Circuit Training

What is circuit training and why is is it beneficial? Circuit training combines cardio and strength training with little to no rest in between exercises. This keeps the heart rate up for a maximum calorie burn.

Typically a circuit includes up to six strength & cardio exercises performed for a set number of repetitions or duration of time. While performing the circuits there is little to no rest in between each exercise, however 30 sec to one minute of rest should be taken after a circuit is completed and before the start of the next one. For optimal results, two or more circuits should be completed during a workout session. Below is a circuit I have put together. Enjoy!

5-10 Min warm-up

Brisk walk/jog outside

High knees

Butt kicks

Jumping jacks

Jump rope

Hip circles

Arm windmills

Circuit 1

Squats with shoulder press 1 Set 8-12 Reps

Jumping Jacks as many in 30 Sec

Pushups 10

High Knees as many in 30 Sec

Alternating lunges with bicep curl 1 Set 8-12 Rep

Jump rope 30 Sec

Tricep dips 1 Set 8-12 Rep

Mountain climber as many in 30 Sec

Bicycle Crunch 10-15

Repeat entire circuit once more: Total 2 times

Try to only rest for 10 seconds in between each exercise to keep the heart rate up.

5 Min stretching

Hamstring stretch

Quadriceps stretch

Tricep stretch

Shoulder stretch

Childs pose

Full body stretch

Setting goals and sticking with them.

The New Year is approaching fast and that is the time when many people will make resolutions that this will be The Year! This will be the year to eat healthy, stop eating junk food, get fit by joining a gym and lose the weight that has been bothering them for so long.

Why then, why not start now? Now is the time to chose and set your goals. Make a plan. Take the time to decide what your goal/goals are, what methods you'll use to reach them, and what timeframe you'd like to accomplish them (be reasonable). Get a journal, write everything down and record your progress. Identify who of your friends or family will help you achieve these goals with their support. Ask for their help, most likely they will want to join you in the journey. Keep in mind that becoming fit and healthy is a lifestyle choice for a lifetime, it will take time and patience. Do not get discouraged if things don't happen as quickly as you'd like. With hard work, you will reach your goals and make sure to reward yourself every time you do.

Don't wait for a date on the calendar. It's time to start today. Let's go!

The Holidays are Coming...along with sweet treats and goodies.

I consider the time from Halloween through to Easter to be a really difficult time to stick to healthy, clean eating. There's candy, sweet treats, pies, cookies, and all sorts of high calorie drinks that make an appearance for the better part of six months. Party and event invitations start flooding the inbox and the word "no" becomes harder and harder to utter. And why should we feel like we have to turn everything down just to keep to our diet? We don't. Here are a couple of tricks to get you through the holidays without over indulging.

Before heading out to an event or party, have a plan! Fill up on some clean snacks so you don't arrive famished. Try and stick with fruit and veggies, without loading up on dips and cheeses if possible. Small portions are key. Sip water. When drinking alcoholic beverages, drink water in between. Water will help keep you feeling full without filling up on high calories. Some of those cocktails can be 300+ calories!! Stand and move around much of the time as that will keep you from sitting at a table where it's easier to eat and drink. If you have a plan and can stick to it, you'll conquer the holidays! Finally remember that if you do indulge, not to beat yourself up. The holidays are a time of joy, so enjoy! Your workout will be ready and waiting for you the next day!

What a scale won't tell you.

Do you obsessively step on a scale every time you are at the gym? Do you see the number and get discouraged even though you know you have been eating well and keeping to a regular exercise routine? I know the feeling, it's rough. If you didn't have a scale how would you judge how you are doing? Do you have more endurance? Do your clothes feel looser or fit better? Do you feel better in general, happier? These are the things your scale can not tell you about your fitness, it can only weigh you and give you a number. You may have hit a plateau and those last 10-15 pounds you may want to lose really are the hardest.

Rather than getting frustrated, celebrate the work you have done thus far and know that you may need to adjust the workout to move over the plateau. Also remember that there are many reasons why weight fluctuates and maybe only weigh in once every couple of weeks. The number on the scale is just that and doesn't define how well you are doing. Keep up the good work and you'll reach your goals!

Workout when you are sick?

It's cold and flu season. Do you exercise when you don't feel well? A general rule is that if it is something from your neck up, so a head cold, sniffles, cough, go ahead and workout. You may want to keep it toned-down a little however and not over exert yourself. If however it's something below the neck, and you have a fever, rest may be best. Remember to eat well, exercise, rest, recover and reduce your stress and you'll lessen your chances of getting sick to begin with. Stay healthy this winter!

Food Journal

People write in journals for many things, life-changing events, daily diary, even an exercise log, but have you ever thought about keeping a journal that tracks all the food you eat? A food journal is a great tool to help you track calories, see how many times a day you are eating and recognize why you might have hit a weight loss plateau. Most of the time we eat mindlessly meaning we eat when we are hungry or when the clock says it's time for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. We grab a snack when we are watching TV just to have something to do. We have a couple of drinks when we go out for happy hour with friends not thinking about how many calories each of those drinks add up to. When you are forced to write everything down on paper, and I mean everything, you will see all the food and beverages you consume on a daily basis. It can be a real eye-opener! This tool will help you cut out some of those foods that are high in sugar, sodium, and calories and keep you eating a balanced, healthy diet. Try using a food journal for at least six months and see what changes you'll make because of what you discover.

Creating a Business

Because You Can Fitness is my personal training company that I just created over the last few weeks. It is a special name and when you check out the site you'll see why. This has been a long process, but so worth it and I want to thank all those who inspired me and helped me along the way. Creating a business sounds easy in theory, but creating a plan, outlining all the pieces that will fit into the plan, gathering insight from others involved in the business already, and then spreading the word with a web site, business cards and social media is very time consuming. The hope is that you didn't forget something, like posting it on your blog, ooops.

I'm really looking forward to working with my clients and helping them realize and achieve their fitness/healthy living goals.

I will show you how to easily fit exercise into your busy schedule. I will also find things that will be enjoyable all while giving you the results you are looking for.

Working out is hard, but it should be fun.

Please check out the web site and share with your friends!

Because You Can!

Working out when you can't get to the gym.

Today is Motivational Monday. It is also 2 days before the YMCA's annual shutdown. No gym or classes until after Labor day, almost 2 full weeks! I almost panicked, but then realized that during summers past I didn't always go to the gym anyhow, especially if it was a nice day. When I wasn't working, I obviously had more time to do other things, but even when I've worked, I would go for a swim, short bike ride, or a run after work. So although I've gotten used to working out at the gym with classes most recently, while the Y is closed, I will not panic or lose my motivation. I will go for a swim, bike ride, run, use my new resistance bands, or weights at home or in the park. Remember just because you can't get to a facility doesn't mean you can't exercise. Sometimes changing up your routine is a really good idea. It keeps your muscles and mind fresh. Keeps you from getting bored or too used to the same thing from week to week. So even if your gym isn't closing, take time now at the end of the summer to find something new to do and if it helps to workout with others then find a friend and get moving together.

Tonight I will be found in the pool getting my swimming on.

Happy Monday!

E-Newsletters

Boy I'm not doing very well with keeping up with this blog, but I enjoy it so will keep posting when I can. I don't follow many online newsletters, and I don't keep many in my email folder after I read with the exception of a couple and Hungry Girl is one of those. Today I wanted to share part of the one I received today as it probably relates to all of us. How many times have you gotten up in the morning and had to rush out the door without thinking much about breakfast? Breakfast is the important meal of the day, it sets you up for the whole day, so it shouldn't be skipped. So the following is from Hungry Girl about healthy fast food breakfast options. Follow the link and enjoy!

http://www.hungry-girl.com/askhg/show/2040

New Food Plate, No More Pyramid and Tuna Recipe You can Sink Your Teeth into.

Injury from a month ago is no more, thank goodness. Still monitoring how I feel during/after workouts to make sure I'm not straining anything. That is important. Took my first, hard to believe, spin class last night. The class is the hour before the bodypump class I'm already taking so getting to the gym an hour earlier is really easy and adds the cardio I want. Was a good class and now I'll add to my schedule. I was asked today if spin was painful since the class this person took was. No exercise should be painful, there should be discomfort, but if something is painful beyond the burn, then stop the exercise, check your form and make sure as in spin, your seat and handle bar are in the correct position. If unsure, ask the instructor/trainer, that's what they are there for.

The USDA came out with a new food graphic today. The Food Pyramid is no more. It's now MyPlate. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ Check out the new information and the breakdown of all the sections on the plate. The web site has a lot of good nutrition information.

Finally, today's healthy recipe I found in Oxygen Magazine:

Seared Ahi Tuna on Kale Salad ( Substituted arugala, didn't use pine nuts and used olive oil, not canola)
(Ready in 25 minutes, Makes 2 Servings)
(Oxygen Magazine, May 2011, Vol 14, Issue 5, #142, p. 71)

Ingredients:
3 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp orange juice
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh coarsely ground pepper, to taste
2 cups kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
2-4 oz. ahi tuna steaks (3/4" thick)
2 tbsp canola oil

Instructions:

1. Set a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add pine nuts and toss until lightly brown. Remove from heat and set aside in a small bowl.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, toss together olive oil, orange juice, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, kale and pomegranate seeds. Add toasted pine nuts and mix to combine.
3. Season both sides of the tuna steaks with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
4. Heat canola oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. The pan should e as hot as you can get it. Sear tuna on each side for 30 to 45 seconds. Remove from pan and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices; they will be pink inside. Fan out on top of kale salad. Serve.

Nutrients per serving:
Calorie: 442, Total Fat: 31 g, Sat Fat: 4 g, Trans Fat: 0, Cholesterol: 51 mg, Sodium: 152 mg, Total Carbs: 15 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 8 g, Protein: 31 g, Iron: 3 mg

Really tasty!

Happy eating!

Injuries and Getting Through Them

Having an injury or illness can keep you from everyday activities but also exercise. Although you can workout through a cold or minor injury, it's best to listen to your body and realize that as much as you may not want to, taking it easy may be best. I recently had a shoulder/arm injury. I'm not entirely sure what I hurt or what exactly I did to injure it, but have my suspicions. I'm pretty sure I pushed my limit and over worked the area. I also didn't listen to my body when I started to feel discomfort that wasn't normal. I payed a price for that. I was in serious pain and wasn't able to workout my upper body for weeks. I was also going to be dancing in a performance and didn't want to have to back out, so resting the arm was the best thing I could do. I have now begun to slowly get back into lifting weights again, but keeping things easy and listening to what my body has to say. I don't want to go through that injury again. I just finished watching WWE Tough Enough and one of the contestants ended up going home because she had a leg injury and it was clear she was in serious pain and pushing through it. Now maybe if that is your life you do what you have to, but it was the right decision to send her home, not because she wasn't tough enough, she was/is, but because she could do some terrible damage to her leg. As tough as I am, I do not think ignoring pain or illness is worth the risk of really doing irreversible damage. So please, know your limits and if you do find yourself sidelined, know that it's better to rest and recuperate so you can get back in the game than not to and be out of the game permanently.

Frustrations: How do you Handle them?

We all become frustrated by things in life, some small, others monstrous. Currently unemployment is a huge frustration for me. That is something a large number of people are dealing with and it's not easy by any means. It is a situation that obviously effects me, but also other people around me. When you are faced with tough times, how do you handle them? I try and stay positive, and active. Networking, interacting with people and doing things that keep you happy are constructive ways to channel the pent up anxiety. Exercise is the key for me and I realize when I'm not getting as much of that as I should it makes me edgy. I was back in weight lifting class for the first time in weeks last night, because of an injury, and found that I felt so much better after. There are those that retreat and lash out when faced with difficult situations and that is so unhelpful. It makes the person mean, hurtful, and most unpleasant to be around. Resentment is not going to help the situation. Supporting and comforting one another is how to handle frustrations and tough times. So remember as difficult as life can be, things will get better and you will work through hard situations. Stay positive, do things that keep you active and happy and be nice to one another.

I Passed!

It took almost six weeks to find out, but I received my personal trainer certification in the mail from AFAA yesterday. I was so excited. I was almost afraid to open the envelope. Do you remember those days, like when you received acceptance letters from colleges, or potential employers, that you took the envelope inside and stared at it until you couldn't stand it anymore? If someone had been here I would have given to them to open for me. Fortunately I opened and it was good news! Next step, what do I do with the certification? I'm hoping that I'll be able to work with another trainer, learn the ropes and start training soon. For now, I'm going to just be excited about this accomplishment! Remember you can do anything you put your mind to!

Where do You Work Out and Why There?

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Will you be sticking with your clean eating today with a green smoothie or going for the tall Guinness? For me, Guinness all the way and add it to a meal of meat and potatoes?, you bet!! I can work it off tomorrow.

With new people joining the gym lately and asking me why I chose the YMCA in DC, got me thinking about why I did choose this gym and where others like to work out. I've mentioned before that when the weather is warm from mid-spring to mid-fall, I really prefer to hike, bike, run and swim outdoors, but during the months or days that it's uncomfortable (cold, wet, or both) I will take it indoors. So why the Y? Well, it all starts so many years ago... I grew up with the YMCA. I took swimming lessons there, until I had to learn to backwards dive and then I said enough (I'm still scared to try that). I took gymnastics there, my mom taught pre-school there, I went to the over-night summer camp and then became a CIT at the day camp. It was a large part of my childhood. I never really went back as an adult, then one visit to my home city of Augusta, Maine, I drove by and saw the building I'd spent so much time in all boarded up as the city had built a new facility elsewhere in town. I've never been there, btw.

As an adult I had joined a gym after college and it had all the usual amenities, weights, machines, classes, etc.. Nothing special.

When I moved to DC I hadn't thought much about joining a gym, but the place I worked had a corporate membership plan and happened to be just around the corner from the YMCA. Imagine that. I took the tour and was amazed at all it had to offer, pool, weight room, machines on more than one floor, basketball court (although I don't play), and a running track. Nothing fancy, but all functional. Now I've since toured and used trial memberships at some expensive and fancy places. You know the ones with the nice locker rooms with tall wooden lockers, attendants right there to help with anything (like disposable razors), showers that are huge with places to sit and have all the shampoo, conditioner, and bath gel you could ever want. Make up tables with individual mirrors, cotton balls, cotton swabs and the like. Weight rooms with the newest, shiniest dumbbells and machines and studios with springy floors. Those are all great things, but when you look at the bottom line of why you join a gym, is it for all that, or is it because you want to get fit and not pay a ton of money doing it? A 15Lb dumbbell is a 15LB dumbbell regardless if it's shiny, neoprene, or dull. Still gets the same job done. As nice as a locker room such as I described might be, all I really want to do after working out is take a shower, change and be on my way.

So why the Y, well besides the proximity to my current home, I like all that it has to offer as well as the knowledgeable and courteous staff and the sense of community. I also feel that for what I spend, I know that some of that money goes back to the community and that is important to me. Is the place perfect, no, are there things it can improve on, absolutely, but for now, it's the right place for me to workout. Now, I'm certainly not dissing the other facilities out there (I enjoyed my trial memberships so much that I took advantage every chance I got). You need to enjoy where you workout because that will keep you motivated and continuing to exercise on a regular basis no matter where that is, (fancy gym, less fancy gym, or outside) that is the absolute bottom line.

Now off to enjoy myself a Guinness!

Changing Your Fitness Routine

Hit the exercise plateau? Not feeling the same soreness and burn? I know the feeling. For several weeks I have kept the same workout routine, for the most part. Same classes, same times. Decided this week that it was time to change things up so I have taken different classes at different times. My muscles are a little unhappy, (sore calves to be precise) but it will be good for them. It's like saying wake up! Muscles will get used to doing the same movements with the same weight over and over so they actually need to be shocked. On average muscles adapt to routines within six to eight weeks. Besides avoiding hitting a plateau, changing your exercise routine will also help keep you from getting bored or making working out feel like a chore. With the warmer weather on its way I'll be taking more of my workouts outside with running and cycling and with summer even swimming. Spice it up once in a while. You should feel like you've worked hard, without pain that is. Exercise should be fun and rewarding. You may be sore for a couple of days after a change, but know that you'll be challenged and your muscles will soon adapt.

Happy Exercising!

Personal Training Exams and relaxation in SW Florida

I survived! Last weekend I finally took the AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America) Personal Training workshop and exams. This was an amazing experience. Two and a half days of workshops reviewing all the information in the textbook, with practices in taking fitness assessments, meeting and teaching clients. Very helpful for getting ready for the written and practical exams taken the second half of day three. I was such a wreck by the end of the second day I didn't sleep well, but with the gym practical on day 3 I was more confident for the practical exam. I highly recommend AFAA if you are considering becoming a PT. If hands-on studying works better for you, I suggest the workshops.

I now wait for 4-6 weeks for my results. Obviously I hope to have passed both exams and receive my personal training certification. If I didn't pass one or both I'll have to re-take, however I will now know what is expected and should certainly pass a second go-round. I haven't wanted to speculate on how I did, because I'll become too obsessive about it. Next step is to create a business plan and decide if I want to work for someone or venture out on my own. I like things about both ideas. For now, I'll gather advice from others and wait. Waiting is about as hard as studying. Wait, wait, wait...

After practically living at the gym for the last weekend, it was nice to get away and relax a few days in the warmth and sunshine of Southwest Florida. Visiting family, kayaking, swimming, and lounging at the beach was all I could handle. It was a really nice time and I managed to snap a few photos of wildlife while relaxing. I've posted to my Flickr account. Please check those and my other photos out. http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildlife2011/

Always take my camera with me everywhere I go. I figure there will be a great photo out there.

If you have advice for working in a gym or on my own or have a photo site you want to share, please feel free to send to me.

Will let you know when I have my certification, can't wait to get started helping people make and reach their fitness goals!

Food Blogs and Websites.

I follow a few blogs and e-newsletters. Topics include fitness, the environment, travel and food. I like it when I come across interesting tips or advice. Most recently food has been a topic of conversation. I like to cook and keep meals interesting. I could keep things simple and not feel like changing things up so often, but I get a little bored. I really enjoy finding new recipes. However, I want to eat a healthy as possible, although a cheat meal is okay now and again, and prefer meals that are not complicated or take too long to prepare. You might think that is a tall order, but there are some really great foodies out there with good sites. I was just introduced to Hungry Girl which is informative and has some great ideas like Chicken la Fea (look it up, it's really yummy looking). Annie's Eats I've just heard about and at quick glance looks like tasty treats. Having had an authentic Moroccan meal a few nights ago, I was sent this one;http://moroccanfood.about.com/?nl=1. All sorts of traditional recipes that I look forward to trying.

I still continue to rip pages out of magazines, some of my fitness ones have good clean ones and also grab the cookbook every so often. Two of my favs are Clean Eating by Tosca Reno and one on Chinese stir fry. Eating clean, vegetarian and vegan is becoming easier and is so healthy for you.

What types of things catches your eye when looking for food blogs and sites?

Simple, fun and easy are for me.

Happy cooking and if you find some good sites, pass them along, I'm always looking for something new!

Personal Training Certification 3-Day Workshop in 2 Weeks

I'm getting excited and nervous. The first weekend of March I will be taking a 3-day personal training workshop from Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. I'm hoping to gain a lot of knowledge and pass the certification exam so I can get started in helping others enjoy working out and changing their lives. This will be a very intensive 3 days. I'm excited about what I hope to learn, but nervous about the exam. I've never been very good at testing. I received the study guide and text book a few months ago and have read it cover to cover once, now in the process of re-reading. I'm afraid I'll forget it all. I'm hoping that the hands on workshops will help reinforce the information and thus make it easier to retain.

If someone had suggested I become a trainer a couple of years ago, I would have thought them crazy. I've enjoyed going to the gym or exercising outside for several years now, but wouldn't have thought of helping others, not professionally. Then I was laid off and spending a lot of time at the gym, cycling and swimming and really realized how much I love working out and that it might be fun to help other people with their fitness goals. Exercising has been something along with dance class that helps ease stress, especially the stress of not working.

I don't know what this will all lead to, but I'm looking forward to starting something new. It's scary to make a big change, but can also be very rewarding. If you have something in your life that you want to change; your health, job, home, don't be afraid, embrace it. The roads in life are full of side roads and can lead you to some beautiful places. You have to be willing to take them.

I'm still nervous, but am confident I'll do well and so will you!

End of January, Have You Given up on Your Resolution to get Fit?

It's the end of January and the day you made your New Years resolution seems like a distant memory. Question now is have you stuck by your commitment to get fit and eat healthy or has that fallen by the wayside? It has been said that it take ~28 days for a new behavior to stick, so if you haven't given up yet, then you may not and good for you. If you have, why? Unfortunately people make a resolution expecting to see results right away. Often expecting too much too soon and not considering the big picture. Great, you joined a gym and have been putting in a few more hours a week, but have you also changed your eating habits, are you having fun or doing enough? Resolutions or goals, which is what I would rather call them, should be realistic, fun and may take time. As I've stated before, becoming fit and healthy is a life time endeavor. It's a well thought out plan with many factors you need to take into consideration. Here are some things to consider. Exercise, yes, it is recommended one does moderate-intense exercise at least 30 min/day for 5 days of the week, more to promote weight loss. With this you should also eat a healthy, balanced diet. It's also important to do something fun, why workout with something you can't stand, you're only setting yourself up to fail and lastly, make your workouts a balance of cardio and strength training, you'll get more out of it. My workout schedule each week looks something like this: M,W & Sat, 1 hour of strength training class and 15-30 min of cardio (running, swimming, cycling), One-two days of yoga and one of dance classes (2Hr). Spring, summer and fall it changes with the nice days as I take my workouts outside; hiking, running, cycling, swimming...

If you keep all of this in mind and set smaller goals, you will maximize your exercise and improve your progress.

Keep it up, you can do it!

New Year

It's been the first ten days of the new year, hope yours is going well. The gym has been busy as expected and I'm pretty sure it will continue to have more visitors over the next month. I've seen many more people touring lately and the classes have been full. The gym overall buzzes/hums. So far it hasn't been too disturbing. I have, however, encountered the one thing that irritates me the most, people who forget that they are not alone in the gym. The person who stops in the middle of the running/walking track to change their music and forgets the others running around them or, the person who sits in the sauna talking on their cell phone. Seriously, really? I can deal with those who don't wipe the equipment down or even spend extra time on a machine or bench, but forgetting that others are around is more than I can take. As I posted previously, I m glad more people are taking their health and well-being seriously, but can't help but think many of these newbies will be gone before summer even turns the corner from spring. It's encouraging to see the Les Mills Body Pump classes or yoga classes be full every day, one can only hope it continues.

I will state again that I hope people will realize how important their health is and stay/change for a lifetime. This country is losing the obesity battle. I watched the first episode of The Biggest Loser 11 last week and it's heartbreaking to see the contestants, who seem to get bigger and bigger every season. I'm sure part of the shows strategy is to find the biggest people they can, but with this show and another one called Heavy, it's looking more like the norm and I find that very sad. For those of you who are working out and eating healthy/clean I applaud your hard work and keep it up. You are worth it!

Here's to a great year of well being!