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The Power of Positive Thinking
What a week!
It’s nearly impossible to believe exactly seven days ago, my father was admitted to the hospital. Six days ago, he was in surgery for aortic valve replacement. Yesterday, he was home just in time for my parents’ 51st Anniversary. I have no doubt the marvels of modern medicine, the amazing team at NYU Langone Medical Center and the power of positive thinking made it all possible.
Needless to say, the past week was probably one of the most emotionally draining periods of my life so far. However, thanks to the support and countless prayers from an amazing network of family and friends, my parents and I knew we had a lot of good vibes working in our favor.
This week also reminded me of the importance of listening to my body in an effort to stay healthy through the stress, the fear and the sleepless nights. I did escape to the gym to release some tension, but also slept an extra 30 minutes on a couple of mornings when I knew my body needed the rest in place of strenuous activity.
Now that dad is home, his recovery continues. As a physician, he’s always known about the importance of eating a heart-healthy diet and getting regular exercise. Now that his heart has been “fixed,” I’m convinced that at 77-years-young, he’ll be stronger than he has been in a long time. That means he’ll only have more energy to put into being more active and taking care of himself.
I close this short post with a huge thank you. Whether you left a voice message; sent an encouraging email or witty text; or posted an uplifting Facebook message or tweet, your positive thoughts helped me stay strong. They kept my mom strong, too. I now look forward to watching my dad regain his own strength over the next four to six weeks. It will be great to see him get back in his groove and truly be able to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
More Outdoor Fun for a Workout Wednesday
Still Standing Another Heart-Pounding CrossFit UWS Workout!
Surprise! I’m back just in time for a Workout Wednesday! It turns out I never shared one of my latest and greatest outdoor workouts with you, and figured this was the perfect day of the week to put it out there. What made this Central Park workout extra fun was it included a team element. Here’s how CrossFit UWS head coach Roberto Murichi got a half-dozen “warriors” to break a sweat:
•Active Stretch: 60-second hamstring stretch; 30 jumping jacks; 6o-second squat stretch; 30 front kicks
•Warm Up: After 20 seconds of jumping rope (single-unders), we then had 90 seconds to complete two exercises:
- 20 park bench plyo push-ups
- 10 squats
Each of us finished the push-ups and squats before the 90 seconds were up. That gave us just enough time to grab some water before picking up our jump ropes and moving on to round two. (Three rounds total.)
•Team Workout:
Roberto split us up into three teams of two. When the timer started counting down from 15 minutes, team member number one started a 200 meter run. Susan was my partner, and while she ran I had to bang out as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) of the following exercises:
- Five burpee bench jumps: We used the park benches as our support point, just like we did for the warm up. When we brought our legs in following the push-up part of the burpee, we either did a box jump or a modified version stepping on and off the bench one leg at a time.
- 10 reverse lunges (double count)
Once Susan finished her 200 meter run, I started mine and she would pick up wherever I left off in the AMRAP. When I finished the 200 meters, Susan would start up again and I was back at the bench. The same sequence continued throughout the 15-minute workout. When time was up, Susan and I had plenty of sweat to prove we made it through 12 rounds of burpee bench jumps and reverse lunges. Add that to multiple rounds of the 200 meter run and I think it’s easy to see why we were riding a major endorphin high when the buzzer finally signaled the end of the workout.
We tied another team for 12 rounds, while the third team beat us out by one. At the end of it all, there were high-fives all around and lots of heavy breathing. Sometimes a little friendly competition and fresh air is all you need to mix things up and add another level to your ongoing efforts to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
A Sea of Changes
There’s No Place Like the Beach for a Rest Day!
Last week I wrote about how unexpected events may alter the days I post new material here at LauraLovesFitness.com. However, it turns out I was inspired to share some thoughts for this Motivation Monday by one of my weekend activities. Ironically, it’s the one that involved no strenuous activity whatsoever.
On day seven of the heat wave that made living in New York City nearly unbearable, I decided to get on a train and head back to Long Island to visit my parents. That led to another smart decision: to take a rest day from the gym and replace it with a couple of hours of fitness for my mental health. All I needed was the ocean.
Despite my lifelong love affair with the beach, the power of the sea never ceases to surprise and overwhelm me. I’ve tallied hundreds of hours on the beach over the course of my lifetime so far, but at times it feels like each sandy visit is my first. The waves crash onto the shore with a mighty roar. The water retreats to gather more energy for another crash, leaving only white foam on the shoreline along with a mist that serves as an elixir for more than just my lungs. The salty air also helps calm my nervous mind and unburden my heavy heart.
These moments of clarity remind me of the many blessings in my life: my family, my friends and the countless good memories I’ve shared with these special people. I also realize how lucky I am to have my health. Despite the new challenges in my life and some of the fear I feel, the sea reminds me I can handle it all. The sea constantly draws on its own strength to turn a ripple in the deepest waters into a mighty wave that unleashes its power on the shore only to retreat and start the dance all over again. I’ve done the same thing in my own life many times – and I know I can do it again. My faith tells me that. My strength tells me that. The ocean tells me that.
So if there’s a day when you need a break instead of the heart-pounding workout, remember – it’s okay. Sometimes a mental health hour in your favorite place could be just the “workout” you need to calm a jittery heart and beat down any fears tugging at the heart and soul. Creating a little time for yourself may be all you need to re-focus your energy on the better days ahead filled with endless chances to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
The (Hopefully-Not-So) Terrible Twos
It’s hard for me to believe LauraLovesFitness turned two-years-old over the weekend. It’s even harder to believe how much my life has changed since that very first post on July 13th, 2011.
Some of those changes have been difficult to work through, but I know I’m stronger today – both physically and mentally – because of them. Along with my faith and the unwavering support from an amazing group of people I’m lucky to call family and friends, there’s one other constant that has always helped me work through life’s challenges: my love for exercise. While there’s no doubt an extra piece of chocolate cake or glass (or two) of Prosecco made some of the tough days more bearable, it’s the endorphin rush from a good workout that never fails to boost my mood while keeping my immune system strong and my mind focused on the light at the end of the tunnel. Those endorphins are working overtime right now.
I lost my job last week. I know I’m one of so many Americans – including some of you loyal readers – who’ve been in this situation at least once, if not multiple times, over the course of a lifetime. While exercise itself isn’t going to help me land a job, my workouts have certainly helped me work through some emotions over the last several day. I have no doubt each stride on the elliptical and each rep I get through at Physique57 will help keep my energy level up as I look for new opportunities ahead. To that end, I’m using today’s post as one to share a snapshot of my professional life. I’ve posted videos with you before, but this time, I’m sharing my “sizzle reel” as one can never know where the next opportunity will present itself.
Of course, I also want to use this post as an opportunity to say thank you to all of you who have inspired me to keep writing during the past two years. Your “likes,” comments, questions and shares have motivated me to keep plugging away on some of my own down days. I do plan to continue writing, but based on these recent events and one other issue in my personal life, I’m looking at this summer as a potential hiatus from new posts. Or I may simply post something simple like a photo or quick workout idea on a random day during the week. While I’m still working out the details, I hope you’ll stay connected and continue to send any questions to the email listed on my contact page, post them on my Facebook page or tweet me.
As I’ve written about before, sometimes being strong means re-assessing your goals and priorities and knowing when to say no to certain things so that the important ones get the attention they deserve. So, I thank you for your understanding as I focus on the next steps I need to take to navigate yet another new part of my own lifelong journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Motivation Monday: Beach Edition
I can’t believe how quickly the 4th of July weekend fun flew by. Hopefully, you all got to enjoy a little downtime and beat the heat with family and friends.
I am happy to report I got some great workouts in not only inside the gloriously air-conditioned gym, but I also broke an extra sweat at my favorite place on the planet: the beach. So on this Motivation Monday, I offer a simple idea for the next time you spend some time on the sand to take a typical beach walk to the next level.
Walk at a brisk pace and then 10 minutes in, try a sprint Tabata. Any of you repeat readers will know the Tabata is my favorite four-minute express workout with a very simple formula:
*20 seconds of work
*10 seconds of rest
Total= 8 rounds
So, run at a high speed for 20 seconds, then slow down to a walk for 10 and pick it up again. I use my UltraTimer Tabata interval app to keep me in track.
When you’re done with that Tabata, you can go back to walking and then after a minute, why not try a squat, tricep dip or plank Tabata, too? Just remember, if you do more than one Tabata, be sure to rest for 60 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.
The bonus of my beach workout is that spending time listening to the crashing waves and feeling the sea breeze fill my lungs gives me time to clear my head and focus on my mental fitness, too. With the summer season in full swing, I hope you find lots of ways to mix up your routine and find new ways to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Movin’ It at Home
The Push-Up: one of many exercises you can do anywhere!
Last week, I got a tweet from my high school pal Kathy asking about ideas for home workouts. She reminded me that with the kids out of school for the summer, it’s not always easy to escape to the gym to break a sweat. So on this Motivation Monday, I offer some quick tips to keep you active all summer, even on the days when getting out of the house isn’t an option.
The secret to making a home workout work for you is using as many muscles as possible while quickly moving from one exercise to the next. This will keep your heart rate up and help you burn calories. All the exercises I present in this “one-minute-wonder” circuit use your body-weight. The idea is to perform as many reps as possible of each exercise – with proper form! – in 60 seconds and then move directly on to the next one with no rest in between. The only “equipment” needed is a jump rope.
- Jump rope: if you don’t have a jump rope or not enough head room to use one indoors (and don’t have any outdoor space to work with), try jumping jacks or running in place
- Forward lunges: alternating legs
- Squats
- Push-ups (modified version is to be on your knees instead of your toes)
- Bridges (Click here for a refresher on some core moves)
- Crunches
- Mountain climbers
- Side planks
- Tricep dips: We do these in my Physique57 classes all the time seated on the floor – you just need to lift your booty off the floor and brace yourself and use your triceps to dip up and down without touching back down. If you have stairs at home, steps are always a sturdy base for dips.
- Jumping jacks (or jump rope again)
Once you’ve made it through the 10-minute circuit, take up to a two-minute break and then start again. Or if you happen to have any cardio equipment at home, bang out the 10-minute circuit and then hit the treadmill, bike or elliptical for up to another 20-30 minutes. Aim for banging out this total-body routine three days a week on non-consecutive days. As you get stronger, work toward repeating the circuit two to three times. As you progress, you can also add more intensity to some of the exercises. For example, you can turn squats into squat-to-jumps where you literally jump off the ground with your arms extended straight over your head when you come up from the squat position. Push-ups can also be replaced with burpees. Of course, if you have any favorite summer stay-cation home moves, I’d love to hear about them!
Whether you’re working out at home, in the park or at the gym, be sure not to skimp on the stretching and allow your body time to warm up and cool down. Add plenty of water and sweet summer fruits and veggies to the mix, and you’ve got the perfect plan in place for a whole summer filled with endless opportunities to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Welcome Summer of 2013!
Looking forward to more summer Saturdays in the park with Roberto Murichi
Ever feel like you’ve hit a rut in your fitness routine? Don’t worry – it happens even to the biggest fitness fanatics. The good news is sometimes all you need to get your mojo going again is a change of venue. Now that the summer season officially has officially started, there’s no time like the present to take some of your moves to a park, beach or other outdoor hot-spot near you.
I certainly have some extra kick in my step on this first Motivation Monday of my favorite season thanks to the leftover endorphin rush following a long overdue Central Park workout courtesy of CrossFit UWS head coach Roberto Murichi. Here’s how I kicked off a picture-perfect Saturday in New York City:
- Active Stretch: 20 sec squat stretch; 20 front kicks; 20 seconds running in place (ironically abbreviated R.I.P); 20 back kicks. Three rounds total.
- Warm up: I had 10 minutes to complete as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) of the following exercises (I managed to get through four):
- 100 single-unders (jump rope_
- 10 plyo bench push-ups
- 10 overhead squats
Roberto was kind enough to catch one of my rounds in action. (Before you take a peek, I admit my form wasn’t ideal for the first few push-ups, but for the next round I re-adjusted my hand position on the bench and I was able to bang them out without the arch in my lower back you see here.)
- Workout: The “Chipper”: Roberto set his timer to see how quickly I could complete the following circuit:
- 400 meter sprint
- 40 bench jumps. I chose to do modified step-ups
- 40 kick-outs (I demonstrate both the step-ups and kick-outs in the park bench workout video posted earlier this month. Click here for a refresher.)
- 200 meter spring
- 20 step-ups
- 20 kick-outs
I finished the above in 8:03. Not my fastest, but not my slowest time either. The bottom line is I pushed myself to a serious break-a-sweat, heart-pounding limit and felt ready to take on the world when I was done. I hope this workout re-cap offers a serious shot of motivation to use this week and the entire summer season as a time to get out there and get moving. There’s no time like the present to explore your surroundings and spice up your workout routine as part of your ongoing journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
My Summertime Survival Tools
As you can probably tell from my last few posts, I’m very excited about the arrival of my favorite season. Since this Motivation Monday falls just five days before the start of the summer, I thought I’d offer a quick hit list of some of my seasonal fitness survival tools:
1)Re-usable water bottle: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
2) Moisture-wicking clothing: Sometimes the gear I wear makes all the difference between sweating it out and throwing in the towel.
3) Portable / non-perishable snacks: My new favorite are KIND protein bars, but some old stand-bys include bananas, apples and almonds. If you’re packing a cooler for the beach, watermelon, pineapple and frozen grapes are a few of my picks for refreshing sweet treats.
4) Jump rope: My favorite portable workout tool of all time! Winds up and fits in any backpack and can be used anywhere from the park to the beach.
5) New kicks: You may recall I get a new pair of cross trainers twice a year. Since I tend to ask Santa to leave one pair under the tree for me on Christmas Day, this is the time of year I look for the next pair that I can start wearing down.
6) Sunscreen: I’m the first to admit I did a ton of damage to myself as a sun worshipper in my teens and 20s. After developing Rosacea in my 30s, I’m a lot better of protecting my skin from harm. The sensitive skin on my face does well with a lightweight fluid called Athelios from LaRoche-Posay. I also like the sheer touch formulas by Hawaiian Tropic and I’ve heard great things about the Banana Boat sports sunscreen line.
7) Good tunes: I simply cannot get into my workout without some heart-pounding beats. Here are the five songs currently giving me the biggest boost for cardio, Tabatas and weight training (some are old, some are new):
“Truly Madly Deeply (Thomas Gold Radio Edit)” – Cascada- “Crank It Up” – David Guetta & Akon
- “Can’t Hold Us (featuring Ray Dalton)” – Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis
- “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark” – Fall Out Boy
- “Stay Hungry” – Twisted Sister
Now bring on the start of summer 2013 and plenty of sun-filled days so we can all have fun, be fit and feel fabulous right through Labor Day!
Quick Summertime Fitness Tips
Bring on the Summer of 2013!
I don’t know about you, but at this time of year, I’d rather be out doing something active than reading about it. So, here’s a simple Motivation Monday post with my top three tips for how to make the most out of this month and the soon-to-arrive summer season.
1) Stay hydrated: As the mercury rises, we tend to be more aware of getting the right amount of fluids throughout the day. Be sure to drink 16 ounces of water one hour before your workout and keep sipping throughout. I know lots of people amp up on caffeine before hitting the gym, but just remember to proceed with caution. If I’m dragging at the end of the work day, iced green tea offers just the kick I need to get myself to the gym. However, we all react differently to caffeine, so be sure to gauge how much you can tolerate and avoid the jitters. Want my take on sugary energy drinks? Unless you’re an athlete running up and down a court or field for 90 minutes or longer, skip the extra calories and stick with water.
2) Love Your Bod: ‘Tis the season for short shorts, tank tops, bikinis and all-things skin revealing. Which makes it all too easy to start the self-sabotaging act of comparing ourselves to others. So, here’s an important reminder: no two bodies are built the same. Let other fitness fanatics motivate you to move simply because you want to feel the same endorphin rush they’re experiencing. It shouldn’t be about getting the same “six-pack” abs as the gal who just ran by you in nothing more than shorts and a sports bra or the same pecs as the guy doing push-ups on the park bench. If you’re doing all you can to exercise, eat healthy and take care of yourself in general, give yourself a pat on the back and bask in all the positives you experience because of your lifestyle.
3) Have fun! This really is the perfect season to explore your options beyond the four walls of a gym. Maybe this is the year you try paddle boarding, Saturday morning boot camp classes in the park or join a social dodgeball club in your area. Turn the outdoors into your fitness playground and mix things up!
If you have any tips that add to your summertime fitness fun, I’d love to hear about them! Here’s to another great week ahead filled with lots of opportunities to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Happy June!
My recent vacation in Florida has me dreaming of beach workouts to come!
I’m not sure how it happened, but here we are three days in to the month of June!
This Motivation Monday post comes courtesy of an Internet search where I looked into what “celebrations” take place this month. Turns out there are several things going on that tie in with the healthy-living theme here at LauraLovesFitness. Did you know June is:
- National Safety Month. In fact, this week is National CPR & AED Awareness Week. While I recently renewed my certifications with the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the Aerobics & Fitness Association of America, it turns out my CPR and AED certification with the American Red Cross expires at the end of the month. So it’s time for me to take a refresher course and get up to speed! I encourage everyone to consider taking a CPR / AED class. Even if you don’t work in the health or fitness industry, you never know when someone you care about could need your help in an emergency.
- National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month. This is my favorite time of year to snack on juicy peaches and nectarines; plump blueberries; sweet strawberries and refreshing watermelon. Check out this great recipe for watermelon salad. (Thanks, Snack Girl!) Looking for a portable snack that can also help you beat the heat? Give frozen grapes a try!
- Great Outdoors Month. No time like the present to go explore that park or hiking trail in a town near you. With sunlight lasting longer, why not add some minutes to your evening walk or spend a little more time on the bike trail. Get the whole family involved with a fun game of Frisbee or old-fashioned tag in the backyard. The sky’s the limit when you take your activity routine outside! (Need some ideas? Click here for a second look at my park-bench workout video)
- National Tennis Month. I was a varsity tennis player in high school, but am sorry to say I stopped playing when I got to college. I’ve always wanted to get back in the game as tennis is an amazing sport to build cardiovascular endurance, balance, strength and coordination. If you’ve ever thought of giving the sport a try, make this the month you go for it!
As June also brings us to the halfway point for 2013 (yikes!), this is also the perfect time to assess where you’re at in reaching your health and fitness goals for the year. Maybe it’s time to take things up a notch or simply add some new workouts and healthy foods into your daily routine. Remember, mixing things up is a surefire ways to stay on track with your plans to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
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