Get Fit at Home

All I hear, day after day after day is "I'm too busy to workout."  Can you hear it? 

Remember that all it takes is an hour or less a day to get fit and stay fit.  If you feel like you can't add a trip to the gym to your daily schedule, consider working out at home.  I've teamed up with a fantastic trainer with over 20 years experience, Randy Brandt, to bring all you need to accomplish a full workout in your own home.  Randy has designed an exercise program based on minimal equipment; over 250 moves are possible to keep you from plateauing.

If you're interested in hearing more about the product and talking about my personal training services to introduce you to the system, don't hesitate to email me ann.rayburn@hotmail.com and we'll get started planning your home gym experience today.  I'll be over asap!

There are only excuses keeping you from having the body/fitness/health you deserve!

Be ready for holiday season

Can you believe it's already time for the holiday season?  This Fall has really flown by.  Take a moment now to prepare yourself for all of the parties, travel, food and goodies that will be around in the weeks ahead.

• Think about your holiday schedule.  Will you have time in the mornings/days/nights to fit in your exercise routine?  Draft a calendar now with exercise days/times scheduled.  Don't pencil them in, use ink!
• Plan on munching on your left-over (or your kids!) Halloween candy?  Select only the worthy treats (only the ones you absolutely love) and add an extra 10 or 15 minutes to your regular cardio time per session to work it off.
• If you enjoy alcoholic beverages while partying, remember to have a glass of water between each cocktail and finish the evening with water.
• Office party buffet?  Have a healthy snack prior to going.  While at the buffet, limit yourself to one plate and fill it with low-fat meats/seafoods, cheese, nuts, and fruits and veg.  Steer clear of fried foods, sausages, chips and dips.
• Traveling?  Pack a jump rope and a band and you've got your gym to go!  Mom may not have a gym, but most hotels/lodges will be able to accommodate your fitness needs so pack clothes accordingly.  BTW, "forgetting your gym shoes" is the equivalently of "my dog ate my homework."  Yup, nobody's buying it.
• Don't workout alone!  Get your kids and family involved; it will be fun.
• My dad loves to serve up all my favorites for holiday meals so that means lots of fried meats and delicious pies (thanks Liz!) and I never say no.  If you MUST have the forbidden fruits, watch portion sizes and avoid what you can resist.  Don't fill up your plate with large portions of each dish being offered.
• Don't resist enjoying the special meals and opportunities to celebrate.  You'll just regret it later.
• Schedule extra sessions with your personal trainer (ME!) or your group x instructor (ME!) now so that you'll be armed for unexpected indulgences.  

It's the holidays so be ready for ups and downs on the scale, but don't let a short period of time take over your fitness.  
If you're planning on dropping a few pounds prior to Thanksgiving, it's go time. Drop and give me 20!

Jack Knife

Add this exercise to your ab routine to spice up your core work:

 Lie faceup on the floor with your legs extended, your arms straight overhead and your feet and hands a few inches of the floor. 
 Squeeze your abs to lift both your upper and lower body off the floor in a smooth motion so your hands and feet meet directly over your navel.  Return to the start under control. 
Repeat.

Try this quick exercise out ASAP

After the age of 30, your metabolic rate slows down and you lose bone density. This exercise can help reverse the effects of aging: Lay your forearm down on a countertop or other flat surface, and bring one leg up behind you, squeezing in your abdominals. Do 30 leg lifts to the side, and then 30 to the back.

How much?