Tuesday's Fitness Tip

Having trouble getting motivated to get off the couch and workout?  Try tracking your exercise in a fitness log or journal.  Write down what you did, how you felt, and the levels you performed at.  Don't forget to jot down if you were feeling motivated or not this day!  This will not only hold you accountable, but you will be able to see results; especially if your physical body is not changing as fast as you would like it to.  You may see that you are able to do more work for the same amount of energy or do your speed work a bit faster this week than last.  If you still find that it is not holding you accountable, grab a friend or join a group (such as a running, track, or cycling group) that can push you through your weaker days.  And if you really don't feel motivated, my best advice is to suck it up and go anyway.  You won't regret it!

oxox, Em

Exercise Makes Me Happy

Benefits of a Regular Exercise Routine:

1.  Allows you to feel more confident with your body
2.  Improves your sex life
3.  Improves circulation
4.  Boosts your mood
5.  Prevents bone loss
6.  Helps you sleep better by falling asleep faster and sleeping more soundly
7.  Prevents and manages high blood pressure and cholesterol levels
8.  Helps manage stress by boosting good endorphins and regulating hormones
9.  Helps with pain management
10.  Increases muscle strength
11.  Helps in the battle to quit smoking
12.  Reduces risk of stroke and coronary artery disease
13.  Delays the aging process and maintains quality of life
14.  Allows seniors to maintain their independence longer
15.  Provides a way to share activities with family and friends
16.  Counters anxiety and depression
17.  Releases tension
18.  Improves memory and brain function
19.  Stabilizes blood sugar levels
20.  Burns fat and calories
21.  Improves learning
22.  Keeps Alzheimer's at bay
23.  Improves the complexion of your skin
24.  Lowers your resting heart rate
25.  Aids in weight loss
26.  Boosts the immune system
27.  Enhanced sport performance
28.  Reduce risk of some cancers
29.  Improves self esteem
30.  Allows you to meet new people
31.  Brings you to new places and locations
32.  Provides you with opportunity to explore
33.  You are able to try new activities
34.  It allows you to push your body to the limit
35.  Exercise makes you happy :)

Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy... happy people just don't shoot their husbands.  -Elle Woods, Legally Blonde

Do You Walk Enough?

If you have a job that allows you to move and use your body for physical labor, consider yourself lucky!  Numerous studies are starting to raise awareness of the amount of sitting and how it has a huge impact on your health.  These studies will go so far to say that sitting too long actually raises your death risk.  

Most of us have a desk job where we sit for about 8 hours a day.  Maybe in the morning or after work you spend about an hour at the gym and another 2 hours running errands and making dinner, but combined with the amount of time Americans spend in the car or on the couch, it adds up to way too much sitting throughout the day.  

A study that followed 222,497 adults during their daily life over several years discovered that, over the course of the study, participants who sat for more than 11 hours a day had the highest risk for all-cause mortality, followed by those who sat between 8-11 hours a day and those who sat for less than 4 hours daily had the lowest risk for all-cause mortality.

The scariest thing about these studies are the fact that the effects of sitting this long can NOT be exercised away.  Although you burn more calories, you do not increase the overall muscle activity in the body.  A different study proved that the muscles of people who are desk workers are inactive for about 70% of the day, regardless if they do planned exercise or not.

The take away point?  We need to move more! On average, people currently walk 3,000-4,000 steps per day.  According to the World Health Organization's daily activity requirement, we should walk about 10,000 steps daily for general health.    And if you are trying to lose weight... increase that number to 20,000 steps per day.  A good goal for individuals who are trying to become more active, is to increase average daily steps each week by 500 per day until you can easily average your final goal of 10,000-20,000.

The easiest way to track your number of steps is with a pedometer.  Start by wearing one every day for a week from sunrise to when your feet hit the bed.  At the end of each day, log how many steps you took in a notebook and find your average daily steps at the end of the week.  My guess is you'll be surprised at how many (or should I say how few) steps you took!

You can purchase a basic pedometer at a local sporting goods store for a relatively good price.  I like the Omron Pedometer HJ 320 because it uses a pendulum design so that it doesn't miscount steps.  With this design you can wear the device wherever it feels best (on your body or even in a purse!).  This device also has 7 day memory so you can see how you are progressing over the week.

If you are not ready to spend any money on something like this yet and you have a smart phone, you could always try an app.  I use the "Pacer" app from an Iphone.  Just be careful to pause the pedometer if you are picking your phone up and down a lot as it may read as a step.

Finally, I love Fit devices such as the FitBit Flex, The Nike Fuelband or the Up by Jawbone.  Check those out on a recent blog I did here.

Need some great tips to help you get started?
1. Park in the back of the lot when you get to work or go to the store
2. Take the stairs over the elevator or escalator when possible
3. Go to a different floor/building when you need to use the restroom
4. Set an alarm at your desk to get up and do a lap around the office every hour
5. Fidget while you work at your desk
6. Incorporate walking lunges into your workout routine to burn extra calories while doing bicep curls or an overhead press
7. Schedule a walking work meeting or walk during a conference call
8. Skip the drive through and walk in to get your coffee or lunch
9. Instead of meeting a friend for lunch, meet up for a hike or walk in the city
10. Walk the dog everyday (good chance that if your dog is overweight... you aren't getting enough exercise!)

Get Motivated | Do the Work | See Results

Enjoy some of my motivational finds of the day... What motivates you to do more?  Thanks to all who provided these pictures and quotes as inspiration and motivation to people like me!  My goal is to be a fitspiration to others in order to see individuals live their life, the best that it can be!  

oxox, Em

Couples Who Train Together... Stay Together

Relationships have power over everything these days.  As wonderful as it is to have someone's back and to always have someone to take your side, can your relationship be affecting your overall health and wellness?  We see many couples who start to become serious and then "let themselves go" with the thought they don't need to impress anyone anymore; I've already found "The One".  

This way of thinking should be banned right here and now.  Not only are you hurting yourself, but your hurting your partner.  Lack of exercise combined with bad nutritional health can leave both of you with heart problems, high blood pressure and cholesterol and packing on the pounds.  Lack of exercise can deprive you of sleep, raising stress levels and keeping you irritable (especially when it comes to financial discussions and disputes about who does what chores).  Not to mention it can have a big impact on your intimate relationship.  

Pic from Beautymeetsblog.com

But is it possible for an individual to make the changes without the support of their significant other?  Can you take that valuable time to go for a run or head to the gym while the other is at home watching "your favorite show"?  Can you eat a salad and chicken breast while your "better half" just downed half a pizza.  The answer is complicated.  Sooner or later it will be hard to stay committed to someone who does not value their health the way you value your own.  

The good news is that you may be the only person who can get through to your partner.  As much as a primary care provider may say, "I think your weight is becoming an issue to your health", that doctor can not go with them to the gym.  That doctor can not prepare a healthy meal for them.  So the big question is... 
"How do you get them on board?"


1.  Schedule an appointment with your partner's doctor for a physical and check-up.  (Mostly needed for individuals who have previous health complications or are new to exercise and over the age of 40.)  If possible, go with to the appointment, but act more as support, in case, they respond with a defensive side.

2.  Commit to making changes as a team.  Plan your meals together ahead of time including favorite recipes with a healthy twist.  Set goals together that are attainable and will inspire momentum for complete habit overhauls.  Start small with something such as exercising 30 minutes at least 5 days a week and move to things you have always wanted to do together.  Hike up a mountain, go skydiving, or join a softball league.  

3.  Support one another.  Make it easier for them to eat right and exercise, even if that means removing all "junk" from your cupboards, staying in and cooking other than dining out, and arrange your schedules to be able to exercise together.  This will help eliminate some of the excuses they may have for neglecting the change.  At least once a week, have an "active date night" such as: a night dancing, playing a round of golf, learning to rock climb, playing Wii Fit, taking a group exercise class, going ice skating, shopping for new furniture, or even walking the dog.  Make sure to take turns picking the date idea.  

4.  Reaffirm the change's they have made, verbally and physically.  Compliments help your partner realize how much you appreciate his or her efforts, motivating them to continue.  On the same side, a little extra physical attention never hurt either.  Reinforce the thought of how attractive you find each other with a little extra squeeze or kiss.

5.  Celebrate successes together, both big and small.  Once you hit your goals whether it's of reaching a certain weight or being able to run a 5K, use nonfood rewards to recognize the work you have both put in.  Maybe that means purchasing new music for a workout playlist, or something as big as a weekend getaway, but put in the time.  Celebrating both the big and the small will help to constantly remain motivated and feel positive about the healthy changes that are being made.

Good luck!  Let me know how you have had success motivating a partner to get on board!
oxox, Em