Fitness Through the Stages

That's a little piece I call "25 Years in 90 Seconds" - and of course, the title speaks for itself. It's such a kick taking that short trip down memory lane: "Hello, leg warmers!" "Wow - check out that Farrah Fawcett hair!" And then there's the wide variety of movement styles that I've used throughout the years. But this little montage also reveals my philosophy when it comes to creating my workouts - I've always seen each video as a direct reflection of what's happening in my life.

When I was a cardio junkie, I churned out several step and cardio workouts - first high-impact, then low-impact - but always a heart-pumping, sweat-soaked dance party! Then when I was pregnant with my first daughter Katie, I decided not to take a year off, but instead to create one of the first Pregnancy Workouts. In the early 90's, I experimented with a foreign new form of exercise called yoga, and decided to create a yoga workout DVD - many people thought I was nuts, and that yoga was just a passing fad. Needless to say, that fad hasn't passed just yet. Years later, in my late 40's, when I found my body changing once again, I wrote a book and created a companion exercise program called Moving Through Menopause. These days, I place a lot of emphasis on maintaining muscle mass, and the DVDs I've released recently say it all: Lift Weights to Lose Weight (1 & 2) and Build Muscle Shrink Fat. And when I turned 50, I decided to write a book about sex . . . but that's for another newsletter!

I bring all of this up not to rattle off all the titles in my DVD library, but to talk about how this concept applies to us all. In general, we all need a balance of strength, cardio, and flexibility training, combined with a sensible diet. And we all know that it's important to keep our bodies guessing my mixing up our routines. But there's another factor when it comes to selecting the right workout for you: timing. What life stage are you experiencing at this moment? What are your specific needs when it comes to exercising?

Let's start with Pregnancy. What an amazing and complex adventure that stage is! I found myself baffled by the process, navigating unknown territory: needless to say, I was a die-hard fitness buff, who was used to being in total control of her body at all times. Now suddenly I had an expanding midsection, couldn't participate in extreme workouts, and found myself eating for two (after fifteen years of no bacon, I was surprised to find myself craving BLT's on a regular basis!). Determined not to turn into a complete couch potato, I worked with several pregnancy health experts, gathered a group of girlfriends who were also expecting, and created our workout. The two most consistent pieces of feedback I get on this video: 1) It holds up! Every time a girlfriend is expecting, I give her this workout, knowing she's probably received and tried many others as well - but people seem to respond most strongly to this one. I like to think that the practical and fun approach we took when creating it really comes through. And, 2) People love the moment we break from the exercise, put on sunglasses, and perform a little rap song about our baby bumps. It's called "The Preggo Shuffle" and it's not available on iTunes . . . only on my Pregnancy Workout DVD.

Years later I experienced another big change - one so significant that women often refer to it as "The Change." Even though I'd always been a great sleeper, I suddenly found myself experiencing bouts of insomnia. By day, my normally upbeat demeanor was replaced by nerves, anxiety and sudden waves of emotion. I had to face it: I was perimenopausal. And though it's an incredibly complex scientific topic, and women's experiences differ so widely in this stage, everyone agrees on one thing: A healthy lifestyle is THE most important factor of all when it comes to navigating menopause. So as my personal exploration grew, I decided to create a program for women to help them take charge and manage symptoms. Moving Through Menopause, which can be found on my Body Boomers Workout DVD, offers a specialized routine that provides low-impact cardio, yoga, and strength training to help burn calories, improving mental focus and balance - and also includes nutritional strategies that will help you reach your full vital potential, regardless of age.