Category Archives: Fitness
“Fit”ting in Some Kindness
TGIF!
So, I started the week completely aware I’d be traveling to Texas for my first business trip of the New Year. However, I was completely unaware of what would happen when I landed in Dallas.
Not all of it was bad, but as it happens with any spontaneous occurrence, some of my best laid plans flew right out the window. In this case, those plans involved my fitting some fitness into my overnight jaunt…and they evaporated right through the rain-soaked windows of my rental car.
Basically, Mother Nature and road work put the brakes on my plans to head directly to the fitness center after checking in but before having dinner with my dear friend Jeanne Marie. What should have been a 15-minute drive from DFW to the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine quickly turned into a navigational nightmare with no apparent end in sight. My car’s GPS system kept looping me back to the same highway closure that sent me on a detour in the first place. As each minute ticked toward and beyond 5 p.m., the rain drops pounded more powerfully against the windshield and the sky grew a bit darker. After my third unsuccessful loop, I stopped at a red light where I tried to re-group. If it wasn’t for a very kind Texan named Troy, I might still be sitting there.
I was about to call the hotel’s front desk and ask someone to stay on the line with me as I drove to an alternate route when a black pickup pulled up alongside me. I asked the driver to roll down his window, hoping he could simply point me toward the right direction for an alternate route. Maybe it was my I’m-not-from-around-here accent or the harried look on my face, but Troy went above and beyond any expectation. He hopped out of his truck and into the rain to better hear me shout out from my window where I needed to go. Then he simply said “follow me, ” hopped back in to his pickup and lead me exactly where I needed to go. Thanks to some rush hour traffic and yet another road closure, I have no doubt Troy’s random act of kindness took longer than he planned.
As we came to the final intersection where a sign clearly pointed my hotel was only a mere left turn away, Troy got in the other lane to turn right and continue on with his original plans for the evening. Before he drove off, he got out of his truck in the rain a second time to make sure I was okay. I couldn’t say thank you enough times. If Troy ever travels to New York City, I can only hope to return the favor by helping him navigate the subways!
Maybe Mother Nature thought I needed a break from the elliptical machine. Or maybe she thought I needed a reminder that there are still friendly people out there willing to go out of their way (in this case, literally) to help someone out. While it may not provide the same cardio rush as the run you go on to have fun and be fit, I’d say lending a helping hand is a surefire way to make yourself and someone else feel fabulous!
Workout Wednesday: Another Stabilization Endurance Routine
Stabilization Before Strength! Photo by Leslie Hassler
Happy Workout Wednesday!
As I received some positive feedback on the total-body workout I posted last week, I thought I’d post another one. Just like last Wednesday’s plan, these exercises provide a total-body resistance training workout for what NASM calls the stabilization endurance phase of training. If you’re new to the gym or returning after a break, this is the type of plan you should follow.
Don’t forget to warm-up before jumping into this routine and cool-down when you’re done. For each exercise, aim for two sets of 12 reps. (If you’ve never worked out before or starting again after a very long break, one set is just fine.)
Core:
- Single leg balance reach (**2 sets of 8 reps for each leg**)
- Total body: Ball squat to curl to overhead press
- Chest: Ball dumbbell chest press
- Back: Ball dumbbell row (2-arm)
- Shoulders: Ball military press
- Biceps: Single-leg bicep curl
- Triceps: Prone ball dumbbell triceps extensions
- Legs: Step-up to balance
I cannot stress enough the importance of the stabilization training phase being the correct starting point for an exercise regimen. Without stabilization, your muscles don’t work the way they’re supposed to and your body will make compensations to keep you moving. Those compensations lead to muscle imbalances which lead to increased stress on the joints which in the end can eventually lead to injury.
Aim to perform this program two to three days each week, but remember not to perform the same routine on back-to-back days. Your muscles need time to recover and repair, which is accomplished through rest. So perhaps you perform this program on Mondays and Wednesdays and get your cardio in on the in-between days. Whatever you do, make sure you don’t skimp on the stretching! I will be eager to hear more feedback on whether or not this program helps you on your journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Taking Fitness on the Road
Don't forget the workout wear!
The start of this new work week marks one that will include my first business trip of 2012. As anyone who travels for work knows, there’s no way I’d classify this as “luxurious” getaway. I’ll fly to Dallas Tuesday afternoon, pick up a rental car at the airport, drive to the hotel, eat dinner, prep for the shoot we’re producing for SC Johnson and then try to get some sleep before Wednesday morning’s early wake up call for a drive to a suburb called Flower Mound. (What in the world did we do before GPS?)
Tonight, as I pack my bag, there are a couple of things I’ll be sure not to leave behind: the notes for my shoot and my workout wear. While working out is obviously part of my routine during a normal week when I’m grounded here in New York City, getting some exercise is sometimes even more therapeutic when I’m on a business trip. Breaking a sweat helps shake off the stiffness from sitting on an airplane. It also helps circulate that stale airplane air out of the lungs.
Chances are the gym at my hotel won’t have all the equipment I’m surrounded by at New York Sports Clubs. However, I’m pretty confident there will be an elliptical machine, treadmill or recumbent bike for some cardio and at least a handful of free weights or some kind of weight machine set up. If I’m lucky, there may even be a stability ball tucked in a corner. If you do get stuck in a hotel that doesn’t have even a tiny fitness center, here are some exercises you can do in your room that require no equipment at all:
As far as taking my healthy eating habits on the road, my rule of thumb is I simply do my best. Luckily, more airports are starting to offer healthier quick-grab items like salads and fruit for you to take on the flight or eat while you’re waiting for your connection.
Here are a couple of additional healthy-eating tips for my fellow business travelers:
- Pack healthy snacks. Even on overnight trips, I keep raw almonds and a couple of Fiber One bars in my bag. If I can’t eat for a while because I’m wrapped up in the project, or if the food options aren’t optimal, at least I have a satisfying snack to hold me over for a bit.
- Monitor portions. If meals are brought in for meetings or you’re going out for lunch or dinner (or both!), watch your portion sizes and perhaps choose to have a cocktail, but skip dessert; or skip an appetizer and a drink but indulge in something sweet after your meal.
The bottom line is there’s no reason to turn traveling for work into an excuse not to take care of yourself. No one cares if you break a sweat in a wrinkled t-shirt. So roll up those workout clothes and toss them into your overnight bag along with a couple of healthy snacks. With a little planning, your next business trip doesn’t have to take you on an unwanted detour from your journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
A Workout Wednesday Plan
Stabilization Before Strength Photo by Leslie Hassler
I get lots of questions from lots of people about what exercises are good for someone who is new to the gym or returning after a hiatus. So, in honor of “Workout Wednesday,” I thought I’d offer one of the programs I designed for my training sessions this past weekend.
The following exercises provide a total-body program for what NASM calls the stabilization endurance phase of training. It’s important to note you should perform an adequate warm-up before jumping into this routine and a cool-down when you’re done. For each exercise, aim for two sets of 12 reps. (If you’ve never worked out before or starting again after a very long break, one set is just fine.)
Core:
- Single leg balance (**2 sets of 8 reps for each leg**)
- Total body: Ball squat to curl to overhead press
- Chest: Ball dumbbell chest press
- Back: Standing cable row
- Shoulders: Single-leg scaption
- Biceps: Single-leg bicep curl
- Triceps: Prone ball dumbbell triceps extensions
- Legs: Step-up to balance
As I’ve written about in the past, the stabilization training phase should be the starting point for anyone new or returning to a fitness routine. Research has shown jumping into strength or power training before stabilization is a surefire way to increase your risk of injury. Simply put, without stabilization, your muscles don’t work the way they’re supposed to and your body being the amazing machine it is will make compensations to keep you moving. Those compensations lead to muscle imbalances which lead to increased stress on the joints which in the end leads to injury.
Aim to perform this program two to three days each week, but remember not to perform the same routine on back-to-back days. Your muscles need time to recover and repair, which is accomplished through rest. So maybe you go through this program on Mondays and Wednesdays. You can do cardio on the same day or on the in-between days and make sure you don’t skimp on the stretching! I will be eager to hear your feedback on whether or not this program helps you on your journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Personal Training 101
Happy MLK, Jr. Day! I hope you’re enjoying the first long weekend of 2012.
I’m feeling extremely lucky to have kicked off the New Year enjoying back-to-back productive and life-changing weekends. Last weekend was all about becoming licensed Zumba® instructor. This weekend, I kicked my personal training goals into high gear.
Prep materials & paperwork for training sessions
While I’ve written about guiding my friend Jared along his journey with a first-time gym membership, this weekend I conducted my first official personal training sessions at Hype gym here in New York City. I’m grateful to my colleagues Rebecca, Colleen, Lea and Lauren for signing up for these first workouts, and I’m already looking forward to the next round!
Each of these women came to me with a similar goal of reducing body fat and increasing the appearance of muscle definition, but each had her own unique background based on several factors including medical history and daily activities (e.g. wearing heels or sitting for a good part of the day because of her occupation). This is why it’s crucial to understand why a “one-size-fits-all” approach to exercise isn’t the best course of action. Just because your best friend has gotten great results from taking a certain group exercise class or running through a specific high intensity circuit on the weight floor doesn’t mean the same routine will work for you – especially if you’re body isn’t properly prepared for that type of workout.
This is where a personal trainer can help. Along with collecting subjective information about your general and medical history, we analyze crucial objective information (measurable data), as well. This includes performance assessments, one of most important being the overhead squat assessment. As I learned through my NASM instruction, this dynamic postural assessment is key in creating a safe and effective exercise program. Observing a person’s feet, knees, lumbo- pelvic-hip complex and shoulder complex while he or she performs an overhead squat shows which overactive muscles need to be stretched and which underactive muscles need to be strengthened. For example, a couple of the women had knees that turned out when performing their overhead squats. That meant we had to stretch the adductors (inner thighs), bicep femoris (hamstring) and tensor fasciae latae (TFL) as part of a warm up before jumping into the rest of the workout.
As far as the workouts are concerned, each woman has begun the first phase of her training: stabilization endurance. This includes lots of fun exercises like dumbbell chest presses and shoulder presses on a stability ball as well as bicep curls standing on one leg instead of two. These exercises have an added bonus: since the body needs to work harder to stay stable, you can end up burning a lot of calories. Each woman will remain in this phase of training for the next four weeks.
In the weeks ahead, I’ll keep you posted on their progress (here’s hoping they come back for lots of sessions!) and also share some specific exercise programs that will hopefully help you with your routine so you can have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Don’t Forget to Rest!
Don't Forget to Rest! Photo by Leslie Hassler
It seems like yesterday I was looking forward to wrapping up 2011 with some down time and here we are cranking away at the near mid-month mark of January 2012! For those of you who’ve kicked your fitness resolutions in the butt by pounding the pavement or hitting the gym every single day since the New Year started, let me first be the first to offer a big, congratulatory pat on the back. Now I want you to take a day off!
You might be saying, “but Laura, you’re on Twitter, you know it’s #Workout Wednesday!” I didn’t say you have to make today your off-day, but you do need a minimum of one rest day during the week.
A rest day allows the body to recover from the stress of exercise and presents an opportunity for muscular repair and recovery of the central nervous system. Pushing your body day after day at the same group exercise class or on the same weight training circuit or along the same 5-mile route is one of the quickest paths to burning out on your routine. This can be especially true for anyone who’s new to a workout routine or just coming back after a lengthy hiatus.
The possibility of a mental meltdown aside, continuously pushing the body to the limit puts you at risk for overtraining. The following are some of the symptoms to look out for to determine if you’re overdoing it:
- Fatigue
- Increased resting heart rate
- Increased resting blood pressure
- Slower recovery after exercise
- Overuse or stress-related injuries (e.g. stress fractures, tennis elbow and runner’s knee)
- Insomnia
- Irritability or moodiness
- Disinterest in sex
- Amenorrhea (when a woman stops getting her monthly period)
- Increased numbers of colds / sore throats (shows decreased immunity)
- Decreased appetite
From what I learned through my NASM and AFAA studies, a good training frequency for the fitness newbie or anyone returning after a hiatus is three resistance workouts each week. This allows you to work your muscle groups with 48 hours of recovery in between. Cardio can be done on the in-between days or even on the same day. Even more seasoned athletes should give a muscle group a 48-hour rest period before pushing it to the limit again. Another good rule of thumb is to mix up your routine with cross training. Although I’m excited to take as many Zumba® classes as possible to continue my teaching prep, I’ll be sure to spread the classes out throughout the week. The same should be applied to your favorite cardio kickbox class or your favorite at-home DVD workout.
For those of you who can’t fathom even one day without any activity, turn your run into a long, leisurely walk or substitute your favorite cardio class with an extra-long session of stretching. In fact, the good news about flexibility training is that it can be done every single day of the week!
The bottom line is to remember taking a rest day doesn’t mean you’re being lazy. Rest is an important component of any fitness routine because it gives your body the energy to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Laura Loves ZUMBA®!
with Tanya Beardsley, International Zumba Education Specialist
Happy Monday, everyone! I’m so excited to write this blog post that I’m having a hard time typing my thoughts coherently. After a sluggish start to 2012 (thanks to my New Year’s cold), I’m now ready to tackle the fitness adventures awaiting me in the year ahead – and it’s all because of Zumba® Fitness!
It was only a couple of months ago that I actually took my first Zumba® class thanks to some encouragement from Ebonny Fowler. Ebonny is the Fitness Services Manager at the New York Sports Club I work out at most often, and she’s offered some great support as I continue to chart my course in the fitness industry. After just one class, I had only one question: why in the world didn’t I try this amazing dance-fitness program based on international rhythms years ago? (Anyone who knows me knows I love to dance as much as I love to exercise, so the combination of the two for a workout couldn’t be a more perfect fit for me!)
Fast forward to January 7, 2012 and there I was sweating it out at the Shorefront Y of Brighton Beach with nearly 50 other women and men of all ages for Basic Instructor Training. There were so many things that made the day amazing – the positive energy; the booty-shaking, body-sculpting beats; the new friendships – but the most incredible part of this training day was our instructor. Tanya Beardsley is an International Zumba Education Specialist and the Co-Host of the Zumba DVD Series. Aside from her ability to create a workout featuring fun and fiery choreography combining the Zumba mix of Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia and Reggaeton, Tanya’s passion to make other peoples’ lives better through fitness was nearly palpable and most definitely infectious. Like any good teacher, Tanya inspired me to want to learn even more so I can truly help others in their fitness journey when I start teaching classes.
This whole experience reminded me of something very important. It’s never too late – and you’re certainly never too old- to find something that moves or motivates you. (Actually, no matter how young or old you are, I’ll warn you a days’ worth of Zumba drills, along with one master and one mini-class will leave you needing a day of rest afterward!)
I’m beyond excited to kick off this new week as a Licensed Zumba Instructor. I look forward to keeping in touch with Tanya and the new fitness friends I met at the course. (We’re already planning to travel to an annual convention together in the future!) More than anything, I look forward to the work ahead in memorizing music and creating fun routines that will hopefully help more people have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
The Best Laid Plans
We made it to the end of the first work week in 2012! If you got a good jump-start on turning your fitness and other personal goals into a reality – good for you! If you didn’t – you’re in good company!
I woke up New Year’s Day with the sniffles. Somewhere between midnight and six a-m on Tuesday – my first day back at work after a 10-day vacation- those sniffles turned into a nasty cold complete with head-pounding congestion, burning eyes and a cough. I made it to work, only to leave early and then stayed home yesterday to avoid spreading any more germs to my co-workers. The good news is I’m finally feeling human again and have no doubt I’ll have this cold kicked by the time I go to my day-long Zumba Fitness instructor training course on Saturday. The bad news is I haven’t been to the gym for a workout since Sunday, and many of the items on this week’s to-do list remain undone. All my Type A personality can do at this point is take several deep breaths, make a new to-do list and remember every so often, things happen that mess up even the best laid plans.
Since a lot of people (at least the ones here in New York) seem to be fighting what I’m calling the New-Year’s-Cold Bug, I thought it was a good time to offer a refresher course on the “rules” about exercising when you’re sick. Click here to read an “oldie but goodie” from the LauraLovesFitness archives.
Based on my symptoms, I could have tried to go to the gym during the last few days. However, I followed what I consider to be one of the cardinal rules of fitness: I listened to my body. It told me to rest, so I did. Now I’m back at 85% percent and I have no doubt that with some more rest tonight, I’ll be at nearly 95% tomorrow. By Saturday, I’ll be ready to rock that Zumba class!
Next week, I’ll tackle my cardio, weight training and favorite group exercise class with new energy. I plan on putting that same energy toward crossing the items off a slightly bigger to-do list. When plans go awry, it helps to remember you will eventually be back on your feet and back on track to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Learn More About LauraLovesFitness
Many thanks to all of you who’ve taken the time to make this blogging adventure so much fun! Please check out the video below to learn a bit more about why I want to help more people have fun, be fit and feel fabulous in 2012…and beyond!
Many thanks to director/producer Larry Saperstein and the crew at C & C Studios for their help with this production and to editor extraordinaire Rob Romas for putting it together. (Check out Rob’s new business Sports Media Recruit which provides video resumes for student athletes.)
Make Your Fitness Resolutions Stick!
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you enjoyed the holidays and some good times filled with family, friends and good food.
Kick Your Resolutions in the Butt! Photo by Leslie Hassler
If you’re like a lot of people, you’ve made your list of New Year’s resolutions and there’s a good chance something related to health and fitness take up the top spots. I love seeing so many new faces at the gym at this time of year, but I hate the fact that usually by March, many of those enthusiastic newbies are long gone. So, I kick off 2012 with a few tips that I hope will help anyone who has decided THIS is the year they’re finally going to make those fitness resolutions stick long after Old Man Winter has made room for Spring.
- Leave the Past Behind. Don’t waste your energy regretting the times you overdid it during the holidays. I have my own memories of indulging in a second piece of lasagna and/or chocolate cake. Today is a new day.
- Adjust Your Attitude. Think of exercise as a “chore,” and no doubt you’ll be done with your new routine in no time. Instead, think of exercise as “Me Time.” No matter what’s going on in my life, the time I spend working out is the one time my brain goes into neutral and the only thing filling it is my music. So, use exercise as a break from the ordinary, and before you know it, you’ll be looking forward to sweating out whatever ails you.
- Be Realistic. Saying you’re going to exercise seven days a week is one of the easiest ways to set yourself up for failure. The first day you miss, you’ll be discouraged, and could find yourself saying, “Well, I just blew the whole week!” A more realistic approach would be to aim for a minimum of three days each week for the first month. As you start experiencing the endorphin-rush and other benefits from exercising, you’ll want to spend more than three days working out. Discouragement aside, everyone should take a minimum of one day off each week to let the body rest.
- Find What Works for You. You woke up Christmas morning to find Santa left the latest version of P90X under your tree. Meanwhile, all your exercise DVDs have been hanging with the dust bunnies under your bed since VHS went out of style. Why not return the new program and put the money toward a new pair of sneakers and moisture-wicking workout wear? Grab a friend and start those power walks or sign up for that Hip-Hop or Zumba class at your local community center. Have no idea what to try? Splurge and hire a personal trainer to get you started on the right track or get a book that breaks things down for you in simple English.
- Avoid Extreme Food Restrictions. If you deny yourself something you truly enjoy for too long, it’s only a matter of time before you break down and go overboard. So, the chocolate bar you could have had last week turns into five chocolate bars, washed down with a chocolate shake and a side of cupcakes two months later.
I leave you with this reality: there will be “off” days. Even as a lifelong fitness enthusiast, there are times I simply don’t want to workout and all I want to eat is cheese and chocolate. It happens. Just don’t let one bad day throw you off course. Just wipe away the crumbs, prep your gym bag and remember tomorrow is your next chance to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
lauralovesfitness 