Michael, tell us a little bit about your gym.

“Michael Sweeney of Sweeney’s Gym recommends that we undertake in regular physical activity in order to enjoy better health and a reduced risk of many common diseases. But, how much exercise is recommended?”

a. an hour of challenging exercise, such as circuit training or an aerobics class, five times a week
b. an hour of running or swimming, three times a week
c. any moderate intensity activity that leaves you slightly out of breath, for at least 30 minutes per day, at least five times a week
d. any rhythmic, continuous activity that leaves you slightly out of breath, for at least 30 minutes per day, three times a week

The right answer is C.

Being physically active at this level has been shown to greatly improve a person’s health and well-being. The sort of activity you need to do is aerobic – which gives your heart and lungs a workout. You don’t have to go to a gym – walking briskly part of the way to work, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator all count towards this goal.

“How do you motivate people that don’t like to go to the gym?”

We’ve all had days when we don’t have the energy to tie our athletic shoes, let alone bounce around in them. But exercise can give a daily blast to your mind, body, and soul. Motivation comes from within. We help our members set goals. Without them, you are nothing! The guidelines for goal setting for Sweeney’s Gym are as follows. You must crawl first, like a baby, as your mind is ready to run 5 miles but your body is not. Next your ready to walk, meaning your body is catching up to your mind and you now can workout a little harder. Finally you now can run with the bulls, as your body can keep up with what your mind wants, which is to look good yesterday! Don’t get intimidated by the prospect of a daily exercise regimen. You don’t have to run a marathon. You need only to get your body moving each day. Once you tone your muscles, you’ll naturally find yourself wanting to do more challenging workouts.

“What are the newest trends in fitness?”

Boot camp

Based on military-style training, boot camps combine the instructor’s expertise with the support (and/or peer pressure) of other participants. The drills range from power skipping to reverse flies, all to increase cardio, strength and core fitness.

Pros: Because the exercises are infinitely combinable, each workout is new! The novelty is great for keeping both muscles and minds engaged. Plus, classes with small numbers offer a trainer’s personal attention at a fraction of the usual cost.”

Cons: Participants may overestimate their fitness level, overdo it, and stop working out, and, high-intensity workouts can cause injuries if the instruction isn’t personalized. To avoid injury, listen to your body and inform your instructor of any pre-existing injuries or conditions, and don’t be afraid to modify any moves if they’re too difficult for you.

“What is your favorite type of workout?”

Wow, this is not an easy question for me. I love to workout with so many different styles of training. I use all types of Cardio, free weights, machines, balls and bands. Working out is a great stress release for me and I love how it makes me feel inside and out. So my favorite workout would be anything that gets my blood pumping and my mind off everyday stressors.

“Do you think it is important to have workout goals? If yes, what are some goals you recommend to clients?”

I feel very strongly about my clients having goals and reviewing them every four to six weeks. If a client doesn’t have a goal then I make one for them to help them see themselves as something different then they have been used to for so many years. Example, I have many new clients come to see me because their doctor said if you don’t exercise you will increase your chance of a heart attack. Well, no one wants to die but the client at this point has no idea where to start. They forget that goal number one has been achieved by coming to see me and asking for help! I let them know this, as its simple positive reinforcement that they are taking the right steps to better their life and the ones around them. Everyone’s goals will be different, I will share with you a client’s goal that is on the front of his Personal Training folder that I put together here at Sweeney’s Gym so this client can see and remember why they are going to the gym.

Personal Training Folder For: XXXXX
1. If you want it, you can have it! Set Goals.
2. Fitness is not a fad, see you tomorrow.
3. Don’t forget to eat.
4. Drink lots of water.
5. Shut-up and train!
6. Train Legs.
7. Buy New Jeans!
8. Let Haters hate, it’s their lifestyle.
9. Review Goals…
10. More Cardio…

For more information on Sweeney’s Gym please visit: Sweeney’s Gym

Getting to the bottom of emotional eating will help you make healthier choices. Look at four ways we use food to handle emotions:

Stress eating: When you’re having a bad day (emotional stressor), you eat and eat till you end “food coma” numbing your body in order to block out the unpleasant emotion.         

Boredom Eating: You’re waiting for an appointment or a phone call or simply procrastinating, and suddenly you’re nibbling everything in sight. In this case, the emotion of boredom is relieved by this “nervous” eating.

Unconscious eating: You may find that you’ve finished off that entire carton of ice cream and you don’t remember how it happened. You are blocking some unpleasant feelings—and at the same time detaching yourself from your own actions.

Fear Eating: When you don’t want to face something in your life, distracting yourself with food helps you avoid coping with the uncomfortable situation.

It’s important to remember that your cravings are a window to your emotions. Emotional eating is really not about the food, its about what’s behind your cravings. The question then becomes: “What is my food covering up exactly?” If you eat emotionally, whether it is stress eating, boredom eating, unconscious eating or fear eating, you are shutting down your present awareness, your consciousness, in order to escape a current state of anxiety. While this may work for awhile, it only pushes your emotions down deeper and creates more stress and anxiety in the body. Addressing your emotions is the first key to putting an end to emotional eating. Consider that you have the following choices:

• You can go on ignoring your emotions and letting them live deep within you This will keep you in the vicious circle of emotional eating. Your relationships with food will serve only as a tool to hide your emotions rather than as something that nourishes you and provides you energy.

• You can acknowledge your emotions by allowing them to come to the surface. It may be difficult and painful, but the process of addressing your emotions will allow you to heal from the stress, fear or anxiety.

Emotional eating, and the cravings that lead to it, are not about food at all. They are attempts to avoid dealing with unpleasant emotions. And we all know, although it’s easy to forget, that the relief only works for a short time. Getting a handle on those unpleasant emotions is the key to putting an end to emotional eating. Here are some quick tips to help break the emotional eating cycle:

When that craving hits, take a minute to find out where it comes from. Will eating right now really solve the underlying issue?

Take 5 deep breaths before eating. Relaxing will help you to see more clearly what you are doing.
Chew. This slows you down and gives you time to realize what you are doing.
Create a list of comfort activities. It may be taking a walk, calling a friend, punching a pillow or sitting in silence. Comfort activities are much more likely to fill your body’s need than “comfort foods.”
Plan ahead. Know what triggers your stress and have your pantry stocked with healthy food like whole grains, vegetables and fruits.

By making these smarter choices your food will nourish you and give you energy, not add to your problems.

Suzanne Monroe, HHC, is a Food Coach and owner of Real Life Food. Suzanne helps busy people figure out what to eat and how to have more energy through her nutrition coaching programs. For more information on Suzanne’s programs, workshops, and recipes, or for a free food coaching session, visit www.reallifefood.com.

Gear to get going

If you’re a minimalist, all you need for that first class is a lightweight tee and shorts, double-knotted sneakers, a hand towel, and one big, read it, BIG water bottle for sipping on before, during and after class. Pants are okay as long as the fabric is breathable and narrow at the bottom so as not to risk getting caught in the bike’s crankset as you pedal your way to new heights of endorphin-induced bliss.

If you are dying for a reason to get new gear, class junkies sport colorfully designed tanks or jerseys with wicking fabric to manage all the sweat. Spandex cycling shorts flatter no one but are padded in all the right spots for comfort over the long haul. If you decide to go the extra mile, visit a reputable athletic or cycling store for guidance.

Shoes make every outfit . . . and this is no exception. The cleats on the bottom of specialized cycling shoes vary – stationary, racing, hybrid, and mountain bikes each have specific pedal clips – and you want the perfect fit. Once you’re hooked, you’ll recognize cycling shoes create a much more efficient pedal stroke and more power per revolution! You’ll kick butt in class without sacrificing the comfort of your feet.

Final note on gear – many serious cyclists use heart rate monitors to keep track of progress both in class and over time. There are lots of manufacturers with good products out there: Polar, Garmin, Timex, and Reebok to name a few. The options can be daunting and maybe the cost, but the good news is you don’t need to go high end!

Tips for enjoying your ride

Now that you’re looking good, what are start up tips for making through a class, dignity intact? Your best 411 is a seasoned instructor. Come to class a little early and let your teacher know you’re a rookie. They will be delighted to set you up appropriately on the bike. Seats move up, down, forward and aft to best align your feet with the pedals and handlebars are adjustable to take into account the comfort of your back. Your instructor will show you how to operate the resistance dial to create tension on the flywheel and the “emergency brake” that stops the weighted flywheel from turning. You’ll learn the biomechanics for riding seated (in the saddle), standing (body up, hands out), and you may even be instructed on how to hover (excruciatingly similar to a moving squat).

Beginners and advanced spinners ride side-by-side as this unique format allows every person to adapt the instructor’s profile to their level. You are in control! Make it a goal to build your aerobic base before adding heavy resistance or lots of speed. This can take several weeks but your instructor’s specially designed playlist will keep you motivated one pedal stroke at a time. You’ll be guided through riding hills and flats, maybe even a stage or two of the Tour de France. Meanwhile, you learn how to do cadence checks – revolutions per minute – and how to monitor your rate of perceived exertion – quantifying physical stress, effort and fatigue. Suffice it to say if you’re at 6, you may as well be on the couch. Between 12 and 16 you’re working in a beneficial training zone. If you manage to climb to 20, call 911!

In the winter, some of your classmates may be competitive cyclists working on muscular endurance and lactate threshold during the off-season. They’re the ones that really dig the sweat! Sprinkle in a few triathletes plus a couple of injured runners and the energy of the crowd will draft you through any rough spots. If your gym offers classes specifically for athletes or ones that last over an hour, consider bringing a sports drink or energy bar to replenish during the ride. And if you miss that opportunity, eat a light snack consisting of 3 parts carbohydrate to 1 part protein within an hour of finishing and you’ll recover quicker.

The enthusiasm and music preferences of your instructor matter – a lot. You’re on the bike between 40 and 90 minutes and it can get intense. If you don’t find a fit right away, don’t be discouraged. Every class has it’s own feel so keep looking. Ultimately, the right instructor can coach you toward better stamina, strength, and speed.

Ready to fly? Hop on your perfectly set up bike, drape a towel over the handlebars, make sure water is nearby, and adjust the strap around your foot cage or clip in. Start pedaling, light resistance, and as the music gets cranking, let it roll!

Stress is not a subject taught in school, it’s just something we all experience as part of life. While good stress keeps you focused, helps you generate ideas, and gives you a boost of energy, bad stress can affect your emotional and physical health. It wasn’t until I burned out, cleared away the fog that was my former career, and analyzed where I went wrong that I discovered some very valuable information. Specifically, these are the nuggets of advice about stress I wish I had received before entering the real world:

1.

2.

3.

a. Flat and frazzled. You are generally calm, but when stress hits, you have a big response. You are extremely sensitive to stress.
b. Life observer. This is the most rare stress type marked by an extreme state where you feel like you’re living in a bubble watching life pass you by.
c. Constant overdrive. Your engine is always revved. You have a hard time sitting still, often tap your feet or hands, and frequently clench or grind your teeth.
d. Sprint and crash. Stress keeps you focused and running so you can close deals, prepare for a big meeting, and manage all of your clients, but once the stress is reduced or eliminated, you crash.

4.

5.

6.

7.

The world needs more of you – strong, talented go-getters who are able to navigate the pressure that comes with being a high-achieving professional. These tools will help you not only succeed, but also thrive, allowing you to both live and work at a sustainable pace.

References
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1991). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper Perennial.
Fredrickson, B. (2009). Positivity. New York: Crown Publishers.
Loehr, J., & Schwartz, T. (2001). The making of a corporate athlete. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved on April 13, 2011 at http://www.peak4.nl/the_making.pdf.
McClellan, S., & Hamilton, B. (2010). So stressed. New York: Free Press.
Schwartz, B. (2004). The paradox of choice. New York: Harper Perennial.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Paula Davis-Laack, JD, MAPP, is a resilience and work/life performance coach who works with goal-oriented professionals to help them manage stress, perform at their best, and build strong, healthy lives. She is the Founder of the Marie Elizabeth Company, and her website is www.marieelizabethcompany.com.

PHYSIOLOGICAL SIDE EFFECTS

Most pills contain a diuretic which increases your rate of urination. Initially this will cause a quick weight loss due to the amount of water weight you will lose. Over time, however, continuing to urinate that frequently will cause you to be malnourished of essential vitamins and minerals.

On the other attractive end, certain diet pills can cause cramping and/or diarrhea. Discoveryhealth.com mentions that the fat blocker, orlistat, prohibits certain fats in your body from breaking down. If the fats do not break down they are not able to be properly absorbed into the intestinal track, so they too are excreted from the body. Once again, essential vitamins and minerals go along with them. An unnecessary increase in urination or excretion of wastes leads to an increase in loss of vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function properly to maintain energy and nourishment.

On the scarier side, you could start having seizures, heart attacks or strokes and have suicidal thinking! You do not know how your body will respond to any diet pill and your body will probably respond differently to all types.

WHAT TV DOES NOT TELL YOU – The Quick Facts

1. Diet pills trick the part of your brain that controls hunger into thinking you’re not hungry! How crazy is that? You could potentially be starving yourself without knowing.
2. Diet pills have been described by askmen.com as being “Thinly veiled amphetamines – Speed in prescription form.” So far, we’re starving ourselves and on speed.
3. The FDA issued a warning that 72 diet pills tested came back positive for containing rimoban (an unapproved ingredient in the U.S.) and phenolphthalein (a suspected cancer-causing agent).
4. A large majority of diet pills are produced in China and Brazil or labeled in Chinese or Brazilian because they all contain ingredients unapproved in the U.S. aka FOREIGN SUBSTANCES
5. Do you get drug tested at work? Certain diet pills contain amphetamines that will test positive in a drug test. Are these 5 scary risks worth temporary satisfaction?

OTHER IMPORTANT WARNINGS

Just like any other drug, diet pills can be very addictive and potentially destructive physically and psychologically. Always consult with your doctor before starting any diet pill. Doctors will respect the fact that you’re insistent on taking the pills and will guide you the best way that they can based on your medical history and current prescriptions you may be taking. In addition, doctors keep statistics on diet pills to send to the FDA based on what the market is taking and how it affects them. The FDA can use this information to assist in their research of this hazardous market.

If you had an extra $100 a month, what would you choose to spend it on? That is what you will pay minimally for a month’s supply of diet pills. For something that is unregulated, untested and unproven, why would you throw your money away? Fifty percent of that cost would cover a gym membership and a personal training session monthly! The gym option is the healthier, more enjoyable and SAFER choice.

POST DIET PILLS

So, you can’t afford them anymore, they were suddenly banned or you had a major side effect which caused you to stop taking the magic pills. What now? This is not a myth—y ou will gain some, if not all of your weight back!

According to livestrong.com, there are 4 main reasons why you will gain the weight back:
1. The water weight that we discussed earlier comes back almost immediately. If you remove the diuretic from your body you do not urinate as often. This leads to the water weight sitting on your body where it was leaving from before. On the positive side, your body is processing the nutrients it lost all that time.
2. You will eat more! Once you remove the appetite suppressors from your body, your body recognizes the feeling of hunger again. Not only will you start to eat more, but most likely overcompensate for nutrients lost.
3. Again, when you stop taking them, you’re removing daily ingredients your body was used to. Most diet pills have stimulants in them that help to increase your energy. Take away the stimulant and your body needs to readjust to its natural energy and endurance. You may feel a “crash” after awhile and lose the energy and drive to work out or function.
4. Finally, you will lose muscle mass. When you lose muscle mass, your body replaces it with fat.

TEMPORARY FIX

Due to loss of water weight and immediate appetite suppressing, diet pills do indeed give you a quick weight loss up front. However, just like with exercise or any substance we put into our bodies, we adapt to that. After about six months of taking a diet pill, your body will build a tolerance to the key ingredient causing the weight loss. In turn, you will plateau your weight loss at a certain point.

If you must use diet pills, take those six months to ease into a healthier lifestyle including a better diet and a regular workout routine. If you can maintain that when you stop taking the diet pills, you will notice less of a difference in weight loss and maintenance. So, what are some steps that you can take to create a healthier lifestyle without diet pills?

CREATING A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE

At the end of the day, it’s not about a quick fix diet. Through proper nutrition and daily activity, you will overall become a healthier, more energized bizgal. When trying to change your diet practices, you still want to be consuming a healthy amount of calories. You can calculate your personal recommended healthy calorie intake at choosemyplate.gov. This is a great website with diet tips and tools to allow you to monitor and maintain a healthy diet. You can receive personalized plans and track your nutrients daily. The 5 best diet practices are to avoid fatty foods, avoid sugary beverages, avoid dining out, eat breakfast and drink lots of water.

Please know that diet pills are not the way to go. Not only may diet pills be dangerous physically, but can skew your self-confidence and mental stability. No amount of quick weight loss is worth risking losing your life over. Instead, through healthy diet and exercise, you’ll feel better about the way you’re living. You’ll also have earned that health as opposed to popping a pill and taking the easy way out. When it comes to your diet remember balance, variation and portion control. When it comes to burning calories, sweat once a day and get involved in a workout that you enjoy. You’re worth it!

Sara E. Embrey is Area Director of Group Fitness for the Metropolitan Milwaukee YMCA. In addition to Personal Training and Instructing group fitness classes, she has a passion for helping people find the path to making health and fitness a priority in their lives, no matter what they have going on.

Sugar: a no-no for breakfast?
The problem is that sugar will just make you crash. It’s almost a catch-22 once you start eating lots of sugar. The more sugar you have in your blood, the more you crave it. Every time it crashes you; you take more to stay awake. Now, this does not mean we should totally get away from sugars and/or take sugar substitutes. It matters what kind of sugar we consume too. I am a big advocate on natural food, so natural sugar found in fruits, dried fruits and such is actually good for the body. All in moderation though.
So what’s the solution? I’ll say it again: All in moderation. Always read the labels. Educate yourself on nutrition labels and know what you’re putting in your body. It’s your body and it will treat you the way you treat it. If you put junk in it, it will run like junk. If you supply it with fresh nutritious meals, it will be thankful and provide you with energy.

Best breakfast choices
There are many great breakfast ideas. If you’re not used to eating breakfast, start with something small, a bite or two. And since we all live in the on-the-go world, if you don’t have much time to prepare a breakfast, try some of these great options to start your day on a healthy beginning:

My #1 choice: protein shake
It’s quick, easy, and takes literally seconds to make (I make mine in under 1 minute). A blender, if you don’t have one, is a great investment. In a blender, mix ice, skim milk or water (milk almost always tastes better), protein shake and some fruit. One of my favorite protein shakes is Prograde vanilla (you can find it on cpfitbody.com), but you can get a variety of different flavors from your local supplement and nutrition store (i.e. vitamin shoppe, gnc, etc.) and I love to add organic frozen blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. Mix and put in a shaker bottle and off you go! Drink it in your car or when you get to work. Quick, simple and yummy!

Second choice: nutrition bars
Grocery shelves offer many so-called nutrition or protein bars. Read labels. I have two favorites on my list: Larabar (fruit and nut bar) which is gluten free, vegan and kosher. Larabar has no other ingredients other than nuts and dried fruits, and the bars are really, really yummy! My other favorite is Craver (you can also find that on cpfitbody.com) and it’s organic, only 180 calories and has several varieties including peanut butter, almond butter or spirulina flavor.

My favorite breakfast item: oatmeal
I can make oatmeal 10 different ways and it always tastes good. Add some dates or raisins instead of having sugary cereal. It’s actually better to just add a scoop of sugar since that way you will know how much you’re consuming. It doesn’t take as long as you think to make it. I promise! There are a few different types of oatmeal, and you can get prepackaged or 1-minute oatmeal that you can make at work. Usually offices have coffee makers that also have hot water for tea. Grab a Styrofoam (not plastic, it will melt) cup, add a packet of oatmeal, add hot water to it and ta-da! Breakfast is ready!

Treat your body well. It will pay off. I promise.

Leks Stanic is a personal trainer in the Franklin, TN area. She has recently established her own training studio with the focus on people with weight issues. She conducts 1-on-1 training as well as “Better than boot camp” small group training classes. Once overweight herself, she learned the hard way what to do and has decided to focus on helping people today with same weight struggles. For more information on Leks and to get signed up for her newsletter with healthy recipes, visit www.CPfitbody.com.

“Anyone can cross the finish line,” triathlon training coach Mike Galvan says. And you’re never too old or out of shape to become a tri-athlete.

“I was a competitive dancer, who didn’t own a bike, had no idea how to put my face in the water, and hated running. One finish line changed my life,” says Laura Cozik. Today, she is the CEO of Team Lipstick, New York and D.C.’s largest all-women triathlon team, and Athletic Director for CNN’s Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge.

No Boys Allowed—
Women’s only triathlon teams and races are becoming more popular. In 2010, seven different organizations are hosting triathlon tours across the United States. Check out www.trifind.com to find your perfect race.

Go the Distance.
A standard, or Olympic distance triathlon consists of a .93 mile swim, 24.8 mile bike ride, and a 6.2 mile run. If these numbers seem overwhelming, there are races called sprint triathlons with all of the events being half the distance.

What you need to know for the race:
Wetsuits are recommended. Also, brace yourself for the temperature of the water—it may be cold. Beginner triathlete Martha Shelton, 32, remember panicking in the open water of her first triathlon. “I later discovered that my panic was actually quite ‘normal’ for a first-time triathlete.” The other swimmers get very close to you, and this is not something you experience while training on your own.

You have to strip off the wetsuit and hop on the bike. There are special shoes that clip into the bicycle pedals that you will need. Cozik suggests using a road bike, “No tri bike ‘til you’re ready for your second bike,” she explains.

Then you drop the bike and start off running. “I had no idea that switching from bike to run would cause my legs to wobble as much as they did; I literally almost fell on my face three or four times before I was able to run,” Shelton says.

Luckily, there are tons of websites, resources, and triathlon training groups to help you. Shelton did not join one of these groups.

“Joining a tri club is a great way to get motivated and meet like-minded people,” says Deena Patel. She also followed a beginner and posted it on her desk to stay motivated. She began tri-ing in her twenties, and is now training for an Ironman race.

And after all of your hard work is complete, the last obstacle is your nerves. “Turn nervous anxiety into positive energy! It’s easy to get scared and make yourself sick on race day or leading up to race day. Calm down, relax, think of someone or something that inspires you and let that be your strength!” recommends triathlon athlete Mandy Wong.

Of course crossing the finish is a big undertaking, but the process itself is often a priceless experience. “There’s something special about being awake really early in the morning running or cycling when no one else is around and all you can hear is the sound of your heartbeat and breathing,” says 25-year-old Chelsea Lesky, “It’s exciting and relaxing at the same time and it makes me realize that I’m really living life to the fullest and enjoying every moment.”

Most of us love traveling . . . for work and for pleasure (mostly for pleasure, I’m sure!). But being away from your home-base can be a challenge to stay on track when it comes to your fitness and “figure” goals . . . not to mention if you’re away on a conference or business trip then your schedule is jammed-pack from early morning to late at night.

I find most gals think when they are on vacation or on a business trip, they are doomed to gain weight because of the change of routine, lack of schedule (especially on vacation), and temptations of food and drink.

It’s time to change that way of thinking. Traveling is actually the perfect opportunity to reset your routine. In fact, staying active and making good food choices is critical to help avoid the negative effects of traveling. Your body is trying to make adjustments of travel, adapt to the physiological changes when you fly, and combat jet lag and varied sleep patterns—all of which affect your metabolism and ability to effectively burn fat and maintain your energy.

With my fair share of traveling for both work and pleasure, I’ve come up with three “go-to” rules to keep me on track even when I’m on the road.

#1 ROAD WARRIORETTE RULE: KEEP HYDRATED! When you fly you tend to retain water. It is absolutely critical to be hydrated before, during, and after your flight to keep your system in check. Dehydration will also trigger false “hunger-pangs” that we often mistake as hunger when it’s really our body telling us it just needs hydration.

I always buy a big water bottle after going through security to take with me on the plane (hopefully you get an aisle seat so you can get up a few times!). Aim to drink half of your bodyweight in ounces of pure, unadulterated water each day, and you want to be sure you’re hydrating at least two days before your trip. If you’re drinking alcohol, do the drink-water-swap so that you can keep your body from becoming further dehydrated from the alcohol.

#2 ROAD WARRIORETTE RULE: PACK YOUR BREAKFAST! We all know the most important meal of the day is a solid breakfast (whether traveling or not). If you start with a complete breakfast you set your metabolism up to burn more efficiently through the day, have more energy especially if you’re jet-lagged, and you’re less likely to get late-day cravings.

Here are a few of the easy snack and breakfast foods I always pack on my trips (for both vacation and business):
• Ziplock baggie of raw whole oats
• Packets of almond butters (or a small container), I’ve found Justin’s Nut Butters makes convenient travel packets of their natural nut butters (this is great to add to an apple if you can get your hands on one from the hotel or local store . . . yes, I’m the one that “helps myself” to a few extra pieces of fruit from the hotel fitness centers if they have it
• Ziplock baggie of Whey Protein Powder in my shaker bottle
• A few meal bars (I just found KIND bars, but keep in mind that they are mostly dried fruit and nuts, so they are high in natural sugar, be sure to eat these earlier in the day so you have time to burn it off)
• Ziplock of almonds or mixed nuts

Here’s a super-quick breakfast tip that will rev up your metabolism for the rest of the day: Boil 1 cup of hot water using the hotel room coffee maker. Put about ½ cup of raw oats in a mug and pour the boiling water over the oats and sit for a few minutes. I use about 2:1 parts water to oats, but you can adjust to how you like it. You can add a tablespoon of almond butter or a handful of almonds. Even if you have a breakfast meeting or continental breakfast, you can still grab some fruit and maybe a hard-boiled egg to complete your breakfast and hold you over through the morning.

#3 ROAD WARRIORETTE RULE: HIGH-INTENSITY WORKOUTS! When you’re on the road, the last thing you want to do is spend an hour in the hotel gym (if you even have access to one), and you never know what equipment will be available. I put together this hotel workout you can do with no equipment in your hotel room. This workout combines cardio intervals with bodyweight resistance (which is a perfect way to build lean, tone muscle).

Road Warriorette Hotel Workout

Warm-up (2-3 minutes of jumping jacks, mountain climbers, jogging in place, etc.)

Jump squats
Pushups
Helicopters
Side hop lunges
Cool down/stretch

Get more out of your travels than just client meetings, conferences, good food and nice weather (hopefully!) and in no more than 30 minutes you can get your sweat on and your body will thank you!

Cheers to healthy, happy travels!

Lindsay Vastola, CFT is corporate manager-turned-fitness professional specializing in designing fitness programs for the success-driven career woman. Updated frequently, you can find information on Lindsay’s latest transformation programs, 18-minute workouts, and on-the-go eating tips on her blog at http://www.BeABoardroomBabe.com. She is also the founder of Body Project Fitness located in Central New Jersey. Her mission is to design effective fitness programs for the ambitious career woman to help get her to the top and look damn good while she’s at it!

1. Find 1 workout buddy to workout with

a. Nothing will get you to the gym more steadily than a date! Find a friend who has a similar schedule and interests and plan a weekly time to meet. What a great option compared to coffee, lunch or cocktails where all you’re doing is consuming calories. Get together, sweat, gossip and feel amazing after!

2. Increase the intensity of your cardio work out 2x/wk

a. Whether you’re jogging, biking or using the elliptical, increase intensity twice a week in two ways. Either increase the intensity (speed, resistance or incline) or time of an interval. If you normally use the elliptical at resistance of 7, aim to increase that (even by .5) 2 times a week. The reason this is suggested is because over time, your body adapts to the workouts it is doing. We need to constantly keep our muscles guessing and challenged!

3. Strength train 3x/wk depending on your personal goals

a. When you’re working for overall general health and fitness, aiming to strength train 3x/wk is a very realistic goal. Strength training can also include pilates and/or yoga, it does not necessarily have to be pumping the iron! As women, strength training is so important not only to our muscles, but our bone health and strength as we age.

4. Make sure you involve these 4 components of physical wellness

a. Cardio, Strength Training, Flexibility and Healthy Eating—alone, these all give you great benefits. Combined, they will give you long lasting, outstanding benefits and also quicker results!

5. Eat a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day

a. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that the average 25-year-old active (30-60 minutes a day of physical activity) woman should have 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day; 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables specifically. As always though, more is better!

6. Evaluate your progress and goals every 6 weeks

a. If you’re tracking progress through body composition or circumference measurements, 6 weeks is a good amount of time in between to allow your body to progress and change. Less time than that might not show significant changes, depending on your body type and activity level.

7. Make sure you get 30 minutes of physical activity 7 days a week

a. The USDA’s mypyramid.gov states “For health benefits, physical activity should be moderate or vigorous and add up to at least 30 minutes a day.” Even if you’re taking the dog for a light jog, get moving!

8. If you’re trying to lose weight, 8 lbs per month is a healthy and attainable goal to set

a. Losing more than 1-2 lbs per week can be risky to your health. The National Library of Medicine’s program, Medline Plus suggests, “A slow weight loss of 1 or 2 pounds a week, until the desirable body weight is reached, is best.” Losing small amounts over a longer period of time also helps you maintain your weight loss.

9. Mix up your workouts! Here are 9 ways outside of the gym to get in your physical activity in a fun way

a. Running outside
b. Hiking
c. Swimming outside
d. PLAY!
e. Bike to work
f. Clean your house
g. Help a friend move
h. Go dancing
i. Kayaking

10.

After following some or all of these tips, your confidence, health, balance and happiness will shoot to a 10! As with all bodies and health and fitness, all “rules” are simply guidelines and you have to find what works best for your lifestyle and your body!

Happy Counting!

Sara E. Embrey is Area Director of Group Fitness for the Metropolitan Milwaukee YMCA. In addition to Personal Training and Instructing group fitness classes, she has a passion for helping people find the path to making health and fitness a priority in their lives, no matter what they have going on.

It’s the perfect time to jump start your workout routine! Here’s a sample of what will keep you hot as the temperature cools . . .

Hot Yoga for the Yogini Workup a purifying sweat in a heated room—as high as 105 degrees—as you focus on strengthening muscles and improving flexibility on your way to spiritual enlightenment!

Where: Find a studio offering Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga and go with the flow, or try a Bikram Yoga class where you are led through 26 postures, each held for a period of time. Group classes typically last 90 minutes and qualified instructors assist you in mastering the breath and finding the best alignment possible for your body. As your physical condition improves so will your mental sharpness and stamina.

Although the group dynamic adds a lot to the experience, for those who want to launch a yoga practice in the comfort of home, there are many great books, videos, DVDs, and CDs. Check out the following websites for more detailed information: www.baronbaptiste.com and www.bikramyoga.com

What to Wear: For a great look and the best comfort around (flat seams— no chafe—and gussets to follow the way your body moves), check out Lululemon Athletica: www.lululemon.com. My choice pairing is the chic Belle Tank along with the flattering-on-everyone Hip Pant *R* Narrow . . . take a peek on-line!

 
• Stand at top edge of mat
• Inner arches of feet connected, spine lifted, hands in front of chest
• Inhale, sweep arms out & lift overhead, palms together
• Stand tall in Mountain Pose with slight arch in spine, look at fingertips
• Exhale hinging at hips into a Forward Fold
• Look at your knees, lengthen spine
• Lift just your gaze with a flat back for Halfway Lift
• Soften knees, bringing palms flat
• Step one foot back at a time into High Plank, ribcage lifted to support spine
• Lower slowly to Low Plank and hover above mat
• Press forward and through, tops of feet on floor for Upperward Facing Dog
• Hips low, chest forward and up
• Press into heels of hands to lift hips high in Downward Facing Dog
• Body an inverted V, knees straight, heels toward floor
• Look between hands and step one foot forward at a time to a
  Forward Fold
• Fan arms out to sides and lift overhead, standing tall in Mountain Pose
• Lower hands to heart center and breathe . . .