Cindy’s Fitness Blog

On Saturday, while figure skating I fell smack down on my butt!!  YOUCH!  Things were going sooooo good; I had plans for the winter…get prepped for next year’s figure skating show, along with the possibility of training for a bike, run, skate triathlon in spring or summer.  At the moment it happened, I thought, “OH NO, ITS OVER!”  Man, that hurt!  Here’s what I did.  Day 1- immediate icing, ibuprofen and rest, with super light stretches.  Day 2- more icing, 1 ibuprofen and a very gentle yoga class.  Day 3: Stationary bike riding, no resistance, easy pace for 30  mins followed by stretching, and regular daily movement, i.e. walking, easy bending and reaching.  Started applying heat ointment with Castor oil.  Day 4: Regular daily moving with some limits( no heavy dumbbells lifted), and a level 1 yoga class.  Ointment applied.  Day 5: Regular daily movement with limits, 90 minute massage.  I am now pain free, have no bruising, and can perform most of my work related activities ( except no barbell squats yet!)

I just attended a weekend of 12 classes at a fitness conference/clinic.  I’ve always felt that posture is so key to a well put together body, and this concept was further pressed upon the entire weekend.  It seems most of us do not even know what truly good posture really is anymore.  Too much sitting at computers, watching TV, and general sedentary living.  So here it is:  stand with the chest lifted, roll the shoulders down and back, belly button drawn in as in zipping up or pulling your belly away and in from your pants, take the tail bone down toward your heels, soften your knees, slightly draw the chin back, and this should create a nicely alligned body with the ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and ears in a line. Now breathe.  Ta Da! That’s it! Loads of pressure is now off the neck and spine.

The weekend is upon us, and for many, it is a time to forget about healthy commitments.  Suddenly, going out for pizza, eating buttered popcorn at the movies seems completely OK.  NOT!  Friday evening to Sunday evening is not an opportunity to make unhealthy choices.  Cement in your minds that everyday (Sunday-Saturday) is a day to choose HEALTH for yourself.  Continue to commit to exercise, and continue nutritionally dense eating.  Change begins in the mind.  Change how you think, change what you choose, then change how you behave.  Come on, let’s do it!

This morning I woke up with the intention to go out for a nice long hour moderate jog.  I opened the door, and said, “Heck NO”.  It was pouring rain.  A calm mist would have been fine, but not the ‘cats and dogs’ I was watching!  So, Plan B for a workout was to jump on my stationary bike and program in an interval program for 30 minutes while listening to some motivational, spiritual teaching.  (It gets a little boring inside the house to sit on the bike for an hour, so I revved the intensity and kept it shorter!)  The moral of the story is to stick to your commitment to a lifestyle of exercise no matter what.  Create alternatives to keep your commitment to yourself.

Hunger woke me up this morning!  Is it a sign that my metabolism is already shifted up into a higher gear?  Could it be all the calories burned during and post-exercise (EPOC)?  Geesh, must have been burning up while sleeping!  The scale was dropped this morning too!  So, got up and had my whole oats with fresh chopped dates, fresh shredded coconut and flaxseed, and a bit of unsweetened plain soy milk.  YUM. YUM.  Anyone else in the FALL F.A.T. BLAST noticing increased hunger?

Boot Camp class is a great way to burn some fat!  I am planning hIgh energy fast intervals combined with slow controlled big muscle exercise……oh, it’s going to be GOOOOD!  Sometimes, when you train by yourself it is difficult to push…but in a boot camp class, you will want to at least try and keep up.  (Listen to your own body, though!) It’s important to eat exceptionally nutrient dense and drink lots of clean water so that your body is ready for the hard work!  Today I started with spinach and eggs and sprouted grain bread (NO REFINED FLOUR!).  Grapes and a pear are in the plan for mid-meal grabs,  lunch will be steak and salad, dinner will be chili over baked potato and low fat cottage cheese.  Prob a protein smoothie in there somewhere.  What are you eating today?

What a great way to start the day!  I jogged to a nearby street with a 5% incline or so, and jogged up and down 3x, then jogged back home.  The sun and nice breeze was so refreshing!  20 mins total of nice intervals!  Where’s my F.A.T. BLAST group?  What has been your cardio for the day, and what was your experience?

Tomorrow, I start the FALL F.A.T. BLAST with a group of my clients.  We are cleaning up our nutrition, and committing to daily exercise!  No more refined, processed flours and junk food!  Regular cardiovascular exercise and strength training and my new BOOT CAMP CLASS designed to kick butt!!!!  I am hoping this will jumpstart people to greater heights in their thinking about staying fit, active and healthy!  Aww….it feels soooo good!  Let’s do it!

When I meet initially with my prospective clients, I ask them why they want a personal trainer.  Here are some of the reasons I get: coaching to eat right and lose weight,  guidance for an effective workout routine for MY body,  coaching to understand appropriate cardio training, motivation to adapt an active lifestyle of exercise, and accountability to adhere to a healthy lifestyle.  Then, I ask them why this is important and here are the answers: need control of my life,  improved health, to be able to play (dance, ski, golf, etc.),  improved stamina and strength to perform daily activities and work, and to feel more confident about myself.  CAN YOU RELATE?

What’s it all about?  Simply put- clean eating and exercise!  But what kind of exercise?  Strength or resistance training?  Cardiovascular training?  Slow cardio?  Fast cardio?  I SAY MIX IT UP.  Variety is the spice of life, right?  Here’s a pretty good exercise recipe for most people: strength train 2-3x per week, cardio train for 6 days a a week with 2-3 of those days being short (15-20 mins), but really hard!  You gotta push your limits!  (Only if healthy, though..check with your Doc.)  Rest for 1 day.  And throw in flexibility training to help with recovery….stretching brings blood flow and nourishment to the cells of your body.