Are You Wasting Time At The Gym?

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Time. Probably our most precious commodity. You have committed your time to come to the gym, get in your workout, and get back home. Here’s the deal… You don’t have to spend hours or even AN hour at the gym each day to get results! Let me say that again, YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEND HOURS AT THE GYM TO GET RESULTS. Yay! That is cause for celebration already! The key here is consistency and time-efficient workouts. If you are making this a new part of your every day, for the average person seeking general health and fitness goals (this means you’re not a professional athlete or training for a bodybuilding competition), then it is possible to get in and out in thirty minutes each day! But, you must use your time wisely. Remember, it’s the quality of your time, not just the quantity of time. Here are some tips to help you make the best use of your time at the gym!

1) Have A Plan

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Distractions are inevitable. Our minds race with endless to-do lists and errands. There are hundreds of reasons you can think of to talk yourself out of a trip to the gym. But, because you have resolved to make this year different, those excuses don’t matter. They aren’t part of your new fitness vision.

Having a plan in place before you even head to the gym will ensure that you don’t spend time wondering around aimlessly trying to think of what type of workout you want to do. Write it down. Then, get in and get out!

2) Less Chatting, More Lifting

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There are always people at the gym that come more for the social hour than for business. You aren’t one of those people. To accomplish your goals, you need to be focused, so consider ways that you will remain focused during your trips to the gym. Maybe you find that you aren’t interrupted as much if you wear some headphones. If you run into a friend, continue with your workout rather than stopping while you visit. It can be a huge time drain if you’re not really careful. Before you know it, your thirty minute trip to the gym has become an hour and you haven’t even gotten past your warm-up!

3) Simplify Your Workouts

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Are you, perhaps, spending too much time with isolation exercises rather than those exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time? Don’t get me wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with isolation exercises, but if you need to get the most bang for your buck, then stick with the exercises that work more than one muscle group at a time. This means, for example, rather than spending time doing bicep curls, do a back exercise that will not only work your back muscles but will also hit your biceps as well. Or, maybe while you are doing some lunges, you curl at the same time.

4) Combine Cardio With Weight Training

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If you are seeking time-efficiency, then you need to keep your pace going strong throughout your workout. Since we all need cardiovascular training, including it in the middle of your strength training routine, is brilliant! Grab a jump rope. Throw some burpees at the end of a circuit. Do some mountain climbers and/or jumping jacks. You may not always have time time to spend thirty minutes on a treadmill and then hit the weights. In fact, since you are reading this, you probably don’t have time for that. Give this a try to add cardio and variety to your workouts.

There are lots of ways to make the best use of your time at the gym. If you need more help in coming up with a game plan that is specific for you, then certainly seek out a local trainer to help you with this. My main point in writing this is to encourage you and to help you understand that you don’t have to spend tons of time at the gym to still get results. In the fast pace of everyday life, your health and fitness needs to be a high priority, so if you are truly dedicating yourself to a healthier you this year, then go into it with a game plan and find ways to make the best possible use of your time during that trip to the gym so you will know that it is time well spent.

***As a bonus, here is a quick workout that will kick up your heart rate and get those muscles burning as well! (Increase weight, reps, or number of times through the circuit to make this as challenging as you need it.)

(Complete circuit-style 3 times through)
1. Jumping Jacks – 1 minute
2. Pushups – 12-15 reps (modify depending on your fitness level)
3. Lunges w/ bicep curls – 12-15 reps/leg
4. Seated Row – 12-15 reps (Substitute bent over rows if machine isn’t available)
5. Plank – 1 minute
6. Supine Bicycle – 1 minute
7. Glute Bridges – 20 reps

Here’s to YOUR health!

Your New Go-To Workout…When You Don’t Have Time To Work out!

“I just don’t have time!”

This is a phrase I hear quite often. It’s true. It seems like life goes spinning out of control so quickly. Our minutes and hours flash before our eyes and boom, another day comes to a close.

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We’ve talked about how preparation is the key to success in any endeavor, and your health and fitness is no exception. But there are times when we plan and plan and plan, and well, LIFE HAPPENS. There are emergencies, interruptions in our well-thought plans, hiccups along the path of good intentions. A last minute call from the school, a presentation due at work, meetings added to our calendars, traffic holds us up, our families need us, our friends need us…I could go on and on. This is life. And if we choose to, we can easily give up and exclaim, “I just don’t have time!”.

But since you’re taking the time to read this message of encouragement, you must be seeking a change, or at least some motivation and have determined that this time will be different. And you may have said that many times before. What you need to engrain in your mind is that life WILL HAPPEN, and we can choose to walk away and make excuses, or we can choose to find a way to make this work…FOR our families and FOR OURSELVES.

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Perhaps it’s time to simplify. Do you find that if you can’t find an hour to workout that you just don’t bother? I have found myself guilty of this at times. I really want to be able to take my time at the gym, but realistically, I’ve found that doesn’t always happen. I’m at the gym all day….training everyone else, and sometimes neglecting myself!

Today, I want to provide you with a workout that is customizable for anywhere from ten minutes to however long you may have! This workout will be a full body workout with a little cardio in the mix to keep your heart rate up as well.

And because time is precious, and I’m writing about the lack of time, I’ll keep this post short and to the point!

Here is your go-to workout for this oh-so-busy holiday season, because we all need a workout that doesn’t require hours at the gym (or at home for that matter). Especially this time of year when we are running in a thousand different directions with family gatherings and shopping trips, a workout like this is just what the doctor ordered. Or in this case, just what the trainer ordered!

5 Burpees
10 Bent Over Rows (use dumbbells or omit if you don’t have access to weights)
15 Pushups (modify if necessary depending on your fitness level)
20 Standing Donkey Kicks (per leg)
25 Glute Bridges
30 second Side Plank (30 seconds per side)
40 Mountain Climbers
50 Supine Bicycles
60 second Plank

Circuit through this as many times as your time allows! 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes! Try to do this every other day for the next couple of weeks and track to see how you improve over time. Remember that even when we feel that we don’t have the time, if we can make the decision to simply take 10 minutes to workout, it can make all the difference. And it’s true you’ll only regret the workout you didn’t do.

Here’s to YOUR health!

Food/Exercise Journal Guide and Gadgets My Clients LOVE!

Starting a food and exercise journal doesn’t need to be anything complicated and certainly doesn’t need to be fancy. It only needs to be functional and easy to read when you need to look back at it. Remember that the whole point of this isn’t to add one more hassle to your to-do list. It’s simply to help you figure out what is working (and maybe what isn’t working) in your health and fitness journey. Sometimes we may think we had an okay day, only to look back and see areas that really weren’t quite as good as we “remembered”. To many people, the pen and paper version may seem old school and that is fine. The apps and devices out there now are top-notch and can be extremely helpful (see below for some that my clients love!), but for the few that want to do this the old-fashioned way, grab your tablet and chisel, and let’s get started! And for those of you who are into apps and gadgets, there are some things for you here, too!

First, before you write anything, you need to consider your goals. Your goal(s) need to be front and center at the very beginning. Write them where you can see them first thing. In fact, write them on lots of things and place around your house (the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, closet door, etc.). Keeping this end goal at the front of your mind, will help keep you from becoming distracted when “life happens”…because it will. What is your long-term goal and what are some short-term goals you can achieve on your way to the larger goal? Are your goals realistic and achievable? Can you track them easily or are they vague? Be very specific. If you love setting reminders on your phone, use it! It’s a great idea and extremely helpful for keeping your goals at the front of your mind especially when you can set reminders throughout the day to workout or to meal prep, etc. Reminders help us when we are distracted, and if you are like me, it’s easy to get distracted and off course when life happens (which it tends to do).

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Let’s go over an example of setting goals. Maybe your long-term goal is to lose 100 lbs. This is achievable but not in 90 days. Maybe a short-term, realistic goal would be to lose 15 lbs in 90 days. (Since we’re talking about weight, weight-loss is a great goal if this is something you need to do, but be cautious about stalking the scale. Pay attention to how your clothes fit and think about taking pictures so you can see changes even when the scale may not move at times.) Map out how long you need to lose your 100 lbs. and chart all the smaller goals on the way to your larger goal. The specific ways you need to get to the larger goal need to be written down with intention. Congratulations in advance…your chances of success just skyrocketed by mapping out your complete plan!

Every day, multiple times throughout the day, you are going to look at your goals. You are going to see your plan often, and it will remind you that consistency and persistency is the key to getting where you want to be. After all, you didn’t get where you currently are in your health and fitness overnight. It takes time to get out of shape, and yes, it will take time to get back in shape and hopefully even better than you were before!

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As promised, for you techies out there, here are some fitness gadgets that my clients LOVE and perhaps wonder what they ever did without them… (Feel free to leave in the comments your favs or not-so-favs and why! I’d love to hear!) There are lots of different options within each brand as well. The possibilities seem endless as far as variety and function depending on your budget, so I haven’t listed everything here. Oh, and these are in no particular order…

1) Apple Watch – My clients rave about the Apple Watch. It’s sleek design makes it perfect with any attire, but it’s also extremely functional with lots of features. They find that it’s really user-friendly in tracking activity and heart-rate. In addition, being able to text and receive calls is a bonus.

2) Garmin – My clients who run or do long walks, hang on to their Garmin for those things even if they also have another option they wear for other things. But now Garmin has come out with the Vivosmart 4 and the Vivosport that are sleeker and still offer plenty of options.

3) Samsung Gear S3 Classic – I have one client that has this one, and she absolutely loves it and says she would definitely recommend to anyone. It has lots of bells and whistles including tracking sleep, activity and heart rate. It also has plenty of other features and allows you to text and receive calls.

4) Fit Bit – I’ve had clients in the past that used a Fit Bit, but since I don’t have any clients that use a Fit Bit right now, I don’t have a version preference or suggestions so I’m just giving some basic info. There are various options to fit whatever your needs may be and they range in price as well. The Fitbit Ionic and the Fitbit Versa are considered smartwatches. The Fitbit Charge 3 is waterproof, tracks your activity and heartrate and will set you back around $150 or so. Again, happy to hear any comments/suggestions from real-life applications if you’ve tried one.

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Remember, the most important thing about exercise and nutrition tracking is brutal honesty. If you eat it, it gets tracked. ALL exercise gets tracked. This is the best way you will learn what is working for you and what your shortcomings are so you can improve, and that’s what this is all about anyway!

Again, there are loads of gadgets out there to make this paperless for you, so do some shopping around. Each brand seems to offer various options with various price-ranges as well. Would love to hear your favorites!

Here’s to YOUR health!

11 Items That Need To Be On Your Home Gym Wish List!

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The holiday season is now in full force. Thanksgiving has come and gone and so have the leftovers. If you haven’t already started to think about goals for the upcoming year, now is the time to start! As we’ve discussed, goals are great, but if you have goals without a plan, it’s likely that you’ll still be searching for success this time next year. But this post isn’t intended for an in-depth discussion on goals. More on that in a future post! While you are pondering your wish list this month, it can be overwhelming if you’re looking into just basic fitness equipment. The fitness industry is HUGE. Everyone is searching for that perfect thing that will promise to whip them into shape. Keep in mind that this huge fitness industry can also be full of some really gimmicky…um, well… “junk”. I’ve found that, although there are some big-ticket items that would be awesome for a home gym if you have the space and the cash (treadmill, cable machines…), most of the time, you really don’t need a whole lot of fancy equipment to make great gains in your fitness! And, luckily, you don’t need thousands of dollars either. Yay!

If you are like many people who have a gym membership, you probably also have some equipment at home just for those days when you have very little time but want to get in a workout. Body weight training along with some other exercises that incorporate the use of some basic equipment will get you a long way! I’m going to share with you the basic home gym equipment that you’ll want to invest in that won’t break the bank!

Some of these items you’ll want to have right away while others can remain on your wish list, so don’t feel like you have to run and buy all this up front. And there are many, many exercises that require no equipment, so don’t let the lack of equipment be an excuse to wait to start your fitness regimen. Links can be found in each heading for an example of the item on Amazon. (Of course, do your research and shop around for what you like. These are just some items that I found.)

1) Exercise Ball

Generally used for core training, these come in multiple sizes depending on the intended use. But they can also be used for balance training, some really challenging leg work, and to enhance the difficulty of some traditional exercises (dips, for example, if you normally have your feet on the floor for chair dips or dips off of a bench, putting your legs on a stability ball will up the difficulty level).

2) Dumbbells

You don’t need a whole set to start with. Depending on your fitness level, you may be fine starting with a set of fives and a set of tens. You can purchase more as you get stronger!

3) Yoga Mat

Not just for Yoga! Use to cushion when you are doing that awesome core strengthening! Choose from a variety of colors and thicknesses.

4) Furniture Gliders

There are some gliders that are sold in the fitness industry that are specifically for fitness use, but if you are trying to really keep your cost down, furniture gliders are perfect if you’re on a carpeted surface, and towels or paper plates do the trick for a hard surface. Actually, the ones in the above link come with “socks” that are for hard surfaces. Sliding exercises add a whole new dynamic to your routine and can even combine strength and cardio in one exercise.

5) Resistance Bands

These take up almost zero space and you can take them anywhere. Great for all ages and fitness abilities, they can make basic exercises more challenging and enable you to work specific muscle groups as well. Again, the ones I’ve linked are just the ones that I use, but there are lots of options out there to choose from.

6) Jump Rope

Looking to get that heart rate up in your routine to spice things up? Complete a couple minutes of jump rope between sets!

7) Pull up Bar

Maybe not the first thing you want to go out and grab especially for the beginners, but even hanging on a bar helps with grip strengthening and stretching, so this piece of equipment definitely has it’s place. As you gain strength, you can begin by doing a flexed arm hang working your way up to more advanced moves. The one that I have linked here installs in a doorway, but you can also find for a wall mount or a tower if you have the space.

8) Simple Weight Bench

I prefer a bench that will incline and decline. This, too, is one of those items that certainly isn’t a must-have right away. You can do most exercises from the floor or a chair, but eventually you may want to find a basic weight bench to add some variety by utilizing the incline/decline.

9) Kettlebell(s)

I love throwing a kettlebell exercise into a workout. Figure 8’s burn those legs while working your core, and woodchoppers just feel more natural with a kettlebell than with a dumbbell.

10) Medicine Balls

Again, definitely not something you have to feel like you need right away, but a great addition to your home gym especially for core training.

11) Bosu Balance Trainer

A more expensive piece of equipment, this will set you back by around $100. But I included it on this list because there are so many things you can do with it! And, balance training is great for any age, because it will serve you well your whole life.

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Having some basic equipment at home (even if you don’t have much space) is ideal for those times when you can’t seem to make it to the gym and you want something a little more than body weight exercise. And this is the perfect time of year to start thinking about your goals for the new year and creating your wish list. These are pieces of equipment that you will use for years to come, so it is certainly money well spent! Happy shopping!

Here’s to YOUR health!

10 Minute “Rise-n-Shine” Full Body Circuit!

With the holiday season upon us in full force, (seriously, on Halloween, there was an enormous inflatable Christmas tree at the Wal-Mart entrance next to their newly discounted pumpkins!), I wanted to share a “quicky” workout for you to kick off your Thanksgiving Day (or any other morning for that matter)!

You wake up. It’s Thanksgiving morning. The plan is to hit the ground running (probably not an actual jog, but more like running around the house) getting kids ready, food ready, etc. to travel to wherever your destination may be. It may be that you’re staying home hosting this dinner. Either way, this will still be applicable to anyone and everyone!

Take an extra 10 minutes to get in a workout, and you’ll feel so much better…especially on a day when you plan to take in, perhaps, a few extra calories. (If you didn’t already catch it, check my post last week “Healthy Swaps! Your Thanksgiving Survival Guide” for some tips!) And since this is a day where we are to pause and reflect on all that we are thankful for, take this time to also count your blessings. I can’t think of a better way to start the day!

This workout is customizable for the time that you have. Circuit through the exercises below once and then make it a goal to repeat a couple more times, resting for one minute between circuits. Complete in ten minutes, twenty minutes, etc. just depending on how many times you choose to repeat!

Here’s to this past year and memories we’ve made. Here’s to the new year and adventures that await. Here’s to family and friends. Here’s to the failures that made us stronger, and here’s to the successes that reminded us we could do it.

And here’s to YOUR health!

1 min sliding mountain climbers10 Pushups20 squat jacks15 Dips20 Standing Donkey Kicks (per leg)12 Renegade Rows (per arm)30 Tummy Tucks

5 Things to Look for in Finding the Right Personal Trainer for YOU

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You’re finally ready! You’ve tried and tried on your own and haven’t seemed to quite get where you want to be in your fitness journey. You’ve researched and you’ve YouTubed and you’ve browsed pins. You’ve found that you’re discouraged and…well…stuck in somewhat of a rut. What to do? You’ve come up with a brilliant idea! You’ll hire a personal trainer and the stars will finally align and pounds will simply melt off. Right? Maybe? This is a huge decision and will certainly require lots of work on your part…and on your trainer’s part! Let’s take a few moments to talk about how you will find the perfect trainer-trainee match, because this will be a relationship like none other. You will trust him/her. You will love him/her. You will hate him/her. You will share life with this person and you may even build a friendship. But above all, you will team up to accomplish your fitness goals, so this dynamic needs to be strong.

My advice to you is don’t go out and just pick the first person you come across when you Google “personal trainer”. Each trainer has his or her own style and each one will have strengths as well as weaknesses. This relationship should be one that you enjoy. It needs to be someone you can learn to trust and work with since it’s someone you’ll be spending time with weekly, and likely, more than just once per week. And it has to be someone who will keep you safe as you train, because there are some risks that go along with beginning a new fitness regimen.

A personal trainer can help you in whatever stage of your journey you are in. Maybe you’ve never worked out a day in your life. Your trainer can help you through the basics. Maybe you’re experienced in the gym or you’re an athlete training for the next competition. A trainer can work with you to specifically meet the goals you are trying to accomplish. Whatever your reasons and whatever stage you are in, you are in control, and if you are considering hiring a personal trainer, make sure they meet the criteria that is needed to get you where you want to be safely and effectively.

Here are some things to consider when you begin your search…

1) Do they have the credentials?

This may not sound like a big deal, but it’s huge. There are loads of certifications out there that anyone can snag by a quick trip online with a credit card. Appropriate certifications require extensive training and testing to acquire the coveted title of “Certified Personal Trainer”. (And while I’m at it, the same goes for if you are searching for a nutritionist or dietician.)

Here are some big names to look for in the world of personal training that are highly respected…

1) American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
2) American Council on Exercise (ACE)
3) National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
4) National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
5) International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)

2) Are they CPR certified?

All the certifications I listed above required a hands-on CPR/AED certification that is current. It just makes sense. In this industry, a certification like this is essential anyway just to keep basic safety at the forefront.

Seems like a no-brainer, and if you’ve already sought out someone with one of the certifications listed above, then you’re covered. But basic safety is always at the front of my mind as a trainer, and this is an easy step I can take to make sure I am ready in case of an emergency. Plan for the best and prepare for the worst.

3) Do they customize?

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Not only are individual goals unique, but the individuals themselves are unique. What works for one person, may not work for the next and vice versa. It’s easy to churn out workouts that you’ve looked up online and copied, but it’s a whole different story to actually spend time customizing for a specific person.

In addition, your trainer needs to accommodate your life. If you woke up with a stiff neck, or you tripped and busted your knee in your driveway, your trainer needs to be able to restructure your workout accordingly and sometimes on the fly if a certain exercise just isn’t working for you or causes discomfort. Let me clarify. Some discomfort is okay and even expected (and we like it!), but know the difference between good and bad pain. Good pain is the kind where your muscles fatigue and it’s uncomfortable because it’s tiring and exhausting. That’s okay! And, that’s where the good stuff happens! Bad pain is a sudden twinge or sharp pain. This is the kind of pain in which an exercise needs to stop immediately. Your trainer needs to have ongoing conversation with you to be sure you understand the difference. Great communication in this relationship is essential.

4) What is their experience?

As in any other career or hobby, experience breeds knowledge. We each learn from past experiences. New trainers will bring with them personal experiences and fresh-from-the-books knowledge. Veteran trainers will bring personal experiences and the experiences of working with potentially hundreds of clients before you.

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Through the years, I’ve grown as a trainer, and I’ve learned so much from the people I’ve had the pleasure to work with. I’ve worked with several pregnancies, post-physical therapy clients, clients just coming back from back surgeries or knee replacements. I’ve worked with teenagers training for their high school sport to improve speed and improve their vertical jump. I’ve worked with those moving on from high school sports into the world of college athletics. I’ve worked with the elderly and everyone in between. From these, I’ve learned and it’s made me a better trainer.

But I was also new once too, and you can learn a lot from a brand new trainer as well. Just be sure the credentials are there, and make sure you are completely comfortable with each other throughout this journey. And, don’t be afraid to speak up. You know your body best, and as I mentioned before, communication is key!

5) Who are their clients?

Know anyone they train? Gotten any referrals? Stalked them online? Treat this like a job interview and check out their profile online. See if you can schedule a consultation with them. I feel like the consultation/assessment time is not only a chance to discuss goals and get measurements, but it’s also a chance to really get to know each other and get a feel for what a client expects. In order for me to customize workouts, this time together is extremely helpful, and I’ve found that it sets people at ease as well.

So, are you ready to take that next step? Typically, with the year coming to a close, this is a good time to start doing some homework if this is something you are considering. Don’t wait until the first of the year when gym traffic is at an all-time high and it’s likely that most trainer’s schedules are jam packed with new clients.

Take some time to do this right and the results will show if you are both willing to do the work. Chase after your fit, and your trainer will push you to get there.

Here’s to YOUR health!

Strong