Fit Tip

This week, add a Burpee to your regular workout routine.  Lower into a squat then put your hands down in front of you; kick both feet back to get into push-up position, then jump feet back in and return to squat.  Jump up as high as you can from that squat position.

Shoot for three sets of 15 reps daily!

Stay Motivated

Put a handful of change or a couple of dollars in a jar each time you hit the gym (treadmill, elliptical, free weights, etc.)  After a few months of regular workouts, you'll have enough money to splurge on a reward for all of your hard work!  Think of the new bathing suit, skinny jeans, tank top, fitted T you've been eying.

Never forget the true reward is how great you look and feel!

Fit Tip

Now that its gettin' hot out here, are you avoiding the outdoors?  About 75% of adults are deficient in Vitamin D and avoiding the sun's rays might not help.  The minimum number of International Units of Vitamin D recommended by doctors is 400; many doctors recommend as many as 1,000 units daily. 
Yes, slather on the SPF 30+ and grab a liter of water and enjoy a 15 minute walk outside but don't forget to eat plenty of Vitamin D rich foods! 
1 cup vitamin D fortified cereal = 4- IU  (Wheaties, Multi-grain Cheerios...)
1 cup vitamin D fortified milk = 115-124 IU
3.5 ounces fresh salmon = 360 IU
1 whole egg = 25 IU

Fit Tip

I am stating the obvious, but hey, it's that time of year, and if you're like me, you've got a lot on your plate.  Don't forget to REST!  Sleep, rest, and recovery are integral components of your fitness regime.

Until December 25th, take the time to get a 20 minute walk in daily-no phones!  This is your "rest" for the day.  If a full 20 minutes isn't possible, then 10 minutes here and there will work. 
Rest your mind for a bit, breathe in some good air, and re-fuel for the remainder of your hectic day.  You'll feel great, I promise!

Fit Tip

I hope everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving; ate, drank, and were merry but kept a close watch on their input/output. 
Keep in mind, to burn one pound of body fat, we must burn 3500 more calories than we consume.  If you're trying to loose weight, shoot for maintaining a 500 calorie per day deficit; consume 250 less calories, expend 250 calories each day.  Prioritize what you eat and how you spend your time. Stay focused!  And remember that holiday season is not weight loss season; this is maintenance time.  Helping you keep it all in check!

Fit Tip

Ever eat a big meal at a restaurant and not realize you're "too full" until you stand up to leave?  Practice slowing down your eating.  If you're dining at home, set a kitchen timer for 20 minutes and make your meal last at least that long.  Re-invent yourself as a slow eater!  It takes our bodies at least 20 minutes to fully realize what we have ingested and feel satiated.  During your next meal, practice eating more slowly, enjoying your food, the conversation, the "down time" and feel refreshed, not stuffed after the dishes are cleared.

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!

How much?

Fit Tip of the Week

Halloween Tips

Reducing sugar intake

Zero Calorie handout options:

• Plastic insects, ghosts, skeletons
• Halloween-themed pencils/pens
• Temporary tattoos or animal stickers
• Halloween bracelets or rings
• Bouncy balls, bubbles or whistles
• Plastic vampire teeth/fangs
• Sugar-free gum  

Still set on shelling out something sweet? Here's the caloric info:

• Fun/snack size Snickers - 72 calories
• Fun/snack size Baby Ruth - 85 calories
• Fun/snack size M&Ms - 90 calories
• Fun/snack size Butterfinger - 100 calories 

Eat one of each (approx. 350 calories total) and you'll need to walk briskly for over an hour and a half to burn them off!

Thanks Cooper Institute for the great ideas for Halloween!

Fit Tip of the Week

You know Count Chocula isn't the Breakfast of Champions. But with so many seemingly nutritious options, how can you tell if you're picking the best cereal? Jackie Newgent, R.D., a culinary nutritionist in New York, recommends checking the label for:

• Three or more grams of total fiber per serving.
• One or more grams of soluble fiber, which may help lower cholesterol and keeps blood sugar stable. (Whole-oat cereals are especially good sources.)
• Fewer than two grams of saturated fat and no trans fats, both of which contribute to heart disease risk.
• Fewer than 10 grams of sugar, unless it has dried fruit, which contain natural sugars.

Our Picks:  General Mills Fiber One Honey Clusters, Kellogg's All Bran Bran Buds, and Cheerios.

Originally published in FITNESS magazine, September 2006.

Fit Tip of the Week

Are you having difficulty reaching your fitness goals?  Re-think how you've set your goals.  Create a list of manageable goals and set a specific date to satisfy each one.  On your "list of things to do" we talked about last week, write your specific goal: run one mile in 10 minutes.  This goal is obtainable and within a time frame that is foreseeable.  Try to avoid "increase speed of run".   Try to check off four goals a week! 

Don't forget, the holidays will be here before you know it!  Don't wait until it's too late to make changes in your physique.

Fit Tip of the Week

Eating out?  Be polite, but firm.  Request no sauce, no sour cream and no bacon (bits).  Ask for steamed veggies, a baked or grilled entree, and no butter.  Be sure and have fresh fruit or berries for dessert.  If you must drink try to take only one glass of red wine.

Time, Time, and (less/more), Time

Feel like you're just not getting it all done in a day?  Exercise!?  No time for that!!!  Nothing irritates me more as a trainer than to get a call from my client saying "they have too much to do" or " there are errands to get done" so they can't come to the session.  Really???
Since it's "back to school" and shops are advertising their school supplies, take a cue from the teacher's list and pick up your own agenda.  I know, I know, you carry a blackberry or smart phone or whatever-use it much for record keeping?
I'm a huge fan of the traditional composition notebook.  Grab one and start making a To-Do List.  Prioritize each days necessary jobs and include your training!  You'll be amazed at how well you will manage your time when its in black & white in front of you.  Don't forget to check off items as you go.
Extra pages in that big book....ahhh...an excellent place to jot down your food log :)

Make sure you're getting the right combination of foods to maximize your fat burning potential: eat a diet consisting of 40-45% of daily calories from carbs, 30% from protein, and 25-30% from fat.
If you can't live without your "Three Meals a Day" and the idea of eating mini-meals puts you off-don't stress! Eat only when your body needs a boost. Eat often enough so that you don't pig out in one meal; our bodies just can't handle all those calories at once. There is nothing wrong with three meals and a snack in the mid-afternoon. Just make sure it's not a high-fat/calorie goodie (yes, that includes coffees!)