Holiday Travel

Well many of us will be going out of town for the holidays....if you are staying in town then Scott Fitness has you covered. They are open 24 hours a day. So...no excuses for you...head to the gym Christmas Eve, Christmas day, etc and work hard.

As for the rest of you....where are you going? Back home? To your partners hometown? Now, before you leave, you need to research the workout options you have while you are away. Will there be an opportunity for you to do a workout DVD a couple of times?

What about the gyms they have in town?

Get online today and check out their group exercise schedules and make a commitment today to some classes or workout times.

There is no reason you can't workout over the holiday weekend. It's, actually, the most important time to work out.

Here are my options for workout while I am away. Luckily we're going to Columbia Missouri for Christmas....since I used to live there I am familiar with the gyms.

Depending on what classes they offer I will choose among The ARC, Wilson's and Key Largo Fitness....most of the places charge a small fee. About $5 to $10 but it's worth it.

Let me know how you stay active over the holidays.

What other ideas do you have?

Holiday Advice

Let me remind you of a few things while we are in the midst of the Holiday season.

First: Remember portion control! It's so easy to overindulge especially when there is a table of food and you can stand by is all night long and eat and eat and eat and eat. Try this instead: eat a sensible meal before you head out to your Holiday party and then make one pass through the food line filling up that plate ONLY ONCE.

What about if it's a sit down dinner you ask? Don't finish everything on your plate. Some people think it's a waste to waste food. Well if you are eating more calories than you need, the food is still being wasted and will be stored as fat in your body. Think before you eat.

Alcohol adds extra calories too. Try alternating every alcoholic beverage with a glass of water. And please try to stay away from creamy beverages.

Also, try and work out more. We're all eating more....that's unavoidable. One of the things we can do to offset the extra calories a little bit is to move more. This could be parking farther away on your shopping trips or asking friends and family to go on a nice long walk with you.....especially since the weather is tolerable at this point. Or just get to the gym and workout. Just keep moving!

I hope you all have a relaxing holiday.

It's Tuesday...

And you know what that means:

You are on day 2 of this week....which also means you should have scheduled your weekly workouts by now.

This is one of the best pieces of advice I give my clients and is especially important this time of year with the temperatures dropping and the thought of leaving the house becomming more and more unappealing....

SCHEDULE YOUR WORKOUTS!!!

Schedule them like you would schedule a dentist appointment or a lunch date. You wouldn't not show up to your dentist appointment, right? Treat your workouts the same way.

Here's how it works:

Think about your week on Sunday night just as you would for work, get out your calendar and see which days of the week make the most sense for a workout and which time of day.

Step 1. Pick your days (preferably 5).

Step 2. Pick your time (not something ridiculous like 5am if you are not a morning person), and

Step 3. Pick your activity (remember: 2 nonconsecutive days of weights, 3 days of cardio)...

and then WRITE IT DOWN!!!

Here is what my Monday through Sunday look like this week

Monday: Zumba at 5:30pm

Tuesday: Spin at 6:30, weights at 7:30

Wednesday: 45 minutes of cardio at 11am

Thursday: Strength training class at the YMCA. 8:30 am. Yoga at the YMCA 9:30am

Friday: 45 minutes of cardio at 6am at the YMCA

Saturday: Strength training at the YMCA. 7:30 am. 30 minutes of cardio following.

Sunday: rest.

Now you might be confused that I only have 1 day of rest this week. Let me say that the Zumba wasn't very high level for me and I only stayed for 40 minutes so I would consider that one of my rest-ish days....because I do stress the importance of 'rest' days so your body can recover. Rest days are so important!

I would, if possible, make them 2 non consecutive days in order to stick with your routine. 2 days in a row of not working out might turn into 3 days and then 4 days and then you haven't worked out for 7 days! You get my point.

So schedule your workouts and pick something you enjoy so you'll stick with it.

In health...

Gobble Gobble

How did you fare this Thanksgiving....did you stuff yourself silly or merely enjoy one plate of food?

I definitely did not deny myself today, but I didn't overdo it either.

I find getting to a point of being uncomfortable is just, uncomfortable. I would much rather enjoy a meal than regret eating it.....so I did.

I did eat everything...the mashed potatoes, the corn pudding, the roll, the turkey, the stuffiung, everything....and then I was finished.

No seconds.

The key now, is to get back on track tomorrow. I know at Scott Fitness the classes will happen at their regularly scheduled time tomorrow, so there is no excuse to fall off the wagon now.

Hit up a class tomorrow if you need that extra motivation and get back to eating right, right away.

Next up: Christmas.

Goals for the day

Do you know what my goal is today?

To drink 2 of these:

Do you know why?

Because you need 2-3 quarts of water per day....This goal will put me just above 2 quarts for the day (almost 2.5).

Are you drinking enough water every day?

Practicing

Well.

I am practicing what I preach.

I took a 60 minute Yoga class yesterday afternoon and then woke up early this morning and did a 30 minute Yoga DVD.

It made me feel great to wake up and stretch like that.

I am working hard to incorporate more flexibility training into my routine.

What are you working on?

In Health.

Optimum Physical Fitness

There are 3 components to optimum physical fitness.

1. Muscular Strength

2. Cardio endurance

3. Flexibility

This means (at least) 30 minutes of cardio on most days of the week, strength training at least twice a week and flexibility training.

I am often guilty of focusing on two out of the three categories, running long distances and getting in a couple of strength sessions a week, but constantly falling behind on my flexibility training.

Think about how much time you devote to each component in your week, and then make it your goal next week to devote more attention to the one or two lacking your attention.

Often times it is the exercises we hate that are the most necessary for us to practice.

Time to Rest

Well after the half marathon I gave myself some time to rest. I didn't workout as much as I usually do and it felt good to cut myself some slack this week.

I taught spin on Tuesday, did a strength class this morning and did a little Zumba at noon today as well.

That's enough rest for me.

Tomorrow I am hoping to catch the spin class at the YMCA and the strength class Saturday morning.

So while rest is good, I know I need to get moving again before the sedentary lifestyle takes over.

In health,

Cheryl

Goals

Well....

Yesterday I completed my fitness goal for the month. I had been training for the KC half marathon for a few months and yesterday was the big day.

The KC course is one of the hilliest courses ever and after running the full course last year I was anxious about running all those hills again. They really did me in last time.

The first big hill took us up Kessler toward the Liberty Memorial and only getting a short break we were then running up the hill by the Penn Valley Dog Park. Phew!! I overheard a woman coaching her running partner during the first hill and she said to just lean forward and shuffle. That was great advice because I usually try to take big strides up the hill thinking I will get it over faster....but leaning forward and shuffling made it seem more doable and definitely not as taxing and I was able to stay right on pace despite the smaller steps.

During the course I had some great support from family which is one of the most amazing things they could do for me. I don't know if they know, but having them there cheering me on pushes me just that much harder and makes finishing easier. I loved seeing them out there and looked for them at every turn. I feel so lucky to have such great family support.

So, I set out to get to the finish in under 2 hours and with the help of two amazing women runners by my side the whole time, I made it in one hour and 54 minutes.

Those girls kept me going, knowing they could do it, made me believe that I could do it....even when I wanted to stop. Hitting mile 10 was a really big point for me, knowing only a measly 3 miles stood between me and the finish line, stopping at that point was not an option...so I pressed on.

It was a cold day and my body felt that the rest of the day. I was sneezing and just plain worn out the rest of the evening.

Next, I think Hospital Hill is on the agenda for us....So i have until April to get nervous for another big race day. I think I'll try for 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Truth

"The most important thing about goals is... having one." -- Geoffry F. Abert

YOGA

Now. As a trainer I know how important flexibility is for the body, but I rarely do more that 5ish minutes of stretching at the end of my workouts. I know this is not ok and I know I need to do more. A lot of time, my body tells me to stretch more and I ignore it and move on.

The thing is, I have always felt intimidated by the things I am not good at. I know, call me crazy....or human, but the things I am not good at don't happen to be fun either. Going to a yoga class was nothing I wanted to do because I had gone to yoga before and I was not good at it. That frustrates me.

Well, this Saturday during an 8 mile training run I mentioned the desire/need to start doing yoga and was swearing to myself that Sunday was going to be the day. My body felt tight and heavy during the run....I knew I needed a good stretch.

I knew Scott Fitness offered a class on Sunday and I was in...committed....practically there.

I didn't go.

These are the real reasons for my absense:

1. I don't like the idea of a 90 minute class just starting out

2. 2 in the afternoon is so inconvenient for me.

So this week I made a plan to do yoga...for real this time.

I tried my first class on Tuesday and then went back again on Thursday. The class was amazing and didn't make me feel like a complete failure for 50 minutes. We did some great stretching and especially focused on the back of the body....the back, hamstrings, neck....all the places I feel the most tight.

The exciting thing that happened is that I saw improvement right away. The forward bend was uncomfortable in the beginning of class, but by the end of class I had my hands on the floor much more comfortably....and then by Thursday I had improved just a little bit more.

Now....let me go back to Wednesday where I had a scheduled training run of 5 miles. I entered the run thinking I would go at least 4 miles, but I felt so great and was running faster than I had in awhile. 5 miles was done in no time.

Now, was this because of the yoga? I don't know. maybe.

What I do know is yoga will only benefit me and I am so glad I incorporated it into my routine.

I hope you make more of an effort to try the things outside of your comfort zone. The variety will only improve who you are.

Vacation agenda

Vacations are such a hard time to continue your exercise routine for several reasons. First, packing workout clothes takes up space. Also, being with other people means the agenda is not centered around what one person wants to do, but about what EVERYONE wants to do...which is not usually exercise.

I'm in Denver this weekend with about 8 other people so it's a challenge to fit exercise into the day. What I find works best in situations like this are long walks. I woke up this morning and walked to a coffee shop about 20 minutes away and walked home....Later in the day I think we are going shopping which means more time moving and less time sitting.

Now, in situations like this, where the activity is moderate and heart rate is low, watching calorie intake is key. Vegetables are a must, but the challenge for me is the drinking that we are doing this weekend. I am almost a 'non drinker' but will participate in social drinking once in awhile and that is where the calories really add up.

In this case, I need to think about consuming more clear alcohols and lite beers over the sugary drinks and dark beers.

It's a challenge but it's possible to stay on course when the course veers off track.

Our bodies NEED movement.

Exercise for sanity NOT vanity.

The reason...

"'For the record' exercise doesn't make you thin nor should we care. Rather let's learn how to show exercise as a human benefit then we can stop worrying about how we look and focus on how we better perform in the human race." T. Findlay

Do Not Diet

Diets are not a successful weight loss tool for the long term. You can't diet forever because while being on a diet means that you can be off a diet too.

It is difficult for many to realize that healthy living is not a "program" but a lifestyle.

Think about the years it has taken to develop current habits (good or not so good).

Making changes and developing new habits takes time, but you CAN change them.

Focus on one change at a time.

Everyday.

Find ways to incorporate fitness into your life everday.

Sometimes you won't have time for 30-60 minutes of cardio and that's ok if you are doing these simple things.

1. Walk instead of drive if you can

2. Park far away in the parking lot.

3. Take the stairs instead of the elevator

Is there something you do that's not on the list? Let me know.

The Buddy System!

Staying on track with a regular exercise program can be a challenge, especially if you're on your own. Consider finding an exercise buddy to help keep you on track and accountable. Accountability is the key for success.

Find a buddy or be a buddy...

This is my running buddy and me running the Rock and Roll Arizona Marathon in January 2008. We just started running together again after a 9 month hiatus. She really pushes me to work harder and be a better runner, whether she knows it or not. (I bet she doesn't know it). Her email a couple weeks ago about running together again was a pleasant surprise. So we started off with short distances....4 miles last Saturday and almost 5 today.

I even almost cancelled today, citing rain as an excuse, but then the rain stopped and I couldn't use that as an excuse anymore....and we had it planned and she was counting on me to run and I knew that...so I showed up.

Today's run was a struggle with more hills, (a ton more hills) but I did it (even though I did have to ask her to slow down a couple of times). And not even knowing it, she pushed me to run faster and longer because I was not going to stop, even when it was hard she kept me going because she kept going. Thanks, buddy.

I am a Local Farmer

and you can be one too!

This is the second summer I have had a garden in my backyard and it is one of the easiest and most rewarding things I have ever done.

This year we planted strawberries, cantelope, watermelon, 2 kinds of bell peppers, 2 kinds of tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers.

All were very successful besides the strawberries. I think something might be eating those.

So now we have more tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumbers then we know what to do with...what a great and easy way to get your 5 servings of veggies for the day. Just walk in the back yard and start eating!

Here are the basics to having a garden of your very own:

Put the plant in the ground, water every few days and let nature take over.

It's that easy.

Playlist

I am so connected to my music when I work out. If I get to the gym and have forgotten my mp3 player, I leave, seriously. I just can't get motivated without music.

Here is the playlist I have used the last couple of weeks in my cycling class. I really love it. There are some super upbeat songs and some more mellow ones. The best part is that there is a crazy fast song about 40 minutes in to get you reved up for the last 15 minutes of your workout.

enjoy!

1. Fireflies- Owl City

2. Louie-Ida Maria

3. Such Great Heights- The Postal Service

4. Calabria 2008 (Feat. MIMS and Natasja)-Enur

5. Are You That Somebody-Aaliyah

6. I Know You Want Me-Pitbull

7. White Light- Gorillaz

8. Fire Burning- Sean Kingston

9. Son's Gonna Rise-Citizen Cope

10. Gone Daddy Gone-Gnarls Barkley

11. Clark Gable- The Postal Service

12. Oh My God- Ida Maria

13. Untouched-The Veronicas

14. Heart of a Champion- Nelly

15. Ooh- Scissor Sisters

Today

How are you feeling today?

Have you taken time to stretch and loosen up your body?

I bet your shoulders feel tight. Are they tight?

What about your hamstrings?

The whole back side of your body?

How is your back?

Take a moment to stretch. You'll feel better because of it.

Stand up and do a forward bend.

Take your legs just more that hip width apart and then bend right at your waist. Reach for the floor. If you can't touch the floor, just reach for it. You'll get there if you practice.

Can you reach the floor comfortably? Start reaching behind you. Constantly challenge your flexibility.

Come up. Very slowly. Slower. One vertebrae at a time. Head comes up last.

Do a forward bend one more time. Hold for 10-20 seconds. Roll up slowly. Reach your hands above you. Stretch.

Feel better?

Question:

What are your goals for the week? For the month? For the year?

Workout 5 times a week?

Eat 3 servings of veggies a day?

Start running?

Drink more water?

Join a gym?

Pick one and do it!

There is no time like the present to achieve your goals.

Ohhhh it's hot!

It's so hard for a lot of us to workout when it's so hot. I know that.

Here is my suggestion to you....it's going to take a little effort on your part, but then again, everything does.

Workout twice in one day.

Start with a brisk 20-30 minute walk in the morning, right when you wake up, before work....this means you have to get up earlier, but that's ok, you'll get used to it.

Do your next workout in the evening. This could be weights, more cardio, a bike ride, anything. This should last at least 30 minutes as well.

Remember this is not leaisure time, this is heart pumping, sweating and muscle burning time.

Make it count.

Plank

The plank exercise ranked number 10 in the ACE study and is a great way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as stabilizer muscles. 

To do it right:

1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air. 
5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

My New Thing...

So Far.

So since I challenged you to break out of your comfort zone and try something new for fitness, I thought I would have to do the same (although, this isn't necessarily a challenge for me....I secretly love it).

This morning I participated in a pilates class at the YMCA. I have not done pilates in about 2 years, and never this class. My experience with pilates in the past is complete boredom. I am challenged, but I am not enjoying myself and the class goes at a slow pace.

This class, however, was awesome and I will be back every Wednesday as often as I can. The class had such a great flow and was challenging and the teacher was great and before I knew it 60 minutes was over.

Now, to address those of you rolling your eyes about how great my experience was, let me tell you I had originally planned to attend a Tuesday pilates class and talked myself out of it....because I am not 'good' at pilates and it's not something I regularly do. So this was a challenge for me, and it ended up great!

Tomorrow I am going to complete the challenge by attending a yoga class. Mind you, this will be after one 60 minute Turbo Kick class and 30 minutes of weghts. I really want to try the yoga class, but I don't want to skip Turbo Kick because I love it so much....so 2.5 hours, here I come.

Share your experiences with me.

Happy Memorial Day to You

Before the burgers and hot dogs and beers and brownies, do something good for yourself and workout. 

Your Challenge

I challenge you to try 2 new fitness related things that you haven't tried before. It is proven that mixing up your routine challenges your muscles in a different way and forces your body to continue to change. So get out of your rut and try something new!

Let me point you in the right direction. First, scottfitness.com, of course, offers some fantastic classes. If you have questions about any of them, ask. 

If you always go to the Project Poolside class, you should try Dumbbell 101. Or try boxing. Boxing is super fun and a great workout.

If classes aren't your thing, get off the treadmill and try out the rowing machine. Have you tried that before? It's a great full body workout. Ask me the proper technique if you are interested.

What about heading outside of the confines of Scott Fitness...check out amoredance.com for some fun Zumba classes or take a hot yoga class.

One more suggestion for those of you walking outside. Tack on 20 minutes to one of your brisk walks, or hop on a bicycle and cruise around town for an hour. As always, head straight up those hills, don't try and find ways around them.

I hope this got you excited to try out something new this week.

This is your challenge and will only benefit you if you do it. 

I can't wait to hear all about it!

ps-There is a 5K Monday morning....that would be fun too!

Secrets...

Ice Cream is a delicious summer treat, but eating too much of the real thing is not good for your body....too much cream and saturated fat.

Now, you can enjoy the taste of ice cream in a serving size that's made just for you.

Stick a container of yogurt in the freezer and you can eat ice cream all summer long without any of the guilt. 

I tend to like the citrus flavors best.

Got 30 minutes...

What about an hour? Do you have an hour today to devote to yourself? You should...make it happen.

Here's what you should do...

Walk for 10 minutes around your neighborhood. Brisk Walking. Use the power in your legs. Get your arms pumping. Walk right up those hills. Sweat.

Use the rest of the time to weight train. Don't have weights? Do these exercises that use only body weight. It's that easy....Only allow 20 second rest periods between each set....keep that heart rate up...this is good for you !

Squats. 2 sets of 15

Push Ups 2 sets of 10

Lunges 2 sets of 15

Crunches 2 sets of 20

Bicycle crunches 2 sets of 20

Jump Squats 10 total

Seated Row...(yes! with no weight....if you squeeze those shoulder blades together when you pull back, you'll feel it) 2 sets of 20

Arm circles 2 sets for 1 minute each.

Stretch for 10 minutes

Have any time left? More walking...

You can do this.

Make the time.

Relax

Are you sitting at your desk all day?

Does a slouched back feel all too familiar?

Take a moment to

1.       close your eyes

2.       sit up nice and tall

3.       roll your shoulders back 5 times, slowly.

4.       breathe deeply

 

 

Do this twice more today and relax.

Questions

Do you have a current fitness routine?

If not, why not?

Making fitness a party of your life is more than getting skinny. For me, (and what I try to communicate with my clients) is that this is about a lifestly change, a way of life. Eating right and exercising most days of the week will make you a healthier you. Strength training strengthens your bones, not just your muscles. Exercise energizes you and lifts your mood. 

So, why aren't you exercising?

If you already have an exercise program, are you working to your full potential? Do you eek out your last rep of one set or do you stop before your reach your limits? Are you doing quality cardio or just watching the time tick by on the treadmill? 

Make the time you spend at the gym count. 

You can get a quality workout in in just 30 minutes a day.

So, why aren't you exercising?

30 Minute Fit is where it's at!

30 Minute Fit is offered at Scott Fitness on Tuesday nights from 8 to 8:30.

There have never been more than 3 people in the class at once....so you get one-on-one time with me just by attending. There is no extra cost for this....as a member of Scott Fitness, you can attend all the classes for free...including this one!

Tonight I used medicine balls, tubing, bands, free weights, and the BOSU ballast ball to create a total body workout for the participants. 

They were challenged! They were sweaty! 

and we had fun.

Take advantage of this great opportunity for your body. 

See you there.

SF 1.5

8pm

Tuesday night.

Idea Fitness Fusion Conference 2009

I just returned from the Idea Fitness Fusion Conference in Chicago. This was a 3 day event of lectures and workshops helping me to imrpove my personal training and group exercise techniques. 

It was so fun.

I learned a lot of new ways to use tubing, medicine balls, swiss balls, the BOSU balance trainer and the BOSU ballast ball.

These new things will be incorporated into my routines with clients and group training classes. 

I'm so motivated.

Now would be a great time for you being your fitness routine with me.

Take advantage of all this new information and energy.

See you soon!

Awesome Resource

So I am using an awesome resource for counting calories. The best part is: it's free!

It's called Sparkpeople.com

You track your daily food and water intake and count all consumed calories.

The nice thing about it is that as your entering your food throughout the day (I recommend this, of course, over entering it all at the end of the day) you know exactly where you are...if you ate too much for breakfast...if your snack was more like a meal...how many calories you have left to consume for dinner....etc.

This is not something I do all the time....not all day every day by any means, but I will do this for a week or 2 every couple months to keep myself on track. It's easy to get off track and over consume or eat the wrong thing, but this puts me right back on track.

There are other programs like this out there, but this is the one I use. Use any one you like...hopefully the outcome will be the same.

Interval Training

Here is a sample interval training exercise that you should try.

This cardio routine is based on a 1-10 RPE scale (rate of perceived exertion). The intensity of the workouts and the intervals help you burn calories during and after your workout…It revs up your metabolism!

You can do this workout on the treadmill or eliptical machine. Increase or decrease the incline (or speed) according to the RPE level required. 

LEVEL 5 DOES NOT MEAN INCLINE OF 5…YOUR RPE OF 5 COULD BE A HIGHER OR LOWER INCLINE THAN THAT BASED ON WHAT YOU BELIEVE YOUR 5 ON A SCALE OF 1-10 FEELS LIKE.

 Print the cardio routines out and take them with you to the gym so you know EXACTLY what to do.

 30 minutes of cardio:

Minutes 1-3 warm up at level 1-2                                   

Minutes 3-5 at level 5                        

5-6 at level 2

6-8 at level 7

8-9 at level 2

9-12 at level 7

12-13 at level 2

13-16 at level 6

16-17 at level 2

17-20 at level 7 

20-21 at level 4

21-24 at level 7

24-25 at level 2

25-26 at level 7

26-30 at level 2

There you have it. Do this for a week and increase the duration of the workout every week.

This is good for you!

30 Minute Fit

There is a new class at Scott Fitness and I am the instructor.

It's Tuesday nights at 8pm at SF 1.5

This class is awesome and has proved to be an ass kicker the last 2 weeks.

First, this is a class that changes every single week. My hope for changing the format is so that the attendants (that's you!) are inspired to mix part or all of this routine into their own weekly workout. 

Also, since the class is continually changing your body is changing too. Doing the same thing over and over and over and over again will not give you the results that constantly changing your workout does....and you won't get bored either.

The first week we did sets of push ups, squats, skull crushers and an ab sequence. 

Last Tuesday we did one minute intervals of pushups, burpees, crab walk, squats, etc.

Come see what we'll do next week!

See you there.

QUALITY not QUANTITY

I had a client tell me recently that he started keeping track of his calories in an online calorie counter. I think those are great and there are many to choose from...if you want to know more about them, just ask.

Ok...so he showed me his daily calorie intake and this is basically how it read.
breakfast: poptart
snack: soda
snack: soda
snack: candy bar
lunch: subway

Ok...so while I am happy that he is now in the world of counting calories...I would say incorporating whole foods is a must. I think he only had consumed 800 calories so far that day....but it was 800 calories of NOTHING. Where are the vegetables? fruit?
I see sugar and processed meat....and more sugar...I am not saying you should never have a candy bar, but sandwich the candybar between two salads and I'll allow it.

So he may be staying within his calorie window for the day, but he is not putting anything good into his body.

The quality of the food we eat is very important. I don't even agree with the reports that show you the 'healthier' options at a fast food restaurant. Fast food should not be considered food...it is made up of all things bad. Sugar, high fructose corn syrup, salt, etc etc etc.

So take a closer look at your daily menu...Are you consuming mostly whole foods or processed foods?

Good to Know

Top ten worst foods of 2009

user
by FatFighterTV, on Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:20pm PST


From an astonishing amount of calories to several days' worth of fat in one meal to over the top levels of sodium, this is one place you don’t want to see any of your favorite foods.

Every year, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) comes up with its list of the Top Ten Worst Foods and I always look forward to it. Once in awhile I find out I’ve enjoyed one of the “worsts” (and stop immediately!). But this year, I’m happy to report I have not indulged in anything on CSPI’s list for 2009.

1. Pepperidge Farm Roasted White Meat Chicken Premium Pot Pie - There are 510 calories and 9 grams of saturated fat in this baby. Oh wait - that’s just for half a pie. The whole thing has 1020 calories and 18 grams of saturated fat.

2. Romano’s Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce - This dish will set you back a staggering 2,430 calories and nearly three days’ worth of saturated fat (57 grams) plus 5,290 milligrams of sodium - more calories and saturated fat than two Macaroni Grill Tuscan Rib-Eye steak dinners.

3. Progresso Traditional, Vegetable Classics, and Rich & Hearty soups - Half a can averages more than half of a person’s daily quota of salt. Instead, CSPI says try Progresso’s Health Favorites reduced-sodium soups with up to 50 percent less salt. Also, see: Hidden sodium in foods you wouldn't think to check.

4. Dove Ice Cream - A half cup has about 300 calories and an average of 11 grams of saturated fat - that’s half-a-day’s worth of the bad stuff. You may be better off with these 5 frozen treats under 100 calories.

5. The Cheesecake Factory Chris’ Outrageous Chocolate Cake - It’s layers of chocolate cake, brownie, toasted coconut pecan filling, and chocolate chip coconut cheesecake. CSPI found each five-inch-high slice weighs three-fourths of a pound and has 1,380 calories, 32 teaspoons of sugar, 33 grams of saturated fat and 5 grams of trans fat. Yikes!

6. Smoothie King’s Grape Expectations II - It’s one of Smoothie King’s “Snack Rights” with 550 calories in the 20-ounce size and 1,100 calories in the 40-ouncer. Proof that not all smoothies are good for you (but these are).

7. Pop Secret Movie Theater Butter Popcorn Snack Size Bags - Just one snack-size bag has 11 grams of bad fat, 7 of which are trans fats. Instead, CSPI says choose Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop or Smart Balance Smart ’N Healthy - both are made with no partially hydrogenated oils. Also, see this review of microwave popcorns from Consumer Reports.

8. The Starbucks Venti (20 oz.) Caffè Mocha with whole milk and whipped cream has 450 calories and 13 grams of bad fat - more like a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in a cup. But you can lose all the bad fat and all but 170 calories if you order a tall (12 oz.) with nonfat milk and no whipped cream.

9. Chipotle Chicken Burrito - With rice, pinto beans, cheese, chicken, sour cream, and salsa, you get 1,040 calories and 16-1/2 grams of saturated fat - the same as three Subway Steak and Cheese 6-inch Subs. Plus the burrito comes with 2,500 milligrams of sodium! Ordering it without cheese or sour cream cuts the saturated fat to 3-1/2 grams, but you still end up with 810 calories and 2,300 milligrams of sodium. Ay Caramba! Here's another burrito that will shock you.

10. Cold Stone Creamery’s Gotta Have It Founder’s Favorite - 12-ounces of ice cream, pecans, brownie pieces, fudge, and caramel adds up to a whopping 1,600 calories and 42 grams of saturated fat. That’s about the same as five single-scoop ice cream cones. And watch out before you have this frozen concoction.

Group Fitness

I have some very exciting news to share.

First, I am teaching a new class at Scott Fitness on Tuesday night...it is right after the 60 minute spin class I teach. This one is 30 minutes of weights. It's gonna be a butt kicker...The format will change every week to keep your body and mind guessing.

Second, I am now exploring the possibilities of small group fitness. This is a group of no more than 4 who all train together for the same price as a single session. Sounds like a great deal to me...Train one on one and it's $40 an hour at Scott Fitness or get some friends together and split the $40 among you.

I Workout

I do take pride in being a regular person.
I am not the kind of trainer that will get you ready for your fitness
competition or bare her belly during a workout.
I am a regular person.

I workout to be healthy.
I workout because I love the way it makes me feel.
I workout because it motivates me.
I workout because that's my alone time.
I workout because it strengthens my bones.

I also want to eat junk food sometimes.
This is the body I have from that combination and I am ok with that.

I hope, in this way, people and clients can relate to me on a more humanistic level.

Ahhh.....Spring!

I love when the weather gets warm....and it has been warm for days.

This allows for several things to happen:

1. Longer walks with the doggie
2. Yard work


I am just generally happier in the Spring, Summer and Fall....which might be attributed to increased activity or warmer weather...or both.

Either way I am happy happy happy....excited to get these arms toned for tank top wearing.

Day 1: Cereal Vortex

Let me share some things with you as I begin my day on the right track.

1. I love cereal.
2. I like to mix 2 kinds of cereal in one bowl.
3. I eat cereal several times a day.
4. When it comes to eating cereal, it is impossible for me to follow the serving size.

Cereal is possibly my most favorite food. I like the super healthy ones full of fiber, and the sugary ones, of course. However, I hardly ever let myself indulge in the sugary kinds.

What I do, however, is get sucked into the vicious cycle of cereal eating, a cereal vortex, if you will.

I pour cereal to the brim of the bowl, pour in the soy milk, eat the cereal, add more cereal to the remaining milk, add more milk to the remaining cereal, etc etc etc.

Today I will follow the recommended guidelines: a 1 cup serving.

Yes I will.

The Beginning

Hi! I wanted to start a blog for several reasons.

First, let me say that I know the pressures associated with being thin and I struggle with them everyday...because it is much easier to eat a cookie than run on the treadmill. I know this.

As a personal trainer, I need to stay fit, and as a person in this world, I want to stay fit, but I also live with my unfit boyfriend (temptation 1), I like to go out to eat (temptation 2), I moonlight at a restaurant (temptation 3)...etc etc etc.

I want to connect with other people who have these same struggles.

I want to share fitness information with you, that is meant for real people in the real world.

This is my journey.