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 Dear Friends,
Summer is finally here!
I am loving the early morning and evening walks with my greyhound, Gracie...the air is so cool and sublime. As you might guess, my dear Whisper passed this spring. Gracie has recently come into my life as a very gentle presence and friend...and demanding walker! This dog loves her walks, and I am getting more exercise than ever before. My next move is to build up to walking her with my new rollerblades! A fun way to begin the summer.
Otherwise, I have a new blog, No Bull**** Health and Fitness. Please take a look--there will be giveaways starting Monday, June 7 for all who register as followers. Three followers who answer health and fitness trivia/questions will win either a Whole Foods Gift Certificate, a subscription to Nutrition Action, or a copy of Bethenny Frankel's Naturally Thin.
My last big piece of news is that I'll be teaching a Strength and Core Training class from 6-7 PM at the Arlington United Methodist Church on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting June 15. Anyone is welcome to join; classes are $12-$15 depending on package. Contact me for details.
Best wishes for a fun-filled summer!
Danielle
Owner, My Fitness Coach, LLC
P.S. Oh yeah, my other "big" piece of news is that Chris and I got engaged in St. John this May. Wedding probably next spring...
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| DAILY LIVING: How to Make Belly Fat Disappear! | |  Adapted from my blog...
One of the top questions I get as a trainer is "How can I get rid of my belly fat?". In other words, they're asking how to spot reduce. Spot reducing is losing weight in one area, like the stomach, butt, thighs, or back. Infomercials that hawk products like the Belly Burner, Slimmer Belt, and Core Sculptor tempt us to believe that you can lose 25 pounds of belly fat just by using their product. People want a magical way to lose weight in their sleep.
Many studies have shown that spot reducing is not possible without surgery. You must lose weight all over through diet and exercise before the stubborn area will get smaller. The TV products might help tone the muscle under the fat. But people who think they can use one contraption to lose weight miss two main points:
1. Most people get tired of their Ab Roller (or Thigh Toner, or Shake Weights) after a few days, and then it sits in the basement with clothes piled on top. If you can't find an exercise program you like to do long-term, it's not going to help you.
2. People generally do not change their eating habits, which is the biggest obstacle to losing weight. Alcohol, sugar, salt, and processed foods are your biggest enemies when it comes to belly fat.
When people ask how to lose belly fat, I sometimes feel like being smart and making something up, like the Dog Food Diet, or the Twigs and Berries Diet. But when I say "It's all exercise and good clean eating", I get a very disappointed look. Or, the person will say "But I walk a lot-I walked around the mall for 2 hours yesterday!". Physical activity for preventing heart disease or diabetes is much different from exercising to burn calories, fat and lose weight. But that is another blog post for tomorrow!
As for my own experience with spot reducing...In 2008 I was preparing for a figure competition (like bodybuilding, but less intense). After a month of eating egg whites, oatmeal, chicken breast and brown rice (and exercising my brains out), I was down about 5-6 pounds, which was great. But the biggest disappointment was that I still had visible cellulite on my thighs, and I still had some jigglies on the arms. So you see, you can be in the best shape of your life, but there are certain stubborn areas that won't completely go away. That's genetics, and nature.
You might have some weight to lose overall, and you won't get away with anything less than vigorous exercise and a clean eating plan. But if you lose the weight and there is still a small stomach pouch, that's just the way it is. I've seen many skinny clients with a little bit of belly protruding over their pants. The only way to remove it is to live through a famine, or have surgery. But sadly, there is no Belly Fat Fairy.
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BEST FINDS | | |
Here are the latest, best finds I've discovered!
1. Vanilla Almond Milk: Awesome on cereal, or in a smoothie with bananas and almond butter.
2. La Croix flavored seltzer water: My favorite is Cran-Raspberry. I can usually find it at Harris Teeter.
3. Epicurious.com: well, this is an old find but I use it almost every day. Great recipes and reviews.
4. Bull Run Regional Park and Paradise Springs Winery: both are walking distance of each other in Clifton, VA. We went on a walk along the creek and had a lovely picnic afterwards.
5. Conte's Bicycle and Fitness Equipment in Ballston: I just bought my second pair of sneakers here and I love the personal attention and expert knowledge. Plus, they have a treadmill with a video camera so you can see whether you are pronating or unsteady in the shoes. |
| ANNOUNCEMENTS | |
PILATES CLASSES AT SUN AND MOON YOGA STUDIO
I'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
You may try the first one for free.
NEW STRENGTH/CORE TRAINING CLASS IN ARLINGTON
Tues./Thurs. 6 PM - 7 PM starting June 15.
Class $12 each with package, $15 for walk-in.
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