Cardio Workouts That May Even Make You Smile

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You already know that one of the most important things you can do for your weight loss goals is regular cardio exercise. You also know that cardio workouts are indispensable to an effective training program and general good health. But, did you know that you don't have to suffer through boring cardio workout experiences day after day?

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Check out this post on PersonalTrainerz.com for Five Fun Cardio Workouts to Trim Your Body. These are great ideas for getting out of an exercise rut.

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If I have to spend ONE MORE minute putting one foot in front of the other on the treadmill or gliding on the elliptical, I think I'll explode. Honestly, I'll become the very first victim of B.C.B. (Boring Cardio Burnout), and I'll simply vanish into thin air. I have tried everything to make these monotonous cardio workouts exciting...magazines (print is too small to read while in motion; gives me headaches), books (too loud in the gym to concentrate; book won't stay open on the little magazine rack), books on CD (expensive to buy, horrible selection at the public library; too embarrassed to carry my old CD walkman), cell phone (not cute to carry on a conversation while breathing heavily)...Get my point? Today, I'm vowing to stop the madness. No more boring work outs for me!

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

Exercising as a Couple

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Exercise is known for causing the brain to produce chemicals that reduce stress, evoke feelings of happiness and increase libido. Studies show that couples who exercise regularly report better, and more frequent, sex with their partners. This is a huge motivator!

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Couples recognize that working out together is an effective way to demonstrate a commitment to their wedding vows before they even take them. By taking care of their bodies, they show that they care about being their best for each other and that they’ll do what it takes to stay healthy and strong.

When schedules start getting crazy before the big day, workouts are often among the first things to be let go in a quest for more time. Working out solo becomes increasingly more difficult because it’s much easier to break an appointment when no one is counting on you to be there.

By working out together, and paying a trainer to be there with you, couple have a heightened level of accountability to each other – and to the trainer. This ensures that all of those extra cake-tasting calories don’t go straight to the hips (or tummy) before the wedding.

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The wedding dress may be the #1 motivator for women to work out in the months leading up to their weddings, and oftentimes the men in their lives agree to join them in an effort to be (or at least appear…) supportive. Every bride wants to feel beautiful on her special day, and this often involves making it through a series of dress fittings with the hopes that bare shoulders and toned arms win out in the end.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

No More Fairytales

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At the risk of making it seem as if dedication and consistency are the only routes to successful weight loss, let’s acknowledge that there are exceptions to every rule. There is someone out there who lost weight without the commitment and without putting in the work. We all hate her, but she does exist. And while we’re being up front and honest with ourselves, let’s also agree that while it’s not impossible for the little magic pill to work wonders, it is highly improbable. Fair enough?

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Weight Training

Weight training or strength training refers to the use of equipment that allows variable resistance. This resistance can be in the form of "free weights" like barbells and dumbbells, machines that use cables or pulleys to help you lift the weight or exercises like pull-ups or dips that rely on your own body weight. If you’re new to lifting weights, you should rely on a certified personal trainer to show you the ropes, but here are some general guidelines:

• Complete a minimum of 8 - 10 exercises each time
• Involve major muscle groups
• Lift weights a minimum of 2 times per week
• Do at least 1 set of 8 - 12 repetitions of each exercise
• Use a resistance level that results in near fatigue

Aerobic Activity

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) defines aerobic exercise as "any activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously, and is rhythmic in nature." This is the kind of exercise that causes your heart and lungs to work harder than they normally work. It is also referred to as cardiovascular activity or “cardio” for short, and jogging, brisk walking, step classes and kickboxing are all great examples. Remember these tips:

• Do cardio 3-5 days per week
• Aim for 40 to 60 minutes of continuous aerobic activity
• Work at a moderate intensity: 60-80% of maximum heart rate (Use a heart rate monitor)

Consistently Good Nutrition

A healthy diet is an integral part of making your workout work for you. Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat intake. In addition:

• Eat foods high in fiber
• Reduce the number of calories in your diet that come from processed sugars
• Choose and prepare foods with less salt
• Drink the daily recommended amount of water: 8 to 10 cups (64 to 80 ounces) of water a day
• If you drink alcoholic beverages, drink them in moderation (no more than one drink per day)

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To lose weight, you don’t need any expensive equipment or fancy diet plans. You just have to do a few simple things and do them consistently. It will require some effort, and you certainly won’t lose the weight overnight, but if you follow these suggestions the weight loss will be much easier to sustain over time. So watch what you eat, weight train, do some type of aerobic activity and leave the little magic pills in Fairytale Land with Cinderella and her girls.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

Fitness On a Budget #3

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One of the best ways to work out on a budget is to exercise at home because it's FREE.

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Invest in a few pieces of inexpensive exercise equipment that will allow you to get a total body workout at home.

- Dumbbells. Dumbbells are small, hand-held weights that you can use to strengthen your upper body. They're available in many sizes, but most women only need 3lb, 5lb and 8lb to start out with.
- Resistance bands. These stretchy tubes offer weight-like resistance when you pull on them. Choose from varying degrees of resistance, depending on your fitness level.
- Jump-ropes. Skipping rope can be a great cardiovascular workout, and you can get these for just a couple of dollars.

Buy used equipment. Check out listings for used exercise equipment on local online ad boards like craigslist.com. Online auction sites like eBay are also a good option, but make sure the shipping costs won't put the item out of your budget.

Turn your home into a private aerobics class with a good selection of exercise videos. Borrow videos from your library or a friend, or rent them from the video store before you buy them to see if you like the routines. Another great option is signing up for Netflix or another mail delivery program that will allow you to keep fresh titles coming each week. Be sure to pick videos that match your current fitness level so that you don't get discouraged by exercises that are too hard or too easy. Some small equipment may be required, depending on the activity you select.

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My personal fave of all of these ideas, is getting a great set of exercise DVDs. The music, exercises and instructors make me feel like I'm actually part of a real class rather than just doing bicep curls in my living room. My clients also love the fact that they can get all of the variety of a fancy fitness center (maybe even more) in the most convenient location - their own home.

About Cafe Physique: The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

Fitness On a Budget #2

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Many of us have been trained to feel like we're not working out unless we're actually at the gym or using expensive infomercial equipment in our basements. The truth is that you can create your own workout anywhere, at any time.

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You don't necessarily need special equipment like a treadmill or elliptical machine to get a great cardiovascular workout. With a little planning, some of the daily activities you take for granted can become part of your exercise routine:

Get in extra steps whenever & wherever you can. Take a brisk walk every day, whether it's a path through your neighborhood or laps in a local mall. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or make a full workout of climbing the stairs. Sneak in extra steps whenever you can by parking farther away from your destination.

Pick up the pace as you do your household chores. Mow the lawn, weed the garden, rake the leaves or shovel the snow, but make the movements intentional and try to maintain a quick pace while you’re working. Even indoor activities such as vacuuming and scrubbing count as a workout if you increase your heart rate.

Don’t sit on the sidelines. If you have children, don't just watch them play. Join them for a game of tag or kickball. Walk them to the park. Dance. Take a family bike ride.

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Many of my clients are under the impression that an activity doesn't count as a real workout unless they're going for at least an hour. I'm not quite sure where this thought pattern originated, but it's not true. Feel free to break your workout into 15-minute increments throughout the day. Something is ALWAYS better than nothing, so get moving whenever you can.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

When You Just Don't Feel Like Working Out

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Make it to the gym more often.

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Some days, you just won’t feel like working out. Maybe you haven’t been able to get as much sleep as you need or you've been having some stress at work or in your personal life. No matter the reason, sometimes you just aren’t in the mood for moving and sweating. Whenever this happens to you, try these strategies for working up the desire to hit the gym:

Remind Yourself of Your Goals - Start thinking about why you started exercising in the first place and what the end results will be. Do you want to lose a certain amount of weight? Get more toned? Have more energy? A quick reminder of why exercise is important to you can be just the motivation that you need to eek out another set of reps.

Plan on Reducing Your Workout – If you feel that you won’t have the energy to do your complete routine, tell yourself that you will just do half of the work out. If you usually jog four miles, plan on just doing two. If you are weight-training that day, focus on just doing the compound exercises while leaving out the isolation exercises. Once you get going, you might discover that you actually have the energy to do your full workout.

Don’t Go Next Time - Give yourself permission to skip the next work out but not this one. If the next work out rolls around and you still don’t feel like going, you actually might be doing yourself some good by skipping it. Feeling consistently turned off by exercise is usually a sign of overtraining, and giving your body more time to rest can actually help you reach your fitness goals faster.

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The trickiest part of any exercise plan is motivation. You can know all of the exercises and the proper techniques, but if you aren't inspired enough to get to the gym, it won’t do you much good. Figure out what motivates you most, and make sure that you use that motivation to hold yourself accountable for regular physical activity. I'm not opposed to an occasional self-bribe either. It goes something like this, "If I workout at least 4 times this week, I'm going to treat myself to a spa pedicure next Friday after work." Just make sure that your rewards are not food-based, and you'll be good to go.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

Exercising During Pregnancy

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Don’t let pregnancy end your exercise routine.

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If you are expecting, don’t see that as an excuse to stop your fitness plans. As a matter of fact, exercising during pregnancy has numerous benefits.

A More Comfortable Pregnancy - As many pregnant women can attest, pregnancy usually comes with a number of uncomfortable side effects. Many report chronic backaches from the rapid weight gain, constipation, and sore joints caused by hormone changes. Exercise can help relieve your achy muscles, minimize constipation, and even help regulate your hormone levels.

An Easier and Faster Labor - When the big day finally arrives, your labor is likely to go more smoothly if you are a fit mommy. Labor is obviously an extremely exhausting process, and the more stamina and overall strength you have, the easier it will be for you.

Regain Your Pre-Pregnancy Body Faster - By maintaining a base level of fitness during pregnancy, you will actually be able to recover from the labor faster. You will also be somewhat leaner than if you hadn’t exercised, which means that you will probably be able to get back down to your ideal size more quickly once you feel that you are ready to start working out again.

While exercise during pregnancy has countless benefits for you and your baby, it’s best to consult with you doctor before you begin any exercise plan.

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This really goes to show that no matter what stage of life you’re in, you can benefit from exercise. Watch out for negative thinking and excuses like “I’ll start exercising again after the baby is born” because they’ll leave you wishing that that you’d started earlier.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

Tips for a Leaner Midsection

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There’s no secret to getting the abs you want.

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A significant chunk of people start working out because they hope to get those movie star-quality abs. Unfortunately, that’s often a lot harder than it sounds, so it’s a good idea to keep these basic tips in mind as you get started.

Don’t Do Endless Reps – Don’t make the mistake of thinking that doing crunches or sit-ups for hours will give you the six pack that you desire. The abdominal muscles are just like any other, and if you can do hundreds of crunches at a time, you may not be challenging them enough to grow. If any ab exercise get too easy for you, you should consider making it more challenging by adding weights. For example, you might hold a dumbbell or medicine ball to your chest while you do crunches. You should also learn how to do other ab exercises beyond the basic crunch. Try bicycle kicks, leg lifts, planks.

Focus on Cardio and Diet - As with anything else, it’s a mistake to think that resistance training alone will get you the tummy that you want. Most people aren’t happy with their abs because they simply have too much fat in that area. Fat around your midsection is typically harder to get rid of than fat from other you parts of your body. And women, because they have a naturally higher body fat percentage than men, might actually find it to be even more challenging. The only way to get rid of that fat is by doing plenty of cardio and watching what you eat.

Stand Up Straight – Most people can improve the appearance of their midsection simply by improving their posture. Standing up straight will naturally cause you to pull your stomach in, and it will also activate more muscles, helping you burn a few extra calories during the course of the day.

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I’ve noticed that the #1 thing people neglect while heading down the path to rockin’ abs is a good diet. All of those commercials on television for ab machines sometimes give the impression that exercising is enough to make your abs visible, but it just isn’t. In order to get your body fat percentage low enough, you need to cut out the sweets and excess junk while making sure that you burn off more calories throughout the day than what you take in.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

Exercise More at the Office

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Don’t let your cubicle interrupt your fit lifestyle.

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Your body is designed to be exercised, but physical activity can be tough to come by when you work at an office and spend most of your day parked in front of a computer. That’s why all office dwellers should do what they can to get in more physical activity, even while they are at work.

Rethink Your Commute – If you are fortunate enough to live just a few miles from where you work, you might consider riding your bike to work. True, this might mean that you have to wake up a bit earlier, but the extra exercise you get in every week will be profound.

Take Frequent Breaks – I know it’s easy to get caught up in what you're doing, but it's vital that you take breaks regularly. It won’t just help you produce higher quality work, it will also give you they opportunity to get in some physical activity. By taking a quick stroll around your office building during your breaks, you increase the amount of physical activity you get during the day and get your heart pumping enough to make you feel refreshed. These quick strolls can be an effective stress fighter too.

Replace Your Chair with An Exercise Ball - You’ll probably have to check with management to see if this is OK, but more and more companies are allowing, and even encouraging their employees to sit on exercise balls instead of chairs. Sitting on a ball encourages good posture, and actually activates some muscles in a way that regular chairs don’t because you have to constantly stabilize yourself. It might feel tricky at first, but after a little while it will feel just as natural as sitting on a chair.

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A fit lifestyle is all about small changes. Even choosing to get a little physical activity during your break instead of hanging out in the office kitchen or at your desk can be a huge leap in the right direction. If you concentrate on making tiny changes in how you do things, it will eventually add up to a slimmer waistline and a healthier you.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

Overcoming Plateaus

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Always work towards progress.

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When you first started out with your fitness program, you probably found that you made big strides every week. You were always able to lift more weight, run longer and for greater distances, and stretch further than the week before. If you stuck with it, you have probably noticed these advancements becoming less and less pronounced over time. When you get to the point where you stop losing fat (even though you are a few pounds shy of your goal weight), or you don’t notice any improvements in your athletic performance, you have hit a plateau. Here are a few ways to work through it:

Slow Down – Obviously, you aren’t just lifting weight for the sake of the lifting weight. You want to grow stronger and become more toned, so you should lift slowly – making sure that each rep puts as much strain on your muscles as possible. Ideally, take about two seconds to lift the weight and two seconds to lower the weight.

Shake Things Up - If you have been stuck in a rut for a while, considering adding in a few more exercises or completely changing your routine. Your body craves variety, and switching up can totally change how your work your body.

Take a Break – It sounds counterintuitive, but sometimes taking a couple days off might be the best thing you can do for your fitness training. A plateau might be a sign that you are just overtraining. Take a couple days off, and see how you feel when you come back to it.

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I don’t want to advocate never being satisfied with your fitness level or how you look, but at the same time, it is OK to enjoy the satisfaction that comes with continually striving for progress. When you see that you making strides, you are more likely to stick with your fitness program and continue to integrate exercise into your overall lifestyle.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

How to Walk More

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A little more legwork can add up to a lot more weight loss.

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While those super sweaty, high intensity workout sessions you can get in the gym should be an integral part of your overall weight loss strategy, that doesn’t have the be the only way to increase your physical activity. If you can find ways to take extra steps while going about your daily life, you can burn extra calories without exerting much additional effort.

Wear a Pedometer
A report published in 2007 in the Journal of the American Medical Association by a Stanford University doctor showed that several studies suggested that just wearing a pedometer, a small device that counts your steps, makes people want to walk more. In fact, the journal reported that the average person got twenty seven percent more physical activity while walking an extra mile every day. Walking for a mile at four miles an hour can burn around three hundred calories, depending on your weight.

Park Far Away At the Grocery Store
Instead of fighting for the closest space you can find, go ahead and park way in the back. The parking spots will be more plentiful, plus you will be able to walk an extra distance to the store.

Window Shop
Window shopping at the local mall with your friends can make walking a social experience. Plus, walking indoors means that you don’t have to let bad weather prevent you from getting more exercise.

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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: fitness is a lifestyle. Getting more fit shouldn’t necessarily rule your life, but it’s a mistake to think that a certain time of the week is “fit time.” If you think of health and fitness as something that you weave into your life, you will find getting fit to be a much easier and more natural task.

Fitness Advice You Should Avoid

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Be wary of the advice you hear on the internet.

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Bad fitness advice abounds, especially on the internet. While this is not the only advice you should ignore, these things are particularly frustrating for me to hear coming from fitness “experts.”

Cardio Before Breakfast – The idea behind “fasted cardio,” or doing your cardio first thing in the morning before you’ve had anything to eat, is that the exercise will work directly towards burning fat, rather than burning the calories in the meal you just ate. There are a couple problems with this. Firstly, most people don’t have much energy to exercise before eating anything, so it might make the exercise difficult or even painful. Second, doing this might cause you to metabolize muscle, which will slow down your metabolism.

Take This Supplement – Not all supplements are bad. But for every nutritional supplement that might actually be useful, there are a thousand that are total garbage. Besides, who has the money to spend on all those pills and powders? Despite what ads on the internet or television might have you believe, they have yet to invent anything that will help you lose weight and get lean as quickly, safely, and effectively as a smart diet and exercise plan.

Drink A Gallon of Water a Day - Most people need to drink more water, but the actual amount you should be drinking for optimal hydration depends upon your body weight, the amount of physical activity you get, your altitude, and a few other factors. While it’s very difficult to drink too much water, you shouldn’t really be drinking so much that you feel the need to go to the bathroom every fifteen minutes. A good hydration measurement is the color of your urine: if it’s clear, you are drinking enough.

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If you ever hear fitness advice that sounds a bit off or just too good to be true, try to seek out a second opinion. There is nothing worse than spending months or years trying something to lose weight, only to discover it is totally ineffective. I certainly don’t like to waste my time like that, and I know my clients don’t either, so I always double check the sources and data on every piece of fitness or diet advice I hear.

Learn to Just Chill

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Learning to relax can be a big step towards weight loss.

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If you seem to have a more difficult time losing weight than your friends, it might not be your genetics. It might actually be your stress level. When you feel frazzled, your body releases cortisol, a nasty hormone that encourages your body to store fat and eats away at muscle. Here are few tips that will hopefully make you feel more Zen, making it a bit easier to lose those last few pounds:

Make Your Diet Easy to Follow - You should plan a diet that strikes a healthy balance between foods that are good for you and foods you love. If you focus too heavily on stuff that’s bland but healthy, you will feel deprived, stressed and irritable. On the other hand, if you indulge too often, all that sugar and saturated fat will inevitably expand your waistline. So if you find yourself craving food too often or get frustrated with your food choices, it’s time to rethink things.

Carve Out Time for Yourself – Aim to have at least an hour of every day where you do nothing but something you truly enjoy. Disconnect the phone and read a nice book, do a crossword puzzle, play a musical instrument or whatever else it is you enjoy most. “Me time” will help you unwind and put everything into perspective.

Recognize Your Stressors and Avoid Them - This one might sound obvious, but a lot of people choose to confront stressful situations and people, even when there is no reason to. If the evening news makes your back tense, turn it off. If a coworker is overly critical of you, try and limit your contact with him. Fewer stress points means less stress.

Get Moving – Study after study has shown that regular exercise works wonders on reducing stress and the effects of depression.

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Love Your Body! The more insecure and self-conscious we feel, the more stressed we become, and the more cortisol your body releases. Given this, a poor self-image is not just emotionally hurtful but physically unhealthy too. The better you feel about yourself, the healthier you become. Visit CafePhysique.com to learn more about LoveYour Body Month and how we’re choosing to celebrate it.

Dealing with Fitness Sabotage

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Don’t let your family and friends lead your fitness plans astray.

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If you are like most people, you've probably cheated on your diet because of your family and friends. Maybe someone from the office brought a batch of homemade cookies and insisted that you try a few because they were so good, or your friends made you miss a workout to go see a new movie. While an occasional treat or missed workout isn’t a big deal, it can become a problem if it happens too often. Here are a few ways to deal with fitness saboteurs:

Assume the best - Your family and friends aren’t doing these things because they are malicious; they probably just don’t understand. Don’t let your fitness plan become a source of stress in your social life, and assume that your loved ones actually have your best intentions at heart.

Just tell them - While not everyone appreciates the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, some might stop pressuring you to ruin your fitness plan if you just tell them how important it is to you.

Meet them halfway - If you're being pulled to a movie, ask if you can see a later showing so you can still spend time on the elliptical. If your co-worker is always bringing in pastries full of saturated fat, just have a little nibble and throw the rest away. And don’t feel bad about wasting food. It’s better in the trash than on your thighs, right?

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Fitness, like any long-term goal, is really just about overcoming a series of obstacles. Sometimes those obstacles come in the form of those closest to you. But at the same time, family and friends can sometimes be a fantastic source of support. If you find that certain people are sabotaging your diet plans, try to surround yourself with a more supportive crew so you can have the confidence you need to achieve your fitness goals.

Things You Thought Were Good for You

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Conventional wisdom isn’t always so wise.

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Fruit Juice
Go to your refrigerator and look at the sugar content on your orange juice. I’m guessing it's going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty to thirty grams in a single glass, the equivalent to downing about four tablespoons of pure sugar. And as you already know, sugar encourages your body to store fat. There’s nothing wrong with eating whole fruit, which has a lot more nutrients and fiber and a lot less sugar, but you lose a lot of nutritional value when it’s turned into a juice.

Wheat Bread
Actually, wheat bread is better for you than white bread so long as it is actual, genuine wheat bread and not “enriched” wheat bread. “Enriched” basically means they processed and bleached the wheat until it doesn’t have any of the original nutritional benefits, and added vitamins back in. Believe it or not, some brands even add high fructose corn syrup to the bread. Always make the first ingredient on the list is “whole wheat” when purchasing wheat bread.

Foods marketed as “Low Fat”
There are tons of “low fat” foods that are also high in starchy carbs and sugar. After all, there’s more to good nutrition than lowering your fat intake, right?

Sharply Cutting Calories
If you eat too few calories, perhaps under 1200 a day or so for the average person, your metabolism may slow to a standstill, and you could wind up storing fat and losing muscle. The only healthy way to lose weight is gradually.

Find Smart Ways to Cut Calories

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If you ever discover you’ve been doing something very wrong in your diet or fitness plan (like you may have just done while reading this blog post), don’t beat yourself up about it. I sometimes encounter people who have been doing exercises in the least efficient and most joint-damaging ways possible for years before being shown there was a better way. The people with the most success are the ones who take new knowledge, apply it, and don’t worry about what they used to do.

Cardio You Haven't Tried

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Finding new ways to get your heart pumping will make exercise more fun and more effective.

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If you are starting to find the treadmill tedious and the stair stepper to be a snooze, it’s time to add a new cardiovascular exercise to your repertoire. Here are few simple things that you may not have considered.

Jump Rope - This grade school recess favorite can be surprisingly effective at shedding calories. After you’ve mastered the basic “single hop” (where the rope goes under your feet once per rotation) try the more challenging “double rotation,” where the rope has to fly underneath you twice before you touch the ground.

Handball - Sports are always a fantastic way to get your body moving, mostly because it feels more like fun than exercise, and handball works well because all you need is a wall, a ball, and two players. Just be sure to wear goggles or a sturdy pair of glasses while you’re playing to protect your eyes.

Hiking or Rock Climbing - If you haven’t already, check out the parks in your area to see what kind of hiking trails and climbing areas are available. A nice outing on a hiking trial not only lets you engage in a lot of low intensity cardio but also gives you some neat areas to explore. Rock climbing can be a bit more intense, so take it easy if you’ve never done it before.

Rowing - A rowing machine can get you into your target heart rate quickly and work your back at the same time.

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I think that boredom is the number one killer of fitness motivation, so I always have my clients trying out new exercises. Sometimes, like in the case with hiking or rock climbing, it can lead to a lifelong hobby. Try a little bit of everything and eventually you’ll find something you’ll enjoy sticking with.

Make Your New Year's Resolutions Stick

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Make this the year your New Year’s Resolutions stick.

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By now I think it’s common knowledge that that most common New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and get fit. I also think it’s common knowledge that those plans usually sputter out before the end of winter. It’s difficult to watch countless good intentioned people falter when it comes to fitness, so I’ve laid out a few tips that might help you make this the year your fitness plans stick for good.

Have Patience – A good-looking body always goes to the person who is willing to wait for it. No one reaches their fitness goals overnight, and even fitness cover models had to start somewhere. Be consistent, work out every week, and your fitness will steadily improve.

Get a Partner – Chances are you know someone who also wants to make 2008 their most fit year. Team up to encourage each other during workouts and trade dieting tips. Knowing that someone else is working towards their fitness goals alongside you can be a huge motivator.

Variety – Don’t just go for a jog every day and call it a fitness plan. There is a whole world of exercise out there: yoga, pilates, weight lifting, plyometrics, and more. Mixing it up will not just work your body in different ways and help you lose weight faster, it will also help prevent you from getting bored.

Don’t Forget To Diet - Don’t think that if you work extra hard you won’t have to give up pizza and beer. There are just too many calories packed into grease to make it possible to burn it all off, even with an intense fitness plan. Learning to eat smart might seem intimidating, but you will get the hang of it after just a couple weeks.

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The first couple of weeks after our clients start exercising and eating right for the first time in their lives, they usually see really dramatic weight loss. After that, it levels out and they might start losing just half a pound to a pound a week. If this happens to you, don’t get discouraged. It just means your body has caught up to your new lifestyle. Keep at it, and you will be rewarded with a healthy & fit body.

Jogging 101

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Learn the best way to run to make your cardio as effective and injury-free as possible.

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Running or jogging is fantastic way to get your heart pumping and burn fat, but a large number of people don’t know how to do it properly. I know what you’re thinking: there’s actually a wrong way to run? Well, yes, actually. Like any exercise, you have to learn the proper technique if you expect to get the most benefit out of your jogs.

Don’t Slap Your Feet - Stomping on the ground on every step will just put a lot of stress on joints and make you run slower. The heel of your foot should be the first thing to touch the ground, and every step should be a smooth rolling motion.

Stand Up Straight - A lot of people, especially in the last few exhausting minutes of a jog, tend to slouch. If you keep your spine erect, you will get the most out your cardio by working to keep your core stable.

Pay Attention to How You Swing Your Arms - Really moving your arms to the rhythm of the run will help you burn more calories. It might also encourage you to bring your knees up more, which will burn even more calories.

Double Knot Your Shoes - It stinks to have to stop in the middle of run to re-lace your sneakers. Make sure you invest a really good pair of running shoes and lace them tightly before you go out.

And as always, take a bottle of water with you to make sure to keep hydrated.

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For my clients who like to jog but have difficulty finishing those last five minutes, I sometimes suggest using mind games to push through that last leg. For example, they might imagine that a magnet is pulling them forward, or that they are running away from a predator. It might sound silly (and trust me, sometimes they feel silly doing it), but playing pretend can be a surprisingly effective way to stay in the fat burning zone.

A Walk a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

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Walking is the easiest, most universal, inexpensive and readily available form of exercise. Do it more often for increased health benefits and weight loss.

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Lack of sidewalks, long distances between locations and crazy traffic make American cities less walker-friendly than our European counterparts. Don't let that discourage you though. Take the time to look for high school tracks, park trails, large parking lots and shopping malls...use them to your advantage.

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If you're anything like me, you're going to need something to keep you busy while walking. You can invite a friend to chat with or download some new music that you'll enjoy singing along with. Just be sure not to sing too loud or passersby will start to think you've lost your Cheerios!

Water is KING! (and Queen!)

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Drink more water. Don't wait until you're thirsty - drink up before, during and after exercise to prevent symptoms.

Main Course

According to the Mayo Clinic, dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid than you take in and your body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If lost fluid remains unreplenished, you may suffer serious consequences.

Common causes of dehydration include intense bouts of diarrhea, vomiting, fever or excessive sweating. Inadequate intake of water during hot weather or exercise also may deplete your body's water stores. Anyone may become dehydrated, but young children, older adults and people with chronic illnesses are most at risk.

Mild dehydration can cause symptoms such as weakness, dizziness and fatigue. Severe dehydration is a life-threatening medical emergency.

You can usually reverse mild to moderate dehydration by increasing your intake of fluids, but severe cases need immediate medical treatment. The safest approach is not to become dehydrated in the first place. You can do that by monitoring your fluid loss during hot weather, illness or exercise, and drinking enough liquids to replace what you lose.

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As you know, I use this section to shine light on my own thoughts and experiences as it relates to the day's post. Unfortunately, this one hit closer to home than normal. As I right this, I'm laying in bed resting because I just returned home from the urgent care center a couple of hours ago.

Why was I there, you ask? I was there because I drank a couple of glasses of water with lunch yesterday, didn't drink anything else for the rest of the day, didn't eat or drink this morning, and went to teach a fitness boot camp in hot, humid weather without a water bottle.

The behavior from yesterday was abnormal - I was just really busy and drinking water slipped my mind. This morning's behavior was simply a case of forgetfulness. I didn't bring my water bottle and had no access to water. That combined with the outrageous heat, resulted in dehydration.

So there you have it. I spent this afternoon asleep in a medical facility getting an IV. Don't be me. Drink more water.