Stop Making Excuses!

Stop Making Excuses! If YOU do not take responsibility for your own health no one else will.

One of the top excuses a personal trainer constantly hears “ I just cannot find the time to exercise” Trust me on this one, you have to make the time, what happens if you get sick from living an unhealthy lifestyle or you get hurt due to lack of exercise, poor circulation, stiffness and restricted flexibility. This is something that I see all the time, overweight or unfit people that have knee, hip and back injuries, not to mention all the other medical conditions that come with unhealthy living, such as diabetes, heart disease, the list goes on. These same people who do not find time to take care of themselves have to find time for the downtime that is takes to recover from injury, illness, surgery, rehabilitation and being out of commission from not living a healthy lifestyle in the first place! Why not start now and avoid the inevitable?

You have to make the "time" not the "excuses" to stay fit and healthy! I too had to learn to eat clean, and make sure that I fit exercise into my weekly schedule. I am just as busy as the next person, I work, manage a business and client schedules, volunteer with several dog rescue groups, travel to Mexico to work at sterilization clinics for population control of dogs, maintain a Facebook page called "Rescue Me" for dogs in need of homes and I also write two monthly articles about all things dog and fitness! I get it, time management is hard, but if I want to stay healthy and fit I have to schedule time for myself. I know it is not easy, but we all need to consider what is best for our bodies and just do it without all the excuses that are stopping us!

Here are a few tips to help you on your way to a healthier lifestyle.

I cannot say this enough, you need to be consistent in your exercise routines! You cannot work out only when feel like it. You will not get results, which will lead to frustration and you will most likely quit all together. Schedule your sessions and keep them, you need to work around the most important person in your life: YOU! I can only do so much with a client if they do not show up to an appointment on a regular basis. I am committed to them, they too need to be committed to themselves to reach their goals and be healthy and fit.

Friends and family are a big part of our lives. Do your friends call you to take a walk, an exercise class or are they more likely to ask to meet for a drink or dinner dates that include food, alcoholic beverages and desserts? Here is where you can take the lead, you can suggest healthier options; all it takes is one friend to suggest something new amongst the group! Work out with friends who are motivated and challenge you to get to the next level and want to be pushed just as hard by you during your workouts. Throughout my career I have witnessed people purposely sabotage their friends and partners health and fitness plans by offering poor lifestyle choices such as going to bars with more alcohol and unhealthy food choices and even trying to get them to skip their personal training sessions, sadly the list goes on but let's not focus on the negative and remember to focus on our own health should these situations arise in our lives.

Families can learn to exercise together too, Schedule time to exercise, walk, bike ride, go on a hike, or toss a Frisbee, There are also a lot of outdoor games and sports that you can all do together that are really a lot of fun. Remember years ago when we actually spent time together and laughed, spoke to one another and actually had fun? Laughter is a great way to stay healthy, put your phones down and really connect with each other, it is becoming a lost past time. Cell phones are taking up too much of our personal space, studies show that it is a very negative, disconnected habit with a future outcome that is only going to get worse.

Do any of these following excuses sound familiar?

The plumber, contractor or some other person has to come at your scheduled time; did you really have to schedule right at the same time? You hire them and you can tell them to come before or after your scheduled session time, most personal training sessions are 30 or 60 minutes in duration, scheduling around that window of time is possible, I do it when I have an appointment and so can you. You are in charge of your schedule more than you realize, give this a try. You will be amazed at how much less frazzled and stressed you will feel if you take control of your schedule.

I am too tired today; I stayed out late, I just got home from work. The fact is, exercise will boost your energy and help you get through the day in a positive, more relaxed way and that night you will get a great night's sleep. If you think you just feel tired or sluggish and not like you are coming down with something, you should try to exercise, once you start to exercise it will actually improve your energy, mood and focus. Always drink plenty of water, dehydration causes fatigue, reach for a glass of water not coffee when you feel tired!

I can only come once per week, I feel too sore after I work out; Obviously the more you exercise, the better the results. Your body will adapt to exercise and once you start feeling energized and healthy you will start to look forward to exercise and having that "feel good" feeling every time. A good exercise program progresses until you reach your goals and then is maintained accordingly. Figure out what times work best for you and your schedule to assure that you get your workouts in. If you keep missing your afternoon or lunchtime workouts, try exercising earlier in the morning. I find that morning clients stick to their times best because they get it done and can get on with their day without the potential of something coming up. Do what works for you NO EXCUSES!

Hire a certified fitness trainer to teach you the best direction to go for scheduling your personal training sessions, by assessing your health and lifestyle habits they can suggest the best times for you that will keep you on track and accountable. An experienced, certified personal trainer will awaken your mind and body to that healthy feeling that keeps you going, they will make you want to exercise and live a better lifestyle with a bright, healthy future.

Set your mind to succeed, no excuses! Good Luck! FitHealthyandFabulous.com

What is Reiki?

What is Reiki? This is the most common question asked when it comes to this wonderful method of energy healing!

Reiki is a relaxing, powerful healing technique that was developed by Dr. Mikao Usui. Dr. Usui developed these powerful Japanese healing techniques in the late 1800s. Reiki (“RAY-kee”) is a Japanese word meaning “spiritually guided life force energy.”

Reiki is internationally recognized. In India, Reiki is called prana. In China, it is called Chi. Many call it God Force Energy, Healing Energy or Love Energy. Life Force Energy flows through everything that is alive; humans, plants and animals.

Reiki can be used alone or in conjunction with many forms of medical or therapeutic treatments, as a matter of fact it has been gaining so much popularity due to it’s effectiveness many veterinarian, medical and cancer treatment centers are now offering Reiki sessions to their patients. Reiki can found being practiced in Hospice, pre and post surgerical treatments, mental health clinics and chiropractic offices and the list goes on. I have been practicing it on domestic pets and wildlife for anxiety and injuries with positive results. Reiki works from a higher power and is only limited by the one who is recieving the treatment, this is why I feel that animals respond so well to Reiki, because animals are not skeptical or judgemental to the treatment and never overthink it.

During a Reiki treatment the trained practitioner places their hands on or above the recipient’s body usually starting at the head, holding the position until the energy starts to flow, the hand positions move over the body until all areas are complete. Reiki will always flow to the areas where it is needed most. Most people feel an immediate sense of relaxation, peace and relief from pain, some feel the effects a few hours or days later. Each person has a different experience with Reiki.

It is believed that when a person’s life force energy is low or blocked, their body is running on a lower vibration and they are more likely to experience pain or become ill. If it is running on a higher vibration and flowing smoothly through the body then the person is more resilient to pain, illness and disease. To most people this is known as living a “positive” or “negative” life. Reiki therapy helps balance the energy system of the body, by increasing the vibrational frequency. It is believed that when the life force energy (aka: chi) within the body is balanced it leads to increased relaxation, improved health, an overall feeling of well-being and happiness.

When choosing a Reiki practitioner be sure that they have recieved the Reiki attunements and certifications before allowing them to work on you, your body and energy. Many people ask me to practice on them or read their energy. Reiki is not a party game or something that you show an example of when out to dinner with friends or at gatherings, it is to be respected and used correctly at all times.

Contact us for more information and to schedule an appointment for Reiki.

Habits Of Thin People

What are the habits of thin people anyway? And why don't they have issues with weight gain like most of us?

Or do they and we need to find out more...

It turns out they do have a few secrets up their sleeves! And after asking a few different people that were considered "thin" this is what I learned.

Thin people only eat when they are hungry. This is an issue for many people who eat when they are stressed or bored. This poor habit can be a game changer in a person's weight loss goals for sure. Simple solution, eat if you are hungry and if you do not feel hungry, don't eat!

Thin people are mindful of what they put on their plates, most eat minimal meat products and rarely eat processed foods. They also watch their portions, if they feel like having more then they will add it to their plate after finishing the first serving.

When snacking they all said they pour the amount they are going to eat into a bowl and they never eat out of the bag, which keeps the portion and calories down. This is always a smart approach to snacking. Most chose almonds, fruit and whole food snacks when they snacked. I am not a fan of processed so called "healthy" or "all natural" snack bars and was happy that none of them were either.

They were active, exercised 3-5 times per week, did weight training and some of the daily habits they practice are simple, such as parking away from stores to walk more, always taking the steps and every one I asked had a dog and walked everyday with their dog, which made me very happy since I am such a huge dog lover!

They enjoyed life, family and seemed to have  a good group of friends. The one thing I realized is they took life day by day, they did not stress out as much as most of us do, they all seemed to live in the present and did not have that crazy go, go, go high energy. In a world where this is the normal way of life it was refreshing to experience in people. If our goal is trying to live a healthy, fit life then maybe we all need to evaluate the way we are living. Just a thought :)

Thank you to the fabulous "thin" people that helped me with their input on this blog. If together we can help just one person we have served our purpose!

www.fithealthyandfabulous.com

Hot Weather and Exercise. How to Stay Fit and be Safe Outdoors!

In the summer months we are more likely to switch our workouts to the outdoors, but with the excessive heat that we have been experiencing it not a good idea to just make a quick switch from the gym to the outdoors. Your body needs time to adjust to higher temperatures and the environmental changes of the increased temperatures; it can take several days of heat exposure and exercise combined to adjust your body and reduce the risk of heat injury and illness. 

When exercising in higher temperatures, your body’s core temperature rises, releasing blood into the capillaries of your skin to cool your body down, which then reduces the blood supply available to the muscles that you are working, less blood and oxygen are delivered to the power source that is moving you forward and less blood moving out the waste products from these areas. As this waste builds up in the muscles, it will slow you down!

Start with 15-minute sessions of outdoor exercise, avoid working out during peak temperature and humidity, depending where you live, this time frame varies, you can gradually increase your workout time over the next 10-15 days to ensure your body is safely adapting.

This approach will help your body adjust, you'll sweat more and sooner, but you'll also be losing fewer electrolytes, allowing your body to adjust properly which leads to a lower body core temperature, a decreased heart rate response to exercising, and a lower chance for dehydration and electrolyte depletion.

Here are a few of my personal tips:

Be aware of your medications, antihistamines, blood pressure medications, anti-depressants, anti-inflammatory, cold medications, cholesterol and many other medications can interfere with the body’s ability to adjust to heat and throw off the body’s electrolyte balance and increase the risk of dehydration.

Drinking fluids containing caffeine before a warm weather workout can also cause you to generate more heat and increase your heart rate. Try to stick to plain water.

Avoid dark colored clothing; wearing lighter colors will help reflect the sun's rays. Wear comfortable, lightweight clothing.

Please no hats! I see so many people wearing hats in the heat! We release a lot of heat through our head and hats hold in too much heat. If you want to protect your eyes use a visor or wear a headband to keep sweat out of your eyes. I use a bandana but that can even be too hot if not put on correctly.

Always wear sunscreen! Try to work out early in the day or later before it gets dark.

Please be Aware of Heat Illnesses and Symptoms:

Heat Cramps are caused by an electrolyte deficiency/imbalance from exercising in hot weather. Symptoms to look for are sharp, stabbing pain in a muscle, more common in the leg muscles, but it can also occur in the diaphragm, which causes a very painful side stitch/pain. If you experience these symptoms, stop exercising, drink fluids containing electrolytes, cool your body with wet compresses and get to a cooler area immediately. Always seek medical attention if you do not feel better. 


Heat Exhaustion is caused when the body is unable to dissipate enough heat that is generated during exercise in hot, humid conditions as well as a loss of electrolytes in our bodies. Symptoms to look for are a moderate rise in body temperature, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, headache, weakness, loss of coordination, heat cramps, profuse sweating with moist and cold skin that causes goose bumps, as well as a rising heart rate and fatigue. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop exercising immediately, slowly drink fluids containing electrolytes, cool the body with wet compresses, get to a cool area and lie down with your feet elevated a few inches above your heart. It is best to seek medical attention because heat exhaustion can quickly progress to the more dangerous heatstroke. 


Heatstroke is caused when our body's thermoregulation fails, again the body cannot dissipate the heat generated during exercise due to one or more of the factors mentioned in the illnesses above and the core body temperature rises to 105°F or higher. Symptoms of heatstroke can be the same as heat exhaustion but the person also experiences more serious symptoms such as lethargy, extreme weakness, confusion, disorientation, unconsciousness, accompanied by cessation of sweat and hot, dry skin. Heat Stroke is dangerous and can lead to convulsions, seizures, coma, and even death. Get medical attention immediately by calling 911, if possible move the person to a cool area, remove clothing, and apply cool water compresses, if possible place ice packs under arms and groin.

Exercising is a great way to stay active, healthy and happy, be aware of the changes in your environment to assure your maximum results and safety!

For more Health and Fitness tips go to www.fithealthyandfabulous.com

© Copyright 2013 Gina Mastrogiovanni