classes, hiking groups). If there's nothing going on, be pro-active and start something yourself. Find a group of friends and start a weekly cross country ski group..or whatever. Be active, make it fun, and get others to do it with you!

On that note, I'm out the door to play soccer!

Just do it!

*Picture to the Left is showing a SINGLE LEG SQUAT. It's a very functional exercise that is great for ski conditioning. Make sure that when you squat down your knee stays behind your toes (sit butt back)*

Yesterday I was dragging butt! I had only 5.5 hours of sleep under my belt and had to get up at 4:30am to go teach my Ski Conditioning Class. Let me tell you, this class isn't for sissies! I push these skiers to their limits and in doing so, I do the same to myself. Knowing what I had in store for them had me a bit worried since all I wanted was for my eyes to close. But, I got to the gym, still wiping sleep from my eyes, and jumped on the elliptical for a quick warmup before class. At first I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest, but then I settled into it and after 5 or 10 minutes I was ready to rock and roll!

The class was intense. This group of ladies doesn't mess around. We were squatting, lunging, sprinting, skating, jumping, pushing, pulling for an intense hours.

After class I was jazzed and still had energy to go, so I took advantage of it. I hit the treadmill for 3 miles, then did a 30 min workout as follows:

Rounds in 30 min (go through the workout below as many times as you can in 30 min)

Pullups x 10

Jacknives 30x10# ea arm

BOSU Pushups x 10

Hanging Leg Raises x 30

Burpees x 10

Sit Ups x 30

The workout was followed by a great stretch, then off for a busy busy day!

Moral of the story - When you're tired, more often than not, once you start moving your body gets going and you feel great! So "Just do it!"

*Note: Still listen to your body. If you're running on empty and your body needs the rest, then give it the rest! I recommend AT LEAST 7 hours of sleep a night (Monday's night was a fluke for me).

Have a Plan

Monday's...they're usually a pretty tough day to get going...you've just come off a fun weekend, you have piles of "to-do's" for work, and you have to set that stupid alarm clock. I know for me, Monday's are also the hardest day to get going with workouts...my head is still in bed. The thing that helps me the most and makes me motivated for my Monday workouts is to have a plan. Sometime during the weekend I plan out my next week of workouts. (if you're training with me at www.afitplace.com your plan is already set for you, so just print it out and have it ready to go)

Today's workout started out slow because it was SOOOO cold in my garage (23 degrees outside, not sure what it was inside), but after a good warm up on the spin bike I shed the sweatshirt and rocked a tough workout. It set the stage for my day/week!!!

Monday 11/16/09

Cardio: Spin Bike - 10 min WU, 20 min pyramid intervals (sprint 15sec, 30sec, 45sec, 1min, 1min, 45sec, 30sec, 15 sec) x2 with same time recovery between, 5 min CD

Strength: 30,25,20,15,10,5 of each exercise

Overhead Stationary Lunge (reps on each leg) 45#

Bent Over Row 25# ea arm

Pushups

BOSU Deep Squat (flat side)

50m sprint on Row Machine

Great way to start the day! What did you do today to start your week off with a bang? If nothing yet....the day is still young. Do my workout if you have nothing planned!

Finding "You" Time

This picture is a few weeks ago at Lake Powell. I took time to chill back, look at the lake and cuddle with my dog. Not doing a thing!

I used to work crazy hours...up at 3:30 or 4:30 every morning to either get my workout in before I had to work or taking clients at insane times of the morning to fit their schedules. I was getting max 6 hours of sleep every night, working 12-14 hour days, and pushing myself in workouts in between. I was living on meal replacements (bars and drinks) during the middle of my day and running myself into the ground. I LOVE to help people get stronger and healthier, but while I was trying to help as many people as I could, at 26 years old my body was on empty!

My life has drastically changed in the last year or so from the long days in the gym to finding balance in my life. With the help of my family and my boyfriend, Marcus, I needed to make more time for me. I still LOVE my job as a personal trainer and don't want to trade that for the world, but I am lucky to have found balance in my life at such a young age. I am lucky to have realized how important work/life balance is for one's well-being.

Being on both sides of this issue, I am able to relate to people who think that they don't have time for exercise and health in their life. I know what it's like to feel like you have to be working all the time and making your business better and giving, giving, giving. I know the toll that takes on a body too.

I encourage you to sit back, reflect on your daily/weekly life. Think about family/friends time, personal time, work time, leisure time, sleep time, etc. Prioritize the things in your life and then adjust your schedule to fit those priorities. I can tell you that once you start to put yourself and the ones you love in front of your work, your work will actually improve too. The happier you are, the healthier you are, the more successful you'll be.

Today is a direct reflection on how my life has changed...

5:30am - woke up energized and ready to hit the gym to get people in shape

6-8:15am - loved my job training a few clients and showing them that they are stronger than they were yesterday.

8:15-9:45am - My own workout time:

Elliptical 10 min WU, DROM

x20,15,10,5 reps on each exercise

Pullups/Push Jerks/Tricep Pullover/Narrow Pushups/Back Extensions/Sprint 1 min

Run hilly route for 4 miles

Stretch

10-11:30am - Tea with a dear friend that I haven't seen for a year. Had the best time!

12-1:30pm- Finished my book "The Art of Racing in the Rain" while throwing the ball for my dog.

1:30-now - Been working on online training/marketing/updating websites/networking

Plans tonight...

- Watch an episode of "House" with Marcus (we love that show)

- Take Ziggy for a walk

- Dinner

- Indoor Soccer Game tonight!!!!

Life is about balance. I know that every day isn't going to be exactly balanced and that some days will be more fun than others, but you HAVE to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else!

Here's to YOU!

Indian Summer

It's been absolutely amazing weather here in western CO! We had a 1 foot or so initial snow fall a couple weeks ago, but since then it's been in the 50's and 60's!! I have been taking full advantage of the weather by trail running, mountain biking, hiking, and just being outside as much as possible.

The picture above was taken last weekend. It's looking down on the CO river from my hike up Storm King Mountain in South Canyon (just west of Glenwood Springs, CO). This hike isn't just any 'ol hike. First of all it's pretty steep for the first mile or so straight up one mountain, then you descend on the other side just to climb up to another ridge. The second climb that day was ICY!!! I was slippin and sliding all over the place, but made it to the top of the ridge where the reason for the climb lays. I said this isn't any 'ol climb, but not because of the hike itself, more because of the meaning of it. On July 6th, 1994 there was a bad fire in these hills. Coming at the fire from the west, the fire crew was putting their life at risk to save the ours (the residents of the valley). There was an unexpected shift in direction which changed the fire's route directly toward the firemen and women. This tragic day ended the loss of 14 fire fighters. Their memorials are at the top of this hike. If you ever are in western CO, I strongly suggest you take a couple hours to go on a good hike, see beautiful country, and remember the 14 brave firefighters from that day.

With that said, the things that I've been doing for exercise haven't exactly been on my workout schedule. There's a lot to be said for going out and enjoying yourself (while being active) even if it's not on your schedule. Soon enough the trails will be muddy or covered in snow and the trail runs, hikes, and mountain biking will be put on hold until the spring/summer. So, get out there, enjoy the rest of the nice weather because soon enough we'll be stuck inside!

Colorado is inspiring!!!

Being back in CO has been great so far. I've been able to hook up with old friends, pick up some of my past clients, hang out with family, and enjoy the amazing weather.

My last post showed a good snow fall - we actually ended up with about a foot or so. However in the last 3 days it's almost gone from the amazing 50-60 degree weather. We've been taking advantage of that and going for bike rides, long runs, and just being outside in amazing CO fall weather.

To update you with my workouts...

THU:

Official OFF DAY (ended up not being able to stay inside so I went for an easy 6 mile run)

FRI:

30 min hilly run/Elliptical 10 min

3 x 1 min each

BOSU Jacknife

Ball Side Bend

BOSU Sit ups

3-way Leg Throw

Woodchops

Alternating Superman

Plank

SAT:

Spin 45 min {10 min Warmup/ 30 min (15 sec, 30 sec, 45 sec, 1 min, 1 min, 45 sec, 30 sec, 15 sec) sprints with same time recover spin between x 3/ 5 min Cooldown}

21, 15, 9, 3 reps of each exercise

Push Jerk

Russian Lunges

Pushups

Run Stairs

Pullups

Windmill

SUN:

Ride 45 min easy

MON:

Run 5 miles steady state/ Hill Sprints with walk back recovery (1x1 min, 2x45 sec, 3x30 sec)

5x20 each

Deep Squat

2 Med. Ball Pushup

Lunges

Step Ups

Sit Ups

Mtn Bike Ride Fruita, CO for 3 hours (BEAUTIFUL...check out the moon rise picture above)

TUE:

Today was the first day of the Ski Conditioning Class I teach. It was a great class!!! Good group who worked hard. Skiing is a lot of legs and core, so that's what we did. These skiers are going to have some sore legs tomorrow.

I came home and walked the dogs for 40 min and spent 30 min stretching and rolling! Gotta take care of those muscles.