These are trying economic times. Stock portfolios are losing value at an exponential rate. Retirement accounts are shrinking. Home values are deteriorating. What are you doing to maximize your earnings?
Understandably American's harbor negative feelings towards the financial industry; and rightly so. From bank failures, to mortgage disasters, to financial fraud...Americans are jaded by the rich getting richer, while the rest of us work harder and harder for less and less. It's time for you to take back control.
Financial planners are generally not members of the subset of the financial industry that engaged in fraud, and dishonesty. Good financial planners are the ones who help you put your money where it needs to be, where it should be, and where it can work the hardest for you.
Financial planning isn't only for the wealthy, it's for everyone. Those of you out there who are having a hard time making ends meet are likely going to benefit even more from sound financial advice.
The key to planning effectively is an old and accepted concept: diversification. Diversifying your portfolio among mutual funds, a wide variety of stocks and index funds, bonds, and liquid cash. The percentage of each depends on a variety of factors, including age, marital status, income, location, and personal preferences. A seasoned financial planner can examine all of your financial information and variables. This examination will help your financial planner determine the most effective plan, tailored to your needs.
Contact the Fit2You Financial Wellness team today, and get started on your path to financial freedom.
Happy Holidays!
--The Fit2You Fitness Financial Wellness Team
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadephia and Main Line Corporate and Personal Health and Wellness.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
My day of jubilee...pictures coming soon.
So my day of jubilee has come and gone; and now the countdown begins…363 days to go.
Just to bring you up to speed, my “day of jubilee” is what others, likely lay people, refer to as “thanksgiving day”.
As you all likely imagined, my day of jubilee was all I had hoped. I began planning during the week leading up to that whimsical day. I would wake up around 6a…wash my face, brush my teeth and we’re off to the races.
It all begins:
By 7a I was seated at the local diner…anxiously awaiting the chance to regurgitate what I had practiced over and over in my mind for so many moments leading up to this one. The waitress approached. I could feel my mouth watering; my stomach began to gurgle in anticipation. I stumbled over my words as they raced out of my mouth, all trying their best to be the win, place, or show. “Pancakes, egg sandwich with bacon on a bagel, home fries, fried eggs, coffee, grapefruit juice, extra syrups, and wheat toast.” As you likely already guessed, the words that spilled forth on the first try were not quite so poetic, oratorical, or concise. Rather I fumbled my words, mixing up the order in such a way as to necessitate the waitress’s full and complete review of them before walking away.
I tapped my feet in anxious anticipation of the gloriousness to accompany this meal. That anticipation, building all year long, makes this entire event all the more enjoyable. Sip of coffee, sip of juice…tap tap tap.
The kitchen door swung open with a bang, and there she was…In all her majestic glory; my meal. The waitress set each plate down slowly and cautiously. I couldn’t wait…as I grabbed my fork and dug into the pancakes. I chewed fast, but not too fast, savoring every delightful morsel.
Onto the bagel sandwich; the bacon, cheese, and egg dancing in a seemingly forbidden cadence, yet thoroughly perfect in every step. Life was good.
With my belly swollen and satisfied I struggled through a workout (Even on my day of jubilee my compulsions come into play).
A brief foray into reality:
After the gym, Stef and I jumped in the car to begin our voyage to my parent’s house. Exactly 90 miles West. Of course, using the highway lends itself to rest stops; each of which has pretzels, available for purchase and deliciousness. I can barely contain myself. My subconscious is gently applying an every increasing amount of pressure to the gas pedal in a subtle, and all to underappreciated, effort to get me to my next feast as quickly as possible.
Rest Stop:
People everywhere…I see none of them, as evidenced by my bumping into more than a few on my way to the “SUPERPRETZEL” stand. No one is there…I glance around nervously, a bead of sweat forms on my brow. I wonder if a piece of this day just might not fall into place. Alas, my worry was unfounded. There she appeared, a messenger of refined carbs, a deliverywoman of all that is baked golden brown and lightly salted. I bought one. Let’s be serious here, the chance of this delectable treat making it to the parking lot is about as likely as me finding an autographed picture of Confucius.
As predicted, the pretzel is gone before I get back in the car. Granted, I moseyed slowly, allowing myself time to enjoy each freshly oven-baked bite.
Grocery Store:
We get off the highway. We drive into the grocery store parking lot. Beeline for the Cheetos (crunchy, real mean eat crunchy, not that puffy garbage), Easy-Cheez (that’s right…with a “z”), crackers, and O-R-E-O’s…In passing, as I race furiously through the aisles searching for my bullion, Stef says “I LOVE you on your day of jubilee…so fun!”
Check Out:
I love to use that self-checkout thing. The only problem, is it makes you feel as if you want to steal. The reasoning going through my head is “Hey, I’m saving you money by doing this myself, what’s a few free yogurts?” I fight the urge, ring up all my purchases (including flowers for my mom…I know, I’m a sweetie) and off we go.
Arrival:
We leave the bags in the car. Head inside. Everyone is already there. We’re the last ones to arrive. Although we’re last, we certainly carry with us prizes and goodies surely worth the wait. I can’t wait to sit down, start eating all of this goodness.
Pre-Dinner:
At this point I’ve gone through a half a bag of Cheetos, a third of a bag of Oreo’s, and copious amounts of Easy-Cheez (that’s right, with a “z”). The wine is now flowing like the falls of Niagra, and me…I’m in a semi-conscious, blissfully unaware, sugar induced, alcohol supported fugue. Life is so good.
Dinner:
I’m not sure where to begin here. Dinner was not a buffet, at least not originally conceived as a buffet. It turned into a sort of round-robin, hot potato, gluttonous feast. Pass, dump, ask, pass, dump, ask. Sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, turkey, sprouts, cornbread…on and on it goes. A bit of this, a dab of that…more wine, a spoonful of this, a forkful of that…more wine. (Note: I love turkey legs, so I had two).
Desert:
More Oreo’s. That’s right. In the face of pumpkin pie, ice cream, pecan pie, cookies, and other sweets…I choose the Oreo’s. You know why? Because I love them. Because I yearn for them. I ache for them. And for your own edification, I ate about 1,700 calories worth. (Yes, that’s seventeen-hundred).
I spent the rest of the evening in a catatonic sugar crash. Others asked me if it was worth it. A resounding yes is the answer. It’s the best day. Yet others ask why I do this to myself, why I don’t just spread this out over the year. The answer, because I like it this way. Plain and simple. I enjoy working hard for a huge reward, and based on my other posts, most of you know that I cheat here and there. My day of jubilee is my ultimate reward for what is otherwise a rather strictly regimented diet. I like it.
So, like I said, my day of jubilee has come and gone; and now the countdown begins…363 days to go.
Just to bring you up to speed, my “day of jubilee” is what others, likely lay people, refer to as “thanksgiving day”.
As you all likely imagined, my day of jubilee was all I had hoped. I began planning during the week leading up to that whimsical day. I would wake up around 6a…wash my face, brush my teeth and we’re off to the races.
It all begins:
By 7a I was seated at the local diner…anxiously awaiting the chance to regurgitate what I had practiced over and over in my mind for so many moments leading up to this one. The waitress approached. I could feel my mouth watering; my stomach began to gurgle in anticipation. I stumbled over my words as they raced out of my mouth, all trying their best to be the win, place, or show. “Pancakes, egg sandwich with bacon on a bagel, home fries, fried eggs, coffee, grapefruit juice, extra syrups, and wheat toast.” As you likely already guessed, the words that spilled forth on the first try were not quite so poetic, oratorical, or concise. Rather I fumbled my words, mixing up the order in such a way as to necessitate the waitress’s full and complete review of them before walking away.
I tapped my feet in anxious anticipation of the gloriousness to accompany this meal. That anticipation, building all year long, makes this entire event all the more enjoyable. Sip of coffee, sip of juice…tap tap tap.
The kitchen door swung open with a bang, and there she was…In all her majestic glory; my meal. The waitress set each plate down slowly and cautiously. I couldn’t wait…as I grabbed my fork and dug into the pancakes. I chewed fast, but not too fast, savoring every delightful morsel.
Onto the bagel sandwich; the bacon, cheese, and egg dancing in a seemingly forbidden cadence, yet thoroughly perfect in every step. Life was good.
With my belly swollen and satisfied I struggled through a workout (Even on my day of jubilee my compulsions come into play).
A brief foray into reality:
After the gym, Stef and I jumped in the car to begin our voyage to my parent’s house. Exactly 90 miles West. Of course, using the highway lends itself to rest stops; each of which has pretzels, available for purchase and deliciousness. I can barely contain myself. My subconscious is gently applying an every increasing amount of pressure to the gas pedal in a subtle, and all to underappreciated, effort to get me to my next feast as quickly as possible.
Rest Stop:
People everywhere…I see none of them, as evidenced by my bumping into more than a few on my way to the “SUPERPRETZEL” stand. No one is there…I glance around nervously, a bead of sweat forms on my brow. I wonder if a piece of this day just might not fall into place. Alas, my worry was unfounded. There she appeared, a messenger of refined carbs, a deliverywoman of all that is baked golden brown and lightly salted. I bought one. Let’s be serious here, the chance of this delectable treat making it to the parking lot is about as likely as me finding an autographed picture of Confucius.
As predicted, the pretzel is gone before I get back in the car. Granted, I moseyed slowly, allowing myself time to enjoy each freshly oven-baked bite.
Grocery Store:
We get off the highway. We drive into the grocery store parking lot. Beeline for the Cheetos (crunchy, real mean eat crunchy, not that puffy garbage), Easy-Cheez (that’s right…with a “z”), crackers, and O-R-E-O’s…In passing, as I race furiously through the aisles searching for my bullion, Stef says “I LOVE you on your day of jubilee…so fun!”
Check Out:
I love to use that self-checkout thing. The only problem, is it makes you feel as if you want to steal. The reasoning going through my head is “Hey, I’m saving you money by doing this myself, what’s a few free yogurts?” I fight the urge, ring up all my purchases (including flowers for my mom…I know, I’m a sweetie) and off we go.
Arrival:
We leave the bags in the car. Head inside. Everyone is already there. We’re the last ones to arrive. Although we’re last, we certainly carry with us prizes and goodies surely worth the wait. I can’t wait to sit down, start eating all of this goodness.
Pre-Dinner:
At this point I’ve gone through a half a bag of Cheetos, a third of a bag of Oreo’s, and copious amounts of Easy-Cheez (that’s right, with a “z”). The wine is now flowing like the falls of Niagra, and me…I’m in a semi-conscious, blissfully unaware, sugar induced, alcohol supported fugue. Life is so good.
Dinner:
I’m not sure where to begin here. Dinner was not a buffet, at least not originally conceived as a buffet. It turned into a sort of round-robin, hot potato, gluttonous feast. Pass, dump, ask, pass, dump, ask. Sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, turkey, sprouts, cornbread…on and on it goes. A bit of this, a dab of that…more wine, a spoonful of this, a forkful of that…more wine. (Note: I love turkey legs, so I had two).
Desert:
More Oreo’s. That’s right. In the face of pumpkin pie, ice cream, pecan pie, cookies, and other sweets…I choose the Oreo’s. You know why? Because I love them. Because I yearn for them. I ache for them. And for your own edification, I ate about 1,700 calories worth. (Yes, that’s seventeen-hundred).
I spent the rest of the evening in a catatonic sugar crash. Others asked me if it was worth it. A resounding yes is the answer. It’s the best day. Yet others ask why I do this to myself, why I don’t just spread this out over the year. The answer, because I like it this way. Plain and simple. I enjoy working hard for a huge reward, and based on my other posts, most of you know that I cheat here and there. My day of jubilee is my ultimate reward for what is otherwise a rather strictly regimented diet. I like it.
So, like I said, my day of jubilee has come and gone; and now the countdown begins…363 days to go.
Monday, November 10, 2008
I ate alligator...
I'm in New Orleans for the week. I arrived yesterday. I ate alligator; alligator sausage. No it doesn't taste like chicken, or beef, or pork, it has a distinct taste all its own.
Recently, I met with a nutritional consultant, Mike, regarding my diet. I had made some adjustments that were, let's just say...no agreeing with me. Around 300p every afternoon, my stomach rebelled. This rebellion came in the form of churning, gurgling, pain, and the (not so occasional) explosive burst.
Mike instantly zeroed in on one glaring detail, the lack of variety. I eat pretty much the same thing everyday. The variety just wasn't there. I ate some fruit, I ate some vegetables - but the problem was that I ate the same thing, day in, day out.
Let's take a step back, in time. I was the chubby kid in high school. I was the kid who couldn't do a pull-up, couldn't run a mile, couldn't wear "cool-kids" clothes. I lost the weight through a combination of heart-breack and hard work. I kept it off through hard work and dedication. Mike noticed, without a missed beat, that this diet is a result of desperation to maintain control over myself. I measured food out meticulously...which leads to consistency, but not variety. The consistency gave me control. I bought the same things, I ate the same things, I always knew exactly what was going in to my body.
Consider that the key to success is consistency, intensity, and VARIETY. I vary my workouts, I vary my training, but I never varied my eatin? I never realized I was missing one of the key components of success.
Mike gave helped me see the problem, and helped me work through a solution. Eggs with veggies in the morning, rather than cereal everyday. I was over supplementing, too many shakes, and pills, and not nearly enough real food.
I'll to spare you the complexities of the rest of our conversation.
Here's what I want all of you to take away from this little story: My mind got in the way. I fear falling back into the "high-school me", so much so that I've given up enjoying one of the most enjoyable parts of every day...food. I ate the same thing day in day out, so I could be in control.
What Mike realized was that I really wasn't in control. I was a slave to those same meals, those same nutrients. Mike is helping me put together less restrictive diet. I've never had problem making good food choices, but when faced with the option of eating "the usual" over something different, I'd always choose the usual. Mike's helping me change
Granted, I'm not going to change over night. I still eat relatively the same things, but I look for ways to change it up. Salad with lunch, V8 at breakfast, fish instead of chicken. I'm working on it...i'll probably always be working on it, but at least I'm getting somewhere now.
That was probable more than you all needed to know; but I thought it was a valuable story. No one knows everything, as much as we like to think we do. I've always believed in being an expert in your field, and surrounding yourself with experts in the others. I've got a great accountant, a great financial planner, a great lawyer, a great massage therapist, and a great doctor. I do what I do, and look to others for everything else. Mike was one of these people. He's not a nutritionist, but he knows me, and he knows what I need. Let Fit2You Fitness find that person for you. Whether you need help exercising, eating, working through emotional troubles...we can help you, we can find you that person that does what they do best, so you can focus on doing what you do best.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
Philadelphia and Main Line in-home personal training, wellness, massage, nutrition, and corporate wellness.
Recently, I met with a nutritional consultant, Mike, regarding my diet. I had made some adjustments that were, let's just say...no agreeing with me. Around 300p every afternoon, my stomach rebelled. This rebellion came in the form of churning, gurgling, pain, and the (not so occasional) explosive burst.
Mike instantly zeroed in on one glaring detail, the lack of variety. I eat pretty much the same thing everyday. The variety just wasn't there. I ate some fruit, I ate some vegetables - but the problem was that I ate the same thing, day in, day out.
Let's take a step back, in time. I was the chubby kid in high school. I was the kid who couldn't do a pull-up, couldn't run a mile, couldn't wear "cool-kids" clothes. I lost the weight through a combination of heart-breack and hard work. I kept it off through hard work and dedication. Mike noticed, without a missed beat, that this diet is a result of desperation to maintain control over myself. I measured food out meticulously...which leads to consistency, but not variety. The consistency gave me control. I bought the same things, I ate the same things, I always knew exactly what was going in to my body.
Consider that the key to success is consistency, intensity, and VARIETY. I vary my workouts, I vary my training, but I never varied my eatin? I never realized I was missing one of the key components of success.
Mike gave helped me see the problem, and helped me work through a solution. Eggs with veggies in the morning, rather than cereal everyday. I was over supplementing, too many shakes, and pills, and not nearly enough real food.
I'll to spare you the complexities of the rest of our conversation.
Here's what I want all of you to take away from this little story: My mind got in the way. I fear falling back into the "high-school me", so much so that I've given up enjoying one of the most enjoyable parts of every day...food. I ate the same thing day in day out, so I could be in control.
What Mike realized was that I really wasn't in control. I was a slave to those same meals, those same nutrients. Mike is helping me put together less restrictive diet. I've never had problem making good food choices, but when faced with the option of eating "the usual" over something different, I'd always choose the usual. Mike's helping me change
Granted, I'm not going to change over night. I still eat relatively the same things, but I look for ways to change it up. Salad with lunch, V8 at breakfast, fish instead of chicken. I'm working on it...i'll probably always be working on it, but at least I'm getting somewhere now.
That was probable more than you all needed to know; but I thought it was a valuable story. No one knows everything, as much as we like to think we do. I've always believed in being an expert in your field, and surrounding yourself with experts in the others. I've got a great accountant, a great financial planner, a great lawyer, a great massage therapist, and a great doctor. I do what I do, and look to others for everything else. Mike was one of these people. He's not a nutritionist, but he knows me, and he knows what I need. Let Fit2You Fitness find that person for you. Whether you need help exercising, eating, working through emotional troubles...we can help you, we can find you that person that does what they do best, so you can focus on doing what you do best.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
Philadelphia and Main Line in-home personal training, wellness, massage, nutrition, and corporate wellness.
Monday, October 20, 2008
An oily rubdown...
To answer the question that I'm sure is on the top of ALL of your minds...yes, the title of this post is "an oily rubdown". To answer the obvious next question, no...I don't mean that in an R-Rated, only viewable after 1100p on Cinemax, kind of way. Rather, I'm talking about laying down on a warm, comfortable bed, half (maybe fully) naked, being massaged every so gently with heating body oils and lotions. Wow...there really is no good way to describe this. No matter how you say it, it still needs to arrive discreetly wrapped in brown paper. The point of all this...I'm talking about a mssage.
For years I was intrigued by massage. Not the act itself, rather the fact that people are ok with another rubbing them all over, and I mean all over. Talk about vulnerability. Then there was the ever-looming concern: "What if it moved?" To quote George Constanza. So, the concern of another person with whom I am not intimately involved touching me in places directly adjacent to my giblets, couled with the even deeper concern that "it" might move always kept me away from massage.
All this ended when I left college and entered the working world. If you can believe it, I was working a job that required me to actually work from 9-5, five days a week..back then that was a hard day. Man I miss that.
Anway, I beloged to a small gym near my office. Perhaps it was from squeezing my phone between my shoulder and ear all day, whild cold calling in a desperate attempt to sell a useless product, or perhaps it was the stress of those "long" days. Whatever it was, I noticed they offered massage...sign me up.
The next night, I came in. Nervous, reticent, shy (and any other synonym for those three words). The front desk attendant showed me to the room, where she instructed me to undress. Gladly, because of course, I thought she was the massage therapist...oh how very wrong I was.
I dropped trou, folded them over the chair and climbed up on the table. As soon as I laid down, in came the real massage therapist. X was his name, short for Xantho. He was a 6' 6" and weighed somewhere north of 280lbs. I think it was safe to say, no matter what, "it" wasn't going anywhere.
X asked me what massage I'd like. At that time I knew more about laying asphalt than I did massage. I said, goofily "the kind that makes me relaxed". And off we went.
I'll save you the details of the experience, except to say X didn't come anywhere near my giblets, spending most of the time on my back and shoulders , and "it" didn't so much as shift around.
When it was all over, 60 minutes later, X left the room after I thanked him. It took me 20 minutes or so to really collect myself. I stayed on the table for a bit, drifting in and out of sleep, as I had for the entire hour-long massage itself.
I sleepily stood up from the table, absently dressed, and stumbled to my car. Now, I need to warn you...if it's your first massage, get dropped off and get picked up. Driving equals no fun after a massage. You just want to keep drifting in and out of that place you've just come from. That little island free of worry, stress, or pain.
As X directed, I drank plenty of water aferwards. The massage releases body toxins that are best flushed with copious amount of water. And those copious amounts of water release excessive amounts of urine that are best flushed at the urinal, or closest tree.
I slept better that night. Most likely partially because of the bodily relaxation, and partially the mental relaxation.
The next day I expected to feel completely rejuvenated. I did feel must more rested, and much more relaxed, but I wasn't as energized as I hoped. I thought I would leap out of bed like the the Lucky Charms Leprechaun leaps across his rainbow. But no, I didn't want to get out of bed any more than I would on a normal morning.
However, as the day progressed, I did feel better. I felt less exhausted in the afternoon, and I felt myself sitting up straighter. I felt better. No better way to say it. I just felt better.
Just like we reward our exercise with an occasional sweet treat, or salty snack. Reward your hard work in the office, or at home, with an occasional retreat...like I said, an oily rubdown.
Contact Fit2You Fitness for an in-home or on site massage therapy session, or even if you'd like to travel to your therapist...we can do that to.
As you know, Fit2You Fitness also provides Philadelphia and the Main Line with fitness and wellness services (massage, yoga, pilates, career counseling, and psychological counseling) anywher you like. We can come to you or you can come to us.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
For years I was intrigued by massage. Not the act itself, rather the fact that people are ok with another rubbing them all over, and I mean all over. Talk about vulnerability. Then there was the ever-looming concern: "What if it moved?" To quote George Constanza. So, the concern of another person with whom I am not intimately involved touching me in places directly adjacent to my giblets, couled with the even deeper concern that "it" might move always kept me away from massage.
All this ended when I left college and entered the working world. If you can believe it, I was working a job that required me to actually work from 9-5, five days a week..back then that was a hard day. Man I miss that.
Anway, I beloged to a small gym near my office. Perhaps it was from squeezing my phone between my shoulder and ear all day, whild cold calling in a desperate attempt to sell a useless product, or perhaps it was the stress of those "long" days. Whatever it was, I noticed they offered massage...sign me up.
The next night, I came in. Nervous, reticent, shy (and any other synonym for those three words). The front desk attendant showed me to the room, where she instructed me to undress. Gladly, because of course, I thought she was the massage therapist...oh how very wrong I was.
I dropped trou, folded them over the chair and climbed up on the table. As soon as I laid down, in came the real massage therapist. X was his name, short for Xantho. He was a 6' 6" and weighed somewhere north of 280lbs. I think it was safe to say, no matter what, "it" wasn't going anywhere.
X asked me what massage I'd like. At that time I knew more about laying asphalt than I did massage. I said, goofily "the kind that makes me relaxed". And off we went.
I'll save you the details of the experience, except to say X didn't come anywhere near my giblets, spending most of the time on my back and shoulders , and "it" didn't so much as shift around.
When it was all over, 60 minutes later, X left the room after I thanked him. It took me 20 minutes or so to really collect myself. I stayed on the table for a bit, drifting in and out of sleep, as I had for the entire hour-long massage itself.
I sleepily stood up from the table, absently dressed, and stumbled to my car. Now, I need to warn you...if it's your first massage, get dropped off and get picked up. Driving equals no fun after a massage. You just want to keep drifting in and out of that place you've just come from. That little island free of worry, stress, or pain.
As X directed, I drank plenty of water aferwards. The massage releases body toxins that are best flushed with copious amount of water. And those copious amounts of water release excessive amounts of urine that are best flushed at the urinal, or closest tree.
I slept better that night. Most likely partially because of the bodily relaxation, and partially the mental relaxation.
The next day I expected to feel completely rejuvenated. I did feel must more rested, and much more relaxed, but I wasn't as energized as I hoped. I thought I would leap out of bed like the the Lucky Charms Leprechaun leaps across his rainbow. But no, I didn't want to get out of bed any more than I would on a normal morning.
However, as the day progressed, I did feel better. I felt less exhausted in the afternoon, and I felt myself sitting up straighter. I felt better. No better way to say it. I just felt better.
Just like we reward our exercise with an occasional sweet treat, or salty snack. Reward your hard work in the office, or at home, with an occasional retreat...like I said, an oily rubdown.
Contact Fit2You Fitness for an in-home or on site massage therapy session, or even if you'd like to travel to your therapist...we can do that to.
As you know, Fit2You Fitness also provides Philadelphia and the Main Line with fitness and wellness services (massage, yoga, pilates, career counseling, and psychological counseling) anywher you like. We can come to you or you can come to us.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
My Ultimate Cheat Day
As you all know by now I forcefully advocate the reward system: Work hard, eat clean, reward well. Read a few posts back and you'll see my discussion of the "mortal sin" in Florida. Today, as promised, I'm going to share with you...in all it's gory, horrific truth...my ultimate cheat day.
I look forward to thanksgiving for one reason; broken into many sub-reasons. Thanksgiving is the day I work all year for. It's my favorite day of the year. In fact, I love thanksgiving so much I'm going to reiterate that thanksgiving is my favorite day of the year. And I don't mean that like "Chocolate ice cream if my favorite ice cream". I mean it like this is the one day of the year before which I have trouble sleeping, after which I'm so sad I have another 365 days to go it virtually sends me into a homicidal tizzy. I look forward to this one day all year, even more so the week of. My teeth tingle with excitement, butterflies nest deep inside my belly, my mind is so worthless, so distracted, I'm of little more use than a dead tree stump.
It all begins at breakfast (which as you also know is my favorite meal). I start with french toast, a short stack, and an egg and cheese bagel. If I still have room (ha, "if"...let's be serious, I'm just warming up) I order a couple sides of bacon because everything tastes better with bacon. Top it off with some juice and coffee and you have the makings of a pig, slowly entering the slop.
Next, I make my way to the supermarket. Here, I stock up on my permanent-thanksgiving accessories: Cheetos (the crunch kind, not that puff garbage), a few cans of E-Z Cheese, a box of club crackers, and a bag or two of oreos. Now we're off to the races.
By now, it's about 10a and we're on the road to my parents house. I liken myself to Homer Simpson when surround by bowls of chips, and dips, and football game goodies. I morph into a sugar driven, fat seeking, cheese grubbing tazmanian devil. I can't get enough.
Around noon, it's time for a quick stop off for a few slices of pizza. Perhaps a sausage, a pepperoni, and one meat-lovers...perhaps. Back on the road again, and I'm tearing through more crunchy, powdered cheese goodness, scarfing through the creamy inside of another O-R-E-O, charging through another sleeve of crackers covered in processed cheese spread. (As an aside: This is maybe the hardest blog I've ever written...I'm serious. Thank goodness thanksgiving really isn't too far away. If I were writing this in December, I would seriously need some sort of tranquilizer to bring me down.)
I'm sure at this point you're all wondering if I feel bloated, and greasy, dirty and disgusting. And yes, I do...very much so. But it's so good, it's just so good...I can't say that enough...it's all just so good.
Upon our arrival in my hometown comes a stop off at Neat-O-Burrito for a burrito, so enormous it's obscene. Pack that puppy with some chicken, guacamole, beans, rice, etc., etc., etc.,. I easily power through this little slice of heaven, and it's back to my accessory foods.
We have arrival at our destination. We climb out of the car, the cool air snaps me out of that food induced fugue state. As we enter the house we're struck by the warm smells of fresh baked breads, pumpkin pie, stuffing, mashed sweets, and turkey.
It's a couple hours until dinner, and I'll usually take a little break. Pack down the mass inside my belly with a few glasses of wine. The next few hours tend to dance by on the wings of an alcohol buzz, furthered aloft by the laughter and jokes.
Dinner time. Pass the turkey (leg for me), pass the stuffing, pass the potatoes, pass the greens, pass the gravy. Pass the turkey , pass the stuffing, pass the potatoes, pass the greens, pass the gravy. Pass the turkey, pass the stuffing, pass the potatoes, pass the greens, pass the gravy...and so it goes until its time for piece de resistance, the culmination of this day of gluttony, the cherry on the scoop...the pumpkin pie. A few slices my way, wash it down with a brownie or two, and a cup of coffee. With that, my ultimate cheat day comes to a close.
The following morning, of course, I'm back at the gym, I'm back on clean eating, and I'm usually back on the toilet paying the price for all that fat, sugar, and starch...but it's all worth it. Maybe not to you, maybe not to anyone else, but to me it's ALL worth it. One day of the year, everything is right with the world. I can lose myself in all the gluttonous indulgences I avoid, sometimes barely, all year long.
This is an extreme example, founded in compulsion. The point I hope to express is that everyone deserves a reward. I've said the same in dozens of other posts. Reward yourself. Just take notice of my reward day. Save for the occasional mortal sin, or slice of pizza, Thanksgiving is an aberration. An uber-reward for a year's worth of hard work. Maybe you'll follow this example and give yourself one day a year, so gluttonous, so full of indulgence, it's nearly criminal. Or maybe you'll choose to give yourself a slice of pizza every couple weeks, or an order of French Fries. Take this however you'd like; just don't slip down the slope and fall into a dangerous lifestyle.
So, like I said I forcefully advocate the reward system: Work hard, eat clean, reward well...VERY well.
I look forward to thanksgiving for one reason; broken into many sub-reasons. Thanksgiving is the day I work all year for. It's my favorite day of the year. In fact, I love thanksgiving so much I'm going to reiterate that thanksgiving is my favorite day of the year. And I don't mean that like "Chocolate ice cream if my favorite ice cream". I mean it like this is the one day of the year before which I have trouble sleeping, after which I'm so sad I have another 365 days to go it virtually sends me into a homicidal tizzy. I look forward to this one day all year, even more so the week of. My teeth tingle with excitement, butterflies nest deep inside my belly, my mind is so worthless, so distracted, I'm of little more use than a dead tree stump.
It all begins at breakfast (which as you also know is my favorite meal). I start with french toast, a short stack, and an egg and cheese bagel. If I still have room (ha, "if"...let's be serious, I'm just warming up) I order a couple sides of bacon because everything tastes better with bacon. Top it off with some juice and coffee and you have the makings of a pig, slowly entering the slop.
Next, I make my way to the supermarket. Here, I stock up on my permanent-thanksgiving accessories: Cheetos (the crunch kind, not that puff garbage), a few cans of E-Z Cheese, a box of club crackers, and a bag or two of oreos. Now we're off to the races.
By now, it's about 10a and we're on the road to my parents house. I liken myself to Homer Simpson when surround by bowls of chips, and dips, and football game goodies. I morph into a sugar driven, fat seeking, cheese grubbing tazmanian devil. I can't get enough.
Around noon, it's time for a quick stop off for a few slices of pizza. Perhaps a sausage, a pepperoni, and one meat-lovers...perhaps. Back on the road again, and I'm tearing through more crunchy, powdered cheese goodness, scarfing through the creamy inside of another O-R-E-O, charging through another sleeve of crackers covered in processed cheese spread. (As an aside: This is maybe the hardest blog I've ever written...I'm serious. Thank goodness thanksgiving really isn't too far away. If I were writing this in December, I would seriously need some sort of tranquilizer to bring me down.)
I'm sure at this point you're all wondering if I feel bloated, and greasy, dirty and disgusting. And yes, I do...very much so. But it's so good, it's just so good...I can't say that enough...it's all just so good.
Upon our arrival in my hometown comes a stop off at Neat-O-Burrito for a burrito, so enormous it's obscene. Pack that puppy with some chicken, guacamole, beans, rice, etc., etc., etc.,. I easily power through this little slice of heaven, and it's back to my accessory foods.
We have arrival at our destination. We climb out of the car, the cool air snaps me out of that food induced fugue state. As we enter the house we're struck by the warm smells of fresh baked breads, pumpkin pie, stuffing, mashed sweets, and turkey.
It's a couple hours until dinner, and I'll usually take a little break. Pack down the mass inside my belly with a few glasses of wine. The next few hours tend to dance by on the wings of an alcohol buzz, furthered aloft by the laughter and jokes.
Dinner time. Pass the turkey (leg for me), pass the stuffing, pass the potatoes, pass the greens, pass the gravy. Pass the turkey , pass the stuffing, pass the potatoes, pass the greens, pass the gravy. Pass the turkey, pass the stuffing, pass the potatoes, pass the greens, pass the gravy...and so it goes until its time for piece de resistance, the culmination of this day of gluttony, the cherry on the scoop...the pumpkin pie. A few slices my way, wash it down with a brownie or two, and a cup of coffee. With that, my ultimate cheat day comes to a close.
The following morning, of course, I'm back at the gym, I'm back on clean eating, and I'm usually back on the toilet paying the price for all that fat, sugar, and starch...but it's all worth it. Maybe not to you, maybe not to anyone else, but to me it's ALL worth it. One day of the year, everything is right with the world. I can lose myself in all the gluttonous indulgences I avoid, sometimes barely, all year long.
This is an extreme example, founded in compulsion. The point I hope to express is that everyone deserves a reward. I've said the same in dozens of other posts. Reward yourself. Just take notice of my reward day. Save for the occasional mortal sin, or slice of pizza, Thanksgiving is an aberration. An uber-reward for a year's worth of hard work. Maybe you'll follow this example and give yourself one day a year, so gluttonous, so full of indulgence, it's nearly criminal. Or maybe you'll choose to give yourself a slice of pizza every couple weeks, or an order of French Fries. Take this however you'd like; just don't slip down the slope and fall into a dangerous lifestyle.
So, like I said I forcefully advocate the reward system: Work hard, eat clean, reward well...VERY well.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Break the fast...and break it right.
Breakfast...the most important meal of the day. Ignoring the hashed cliche, those are a few of the most important words in wellness.
When I first began formulating my thoughts for this particular article I came to a fork in the road. One sign said "Facts, science, boredom - East" the other said "Tell it like it is - West". So, metaphorically speaking, there I stood, hemming, hawing...WESTWARD HO!
I love breakfast. Not only do I love the act of eating breakfast every morning, I love breakfast foods. Perhaps because I'm the generation who can eat cereal three meals a day, or perhaps because virtually every breakfast is instantly improved with a side of bacon...whatever it is, I love breakfast. I'm going to say this again, so all of you ot there understand what I'm trying to say...I love breakfast.
Maybe my obsessive, border-line infatuation, with breakfast makes it easier for me to eat it...but I wasn't always this way. No no no, there was a time that I skipped breakfast -- often because I the time I awoke was far too late in the day to call any meal I was having "breakfast"...more like lunch, more often "LiNner". Those times are back in the proverbial "day"; now, not only do I eat breakfast...I can't wait to eat breakfast.
A few nights out of the week, my hungry stomach will growl my mind out of its slumber for no reason other than to ask "When food come?" (That's right, my stomach doesn't speak in grammatically proper sentences. If my stomach were a character, I imagine it a club toting, caveman; concerned only with its next meal and little else.) My mind responds calmly, in its glib british accent "Now now old chap, rest assured you're next feeding is imminent". (As with my stomach, I imagine my mind a monocle wearing, pipe smoking, Thurston Howel the Third-esque, type of character). And with those calming words, we all drift back to sleep.
I like to wake up at 6a. I've reconciled my rational self with my obsessive self. If I plan to eat eight meals today, I need to start at 6. If I don't I end up cramming food in too close together (temporally speaking) or I'm eating until 10p.
Morning arrives. I'd like to set the record straight: All things being equal, I'd prefer an IV meal of some sort to avoid having to leave the comfort of my pillows, blankets, and newly installed feather mattress pad. But, since science has yet to deliver an easy, home-based IV food delivery system for everyday use, I have to get up.
Oooo...do I love this next part. Well, first things first. I mix a quick protein shake - 25g of whey protein. I take my vitamins with this. Whey is a great source of sustained protein-energy (a little science won't kill you, or bore you too much). The foundation of my breakfast though is a cup of Kashi Hi-Protein cereal, half a cup of granola, and half a cup of all-bran. Kashi provides a healthy dose of carbohydrates and protein, the granola provides fat and almost an obscene amount of tasty goodness, and the all-bran...well the all-bran keeps the colon chugging along with the regularity of a swiss watch. Top it all off with a handful of blueberries (whose nutritional benefits are so vast I could write an entire article about them alone) and a cup of soy milk. Why soy milk? Milk irritates my stomach. So if I drink milk...people don't want to be around me for 2 - 4 hours. Take what you want from that breakfast menu, but be sure to take it to mean you should ALWAYS eat breakfast.
I don't confine myself to that breakfast either. I love eggs, scrambled, over-easy, hard-boiled. I love sausage, and bacon, and oatmeal. I love muffins, and pancakes, and french toast. I love bagels, and lox, and fruit. I love it all, but I don't eat it all.
You must eat breakfast, but be mindful of what you eat. Eggs are great, when they're not fried in butter. Oatmeal is great when it's made with water (not whole milk). Muffins are good when they're low sugar, high fiber. Sausage is good when it's low-fat turkey or soy (same for bacon) . Make smart choices when you make your own breakfast: Whole wheat toast, 0-calorie cooking spray not butter, portion control.
I'll never tell anyone to avoid any food forever; even fried foods. Read a few blogs back about rewarding yourself (Specifically Me and the Mortal Sin). Make the breakfast foods that are the worst for you (pancakes, french toast, eggs benedict) a SUPER-occasional reward for hard work and clean eating. I do -- next time, I'll tell you all about my mind-blowing, annual cheat day. It's the greatest day of the year.
So, like I said breakfast...the most important meal of the day. Ignoring the hashed cliche, those are a few of the most important words in wellness.
When I first began formulating my thoughts for this particular article I came to a fork in the road. One sign said "Facts, science, boredom - East" the other said "Tell it like it is - West". So, metaphorically speaking, there I stood, hemming, hawing...WESTWARD HO!
I love breakfast. Not only do I love the act of eating breakfast every morning, I love breakfast foods. Perhaps because I'm the generation who can eat cereal three meals a day, or perhaps because virtually every breakfast is instantly improved with a side of bacon...whatever it is, I love breakfast. I'm going to say this again, so all of you ot there understand what I'm trying to say...I love breakfast.
Maybe my obsessive, border-line infatuation, with breakfast makes it easier for me to eat it...but I wasn't always this way. No no no, there was a time that I skipped breakfast -- often because I the time I awoke was far too late in the day to call any meal I was having "breakfast"...more like lunch, more often "LiNner". Those times are back in the proverbial "day"; now, not only do I eat breakfast...I can't wait to eat breakfast.
A few nights out of the week, my hungry stomach will growl my mind out of its slumber for no reason other than to ask "When food come?" (That's right, my stomach doesn't speak in grammatically proper sentences. If my stomach were a character, I imagine it a club toting, caveman; concerned only with its next meal and little else.) My mind responds calmly, in its glib british accent "Now now old chap, rest assured you're next feeding is imminent". (As with my stomach, I imagine my mind a monocle wearing, pipe smoking, Thurston Howel the Third-esque, type of character). And with those calming words, we all drift back to sleep.
I like to wake up at 6a. I've reconciled my rational self with my obsessive self. If I plan to eat eight meals today, I need to start at 6. If I don't I end up cramming food in too close together (temporally speaking) or I'm eating until 10p.
Morning arrives. I'd like to set the record straight: All things being equal, I'd prefer an IV meal of some sort to avoid having to leave the comfort of my pillows, blankets, and newly installed feather mattress pad. But, since science has yet to deliver an easy, home-based IV food delivery system for everyday use, I have to get up.
Oooo...do I love this next part. Well, first things first. I mix a quick protein shake - 25g of whey protein. I take my vitamins with this. Whey is a great source of sustained protein-energy (a little science won't kill you, or bore you too much). The foundation of my breakfast though is a cup of Kashi Hi-Protein cereal, half a cup of granola, and half a cup of all-bran. Kashi provides a healthy dose of carbohydrates and protein, the granola provides fat and almost an obscene amount of tasty goodness, and the all-bran...well the all-bran keeps the colon chugging along with the regularity of a swiss watch. Top it all off with a handful of blueberries (whose nutritional benefits are so vast I could write an entire article about them alone) and a cup of soy milk. Why soy milk? Milk irritates my stomach. So if I drink milk...people don't want to be around me for 2 - 4 hours. Take what you want from that breakfast menu, but be sure to take it to mean you should ALWAYS eat breakfast.
I don't confine myself to that breakfast either. I love eggs, scrambled, over-easy, hard-boiled. I love sausage, and bacon, and oatmeal. I love muffins, and pancakes, and french toast. I love bagels, and lox, and fruit. I love it all, but I don't eat it all.
You must eat breakfast, but be mindful of what you eat. Eggs are great, when they're not fried in butter. Oatmeal is great when it's made with water (not whole milk). Muffins are good when they're low sugar, high fiber. Sausage is good when it's low-fat turkey or soy (same for bacon) . Make smart choices when you make your own breakfast: Whole wheat toast, 0-calorie cooking spray not butter, portion control.
I'll never tell anyone to avoid any food forever; even fried foods. Read a few blogs back about rewarding yourself (Specifically Me and the Mortal Sin). Make the breakfast foods that are the worst for you (pancakes, french toast, eggs benedict) a SUPER-occasional reward for hard work and clean eating. I do -- next time, I'll tell you all about my mind-blowing, annual cheat day. It's the greatest day of the year.
So, like I said breakfast...the most important meal of the day. Ignoring the hashed cliche, those are a few of the most important words in wellness.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Hard work deserves rest...
One week off every few months, your body is like your mind; give it a vacation. There's more to "rest" than simple sleep. There's more to rest than taking a day off every week. When you're pushing yourself hard, for long periods of time, you need real rest.
Imagine going 6 months without a mental break; working hard every day at a mentally demanding job. Your performance will certainly suffer, your motivation will certainly lower, your enjoyment will certainly diminish. Your body is no different.
That leads me to my most recent problem. I found myself sitting lazily on a weight bench during one particularly disjointed lower body workout. In retrospect I suppose I was meandering through that particular workout, maybe bored, maybe distracted, definitely irritated. I was uncomfortable.
For the few nights leading up to this day I found myself awakened by this dull discomfort in my legs. The pain wasn't terrible, but it was bad enough to work its way into my stomach. I had restless legs syndrome. My response? I called me doctor, and explained that the symptoms I was experiencing were exactly the same as those symptoms that GlaxoSmithKline discussed on their commercial for the restless leg syndrome drug. Based on the expert analysis of my self diagnosis coupled with the information Glaxo was telling me, I must need a prescription to take the edge off...right? So what if the drug may cause me to experience incontinence, loose bowels, erectile dysfunction, spotting periods, sudden blindness, loss of hearing, limb numbness, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, financial trouble, car trouble, loss of appetite, loss of friendships, loss of interest, loss of my 401K, frustration, exhaustion, fatigue, sleepiness, drowsiness, periods of intense energy, euphoria, depression, suicidal thoughts, toe-nail fungus, or sinus infection? I needed to take a drug for this didn't I?
Well, the answer is a resounding no (For our French friends: la réponse est non, For our German friends: Die Antwort ist nein, For our Spanish Friends: la respuesta es no, and lastly for our Russian friends: ответа нет -- I really want to get the point across, and I really like using "google translator"). I didn't need drugs, or treatment of any sort. I needed a day off, maybe even a week.
So what did I do? I took a week off. I finished the workout that day; albeit not well. I then started my week off.
I didn't run, I didn't lift, I didn't box, I didn't row, I didn't swim. The time I took off I spent going on walks, laying on the couch, catching up on recreational reading. In other words, I took a physical break...which in turn gave me the opportunity to take a mental break. A nice physical break, coupled with a nice mental break. It felt good.
A word of caution...you might find it difficult to get back to it. Doing nothing is SO much easier than doing something; only with much worse results. Make a deal between yourself and you. Every three or four months you'll take one week off. This doesn't meant eat garabage and forget about your health lifestyle. Still take the stairs, still walk instead of drive. Just skip the intensity of your training sessions for one week. I promise you'll return completely re-energized.
Like I said, one week off every few months, your body is like your mind; give it a vacation.
Imagine going 6 months without a mental break; working hard every day at a mentally demanding job. Your performance will certainly suffer, your motivation will certainly lower, your enjoyment will certainly diminish. Your body is no different.
That leads me to my most recent problem. I found myself sitting lazily on a weight bench during one particularly disjointed lower body workout. In retrospect I suppose I was meandering through that particular workout, maybe bored, maybe distracted, definitely irritated. I was uncomfortable.
For the few nights leading up to this day I found myself awakened by this dull discomfort in my legs. The pain wasn't terrible, but it was bad enough to work its way into my stomach. I had restless legs syndrome. My response? I called me doctor, and explained that the symptoms I was experiencing were exactly the same as those symptoms that GlaxoSmithKline discussed on their commercial for the restless leg syndrome drug. Based on the expert analysis of my self diagnosis coupled with the information Glaxo was telling me, I must need a prescription to take the edge off...right? So what if the drug may cause me to experience incontinence, loose bowels, erectile dysfunction, spotting periods, sudden blindness, loss of hearing, limb numbness, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, financial trouble, car trouble, loss of appetite, loss of friendships, loss of interest, loss of my 401K, frustration, exhaustion, fatigue, sleepiness, drowsiness, periods of intense energy, euphoria, depression, suicidal thoughts, toe-nail fungus, or sinus infection? I needed to take a drug for this didn't I?
Well, the answer is a resounding no (For our French friends: la réponse est non, For our German friends: Die Antwort ist nein, For our Spanish Friends: la respuesta es no, and lastly for our Russian friends: ответа нет -- I really want to get the point across, and I really like using "google translator"). I didn't need drugs, or treatment of any sort. I needed a day off, maybe even a week.
So what did I do? I took a week off. I finished the workout that day; albeit not well. I then started my week off.
I didn't run, I didn't lift, I didn't box, I didn't row, I didn't swim. The time I took off I spent going on walks, laying on the couch, catching up on recreational reading. In other words, I took a physical break...which in turn gave me the opportunity to take a mental break. A nice physical break, coupled with a nice mental break. It felt good.
A word of caution...you might find it difficult to get back to it. Doing nothing is SO much easier than doing something; only with much worse results. Make a deal between yourself and you. Every three or four months you'll take one week off. This doesn't meant eat garabage and forget about your health lifestyle. Still take the stairs, still walk instead of drive. Just skip the intensity of your training sessions for one week. I promise you'll return completely re-energized.
Like I said, one week off every few months, your body is like your mind; give it a vacation.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Boredom...
I was bored, I needed to find the excitement again. I hit plateaus every so often, boredom, lack of enthusiasm, lack of energy for the workout. It usually takes a week, maybe two before I realize that I'm not working my hardest, or I'm not looking forward to the workouts as much as I used to.
About a week ago I was in the middle of a workout, and I couldn't figure out what to do next. I couldn't think of anything I wanted to do, or looked forward to doing. I meanderedthrough the workout, moving slowly, not giving it my all..
It was when I left that I realized I had plateaued. Because of my work with Howard I don't get bored with my upper-body routines. It's usually a combination of Howard coming up with the routines, and having him there to talk with.
My clients who train all week with me rarely report boredom, it's the clients who only train with me part of the time who find boredom. It's with the routines they're doing on their own; without the benefit of the extra push from someone standing over them. It's this constant struggle to go one more, one heavier, one further, that erases any lack of interest. When your body is pushed to its physical limits, the mind has no room for disinterest. The mind needs to focus on the task at hand.
I had to re-double my efforts. It had been a long time since I attended an educational seminar and I knew it was time. I found one on plyometric and sprint training. The information was just enough to give me some ideas of how to better train myself, which in turn helps me better train my clients.
With the new knowledge, I hit the gym. I threw off convention and tackled a lower body workout of uber-high repetitions, jumps, and explosions. It was great. I hadn't done something like this in so long, I forgot just how physically demanding it is. My mind was so focused on keeping me focused, it didn't have time to wander. My mind couldn't drift to what happened yesterday, or what might happen tomorrow. My mind was too busy worrying about me to worry about anything else.
I went grocery shopping after that workout. It took a bit longer than usual...I had a hard time walking at any semblance of a decent clip. So I moseyed through the grocery story, happy to meander here rather than the gym.
Like I said...I was bored, I needed to find the excitement again.
Break your plateau, get excited again with Fit2You. Let us bring our in home personal fitness training and wellness services to you. Gain Energy, Gain Esteem, Save Gas, Save Time...
--BA
Fit2you Fitness, LLC
http://www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main Line Area in-home personal training, yoga, pilates, fitness and wellness.
About a week ago I was in the middle of a workout, and I couldn't figure out what to do next. I couldn't think of anything I wanted to do, or looked forward to doing. I meanderedthrough the workout, moving slowly, not giving it my all..
It was when I left that I realized I had plateaued. Because of my work with Howard I don't get bored with my upper-body routines. It's usually a combination of Howard coming up with the routines, and having him there to talk with.
My clients who train all week with me rarely report boredom, it's the clients who only train with me part of the time who find boredom. It's with the routines they're doing on their own; without the benefit of the extra push from someone standing over them. It's this constant struggle to go one more, one heavier, one further, that erases any lack of interest. When your body is pushed to its physical limits, the mind has no room for disinterest. The mind needs to focus on the task at hand.
I had to re-double my efforts. It had been a long time since I attended an educational seminar and I knew it was time. I found one on plyometric and sprint training. The information was just enough to give me some ideas of how to better train myself, which in turn helps me better train my clients.
With the new knowledge, I hit the gym. I threw off convention and tackled a lower body workout of uber-high repetitions, jumps, and explosions. It was great. I hadn't done something like this in so long, I forgot just how physically demanding it is. My mind was so focused on keeping me focused, it didn't have time to wander. My mind couldn't drift to what happened yesterday, or what might happen tomorrow. My mind was too busy worrying about me to worry about anything else.
I went grocery shopping after that workout. It took a bit longer than usual...I had a hard time walking at any semblance of a decent clip. So I moseyed through the grocery story, happy to meander here rather than the gym.
Like I said...I was bored, I needed to find the excitement again.
Break your plateau, get excited again with Fit2You. Let us bring our in home personal fitness training and wellness services to you. Gain Energy, Gain Esteem, Save Gas, Save Time...
--BA
Fit2you Fitness, LLC
http://www.
Philadelphia and Main Line Area in-home personal training, yoga, pilates, fitness and wellness.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Find victory...
It's not a fight...It's a battle.
There we are, our day is going great. We're chugging along, happy, content...and then we realize we still have 30 minutes or more of exercise ahead of us. Even those of us that LOVE exercise still realize it's work and hard work at that.
All summer, exercise fit into my schedule only in the evening. I would arrive at the gym each evening; possibly grumbling, possibly floating...all depends on the day. After a few minutes of glad-handing my buddies, and other regulars, I headed to the locker room to change into my gear.
Changing may be the key to proper mindset. I always change into a set of workout clothes different than my street clothes (bear in mind, I wear workout clothes for a living). This is like a code switch in my mind. It's time to focus, time to exercise, time to forget what came before this time, ignore what will come after this time.
Right now I want all of you envisioning a slow motion scene with a powerful score playing in the background. I dress, I lace up my shoes, I pull on last years Hanuka gift (a Nike wrist-band watch, that does a better job of looking cool than it does telling time). My fingers run through my hair, I stand up, a little bead of sweat forms on my brow as I step onto the fitness floor. Yeah, that's a nice image. But in reality, it's how I feel. I feel like I'm suiting up for a battle.
This battle is not against another person, it's against the intangible, the invisible. This battle is between me, and myself. Can I push it harder, can I go further, can I do more? Every workout is an adrenaline fueled battle royale (that's right, battle royale), but it's not a fight.
Don't view your exercise as a fight. A battle is glamorous and graceful. A fight is dirty and low-brow. You're journey in creating that perfect you, whatever perfect is, is a glamorous and graceful battle.
Once your dressed for battle, the actual battle tends to smear hazily by. In what might seem like the flutter of a humming-birds wings, you'll be out the door. You'll might feel satisfied. You'll might feel defeated, vanquished...but ultimately, no matter how you feel...you ARE victorious. Every workout completed, every clean meal eaten, every step taken, every minute off the couch is a victory.
So, like I said...it's not a fight, it's a battle.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
There we are, our day is going great. We're chugging along, happy, content...and then we realize we still have 30 minutes or more of exercise ahead of us. Even those of us that LOVE exercise still realize it's work and hard work at that.
All summer, exercise fit into my schedule only in the evening. I would arrive at the gym each evening; possibly grumbling, possibly floating...all depends on the day. After a few minutes of glad-handing my buddies, and other regulars, I headed to the locker room to change into my gear.
Changing may be the key to proper mindset. I always change into a set of workout clothes different than my street clothes (bear in mind, I wear workout clothes for a living). This is like a code switch in my mind. It's time to focus, time to exercise, time to forget what came before this time, ignore what will come after this time.
Right now I want all of you envisioning a slow motion scene with a powerful score playing in the background. I dress, I lace up my shoes, I pull on last years Hanuka gift (a Nike wrist-band watch, that does a better job of looking cool than it does telling time). My fingers run through my hair, I stand up, a little bead of sweat forms on my brow as I step onto the fitness floor. Yeah, that's a nice image. But in reality, it's how I feel. I feel like I'm suiting up for a battle.
This battle is not against another person, it's against the intangible, the invisible. This battle is between me, and myself. Can I push it harder, can I go further, can I do more? Every workout is an adrenaline fueled battle royale (that's right, battle royale), but it's not a fight.
Don't view your exercise as a fight. A battle is glamorous and graceful. A fight is dirty and low-brow. You're journey in creating that perfect you, whatever perfect is, is a glamorous and graceful battle.
Once your dressed for battle, the actual battle tends to smear hazily by. In what might seem like the flutter of a humming-birds wings, you'll be out the door. You'll might feel satisfied. You'll might feel defeated, vanquished...but ultimately, no matter how you feel...you ARE victorious. Every workout completed, every clean meal eaten, every step taken, every minute off the couch is a victory.
So, like I said...it's not a fight, it's a battle.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
I'm back from vacation...
I'm back from vacation, it's a good thing...sort of. I don't think I ever really want to leave paradise. However, the day after I return, it's as if some magical spell has taken over me and I feel like I never left. So here I am, sighing heavily, but content in returning to the real world.
It's now time for me to let you all in on a bit of information. I work with a personal trainer, twice a week. His name is Howard, I call him H. He gives me two hours a week, two hours that I turn my mind off, two hours of him listening to me, two hours of my learning from him, two hours of torturous, heart-pounding, muscle aching, pleasure.
Clearly, H does not travel with me. So, during vacation, those workouts I would normally run on auto-pilot for I had to create, supervise, execute, and manage myself. Bummer. I realized I really take him for granted.
I'm in a unique position, being a trainer and having a trainer. I know what it is to push myself, I know what it is to eke out that extra rep, run that extra mile. But, I also know how easy it is to skip that extra rep, and go have coffee. On vacation, it was a constant battle between my mind screaming (as though coaxing me to give birth) "push, push, push" and my body saying "sleep, eat, relax, a bag of oreo's won't kill you..."
There I was, in the gym creating the workout for the day; cursing myself for not inviting H to join us for 10 days. You see, the challenge for me wasn't creating the workouts, nor was it really performing the workouts. The challenge for me was the fact that I lost those precious two hours. Even on vacation our minds run, at least mine does. I always have the company or my clients, or a business meeting in the back of my head. I fight to keep it in the back, the thought fights to come up front...and usually I relent and spend a half hour or so in front of the computer or on the phone. Losing those two hours where I actually got to turn my mind completely off made it hard for me to let myself really relax and decompress; which led to a lack of focus and a less than perfect workout. I was disappointed in myself.
Wow...talk about a lazy maze of a back-story designed to bring home one short point: We all need a trainer, just like we all need a vacation. I was gone 10 days, 240 hours, but I was only on vacation for 238 of them. During the course of a regular 240 hours, I'm only on vacation for 2 of them. But those 2 hours, those two hours that I turn my mind off, two hours of torturous, heart-pounding, muscle aching, breath-gasping pleasure, give me a break from myself. Something we all need.
I miss my vacation. 240 hours I was away and for 2 of those hours I wished I wasn't. So like I said I'm back from vacation, it's a good thing...sort of.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
It's now time for me to let you all in on a bit of information. I work with a personal trainer, twice a week. His name is Howard, I call him H. He gives me two hours a week, two hours that I turn my mind off, two hours of him listening to me, two hours of my learning from him, two hours of torturous, heart-pounding, muscle aching, pleasure.
Clearly, H does not travel with me. So, during vacation, those workouts I would normally run on auto-pilot for I had to create, supervise, execute, and manage myself. Bummer. I realized I really take him for granted.
I'm in a unique position, being a trainer and having a trainer. I know what it is to push myself, I know what it is to eke out that extra rep, run that extra mile. But, I also know how easy it is to skip that extra rep, and go have coffee. On vacation, it was a constant battle between my mind screaming (as though coaxing me to give birth) "push, push, push" and my body saying "sleep, eat, relax, a bag of oreo's won't kill you..."
There I was, in the gym creating the workout for the day; cursing myself for not inviting H to join us for 10 days. You see, the challenge for me wasn't creating the workouts, nor was it really performing the workouts. The challenge for me was the fact that I lost those precious two hours. Even on vacation our minds run, at least mine does. I always have the company or my clients, or a business meeting in the back of my head. I fight to keep it in the back, the thought fights to come up front...and usually I relent and spend a half hour or so in front of the computer or on the phone. Losing those two hours where I actually got to turn my mind completely off made it hard for me to let myself really relax and decompress; which led to a lack of focus and a less than perfect workout. I was disappointed in myself.
Wow...talk about a lazy maze of a back-story designed to bring home one short point: We all need a trainer, just like we all need a vacation. I was gone 10 days, 240 hours, but I was only on vacation for 238 of them. During the course of a regular 240 hours, I'm only on vacation for 2 of them. But those 2 hours, those two hours that I turn my mind off, two hours of torturous, heart-pounding, muscle aching, breath-gasping pleasure, give me a break from myself. Something we all need.
I miss my vacation. 240 hours I was away and for 2 of those hours I wished I wasn't. So like I said I'm back from vacation, it's a good thing...sort of.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
Friday, August 15, 2008
Cheaters can win...
Most people cheat, and those that do can still win. I cheated tonight.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am on vacation. But, vacation is no excuse to forget about training, clean eating, and your healthy lifestyle. As you now know, when I travel I always find a gym. This vacation was no different, I kept to my regular training schedule. I did get to take advantage of a few novel pieces of equipment, but everything else stayed the same.
I also managed to stick to a relatively clean eating schedule. We grocery shopped on our first night here, buying our normal complement of foods. But, it's hard not to cheat with temptation staring you in the face. A temptation that is inescapable, as others poke and prod you to break down. Perhaps this poking and prodding is nothing more than a desperate search for a sinful cohort, or perhaps it's nothing more than another's genuine benevolence, an attempt to share something they love with someone they love. Whatever it may be, I broke down.
We've been away for over a week now. A week filled with solid food choices; on the night I ordered a cheeseburger I opted out of the mayo, french fries, and desert. Simply enjoying one of my favorite meals. Normally, I would consider a cheeseburger a hearty cheat meal. But this was a burger made of top grade beef, on a whole wheat bun. So really, this wasn't even much of a cheat at all. The other nights found us eating grilled chicken, salads, sushi, lean steaks, and lots of seafood.
Tonight...that all went out the window. Dinner started off innocently. We ordered a glass of red...antioxidant rich, shown to lower blood pressure, boost immune response, tastes great and tends to lead to a sense of (after a couple glasses for most, one is usually enough for me) decreased social inhibition and heightened social merriment.
This led to a small appetizer of scallops, which led to an even MORE innocent main course; consisting of a seafood sampler. A shared seafood sampler. Nothing more than shrimp, lobster, crab, mussels, and scallops. No cream sauces, no butters, nothing but cooked, chilled shellfish. I was like a pig mucking in his own slop. To me, this was a feast.
It wasn't until the plates were cleared and Anna, our friendly, cunning, sly, "could sell KY Jelly to the pope" waitress suggested we order the "ultimate sin". As soon as she said the words, I should have done something...I should have run out the door, started sawing at my wrists with the butter knife, broken down crying, or maybe I should have asked for the check. But no...I didn't have any of these thoughts. My mind chose to wrap around her description of the ooey, gooey, ohhh so chewy freshly baked chocolate brownie covered in ice cream. At this point, I was intrigued...Anna piqued my interest.
The contract was signed after she mentioned the SIX individual toppings that came separately. I could have control of my topping distribution (melted marshmallow, chocolate, strawberries, caramel, whip cream, and pecans). I could no longer be saved. I looked at Stef, she looked at me...we both looked at Anna. I'm not sure if we even said anything...we didn't have to, our eyes said it all. Anna trotted toward the kitchen. My mind filled with the possibilities.
The Ultimate Sin arrived. I'll spare all of you out there the details of how amazingly wonderful each bit was. I applied toppings carefully, I chewed slowly, I savored every bite. This was the epitome of decadence and gluttony. We ate every morsel. Had I been raised differently, my tongue would have wiped the residue off the plate.
As we got up to leave, pangs of guilt worked their way into my belly. At first, I thought it might be a reaction to the lactose. But no, it was guilt. I felt badly, for straying so far. At least a cheeseburger is not completely nutritionally void. As I reacted to the guilty I started talking to myself as if I were one of you, I was now my own client.
"Look B, you'll go crazy if you eliminate everything. You can't work hard and reward yourself with nothing but boiled chicken and more hard work. You work hard so you can occasionally treat yourself to things like this. You won't, can't and don't get fat in one day. Tomorrow...you're back on track."
It worked. I took my own advice. You see, we'll all turn into Nicholson in The Shining if we look at clean eating as deprivation. We need to reverse our thought process. Cheating is our reward for clean eating. The Ultimate Sin is a reward for months of hard work. Wings and Beer is a reward for months of a clean diet. ColdStone is a reward for losing that last 5 lbs.
I promise each and every one of you...an occasional cheat day, meal, snack will not hurt you...it will help you. You will see the light at the end of the tunnel, a break in the monotony, a trophy that you can enjoy.
Go ahead, order the Sin, drink a beer, call in a pizza. Don't make it habit, don't make it a routine. Make it something you can look forward to, after the hard work, after the sacrifice. Tomorrow, forget about yesterday...all you focus on now is your own goals, all the hard work you've put in, and all the hard work you still plan on putting in.
Like I said, most people cheat...and those that do can still win. I cheated tonight, and I'm damn happy about it.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
In the interest of full disclosure, I am on vacation. But, vacation is no excuse to forget about training, clean eating, and your healthy lifestyle. As you now know, when I travel I always find a gym. This vacation was no different, I kept to my regular training schedule. I did get to take advantage of a few novel pieces of equipment, but everything else stayed the same.
I also managed to stick to a relatively clean eating schedule. We grocery shopped on our first night here, buying our normal complement of foods. But, it's hard not to cheat with temptation staring you in the face. A temptation that is inescapable, as others poke and prod you to break down. Perhaps this poking and prodding is nothing more than a desperate search for a sinful cohort, or perhaps it's nothing more than another's genuine benevolence, an attempt to share something they love with someone they love. Whatever it may be, I broke down.
We've been away for over a week now. A week filled with solid food choices; on the night I ordered a cheeseburger I opted out of the mayo, french fries, and desert. Simply enjoying one of my favorite meals. Normally, I would consider a cheeseburger a hearty cheat meal. But this was a burger made of top grade beef, on a whole wheat bun. So really, this wasn't even much of a cheat at all. The other nights found us eating grilled chicken, salads, sushi, lean steaks, and lots of seafood.
Tonight...that all went out the window. Dinner started off innocently. We ordered a glass of red...antioxidant rich, shown to lower blood pressure, boost immune response, tastes great and tends to lead to a sense of (after a couple glasses for most, one is usually enough for me) decreased social inhibition and heightened social merriment.
This led to a small appetizer of scallops, which led to an even MORE innocent main course; consisting of a seafood sampler. A shared seafood sampler. Nothing more than shrimp, lobster, crab, mussels, and scallops. No cream sauces, no butters, nothing but cooked, chilled shellfish. I was like a pig mucking in his own slop. To me, this was a feast.
It wasn't until the plates were cleared and Anna, our friendly, cunning, sly, "could sell KY Jelly to the pope" waitress suggested we order the "ultimate sin". As soon as she said the words, I should have done something...I should have run out the door, started sawing at my wrists with the butter knife, broken down crying, or maybe I should have asked for the check. But no...I didn't have any of these thoughts. My mind chose to wrap around her description of the ooey, gooey, ohhh so chewy freshly baked chocolate brownie covered in ice cream. At this point, I was intrigued...Anna piqued my interest.
The contract was signed after she mentioned the SIX individual toppings that came separately. I could have control of my topping distribution (melted marshmallow, chocolate, strawberries, caramel, whip cream, and pecans). I could no longer be saved. I looked at Stef, she looked at me...we both looked at Anna. I'm not sure if we even said anything...we didn't have to, our eyes said it all. Anna trotted toward the kitchen. My mind filled with the possibilities.
The Ultimate Sin arrived. I'll spare all of you out there the details of how amazingly wonderful each bit was. I applied toppings carefully, I chewed slowly, I savored every bite. This was the epitome of decadence and gluttony. We ate every morsel. Had I been raised differently, my tongue would have wiped the residue off the plate.
As we got up to leave, pangs of guilt worked their way into my belly. At first, I thought it might be a reaction to the lactose. But no, it was guilt. I felt badly, for straying so far. At least a cheeseburger is not completely nutritionally void. As I reacted to the guilty I started talking to myself as if I were one of you, I was now my own client.
"Look B, you'll go crazy if you eliminate everything. You can't work hard and reward yourself with nothing but boiled chicken and more hard work. You work hard so you can occasionally treat yourself to things like this. You won't, can't and don't get fat in one day. Tomorrow...you're back on track."
It worked. I took my own advice. You see, we'll all turn into Nicholson in The Shining if we look at clean eating as deprivation. We need to reverse our thought process. Cheating is our reward for clean eating. The Ultimate Sin is a reward for months of hard work. Wings and Beer is a reward for months of a clean diet. ColdStone is a reward for losing that last 5 lbs.
I promise each and every one of you...an occasional cheat day, meal, snack will not hurt you...it will help you. You will see the light at the end of the tunnel, a break in the monotony, a trophy that you can enjoy.
Go ahead, order the Sin, drink a beer, call in a pizza. Don't make it habit, don't make it a routine. Make it something you can look forward to, after the hard work, after the sacrifice. Tomorrow, forget about yesterday...all you focus on now is your own goals, all the hard work you've put in, and all the hard work you still plan on putting in.
Like I said, most people cheat...and those that do can still win. I cheated tonight, and I'm damn happy about it.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
6...5...4...4...5...6...
For some, cardio is the, most exciting, most terrific, most super-duper form of exercise. For others it's a close second to bare-feet on hot asphalt. I would classify myself as one of the "others". I don't enjoy cardio; rather I see it as a necessary chore...like cleaning the bathroom. I'm satisfied, and feel good, when it's finished...but I bitch and moan while engaged in the activity.
It's not the work that bothers me so much, it's the tedium (As an aside, I much enjoy outdoor activity...see "12 minutes 100 calories...outdoor work is much less tedious). Sitting, or standing, on a machine that doesn't really seem to get you anywhere for 30 minutes...45 minutes...an hour...is a task I find excruciating. Especially if the TV's are small, or there are no good magazines, or the gym is empty, or the gym is hot, or - in true sorcerer's form - any of the other thousand reasons I conjure from thin air through a combination of bitching, whining, and complaining, and even a little magic. In an effort to avoid this excruciating, vise-grip of a chore (that some out there actually enjoy, or even call "fun"), I devised a plan.
During one particularly hot day in the gym, a day in which I found myself harboring particularly hard feelings towards "cardio" was the day I decided to take a stand. On this day, I decided I was finished working for cardio...I'm going to make cardio work for me! Ok, ok...fair enough no matter what, cardio is working for me; conditioning my heart, preventing bone-density loss, fighting free-radicals, burning fat, chewing calories...but I wanted to make this chore a little less horrible.
On this day I squared off against my nemesis. I found myself standing in the middle of the gym, leering-solidly at the rows of cardio equipment. Row upon row of machines stood quietly, baiting me, stoking my ire. How badly I wanted to 180 for the door...how badly my muscles ached to spend time with my favorite friend...free-weights. But no...I refused to let those stoic bastards win...I refused to walk away without making them work as hard as I planned to.
I counted the types of machines...six (rower, bike, elliptical, stair-master, step-mill, tread-mill). I planned on spending 30 minutes on one of them, no more, no less. I thought to myself, if I spend only 30 minutes on one machine, the other five will laugh at my misery without actually any work themselves.
Like the dawning of a millennium, an idea slowly crept into my mind (in reality it was much less dramatic and theatrical, and much more mundane and stereotypical...the idea just "popped in" like a light-bulb going off...but for dramatic effect, we'll stick with the millennium prose). What if I used ALL six types of machines? What if I made each one work like they made me work? It was settled, all six it was. But wait, I can't spend 30 minutes on each one....I can't even spend 10 minutes on each one (this would be far more time than I was willing to commit). But I could spend five on each one...as long as it all shook out to 30 total minutes. That's when I came up with six minutes, five minutes, four minutes, four minutes, five minutes, six minutes - right on down the line.
The time flew by. Before I knew it, the timer ticked down the last ten seconds and I was off to the next machine. The tedium was broken, the boredom tackled. I had won, I beat those machines. No more did they stand there, an air of superiority surrounding them. I had broken their will. Yes, I had to put forth effort...but so did they! Check-mate my good friends. I had won the battle.
In the time that's elapsed since starting this scheme I've come to learn the true physiological benefits of such work. By jumping around you're guaranteeing a more balanced, well-rounded cardio routine. For example, running is hamstring intensive, while stepping is quadriceps intensive; rowing works both upper and lower body burning more fat in less time; the elliptical allows you to vary the targeted muscle groups. This scheme gives a more intense, more effective workout in less time. And with this, I had won the war.
Like I said, for some cardio is a close second to bare-feet on hot asphalt...how will you win your war?
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
It's not the work that bothers me so much, it's the tedium (As an aside, I much enjoy outdoor activity...see "12 minutes 100 calories...outdoor work is much less tedious). Sitting, or standing, on a machine that doesn't really seem to get you anywhere for 30 minutes...45 minutes...an hour...is a task I find excruciating. Especially if the TV's are small, or there are no good magazines, or the gym is empty, or the gym is hot, or - in true sorcerer's form - any of the other thousand reasons I conjure from thin air through a combination of bitching, whining, and complaining, and even a little magic. In an effort to avoid this excruciating, vise-grip of a chore (that some out there actually enjoy, or even call "fun"), I devised a plan.
During one particularly hot day in the gym, a day in which I found myself harboring particularly hard feelings towards "cardio" was the day I decided to take a stand. On this day, I decided I was finished working for cardio...I'm going to make cardio work for me! Ok, ok...fair enough no matter what, cardio is working for me; conditioning my heart, preventing bone-density loss, fighting free-radicals, burning fat, chewing calories...but I wanted to make this chore a little less horrible.
On this day I squared off against my nemesis. I found myself standing in the middle of the gym, leering-solidly at the rows of cardio equipment. Row upon row of machines stood quietly, baiting me, stoking my ire. How badly I wanted to 180 for the door...how badly my muscles ached to spend time with my favorite friend...free-weights. But no...I refused to let those stoic bastards win...I refused to walk away without making them work as hard as I planned to.
I counted the types of machines...six (rower, bike, elliptical, stair-master, step-mill, tread-mill). I planned on spending 30 minutes on one of them, no more, no less. I thought to myself, if I spend only 30 minutes on one machine, the other five will laugh at my misery without actually any work themselves.
Like the dawning of a millennium, an idea slowly crept into my mind (in reality it was much less dramatic and theatrical, and much more mundane and stereotypical...the idea just "popped in" like a light-bulb going off...but for dramatic effect, we'll stick with the millennium prose). What if I used ALL six types of machines? What if I made each one work like they made me work? It was settled, all six it was. But wait, I can't spend 30 minutes on each one....I can't even spend 10 minutes on each one (this would be far more time than I was willing to commit). But I could spend five on each one...as long as it all shook out to 30 total minutes. That's when I came up with six minutes, five minutes, four minutes, four minutes, five minutes, six minutes - right on down the line.
The time flew by. Before I knew it, the timer ticked down the last ten seconds and I was off to the next machine. The tedium was broken, the boredom tackled. I had won, I beat those machines. No more did they stand there, an air of superiority surrounding them. I had broken their will. Yes, I had to put forth effort...but so did they! Check-mate my good friends. I had won the battle.
In the time that's elapsed since starting this scheme I've come to learn the true physiological benefits of such work. By jumping around you're guaranteeing a more balanced, well-rounded cardio routine. For example, running is hamstring intensive, while stepping is quadriceps intensive; rowing works both upper and lower body burning more fat in less time; the elliptical allows you to vary the targeted muscle groups. This scheme gives a more intense, more effective workout in less time. And with this, I had won the war.
Like I said, for some cardio is a close second to bare-feet on hot asphalt...how will you win your war?
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Are you in control?
I’ve been exhausted the past few weeks, and I finally took it under control. This exhaustion was a combination of long days, early mornings, and poor sleep. Usually a combination of these, but not all, three. However, the past few weeks it had been all three. A few extra hours at work, a client needs an extra session, another client needs an earlier session, the car needs an oil change…on and on it goes.
I’ve always told others, all I need is an hour in the gym and eight in the bed; the rest are “yours”. Who “yours” is referring to varies; clients, friends, professors, employers. The question is, when do you sacrifice, and what do you sacrifice? Should I sleep less? Exercise less? Work less? Over those few weeks, as things got a bit more hectic, during the periods of mindless activity I considered, pondered, ruminated, and marinated over the problem.
What should drop by the wayside? It wasn’t until a recent conversation that it struck me…nothing should drop by the wayside. We don’t need to choose, shorten, or forget. We need to prioritize. A common use of prioritize is to put everything on a list from important to unimportant and check off these items starting at the top. But, “prioritize” doesn’t need to be important versus unimportant; how about dependent and independent?
The ability to work hard for long hours is dependent on high energy levels. High energy levels are dependent on a good night’s sleep. A good night’s sleep is (in part) dependent on your fitness level. The one, independent factor in all of this is clean eating. This entire cycle starts with clean eating.
In truth and reality even the cleanest diet can’t make up for only four hours in the sack. But it can help. Clean eating will provide your body with the necessary energy to sustain intense work, intense exercise, and an intense life.
My diet was already clean, but I needed to make some adjustments. I moved some things around, depending on the needs of the day, to assure my energy needs were met. On the days I worked out late in the afternoon, I ate more carbohydrates in the early afternoon. On the shorter, rest days, I ate heavy to light; finishing my day with a lighter meal. By the second day I felt better, more energized at the right times.
I’d still love a nap. Hell, I wake up wanting a nap. No matter what happens in my life, I’ll always welcome a good nap. And not that “whoops, I fell asleep on the couch” or “uh oh, dozed off waiting at a red light” nap. I mean the high quality, under the covers, shades drawn; all is quiet, “I’ve been planning this ALL day” nap…yeah, now that’s what I’m talkin’ about.
So, like I said...I’d been exhausted these past few weeks, until just recently. How will you take control?
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
I’ve always told others, all I need is an hour in the gym and eight in the bed; the rest are “yours”. Who “yours” is referring to varies; clients, friends, professors, employers. The question is, when do you sacrifice, and what do you sacrifice? Should I sleep less? Exercise less? Work less? Over those few weeks, as things got a bit more hectic, during the periods of mindless activity I considered, pondered, ruminated, and marinated over the problem.
What should drop by the wayside? It wasn’t until a recent conversation that it struck me…nothing should drop by the wayside. We don’t need to choose, shorten, or forget. We need to prioritize. A common use of prioritize is to put everything on a list from important to unimportant and check off these items starting at the top. But, “prioritize” doesn’t need to be important versus unimportant; how about dependent and independent?
The ability to work hard for long hours is dependent on high energy levels. High energy levels are dependent on a good night’s sleep. A good night’s sleep is (in part) dependent on your fitness level. The one, independent factor in all of this is clean eating. This entire cycle starts with clean eating.
In truth and reality even the cleanest diet can’t make up for only four hours in the sack. But it can help. Clean eating will provide your body with the necessary energy to sustain intense work, intense exercise, and an intense life.
My diet was already clean, but I needed to make some adjustments. I moved some things around, depending on the needs of the day, to assure my energy needs were met. On the days I worked out late in the afternoon, I ate more carbohydrates in the early afternoon. On the shorter, rest days, I ate heavy to light; finishing my day with a lighter meal. By the second day I felt better, more energized at the right times.
I’d still love a nap. Hell, I wake up wanting a nap. No matter what happens in my life, I’ll always welcome a good nap. And not that “whoops, I fell asleep on the couch” or “uh oh, dozed off waiting at a red light” nap. I mean the high quality, under the covers, shades drawn; all is quiet, “I’ve been planning this ALL day” nap…yeah, now that’s what I’m talkin’ about.
So, like I said...I’d been exhausted these past few weeks, until just recently. How will you take control?
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
Monday, July 28, 2008
12 minutes 100 calories
When was the last time you played kickball? I'm guessing you can't answer that question, and up until last Thursday...neither could I. Now, go ahead and ask me again (when was the last time you played kickball?). My answer - Last Thursday!
Admittedly, I am a creature of compulsion. I love hiking, running, biking, outdoor activities in general. But the compulsive side of me mandates I stick to a relatively routine exercise schedule. By routine, I refer only to regular workouts, based on a loose structure; almost all occur in the gym. From weight training, to cardio, to stretching, to Kung Fu. Most of it occurs in the gym.
Too often I limit myself to the cardio equipment in the gym. This is against my better judgment, outdoor activity is superior...no arguments, no questions. I just find that little calorie counter helpful, and satisfying to that compulsive little guy that sits inside my head. So as a side note...get outside and do your workouts! However, when I do exercise outside I find it far more enjoyable and satisfying. I even found a little Google gadget (Search "google pedometer" on google) that I can use to measure my distance traveled, enter my weight, and calculate calories burned.
To that end, I joined a kickball team. Deciding last week to make kickball my cardio for the day. I played hard. Some of the other players took a more recreational view of the game sipping on some beer, and enjoying the summer evening. I chose to view this as an all-out, full-throttle, battle royale between me and myself. I sprinted hard from base to base, I fielded fast, I kicked with force. I did not want to win, nor did I necessarily care to lose...but I definitely wanted to burn calories and fat. I had no idea how many calories I would expend, how much fat I would burn, or even how I might feel the following morning as I arose.
Take a fast-forward with me from Thursday evening to Friday morning. I can barely stand up. I can't cross my legs to tie my shoes, rising from a chair takes a combination of sheer determination and a rather audible grunt. The soreness in my legs and core is an excruciating, yet welcome, reminder of the previous evening's battle.
I had become so focused on quantifiable results, calories burned, minutes spent sprinting, repetitions completed, total weight moved, that I forgot what it was to really enjoy my fitness quest. To be fair, I love weight training...cardio a little less; but I had genuinely forgotten how fun a child's game could be. The soreness weaseled its way around, to those muscles you can only use when you're outside the gym, outside that contained universe. It lasted for days.
It wasn't until Sunday afternoon, during a perfunctory flip of the pages in an exercise magazine, that my eyes picked up on a small factoid: "12 minutes 100 calories...Kickball". As if divinity swept my fingers across dozens of other pages, only to rest on one line, of one page. Thinking back, we had played for hours. Excitement tingled across my teeth.
I went for a hike-walk yesterday, rather than to the treadmill. The compulsive little guy in my head is a bit quieter now.
Like I said...When was the last time you played kickball?
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
Admittedly, I am a creature of compulsion. I love hiking, running, biking, outdoor activities in general. But the compulsive side of me mandates I stick to a relatively routine exercise schedule. By routine, I refer only to regular workouts, based on a loose structure; almost all occur in the gym. From weight training, to cardio, to stretching, to Kung Fu. Most of it occurs in the gym.
Too often I limit myself to the cardio equipment in the gym. This is against my better judgment, outdoor activity is superior...no arguments, no questions. I just find that little calorie counter helpful, and satisfying to that compulsive little guy that sits inside my head. So as a side note...get outside and do your workouts! However, when I do exercise outside I find it far more enjoyable and satisfying. I even found a little Google gadget (Search "google pedometer" on google) that I can use to measure my distance traveled, enter my weight, and calculate calories burned.
To that end, I joined a kickball team. Deciding last week to make kickball my cardio for the day. I played hard. Some of the other players took a more recreational view of the game sipping on some beer, and enjoying the summer evening. I chose to view this as an all-out, full-throttle, battle royale between me and myself. I sprinted hard from base to base, I fielded fast, I kicked with force. I did not want to win, nor did I necessarily care to lose...but I definitely wanted to burn calories and fat. I had no idea how many calories I would expend, how much fat I would burn, or even how I might feel the following morning as I arose.
Take a fast-forward with me from Thursday evening to Friday morning. I can barely stand up. I can't cross my legs to tie my shoes, rising from a chair takes a combination of sheer determination and a rather audible grunt. The soreness in my legs and core is an excruciating, yet welcome, reminder of the previous evening's battle.
I had become so focused on quantifiable results, calories burned, minutes spent sprinting, repetitions completed, total weight moved, that I forgot what it was to really enjoy my fitness quest. To be fair, I love weight training...cardio a little less; but I had genuinely forgotten how fun a child's game could be. The soreness weaseled its way around, to those muscles you can only use when you're outside the gym, outside that contained universe. It lasted for days.
It wasn't until Sunday afternoon, during a perfunctory flip of the pages in an exercise magazine, that my eyes picked up on a small factoid: "12 minutes 100 calories...Kickball". As if divinity swept my fingers across dozens of other pages, only to rest on one line, of one page. Thinking back, we had played for hours. Excitement tingled across my teeth.
I went for a hike-walk yesterday, rather than to the treadmill. The compulsive little guy in my head is a bit quieter now.
Like I said...When was the last time you played kickball?
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Do fitness and travel really mix?
Right now I'm sitting in the lobby of the Quality Inn in Hermitage, PA (about an hour north of Pittsburgh). My Fiance and I have traveled here for the wedding of a very close friend, a wedding Stefanie is a bridesmaid for.
So, while Stef is off getting her hair and nails done, I've been left to fend for myself in a small town...where I feel like I (but most likely don't) stick out like a sore thumb.
In the days leading up to this trip I began formulating my exercise and nutritional plan. I started with the hotel website. Here I found the hotel offers a small workout room, and free breakfast; which was a nice relief.
I also found pictures of the fitness room. It was very limited, but included a few pieces of cardio equipment, a functional universal training machine, and of course my favorite piece of equipment...the ground.
As I examined the fitness room, I put together an outline of what I planned to do there. The exercises, the order, etc. I then looked at the "free breakfast" menu: Cheesy eggs, bacon, and potatoes. Not the healthiest choice. But the key to all of this is that I can control what goes into my body. So I decided on 1 scoop of eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, and a small helping of potatoes; to jump start the day.
This brings us to our travel day (Friday). I woke up early, for a quick dose of cardio. So many reasons for this. First, it's very relaxing to the muscles, which makes flying easier. Second, I wasn't sure if I would get a workout in on Friday, so I figured I would get something small in. I followed that by a normal, well balanced breakfast and a lot of water (ALWAYS drink a lot of water before flying...it staves off germs and viruses that are circulating in the airplane environment).
As I finished packing, I went through my kitchen and pulled foods that travel easily, are full of fiber and protein, and are easy to eat. The fiber and protein will help keep me full, so I can go longer between fill ups. These snacks included trail mix, protein bars, apples, and some dietary supplements (Such as pre-mixed, single serving protein shakes).
When we arrived at the gate I took a quick walk around the terminal to locate some nutritious options. The goal here is save your packed food for the true emergencies. I ordered an egg and cheese on whole wheat. Not the greatest of choices, but full of protein, and some relatively good carbs.
Upon arrival at the hotel, my first question was "Is there a gym I can get a day pass for". Even though there is a fitness room at the hotel, a real gym is always a better choice. Turns out there is a YMCA about 2 miles from the hotel. After we settled into our hotel room, I drove to the Y, paid for a day pass, and off we went to wedding events.
The benefit of having planned my workouts helped me even though I was at a full gym. I still followed the basic outline. I spent little time wandering around looking for familiar equipment; rather I had planned on doing basic activities that utilize the equipment EVERY gym has (Dumbbells, Bench Press, Rows, etc).
Now, here I sit, in the hotel lobby...my stomach is rumbling. Time to hit the local diner, and see what healthy choices I can make there. Who doesn't love a challenge, right?
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
So, while Stef is off getting her hair and nails done, I've been left to fend for myself in a small town...where I feel like I (but most likely don't) stick out like a sore thumb.
In the days leading up to this trip I began formulating my exercise and nutritional plan. I started with the hotel website. Here I found the hotel offers a small workout room, and free breakfast; which was a nice relief.
I also found pictures of the fitness room. It was very limited, but included a few pieces of cardio equipment, a functional universal training machine, and of course my favorite piece of equipment...the ground.
As I examined the fitness room, I put together an outline of what I planned to do there. The exercises, the order, etc. I then looked at the "free breakfast" menu: Cheesy eggs, bacon, and potatoes. Not the healthiest choice. But the key to all of this is that I can control what goes into my body. So I decided on 1 scoop of eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, and a small helping of potatoes; to jump start the day.
This brings us to our travel day (Friday). I woke up early, for a quick dose of cardio. So many reasons for this. First, it's very relaxing to the muscles, which makes flying easier. Second, I wasn't sure if I would get a workout in on Friday, so I figured I would get something small in. I followed that by a normal, well balanced breakfast and a lot of water (ALWAYS drink a lot of water before flying...it staves off germs and viruses that are circulating in the airplane environment).
As I finished packing, I went through my kitchen and pulled foods that travel easily, are full of fiber and protein, and are easy to eat. The fiber and protein will help keep me full, so I can go longer between fill ups. These snacks included trail mix, protein bars, apples, and some dietary supplements (Such as pre-mixed, single serving protein shakes).
When we arrived at the gate I took a quick walk around the terminal to locate some nutritious options. The goal here is save your packed food for the true emergencies. I ordered an egg and cheese on whole wheat. Not the greatest of choices, but full of protein, and some relatively good carbs.
Upon arrival at the hotel, my first question was "Is there a gym I can get a day pass for". Even though there is a fitness room at the hotel, a real gym is always a better choice. Turns out there is a YMCA about 2 miles from the hotel. After we settled into our hotel room, I drove to the Y, paid for a day pass, and off we went to wedding events.
The benefit of having planned my workouts helped me even though I was at a full gym. I still followed the basic outline. I spent little time wandering around looking for familiar equipment; rather I had planned on doing basic activities that utilize the equipment EVERY gym has (Dumbbells, Bench Press, Rows, etc).
Now, here I sit, in the hotel lobby...my stomach is rumbling. Time to hit the local diner, and see what healthy choices I can make there. Who doesn't love a challenge, right?
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Sumer Barbeques= weight gain, or does it?
The summer time finds us all going to weekend barbeque's at friends, dinner's out, picnics, and vacations. It's so hard to eat well at these events...or is it?
I'd like to provide all of you with a few quick tips on how to eat clean, but still enjoy yourself where-ever you are.
Alcohol:
First, we all know alcohol is nutritionally void. But that never seems to keep people from imbibing. So, rather than give it up...why not make some smart choices?
The easiest is switching to light beer which can save between 30 and 60 calories per bottle. That doesn't seem like much, but consider someone who drinks 4 or 5 beers over the course of an evening; the switch to light beer could save as much as 300 calories (the same as about a half hour of jogging on the treadmill).
Rather than drinking wine, shoot for a white wine spritzer. By mixing a half a glass of wine with seltzer, you'll save around 30 calories.
Avoid frozen drinks like margaritas. These are ALL sugar, with hundreds of calories.
Choose liquor on the rocks, or splashed with tonic, rather than mixed with tonic. You'll save dozens of calories here.
Food Choices:
Picnics and barbecue's are havens for sugar, lard, and refined carbohydrates. From the frozen burgers, to the white buns, to the desert table...you might think it impossible to find a healthful meal. It's easier than you think.
First, avoid the buns. These have virtually no nutritional value. Choose to eat your protein's with a knife and fork. If possible, choose the grilled chicken, if no chicken go for steak, if no steak go for the burger. You should make your last choice the hot dog.
Second, avoid mayonnaise and side-dishes. Macaroni salad, potato salad, and cole-slaw (all picnic staples) are based in mayo. Mayo terrible for you; nothing more than cholesterol and fat.
Third, hit the vegetable platters and fruit platters. Stock up on all the veggies and fruit you can eat, while avoiding the ranch or blue cheese dips.
Last, exercise ALL possible restraint and AVOID THE DESERTS! Hit the fruit for a second helping. Desert is the killer, they're often a perfect storm of fat, carbs, and calories.
I know it's a holiday weekend...I wanted to keep this short.
Every time you reach for something you know you shouldn't eat, look down at your shoulder. I'll be sitting there...don't cheat yourself, make good choices. Trust me, you'll love yourself for it in the morning.
All the best,
BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
I'd like to provide all of you with a few quick tips on how to eat clean, but still enjoy yourself where-ever you are.
Alcohol:
First, we all know alcohol is nutritionally void. But that never seems to keep people from imbibing. So, rather than give it up...why not make some smart choices?
The easiest is switching to light beer which can save between 30 and 60 calories per bottle. That doesn't seem like much, but consider someone who drinks 4 or 5 beers over the course of an evening; the switch to light beer could save as much as 300 calories (the same as about a half hour of jogging on the treadmill).
Rather than drinking wine, shoot for a white wine spritzer. By mixing a half a glass of wine with seltzer, you'll save around 30 calories.
Avoid frozen drinks like margaritas. These are ALL sugar, with hundreds of calories.
Choose liquor on the rocks, or splashed with tonic, rather than mixed with tonic. You'll save dozens of calories here.
Food Choices:
Picnics and barbecue's are havens for sugar, lard, and refined carbohydrates. From the frozen burgers, to the white buns, to the desert table...you might think it impossible to find a healthful meal. It's easier than you think.
First, avoid the buns. These have virtually no nutritional value. Choose to eat your protein's with a knife and fork. If possible, choose the grilled chicken, if no chicken go for steak, if no steak go for the burger. You should make your last choice the hot dog.
Second, avoid mayonnaise and side-dishes. Macaroni salad, potato salad, and cole-slaw (all picnic staples) are based in mayo. Mayo terrible for you; nothing more than cholesterol and fat.
Third, hit the vegetable platters and fruit platters. Stock up on all the veggies and fruit you can eat, while avoiding the ranch or blue cheese dips.
Last, exercise ALL possible restraint and AVOID THE DESERTS! Hit the fruit for a second helping. Desert is the killer, they're often a perfect storm of fat, carbs, and calories.
I know it's a holiday weekend...I wanted to keep this short.
Every time you reach for something you know you shouldn't eat, look down at your shoulder. I'll be sitting there...don't cheat yourself, make good choices. Trust me, you'll love yourself for it in the morning.
All the best,
BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
Saturday, June 7, 2008
The path to change...one step at a time.
Changes are hard, but not impossible. Especially when those changes are designed to create a new, or better, you.
I was speaking with a new client about changing her diet, and her family's diet. Right now it's fast food. Not because they can't afford good food, not because they don't know how bad it is, but because they don't have the time to prepare balanced and nutritious meals.
As we talked, I realized this client was overwhelmed with ALL the changes she needed to make. From soda, to white bread, to fried foods, to pastas and potatoes...there is so much information to take in. This daunting task proved too overwhelming for her; so we settled on step-by-step plan.
Rather than sit there and give her a list of changes she needs to make, we wrote up a schedule together
Rather than change her shopping habits and eating habits overnight, we designed a tiered framework for this massive lifestyle change. For each week we listed something small (but nutritionally poor) to remove from her diet. For each month we listed a much larger lifestyle change.
The small items were addressed first. During week one of June soda was out, in exchange for water and diet iced tea. The next week white bread was out, in exchange for high quality whole grain breads. The third week of June, white potatoes were out, in exchange for sweet potatoes. The last week chocolate disappeared in exchange for fruit.
The larger item was McDonalds. Starting in June the family no longer ate at McDonalds. Rather than going to McDonalds, the Subway (which happened to be 1 block away from the neighborhood McDonalds) became the alternative.
June is the furthest out we scheduled. During the last week of the month, we'll conduct another planning meeting to develop July's plan for changing and switching.
These small steps make something so daunting, so far away, seem reachable. Lifestyle change is the same as anything else; a new job, buying a house, moving away, even starting your day. Everything is one step at a time.
So, like I said...Changes are hard...but not impossible.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
I was speaking with a new client about changing her diet, and her family's diet. Right now it's fast food. Not because they can't afford good food, not because they don't know how bad it is, but because they don't have the time to prepare balanced and nutritious meals.
As we talked, I realized this client was overwhelmed with ALL the changes she needed to make. From soda, to white bread, to fried foods, to pastas and potatoes...there is so much information to take in. This daunting task proved too overwhelming for her; so we settled on step-by-step plan.
Rather than sit there and give her a list of changes she needs to make, we wrote up a schedule together
Rather than change her shopping habits and eating habits overnight, we designed a tiered framework for this massive lifestyle change. For each week we listed something small (but nutritionally poor) to remove from her diet. For each month we listed a much larger lifestyle change.
The small items were addressed first. During week one of June soda was out, in exchange for water and diet iced tea. The next week white bread was out, in exchange for high quality whole grain breads. The third week of June, white potatoes were out, in exchange for sweet potatoes. The last week chocolate disappeared in exchange for fruit.
The larger item was McDonalds. Starting in June the family no longer ate at McDonalds. Rather than going to McDonalds, the Subway (which happened to be 1 block away from the neighborhood McDonalds) became the alternative.
June is the furthest out we scheduled. During the last week of the month, we'll conduct another planning meeting to develop July's plan for changing and switching.
These small steps make something so daunting, so far away, seem reachable. Lifestyle change is the same as anything else; a new job, buying a house, moving away, even starting your day. Everything is one step at a time.
So, like I said...Changes are hard...but not impossible.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
Monday, June 2, 2008
Bee pollen...this got me thinking
The other day, Stefanie (my girlfriend) and I were talking. Stef asked me about the supplement bee pollen as she discussed the latest article in her favorite fitness magazine. Apparently many of the contributing writers, models, and authors include bee pollen in their diets. Stef's question struck me, as much as it impressed me. Stef was reading about how great bee pollen is, but realized that no one really said what exactly bee pollen was so good at doing. Just to let you know, this article is not about the benefits of bee pollen (which are MANY!), rather I thought I'd take the opportunity to discuss supplements in general.
So many people out there frequent GNC, or Vitamin Shoppe, or other nutrition outlets. These same consumers purchase all kinds of vitamins, minerals, chemicals, supplements, and homeopathic remedies. Whether each individual actually knows why they take what they take is beyond me...but I am willing to bet that a good number take one pill or the other because they read about it, heard about it, or were told about it. Don't get me wrong, this is a great way to expand your knowledge base and enhance your own wellness, but take the time to really look into what it is that you're putting into your body.
For example, many are unaware of the difference between regular and standardized supplements. A standardized supplement will contain the same percentage of that supplement across every pill and every bottle, while regular supplements may not contain the same level of consistency.
Perhaps you're taking "anti-oxidants", and most know that "anti-oxidants" tend to aide in the prevention of cancer. Ask yourself if you know how they aide in this prevention. Anti-oxidants provide a barrier to free-radicals which cause oxidation of the cells. It is this oxidation that may lead to cancer and other problems.
My goal in writing this isn't to expound the benefits of anti-oxidants or bee pollen. I want everyone to question why you're taking one supplement over another, or this pill or that pill. Chances are there's a great reason, and the supplement is doing wonderful things for you. Just ask questions, not to doubt anything, but to learn everything. Let's go back to GI Joe (The Real American Hero)...Knowing is half the battle.
-BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
So many people out there frequent GNC, or Vitamin Shoppe, or other nutrition outlets. These same consumers purchase all kinds of vitamins, minerals, chemicals, supplements, and homeopathic remedies. Whether each individual actually knows why they take what they take is beyond me...but I am willing to bet that a good number take one pill or the other because they read about it, heard about it, or were told about it. Don't get me wrong, this is a great way to expand your knowledge base and enhance your own wellness, but take the time to really look into what it is that you're putting into your body.
For example, many are unaware of the difference between regular and standardized supplements. A standardized supplement will contain the same percentage of that supplement across every pill and every bottle, while regular supplements may not contain the same level of consistency.
Perhaps you're taking "anti-oxidants", and most know that "anti-oxidants" tend to aide in the prevention of cancer. Ask yourself if you know how they aide in this prevention. Anti-oxidants provide a barrier to free-radicals which cause oxidation of the cells. It is this oxidation that may lead to cancer and other problems.
My goal in writing this isn't to expound the benefits of anti-oxidants or bee pollen. I want everyone to question why you're taking one supplement over another, or this pill or that pill. Chances are there's a great reason, and the supplement is doing wonderful things for you. Just ask questions, not to doubt anything, but to learn everything. Let's go back to GI Joe (The Real American Hero)...Knowing is half the battle.
-BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness
Thursday, May 29, 2008
A note quitting...
I am a reformed cigarette smoker. Granted, I smoked in college; as most people have. But I enjoyed it very much. I really only quit because I knew I had to, not because I wanted to. If someone invented a pill tomorrow that made cigarettes healthy, or at least neutral, I'd smoke again. But for the time being, until that pill is invented, I won't smoke...and I won't go into the reasons why you shouldn't either. You all know why you shouldn't, if you do. What I will do is share my experience quitting with you.
So many times I tried to quit. First, I stopped buying cigarettes but that just turned me into a bum and a mooch. Then I started buying from friends for a quarter a cigarette, the financially responsible side of me took over on this one and I started buying my own packs again. Nothing seemed to really work, I just smoked. At parties, at friends houses, by myself, walking to class, walking home from class, after a good day, after a bad day.
One afternoon, as I watched TV I took a drink of water and pondered having a cigarette. I looked at myself, and although I weight-trained regularly, I realized I was no where near the physical fitness level I desired. So instead of that cigarettte, I did 50 jumping jacks, drank another glass of water, and then had my cigarette.
This became a habit in and of itself. Any time I wanted a cigarette, I'd grab a glass of water, and do some sort of physical activity. Jumping jacks. push-ups, squat thrusts, crunches, even running around the block.
Faster than I expected, the activities became easier to complete...and the craving for the cigarettes became weaker and weaker. The runs around the block were with ease, I could crank out 50 push-ups without breaking a sweat...and I never looked back. Sure I had an occasional cigarette here and there, but not for years; and I don't miss it.
As I've grown as a trainer, and wellness provider I've developed a deeper understanding of how everything interrelates. I now realize that I smoked the MOST when I was stressed, sad, or depressed. By forcing myself to hydrate and exercise when I was feeling these emotions I began to associate exercise and water with a lower stress level and happiness.
I failed to realize it at the time, but I substituted a bad for a good. Habits are good, addictions are good...as long as what you're addicted to is good. So here I sit today, in the best shape of my life, able to manage my stress, and deal with any sadness or depression...all thanks to a cigarette.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Pilates and Corporate Health and Wellness
So many times I tried to quit. First, I stopped buying cigarettes but that just turned me into a bum and a mooch. Then I started buying from friends for a quarter a cigarette, the financially responsible side of me took over on this one and I started buying my own packs again. Nothing seemed to really work, I just smoked. At parties, at friends houses, by myself, walking to class, walking home from class, after a good day, after a bad day.
One afternoon, as I watched TV I took a drink of water and pondered having a cigarette. I looked at myself, and although I weight-trained regularly, I realized I was no where near the physical fitness level I desired. So instead of that cigarettte, I did 50 jumping jacks, drank another glass of water, and then had my cigarette.
This became a habit in and of itself. Any time I wanted a cigarette, I'd grab a glass of water, and do some sort of physical activity. Jumping jacks. push-ups, squat thrusts, crunches, even running around the block.
Faster than I expected, the activities became easier to complete...and the craving for the cigarettes became weaker and weaker. The runs around the block were with ease, I could crank out 50 push-ups without breaking a sweat...and I never looked back. Sure I had an occasional cigarette here and there, but not for years; and I don't miss it.
As I've grown as a trainer, and wellness provider I've developed a deeper understanding of how everything interrelates. I now realize that I smoked the MOST when I was stressed, sad, or depressed. By forcing myself to hydrate and exercise when I was feeling these emotions I began to associate exercise and water with a lower stress level and happiness.
I failed to realize it at the time, but I substituted a bad for a good. Habits are good, addictions are good...as long as what you're addicted to is good. So here I sit today, in the best shape of my life, able to manage my stress, and deal with any sadness or depression...all thanks to a cigarette.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Pilates and Corporate Health and Wellness
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Summer time and workin' out!
It's almost summer time and I know everyone will want to spend as much time as possible outside of their homes and outside their gyms.
First and foremost, running and walking are easy out door activities that the whole family can enjoy. After dinner each night, round up the family and go for a nice thirty-minute walk. No need to walk super-fast, just go at nice pace. The activity itself will breed family togetherness. This is also a great way to explore new areas of your town or neighborhood.
A great way to stay fit and stay out doors is to join a sports and recreation league. Many cities and towns have organized leagues that offer virtually any sport. Along with the exercise, this is a fantastic way to meet new people, and socialize while still maintaining your fitness level.
If you want to go a little further in your outdoor training, pick up a medicine ball at your local sporting goods store; they come in all shapes and sizes. Just make sure you pick up a rubber one that can bounce.
Follow this quick circuit to stimulate your muscles and burn some extra calories - follow this in circuit format, perform about 15 reps.
1. Throwdowns
Lift the ball straight up over your head and slam it into the ground as hard as you can. It will bounce right back up; catch it and repeat.
2. Bent-Over Rows
Bend over and perform bent over rows holding the ball.
3. Overhead Shoulder Press
Perform overhead shoulder presses using the ball
4. Squats
Perform squats holding the ball down and in front of you.
5. Ball Toss
Toss the ball up as high as you can, catch and repeat.
This simple 5 step workout will get almost all of your muscle groups going, burn a ton of calories, and allow you to get it all done outside, on a beautiful sunny day!
Check back often for more tips...coming up: The benefits of working with a personal trainer, nutritionist, career coach, and other wellness professionals.
BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Pilates and Wellness
First and foremost, running and walking are easy out door activities that the whole family can enjoy. After dinner each night, round up the family and go for a nice thirty-minute walk. No need to walk super-fast, just go at nice pace. The activity itself will breed family togetherness. This is also a great way to explore new areas of your town or neighborhood.
A great way to stay fit and stay out doors is to join a sports and recreation league. Many cities and towns have organized leagues that offer virtually any sport. Along with the exercise, this is a fantastic way to meet new people, and socialize while still maintaining your fitness level.
If you want to go a little further in your outdoor training, pick up a medicine ball at your local sporting goods store; they come in all shapes and sizes. Just make sure you pick up a rubber one that can bounce.
Follow this quick circuit to stimulate your muscles and burn some extra calories - follow this in circuit format, perform about 15 reps.
1. Throwdowns
Lift the ball straight up over your head and slam it into the ground as hard as you can. It will bounce right back up; catch it and repeat.
2. Bent-Over Rows
Bend over and perform bent over rows holding the ball.
3. Overhead Shoulder Press
Perform overhead shoulder presses using the ball
4. Squats
Perform squats holding the ball down and in front of you.
5. Ball Toss
Toss the ball up as high as you can, catch and repeat.
This simple 5 step workout will get almost all of your muscle groups going, burn a ton of calories, and allow you to get it all done outside, on a beautiful sunny day!
Check back often for more tips...coming up: The benefits of working with a personal trainer, nutritionist, career coach, and other wellness professionals.
BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Pilates and Wellness
Monday, May 26, 2008
The value of sleep...get your eight hours!
Today is a beautiful day. I'm sitting here at 630 in the morning, enjoying my breakfast, feeling terrific after a restful eight hours of sleep. How many of you can boast of getting eight hours of sleep every night? Well, if you can't...you should.
First, I'd like to dis-spell the notion that some people just don't need eight hours. Everyone needs somewhere between eight and nine hours of sleep every night in order to function their best during the day. Although some people are able to function on less sleep, and others claim they function better on less sleep, the truth is that everyone functions best when they consistently spend eight hours in bed.
The benefits of a proper sleep cycle include optimum hormone regulation, increased metabolic response (the rate at which your body uses energy), enhanced alertness, a general feeling of wellness, and many others.
The United States is exhausted. We spend more time working, and less time resting than many other industrialized nations. While this may lead to economic booms, and a better financial status, it actually lowers quality of life. So many of us plod through 12 hour work days, only to come home and face other commitments that prevent us from getting to bed when we should.
The effects of sleep deprivation are many. First, those who sleep too little tend to have increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a key factor in weight gain. Too much cortisol and your body won't burn fat. Also, sleep deprivation can lead to mental exhaustion during the day. This exhaustion affects how you operate at work, how your deal with others, and your ability to focus and concentrate generally. Often, those of us that are sleep deprived have a tendency to frustrate easily, and often find ourselves distracted more often.
Consider this, the most sleep deprived of us actually fall asleep during the day. These are called micro-sleeps. Your brain essentially turns off. So the engine is running, but there's no one behind the wheel. Take that metaphor and apply it literally; driving down the highway exhausted and your brain just turns off...
Some tips for a good nights sleep: Don't exercise less than two hours before bed, avoid alcohol and caffeine before bed, establish a bedtime routine, use the bedroom only for sleep and sex, and make a list of whatever is running through your head.
Thanks everyone...now get some sleep.
BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Pilates, and Wellness Services
First, I'd like to dis-spell the notion that some people just don't need eight hours. Everyone needs somewhere between eight and nine hours of sleep every night in order to function their best during the day. Although some people are able to function on less sleep, and others claim they function better on less sleep, the truth is that everyone functions best when they consistently spend eight hours in bed.
The benefits of a proper sleep cycle include optimum hormone regulation, increased metabolic response (the rate at which your body uses energy), enhanced alertness, a general feeling of wellness, and many others.
The United States is exhausted. We spend more time working, and less time resting than many other industrialized nations. While this may lead to economic booms, and a better financial status, it actually lowers quality of life. So many of us plod through 12 hour work days, only to come home and face other commitments that prevent us from getting to bed when we should.
The effects of sleep deprivation are many. First, those who sleep too little tend to have increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a key factor in weight gain. Too much cortisol and your body won't burn fat. Also, sleep deprivation can lead to mental exhaustion during the day. This exhaustion affects how you operate at work, how your deal with others, and your ability to focus and concentrate generally. Often, those of us that are sleep deprived have a tendency to frustrate easily, and often find ourselves distracted more often.
Consider this, the most sleep deprived of us actually fall asleep during the day. These are called micro-sleeps. Your brain essentially turns off. So the engine is running, but there's no one behind the wheel. Take that metaphor and apply it literally; driving down the highway exhausted and your brain just turns off...
Some tips for a good nights sleep: Don't exercise less than two hours before bed, avoid alcohol and caffeine before bed, establish a bedtime routine, use the bedroom only for sleep and sex, and make a list of whatever is running through your head.
Thanks everyone...now get some sleep.
BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Pilates, and Wellness Services
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Welcome!
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you all to Fit2You, Fitness. As many of you know, Fit2You is the Philadelphia and Main Line area premier provider of wellness services. Going beyond the spectrum of general fitness and nutrition, Fit2You offers wellness services spanning the entire wellness spectrum.
You now have the opportunity to work with highly qualified, and experienced providers for all your health and wellness needs. From in home personal fitness training, to in home nutrition, to career counseling, to psychological services, Fit2You will match you with a provider that will help you achieve your highest level of health, and wellness.
As a Fit2You client, you will enjoy access to wellness providers from the entire wellness spectrum. Our providers will work together to create a program customized to what your body needs to achieve the results you want. Call us now and set up your private, in home or on location yoga, Pilates, personal training, nutrition, holistic, or alternative wellness session.
Check back here often for wellness information, tips, tricks, and answers to your questions.
Thanks everyone, and welcome to Fit2You!
You now have the opportunity to work with highly qualified, and experienced providers for all your health and wellness needs. From in home personal fitness training, to in home nutrition, to career counseling, to psychological services, Fit2You will match you with a provider that will help you achieve your highest level of health, and wellness.
As a Fit2You client, you will enjoy access to wellness providers from the entire wellness spectrum. Our providers will work together to create a program customized to what your body needs to achieve the results you want. Call us now and set up your private, in home or on location yoga, Pilates, personal training, nutrition, holistic, or alternative wellness session.
Check back here often for wellness information, tips, tricks, and answers to your questions.
Thanks everyone, and welcome to Fit2You!
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