Can’t get to the gym? Here are some FREE Fitness apps for diet, weight loss, fitness and health apps – No Excuses!
Finding Time For Fitness
February 9, 2013 By
We are all busy and have a hard time for finding time for fitness, but try these 7 tips to find time in your day to get in a great workout and make a positive step in the healthy direction.
Make it a PRIORITY! It’s easy to let excuses and every day activities get in the way of your fitness schedule. Too tired, too busy, too much to do – we have all been there. But if you want to make fitness a part of your life, you have to find time to make it a part of your life. Schedule your workouts just like you would any other important appointment like going to the dentist or getting your hair done. Write it in your calendar and block out time in your day to get it done.
Be Sneaky! Sneak fitness into your everyday chores and activities. Make small changes in your day like taking the stairs at work, walking to your co-workers office instead of emailing them, squatting while you fold laundry or cleaning the house at a brisk pace.
Play! If you have kids or pets, be active with them! Kid and pet free? Join a sport league. Working out doesn’t have to mean spending time in a gym. Taking Fido for a hike, playing tag with the kids or joining a backyard game of flag football counts too! Having fun with your fitness makes it seem like a less daunting task.
Wake up early. Getting your workout completed first thing in the morning means you will be less likely to be distracted by other responsibilities later in the day. Also, working out in the morning starts out your day with a sense of accomplishment and puts a little extra pep in your step.
Be prepared!!!! If you know that you have limited time between getting up in the morning and heading out to the gym before you have to get to work, get in a routine of making sure your gym bag is packed every night before you go to bed. That way in the morning you will not be rushed or have to skip your workout because you aren’t ready.
Get into a routine. If working out during your lunch hour works best for you, try to stick to that schedule. Life does have a way of throwing a wrench in your plan every now and again, but changing up your routine too much leaves room for excuses to sneak in.
Instead of finding ways you CAN’T, try to find ways you CAN! Don’t “can’t” yourself to death. Anyone can find a million reason why they can’t find time for fitness, but try to change up your thinking and try to find ways you can. Can’t workout for an hour every day? Then make the most of the time you can. Can’t afford a gym membership? Then go for a jog or walk outside and do body weight strength exercises? Focus on the positive of what you can do and try to eliminate the negative of what you can’t.
30 x 3 Workout
February 9, 2013 By
This workout is fast, effective and FUN!!!!
30 seconds WORK, 30 Seconds REST, 30 Minutes (thus the 30 x 3) and you’re done. Complete this circuit 6 times for a great, full body workout.
30 Seconds: Squat/Shoulder Press
30 seconds: Rest
30 Seconds: Renegade Row Pushup
30 seconds: Rest
30 Seconds: Alternating Reverse Lunge with Rotation and Bicep Curl
30 seconds: Rest
30 Seconds: Skullcrushers with Hip Bridge
30 seconds: Rest
30 Seconds: Plank with walkout
30 seconds: Rest
Repeat for a total of 6 circuits
Squat with Shoulder Press: Holding weights in both hands at shoulder height, lower your body into a squat. As you stand back up, raise weights straight over head in one smooth motion. As you lower back into a squat, lower weights back to shoulder height.
Renegade Row Pushup: Place a pair of dumbbells on the floor and set yourself up in pushup position, grasping the handles with each hand. Lower your body to the floor, pause, then push yourself back up. Once you’re back in the starting position, row the dumbbell in your right hand to the side of your chest, keeping your elbow close to your ribs. Pause, then lower the dumbbell back down and repeat with your left arm. Try to keep your hips from rotating while performing this exercise.
Alternating Reverse Lunge with Rotation and Bicep Curl: Hold dumbbells at your sides and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Step back with your left foot, and bend both knees to lower your body until your right knee is bent at least 90 degrees. At the same time, rotate your upper body toward your right leg and curl the dumbbells to your chest. Reverse the movement by lowering the weights and rotating your chest to face front, then return to standing. Repeat on opposite side.
Skullcrushers with Hip Bridge: Lying on your back with arms extended straight above your shoulders, lift hips off of the ground. As you lower the hips back to the mat, bend arms from the elbows only and lower weights down towards the ears. (Imagine putting earmuffs on and then taking them back off). Repeat the motion by lifting the hips back up as you raise the weights.
Plank with walkout: Set yourself up in a plank position on the elbows. Pull the navel in tight and keep the back and hips flat, step out to the side a few inches with your right foot, step out to the side a few inches with your left foot, step back in with your right foot and step back in with your left foot. Repeat. Try not to rock the hips as you perform this exercise.
Advanced and want to take the workout to the next level? Here is a calorie torching version:
30 Seconds: Squat/Shoulder Press
30 seconds: Mountain Climbers
30 Seconds: Renegade Row Pushup
30 seconds: Jumping Jacks
30 Seconds: Alternating Reverse Lunge with Rotation and Bicep Curl
30 seconds: Mountain Climbers
30 Seconds: Skullcrushers with Hip Bridge
30 seconds: Jumping Jacks
30 Seconds: Plank with walkout
30 seconds: Rest
Repeat for a total of 6 circuits
Budget Friendly Workout Equipment
February 8, 2012 By
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.
The Top 10 FITmas Gifts in 2011
November 29, 2011 By
Looking for that perfect gift for the fitness fanatic in your life? Look no further. Here are my recommendations for the best fitness gift of the 2011. I use these ALL of these products and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a great gift for a loved one or yourself.
TRX SUSPENSION TRAINER
$199.95 If you’re looking for the ULTIMATE gift to give someone, this would be it. 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. 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. Great for all fitness levels. Use code TRXGIVE when checking out and get FREE SHIPPING and 20% off.
BOSU TRAINER
$49.95-$109 Do you BOSU? You should. The BOSU is an amazing functional tool to help improve your balance, strength, agility and speed. Can be used flat side up or flat side down. The BOSU takes exercises like lunges, pushups and planks to a whole other level.
GYMBOSS
$19.99 The Gymboss interval timer will give your workout the discipline and structure necessary to take your workout to the next level. This easy to use timer will allow you to stay on track during your workouts by eliminating the pesky issue of checking the time during your intervals. Just set it, forget it put all of your focus on the workout to get the best results possible!
2 LB. WEIGHTED GLOVES WITH REMOVABLE WEIGHTS
$17.99 These adjustable gloves can be used for strength training, boxercise, walking. Removable 1 lb weight packets allow the gloves to go from 0-2 lbs. I love these gloves because there have been so many times when I am in between weights and these allow me to make small weight increases.
10 LB MAX-VEST
$44.99 I’m a sucker for the Cathe products and this vest is awesome. It adds just enough weight to fry my legs during my plyo workouts. I love doing walking lunges when wearing this vest.
THE PERFECT PUSHUP
$39.95 Don’t knock it until you try it! When a client of mine suggested I add it into my chest routine, I laughed at him. I am not one to try “infomercial” products because they are usually cheesy and junk. But I tried it and it took my pushup to a whole new level – it added depth and rotation into a normal pushup while keeping me in perfect form with less strain on my wrists.
THE ULTIMATE WORKOUT LOG
$12.95 This 24 week workout journal allows you to log your cardio and strength workouts. Every page has a motivational saying and gives you fitness information and facts that can help you reach your personal goals.
FITBOOK JOURNAL
$22.95 A personalized, flexible, and functional fitness/nutrition journal that offers a unique 12-week system to plan for success, track your progress, and reach your goals. At just 5.5″, the fitbook is portable – but durable enough to endure being toted around. The fitbook is small in size, but packs a punch in utility with durable plastic coil, an elastic strap to mark your place, a handy slot in the back to stash your gym card, and includes a pint-size pen.
FITNESS TO GO GEAR
$20-$40 Look cute and fit while sporting the Fitness To Go Apparel. Jackets, short sleeve sweat wicking tees and tank tops in lots of fun colors. Also, stay hydrated while drinking out of your Fitness To Go water bottle.
FITNESS TO GO GIFT CERTIFICATES
$10-UNLIMITED Give the gift of health this year. Purchase Gift Certificates that can be used for any Fitness To Go Service. Classes, Training, Equipment Orientation, Custom/Private Bootcamps, Program Design – you name it, Fitness To Go can help you get in the best shape of your life in 2012!
Make GRATITUDE your ATTITUDE
July 26, 2011 By
Fitness. It’s the first thing we think about every January 1st or when we have an upcoming event where we want to look amazing but it’s the last thing we check off on our giant “to do” list. We look at fitness as “a thing” we have to do to look better or to lose weight . For many of us it has a negative connotation – something we have to suffer through in order to reach a certain goal. “No pain, no gain”. Negative, negative, negative. But what if we looked at fitness with a whole different attitude – gratitude. Something to be thankful and grateful for.
When we think of being grateful, we think of the BIG things in life – a roof over our heads, a job that pays the bills and a family that loves us. But what about the smaller things like being able to walk up a flight of stairs, play in the yard with your kids and the ability to move? Our fitness is often over looked and taken for granted. It’s something we’ll focus on when we have more. More time, more money, more incentive. But what if your fitness abilities were taken away from you?
Fitness isn’t all about fitting into a pair of size 00 skinny jeans or getting back to your “high school weight”. It’s about how great moving makes you feel and the awesome things you can accomplish with the incredible body you have. When our ability to use our bodies is taken from us, we regret the things we didn’t do when we could have. You hurt your knees and you wish you would have taken up running. You break your arm and you wish you could toss the ball with your kids. So why not try living without regret and doing things just because you can. I’m not usually one to toot my own horn, but in the last year and a half alone, I ran the distance of the United States. My body and fitness allowed me put one foot in front of the other for 3500 miles. I didn’t do it to lose weight, win a contest or because someone was chasing me. I did it because I could. And I am extremely grateful that my body and fitness level allowed me to experience every mile of it.
This month I challenge you to look at fitness in a whole new light – with gratitude. Walk into the gym with a positive attitude. Be thankful that you can ask your body to do something and it will do it. Be grateful for the pride you feel after a great workout. And most of all, appreciate the amazing moments you will experience when you are grateful for what you have.
Fun Tip: Did you know that your level of fitness is what got you here? Before you were born, you “ran” the most important race of your life. In essence, you competed in a race to the distance of the moon against the entire population of the US and Japan and you won. In the survival of the fittest, you won the ultimate prize – life. What are you going to do with your prize?
Want to find your “gratitude”? Visit an amazing website that I am very grateful for Grateful Now
Back To The Basics
June 29, 2011 By
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
June 29, 2011 By
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
June 7, 2011 By
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!
June 2, 2011 By
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.