Eat Breakfast!

One of my favorite breakfasts is an omelet with broccoli in it, sprinkled with a tiny bit of salt. So today I made an omelet. Usually I make it with the Costco huge packs of cut up broccoli, but today I used one of those single packs of steamed veggies-the broccoli in cheese sauce. It actually is kind of good. Normally for cheese I use a shredded low fat mozzarella cheese stick. Found these single packs are a good alternative. A great way to start my day! Have you eaten your breakfast today?

Sorry Everyone

Have kind of slacked these last two days, but I promise I will be back with some great information on Monday.

25 Minutes-Sounds Like A Lot!

That is how long into my workout it took me to really want to do it. I post about how much I love the gym and how it is like a second home to me, but there are days I don't want to go too. It takes some encouragement and dedication to always have this want. So today I am going to go over more things to keep yourself on track and not lose your focus, because it can be so easy to become side tracked.

#1: Make a Goal

I know all of this is all about goals, but I am talking a small goal. Today I got to the gym-I knew I wanted to do at least an hour. Again, sometimes there are so many other things on your mind (stresses) and it takes all you have just to get out the door to head to the gym. Today my goal was to burn 600 calories before I started my cool down. I almost started my cool down 5 minutes earlier knowing that I would make it to 600 in my cool down, but I said-no I said 600 and then cool down. It got me through those last 5 minutes. Plus it is never good for me to work-out by the monitor where I can see the play room, because I see my kids and want to go running to them for fear they miss me-ha-ha.

#2: The 10 Minute Rule

What is this 10 minute rule? Promise yourself 10 minutes of exercise. When you really don't want to do it-say, I will do 10 minutes. Chose anything, I don't care what it is. For example - go to the gym and do 10 minutes on the treadmill. I guarantee once you get on you will not want to stop. It will get you started. I would love to hear from you all on a day down the road when you really, really didn't want to go workout. Use my 10 minute rule-then come back to my blog, and let me know how long you lasted-even if it was just 5 minutes. I want to know.

#3: If You Don't Have Time-Break It Up

Did you know that you can do the same thing breaking your workouts into 10 to 15 minute segments to equal an hour? Get up 15 minute earlier and do some jumping rope, jumping jacks, running in place, anything to get your heart rate up. At work on your lunch, take 15 minutes to go on a brisk walk or jog. After work do a short workout video. Take another 15 minute walk after dinner. Oh my gosh, you just did an hour of working out today!

# 4: Make Little Lifestyle Changes

It cracks me up to see people at the gym circling for the parking spot closest to the door. I am sorry-didn't you come to get healthier? Here are some things you can do to help yourself make small changes to a better you. Don't drive around waiting for the closer spot-just park. So you have to take the 20 extra steps to the front door-what did it hurt? Nothing at all! When at all possible choose stairs over elevators and escalators. This will also help. Have stairs at home? When cleaning make more than one trip-not fun, but you will get some good cardio going. These are just a few suggestions of small changes you can make.
Here is another thing I would love to hear. Have you started to make small changes in your life to better health? Please, choose one or two things and start on it right away. Remember 30 days to make a habit!!

Now here is your Fitness Tip. Abdominal exercises, I have yet to go over these. I did them today because I have only done them once this week. One big thing with this exercise that a lot don't know-don't anchor your feet. This causes your hip flexors to work-not your abs. Also, when doing abs-think rotational. Rotational abdominal exercises are so amazing when you want that flat stomach. They are what give you that 6-pack. So I am going to tell you one of my favorites, and I would love for you to add it to your workout-even if you have already done your workout. Just lay on down on your back with your hands down to your sides, and do this one for me. Lift your scapula (shoulder blades) off the floor and then rotate back and forth touching your heels with your same side hand. One repetition is after you have touched both heels. So go lie down and get started.

I Want to Work-out, But...

How do you stay motivated? How do you keep “the want to” in your work-out? Is what you are doing at the gym or at home making you want to go back to it every day? Do you smile while you workout? If you didn't say yes to the last two questions then I would question if you are doing the right thing for your workout. If you don't love what you are doing, you will start to make excuses. Making excuses equals not sticking to your goals.

One of the big things in fitness right now is ZUMBA. Raise your hand if you love Zumba. My hand is not raised. I hate Zumba. My husband has tried to get me to certify to teach it, but why would I do that. I hate Zumba. Please don't see this as me trying to discourage you from classes; I am just trying to get you to see that you need to do what you love. Because I dislike this class, I don't do it. However, it is packed with people that love it. If this is what you love - please do yourself a favor and take the class. You will be more likely to stick to it. If you hate running-don't do it. You most likely won't stick to it. Get the idea.

Here’s a little tip - give everything a go for a few weeks before you completely cut it off. I always hated running. After doing it for a few weeks I realized - hey, it's not so bad. Now, when the weather is right, and I can do a few miles outside, I love running. So give things a try before you write them off.

So please, truly find something you love. If you see me at the gym I am usually the girl who is dancing and smiling as I rock out doing my strength sessions or on my elliptical. Yes, I really dance or tap my foot to the beat. It is another thing that makes working out more fun-MUSIC. Can't go wrong with a good up-beat mix of music that gets your blood pumping and your body going.

Ding, ding, ding- A Fitness Tip. Wednesday - my beloved back and biceps day. Find a low bar somewhere - maybe you have a treadmill in your house or a nearby park. Grab a hold of that bar, palms down, with your back toward the ground, lean back. Now you pull up with your arms-it will be like a reverse push up. Now you can just change the position of your hands to your palms facing up hands closer together and wa-la, you have a bicep exercise. FYI-you can change the intensity by having knees straight for harder-the more bend in your knee the easier the workout. Also, the smaller the body angle to the ground the harder; the larger the angle the easier. Watch the video then go out and get some back and biceps knocked out.

One Last Post for the Day

Biggest Loser

Yes, one of my all time favorite shows. I have watched every season and not missed a show. I actually got to meet, two seasons ago, Deni Hill this last week. I wanted to ask: #1-do you watch the show, #2-if you do, what do you do when watching it? I use to pull my step out and do steps while watching. I may do my treadmill tonight while watching. I could say-go and do something each commercial, but I know we all fast forward through those. As long as your not sitting eating junk-watch on my friend. Let it inspire change.

And As a Side Note

Don't do this to yourself:

Do this:

Meditation and Motivation

Meditation is an important key in life. It is good to have some alone time to pray, think, meditate. I have been doing some videos and at the end of the video you go to child's pose and release all that tension in your body. Also, he has you stay there and think about your final goal. What do you want it to be; what does it look like? This has helped me so much I have started doing it after my workouts at the gym. My mom said, "At the gym, with everyone around?" Yes, at the gym, too. It is just child's pose-haha. It releases all the tension and it helps you see what you want in turn making it easier to go every day and get back out there. That is what we want right-to keep those New Years resolutions. I want to be here to support you and make sure you keep up with them.

When doing this mediation you can think about what you want to look like at the end, but that doesn't necessarily have to be what you are picturing in your head. You can also picture yourself running around with your kids or grand kids-that can be your final goal. Something realistic. One thing I have learned from fitness is that it is best not to put up pictures you find out of a magazine to motivate you. Most likely that person doesn't have the same body type as you so it is an unrealistic goal. If it is a picture, you want pick a picture of you when you feel good at where you were. Not a high school picture-again that is unrealistic. I have learned with me-I can't use the picture when I was 250 lbs, that sends me into a negative fitness pattern. So pick something to motivate you in a positive way.

Okay now for A Fitness Tip. Today was cardio day for me. I like to use the elliptical. It is boring to just get on a machine and go. There is a choice on the elliptical-it is a button that says personal trainer. If you press it until it says x-train aerobic it takes you into a workout that switches things up in 10 minute segments. You are doing something different every 1-2 minutes. So when I get on, if I do an hour I say-I only have 6 segments to do. Then it isn't overwhelming, and it isn't boring because it is being changed up, not just getting on and going. Great cardio workout. So there is another little gem of info to put in your back pocket-go out there and get some cardio on today. Even if it is just taking a walk!!

Tomorrow we will talk about how to keep that want to workout.

New Years Resolutions Out In Full Force

So ventured out to the gym today at the 9 o'clock hour. This is usually the busiest time. Today even worse than ever. Driving to the gym and going to the gym you could see that people had made their goals that they were going to do it this year. They are going to be more fit and this is the year they will do it. I came home and told my husband that the gym was so packed today. He said give it a few weeks. I told him-I hope this isn't the case. I hope every year that this goal stays with people and they continue their journey into fitness. Yay for them who have made this decision. It is one of the greatest decisions you can make.

Two things were funny to me on my trip to the gym. #1 is the cardio equiptment is packed full. They weights-the majority of the gym-completely empty. People you have not heard my speech about strength training. #2 is that #1 causes "regular" attendees of the gym to become frustrated. They come to get on "their" treadmill. See the post about spinning and you will know what I am talking about. Beware of gym regulars and again if you are getting and evil stare-ignore it, you were there first.

Okay now my preaching about strength training. Monday is my chest and triceps day. So I want to give you an exercise to do. If you don't have a gym membership or equipment at home you can do this!! No excuses. You want to know what this magical exercise is that works both chest and triceps. Ta Da-push ups. Yes that is right a simple push up. Now there are also variations to the push up. You can do a modified push up-on your knees-don't ever call this a girl push up or I will track you down. There is the incline push up to make things a little easier. Decline push up to make things harder. Diamond push up-uses more of your triceps. You can look up push up in Google and there are so many variations. My goal for you is to try some push ups today.

Get started with a few jumping jacks, run in place, high knees running in place, get your body warmed up and knock some of these babies out. A good investment for push ups is push up bars. This exercise can tweak your wrist. A push up bar gets your wrist in a better position for this exercise. Have dumbbells that will stay in place? Those also work as push up bars.

Now that you have this little gem of knowledge under your belt-GO GET WORKING!! Keep in touch and I will try and keep posting daily things on here to keep you active and happy. I can't ever help it-I smile through my whole workout. Enjoy what you do and be happy with who you are!