| Join Our List |
 | |
|
 Dear Friends,
Happy holidays!
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and that you have some fun things coming up.
As it gets colder and darker, it becomes more difficult to find the energy to exercise each day. I know that motivation can sometimes be lacking, which is why I am making an unusual recommendation in the "Daily Living" article.
And since you may be looking for new ways to get fit, check out the circuit training article. You can burn about 30% more calories if you follow these rules!
Also, if you have someone that's difficult to shop for, how about giving the gift of fitness? I can also help with nutrition and lifestyle change, so please let me know if I can be of service.
Love and best wishes for a wonderful 2010!
Danielle
Owner, My Fitness Coach, LLC |
| DAILY LIVING: Renewing Your Motivation |
|
Are you ready to ditch the vegetables and gym time? It may do you good for a few days.
It's normal to experience a decrease in energy and motivation from time to time. Our health and wellness should be our top priority, but every now and then, motivation drops and we let some things slide.
It certainly happens to me. I get sick of eating my daily quota of vegetables and lean meats and just want chips, chocolate and wine for dinner. I get tired of going to the gym and seeing the same people or using the same machines. Also, there are times I would rather crash on the couch with a gossip magazine rather than do deep breathing exercises to reduce stress.
The thing is, taking a few days off is okay as long as those days don't turn into weeks and months. Give in to your cravings and to what your body is asking. If you really don't want to do spin class, don't do it. Listen to what your body is telling you. Is it willing to do some yoga, light walking or stretching? Or does it just want you to sink into the couch with your feet up? When you feel sufficiently rested, you will have more energy to focus again on your wellness goals.
One of the best ways to increase motivation is to add something new to your routine. Here are some examples that I've used in the past:
- download new music for your ipod
- try a different class whether at your gym, yoga/Pilates studio or dance studio
- find some new recipes for vegetables you have not cooked before
- read a few health and fitness magazines to see what other people are doing (I like Shape because it always includes real people who have lost significant weight and are keeping it off sensibly)
- invest in some workout clothes that make you look and feel great
|
|
PRODUCTS I LOVE |
|
|
Instead of giving a recipe this season, I thought I'd share a few healthy products I love...
1. Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Chips
Yes, these are the chips I want to eat for dinner!
2. Lake Champlain 5 Star Chocolate bars
Fresh, handmade and all natural from Vermont. The caramel is to die for. They're by the freezers at Whole Foods.
3. Whole Foods reduced fat guacamole
You can eat this with everything, including the chips, vegetables, on sandwiches or in omelets.
4. Kashi whole grain toaster waffles
Awesome for a quick breakfast. I make mine with either a tablespoon of peanut butter and apple slices, or fruit and Greek yogurt.
5. Dietz and Watson low-sodium turkey
Available at deli counter--needs to be sliced. Lowfat source of protein with less sodium. |
| EXERCISE SPOTLIGHT: CIRCUIT TRAINING |
|
|
Bored with the treadmill, bike and elliptical?
Unless you are listening to some great music or watching a fascinating tv show, cardio exercise on machines can get pretty dull after a while. Circuit training is a combination of cardio and strength training and is a great way to burn tons of calories while creating muscle definition.
There are hundreds of ways to create a circuit training program. Basically, the key is to use lower weights, include a cardio element, and keep moving from exercise to exercise without much rest. Here's an example you can do at home:
1. Wide Hand Pushups on feet or knees, 10
2. Squats, 15
3. Bench dips on chair, couch or floor, 10
4. Walking lunges, 15
5. Jumping jacks, 30
Move through the circuit 2-3x without rest. Then, take a minute's rest before starting again. You can repeat, or do a new group of exercises. If you are less fit, about 20-30 minutes is fine with longer rest periods. If you are more fit, you can take less rest, increase the repetitions and add some weights to exercises like squats, lunges and jumping jacks.
Just remember to warm up with some marching, side-stepping and arm swings beforehand, and cool down with static stretching afterwards. |
| HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS |
|
Gift certificates from My Fitness Coach available for any number of sessions.
Purchase sessions for a family member or friend. You can also give the gift of joint sessions for you and your spouse, parent, friend, neighbor, etc. You may participate in sessions together, or back-to-back if you have different fitness goals. Discounts for multiple sessions and/or participants.
|
| ANNOUNCEMENTS |
|
PILATES CLASSES AT SUN AND MOON YOGA STUDIOI'm still teaching Pilates classes on Monday nights in Arlington at Sun and Moon: 5:30 - 6:30 Beginner Pilates mat 6:45 - 7:45 Advanced Beginner Pilates mat
And now on Sunday mornings:
8:00 - 9:00 AM All Levels Pilates
You may try the first one for free.
DOES YOUR COMPANY NEED A WELLNESS PRESENTER?
I have prepared presentations on nutrition, exercise and stress management. I can also design a custom presentation based on needs. Please email me or call me (703) 517-6073 to discuss! (Back to Top) | |
|
|
|
