Make A Plan And Commit To Be Fit!

Make A Plan And Commit To Be Fit!

The first step in succeeding at your health and fitness goals is to make a plan, then you need to set a goal and stay commited and find someone to make you accountable to your goals!

Setting specific goals is always the best way to kick start a new health and fitness routine. Sit down and write what your goals are and make a plan to reach them, I always journal what my goals are, it helps me stay accountable and on track. I do this in all areas of my life not just my physical goals, if you want to lose weight, get in shape or to live a more positive life and remove negativity from your everyday life then make a plan on how you are going to deal with negative people and situations. If you are looking to change another situation in your life write it down in a journal and every night before you go to sleep write how you dealt with that situation each day. This approach has proven successful every time I have used it and it has a 100% success rate for my clients too, Give it a try!

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Is Your Desk Job Making You Unhealthy?

Is Your Desk Job Making You Unhealthy?

Back and neck pain is at an all time high and we need to start reversing the effects on our bodies now, before it becomes a permanent issue on our posture and long term health!

The American Academy of Family Physicians has warned of the possible dangers of prolonged sitting and serious health risks, including a shorter lifespan and increased risk of disease, the AAFP also said it is even more pronounced in people who never exercise or do so only on occasion. But the reality is that most office jobs require a long day working in front of a computer.

Most of us have to work, so what should we do? It is really pretty simple, get moving with a few stretches and by getting up and moving your body throughout the workday to help counteract tightness in the hips, back and shoulders, which are the main areas, affected by sitting all day!

"As we sit throughout the day, the energy in the spine gets stiff and stagnant, you need to elongate the spine, and it will energize the nervous and muscle systems in our bodies. That's why standing up and doing a few the back bends are so invigorating; they open up the spine and allow energy and blood to flow back into the area and it also opens up the chest muscles, which really opens up the body’s energy flow. Add neck and shoulder stretches and lots of water throughout your workday and you will feel like a new person the first day you begin!

So now you know what to do during the day to stay fit and energized, you also need to find a few times per week to get your exercise routines in, it is a must for your health and well being, trust me it is a lot easier to make time for yourself now that it is to recover from a illness or surgery caused by a sedentary lifestyle! So get up and get moving.

Need a little extra push, motivation and accountability? Contact me at www.fithealthyandfabulous.com

Women Should Be Weight Lifting!

Actually, Women Should Be Weight Lifting!

The most common misconception is that if women lift weights they will get big, bulky muscles and look like a professional body builder, this is not true and I am sure that professional body builders all over the world wish it were that easy! To their credit, it takes a lot of discipline and dedication to get to look like that! Women need not worry about looking like Mr Olympia since the ability to get huge muscles takes testosterone and women simply do not produce the amount of testosterone that men do, so in reality women cannot build the same muscle size as a man.

Women actually need more weight lifting in their daily routines as they age because it slows down the progression of osteoporosis, it also helps all those trouble areas stay up and toned! Be sure to  increase your weights as you build strength, it is the repeated tearing and repairing of muscle fibers that builds definition and strength.

Most people think that they need to do a lot of cardio training to lose weight and get in shape, cardio may burn more calories while you are doing it, but you will burn more calories after your weight training session is over that will continue long after your session is complete!

So let's go ladies, pick up those weights and get that toned tight body you have always dreamed of!

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Quick Healthy Tips

Quick Healthy Tips

Exercise: A body in motion is a healthy one!  Plain and simple you need to exercise. The American Heart Association recommendation 

for overall cardiovascular health is at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity 5 days per week, 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity at least 3 days per week or a combination of moderate-vigorous intensity aerobic activity

 with moderate to high intensity muscle strengthening activity at least 2 times per week. For lowering blood pressure and cholesterol 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic activity 3 or 4 times per week is recommended. It is also very important to strength train for increased bone density and to prevent osteoporosis and to keep your posture in alignment at any age.

Team Up: Find a reliable and consistent exercise partner, someone you can rely on to go to personal training sessions and to the gym with, you need to support one another and be accountable to each other, plan healthy meals, make the right food choices and work together to reach your health and fitness goals. This person should be someone that will have your best interests at heart; you should inspire each other to be the best you can be!

Start The Day Off Right: Jump start your metabolism by eating breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up. Be sure to add fiber to your breakfast, fiber keeps you full and in turn helps you shed pounds. A veggie packed egg white omelet with high fiber toast is a good choice.

Prepare: One of my most valued words of advise to my clients is preparation! You need to prepare your meals and not have any processed foods and unhealthy snacks in your home or at the tip of your fingers, this will always have the ability to set you back. Every week I cut up fresh fruits and veggies for the week, I make sure there is a healthy organic yogurt dip and fresh peanut butter to dip them in too.  I also keep almonds and natural fruit and granola bars in stock for on the run snacks.

Make Your Own Lunch: Brown bag it! Trust me this is a calorie intake killer, just three on the go lunches a week can make you gain weight. They are often unhealthy, processed foods with little value to the body. Make a healthy sandwich or salad the night before and grab it and go in the morning.

Log Your Days: Record your workouts and daily meals, snacks and drinks. This type of accountability will keep you on track and has a proven success rate! Increase your success by hiring a Health Coach to be accountable to, your coach will offer you guidance, support and be there if you feel that you may go off track.

Walk The Dog or Volunteer:  Walking your dog every day keeps you and your best friend in shape! Don't have a dog? Volunteer at your local animal shelter as a dog walker, help a shelter dog be social and get exercise too.

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Healthy Snacks!

Healthy Snacks…..Yes, there really is such a thing! With so many manufacturers putting “all natural ingredients” on their labels it can be very confusing for the consumer, I have seen many products with this label and they were loaded with sugar, sodium and other ingredients. One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they do not prepare for those hunger pangs that come unexpectedly even though we know they are going to eventually hit us throughout the day, it is easy to grab whatever is right there to satisfy that hunger. This is the reason why it is best to keep on hand a few snacks that you know are healthy and not loaded with the wrong ingredients, like high fructose corn syrup, artificial and processed additives just to name a few.

Two of my favorite and very convenient snacks are Artisana Organic Raw Cacoa Bliss and Almond Butter.  They come in individual little packets that are just the right size. I put them on all natural organic rice cakes and fruit, they are delicious and very satisfying. They come in many different nut flavors and can be added to smoothies too! Keep them in your purse, desk or office break room with your favorite all natural organic crackers.

You can find these at your local health food store or online.  I am lucky, my local health food store here in New Jersey, The Health Stop carries my two favorite flavors and they are always happy to order additional flavors and larger jars for me too!

Happy July 2015!

Happy July!  Beaches, barbeques, fun in the sun and the Fourth of July! 

The Fourth of July is such a fantastic holiday in the United States, the Declaration of Independence! We are so lucky to be free and live in such an amazing country! There are many that are not so fortunate in our world.

Red, White and Blue everywhere you go! Beautiful fireworks, picnics, barbecues, weddings and so many wonderful celebrations of friends and family happen at this time of the year. Take a moment and be thankful for your freedom of choice, life and all that you have no matter where you are at this time, even if it is not the best place right at this moment, have faith that you will get where you want in such a great country with so many opportunities and dreams to reach for. The sky is the limit here in the United States Of America, now go out there and make your dreams come true !

God Bless America!

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Happy MID-Year 2015

We all think of making healthy lifestyle changes as a New Year Resolutions, we want to start the new year fresh with changes for the better, why not in June? Now is the best time to revisit your New Year resolutions for 2015,  did you stay on track? If you did that's great, if not do not worry you can make a MID-Year resolution with new goals and remember a successful change takes time and patience to have longevity, you need to adjust to the healthy lifestyle changes and make them a part of your daily routine. Did you know that it takes an average of 20 days to create a habit and six months for it to actually become part of your everyday life, you also need to mentally prepare yourself and get motivated for a successful outcome, 20 percent of those who succeed start slow and gradually, making the necessary adjustments that it takes to succeed with their fitness goals over a period of time.

I know I have said it time and time again, PLEASE do not focus on the SCALE and the number that you see! This is often a negative experience for many people and I really believe this to be one of your worse habits and it should be the very first change that you make and keep!  Focus on your goals not the scale, remember muscle weighs more than fat and weight training increases bone density, muscle mass and strength while burning fat! You will lose fat and weight along the way but a good program will increase your muscle mass as it reduces fat.

My advice to people who really want to achieve their fitness goals is to start training with a Personal Trainer or Health Coach,  a personal trainer will keep your workouts fresh, mix it up and keep you focused and on track, schedule your training and make yourself accountable, let your coach help you make small changes one at a time, maybe cut out sugar one week, processed foods the next, learn to meditate and always start and end you day with a happy, positive mindset.

Small changes BIG results! Happy MID-Year to you all!

www.fithealthyandfabulous.com