Functional Exercise
Balancing on one leg on top of a Bosu ball while performing overhead presses. Balancing on a stability ball on your knees while someone tosses a medicine ball back and forth to you. Performing squats on a criminally expensive machine that vibrates (aka The Power Plate).
I’ve seen these types of exercises performed by clueless people, yet I still do not understand the reason why trainers have their clients perform such silly, ineffective exercises. The reason I say this with such strong conviction is that most of these gadgets do not have the right scientific research to back up the claims that they make about their validity.
I believe that functional exercise is a wonderful tool to add to any one’s current program; however, the reason for doing so should be exact, and planning is absolutely necessary. To put a 60 year old woman on a Bosu ball to perform squats, telling her that she is working her core and other small muscles, is not only dangerous, it is an outright lie.
I approach training from a practical standpoint. If the exercise you are about to perform is not coherent with your goals, then that particular exercise may not be one that you should be doing. You should always be doing exercises that you want to do, and those that are congruent with your goals!!!
What do YOU eat/do?
Greetings!
I get asked this question a lot. What I eat and what I do for exercise. I am going to address it in this blog. 🙂
This question no longer bothers me because I am very proud of the lifestyle I live/love. I used to be more secretive about my insane eating habits, but I am forward and honest with people now. There is nothing to hide.
Because I don’t eat packaged food, people ask me how I do this. What on earth is there to eat, one may ask. I tell them that this is the mind-frame of most Americans who have spent their lives eating processed, packaged food. Because it is so easy and because there is so much variety, when one decides he/she wants to embark on a healthier lifestyle, all of a sudden, food is scarce!
No it is not! Vegetables-do you know expansive the variety of vegetables can be? Fruits? Whole grains? Meats? Legumes? It does take a bit of time and getting used to, but you can train your palate to accept and love the food of Mother Nature. Trust in it! Your body does not lie!
New Year’s resolutions
Good day to all! 🙂
With the new year quickly approaching, I know a few of you are probably pondering what your New Year’s resolutions will be. If you are like the majority of the population, one of those resolutions will probably include a fitness/weight loss goal. And this goal/resolution will probably be broken within the first 3-4 weeks of setting it.
Why do we do this? This cycle of setting goals and breaking them, or half-heartedly pursuing that which you so desire and wish for. I understand how tough pursuing certain dreams and goals may be, and sometimes it takes a few rounds of failure before we finally see the light.
However, there is ONE thing that you CAN accomplish and adhere to. There is ONE resolution that you CAN achieve this year, and that is the improvement of your current fitness level/weight/health. This, my friends, is in your hands.
So, why do we continue to sabotage our bodies and fail?
Excuses
Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
The time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s-we all know what happens to the average American. The dreaded holiday weight gain. I want you to take a moment and consider why this happens/has happened/or will happen to you this year.
Now that you are done pondering why this happens to most Americans, I want you to resolve to end the madness once and for all this year.
I can hear it now:
“But…it’s the holidays”
“I have so many parties to attend!”
“I couldn’t resist Mom’s cooking”
“There was no time to exercise”
And the list could go on and on.
Thanksgiving!!! & my favorite website
Hello & Happy Thanksgiving week!
Tis the season-time to be grateful and to be with friends and family. Also, it’s time to eat, eat, eat! Don’t let the holidays set you back; you can still enjoy yourself and get through the holiday season without the dreaded weight gain. A few tips to get you through:
If you are know you are going to be indulging or imbibing, be sure to get out and exercise a bit more than you normally would. Remember, every calorie counts, even that handful of nuts, the glass of eggnog, the bite of this, and nibble of that…it ALL counts, and unless you do something to offset the calorie intake, you will notice an increase on the scale!
Try not to consume your calories in liquid form, unless the treat is your absolute favorite and you cannot do without. Holidays drinks range from eggnog to hot alcoholic drinks to hot chocolate and they all can be extremely high in calories, so watch out!
Try to get out before or after Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of lounging around all day, keep moving-get out for a long walk or jog beforehand and afterward, if you are able. Move, move, move! Enjoy yourself on Thanksgiving, but get right back on it the next day.
Commitment leads to Results! 