NOTE: My blog has now moved to consolidate with my weight loss blog at Real World Weight Loss. Catch up with me there.
{Hi, I’m Helen M. Ryan - aka Spinchick, the blog mistress. Why am I here? Because I want to help you discover how to get in shape and become healthier.
Five years ago I was so overweight I could not fit into a ride at Legoland or walk up a flight of stairs. I had a bad back, sore feet, constant fatigue and no dreams. Since then I have LOST 80 POUNDS, become a certified personal trainer, Spinning® instructor, Pilates instructor, amateur cyclist and writer - I even review concerts and interview rock stars, but that’s another story (for about.me). Since my blog has moved, visit me now at Real World Weight Loss.}
Published on
November 8, 2010 in
tips.
The Holidays are coming…eegads.
Tasty, tempting treats will be everywhere. Below is a blog post I wrote last year to keep you exercising and not gaining weight like crazy during the Holidays. A little inspiration, a little wisdom and a little forethought can go a long way to keeping your waistline at bay (down, boy, down).
Because really - do you want to NOT be able to button your pants in January? How will that muffin top feel? And is the mental pain worth it?
Eating fewer goodies + exercising smartly (see below) = pants that fit.
Continue reading ‘Holiday Weight Gain - Oh My’
I have just created a fun new line of indoor cycling tank tops.
With words of inspiration gleaned from fellow indoor cyclists enthusiasts and instructors, the design speaks to our thigh-burning, heart-pounding, super-sweaty passion. Have a peek at the shirts AddaGear.com.
“When in doubt…add a gear!”
~Helen
(Spinning®, as always, is a trademark of Mad Dogg Athletics)
Though caffeine may be less than optimal for stressed-out bodies, a new study shows it might help reduce the risk of brain tumors. European researchers found that Europeans who drink more coffee and tea are less likely to be diagnosed with brain cancer. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, this study, run over 8 years, found significant differences in brain tumor development between those who drank coffee and/or tea and those who did not (over 100 ml per day, or 1/2 US cup was the deciding point).
Now there’s more reason to drink green tea.
(written for LA’sthePlace.com’s The Fit Life column)
Weight loss can be easier than you think. Read on to learn how to reprogram your mind to change your body.
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“The one way to get thin is to re-establish a purpose in life.” ~Cyril Connolly
If someone told you there really is an easy way to lose weight, would you believe them? It could be a very true statement, indeed.
It doesn’t involved cutting out carbs. It doesn’t involve starving and detoxifying yourself. It doesn’t even involve cutting out dairy. What it does involve is activating the one muscle that can truly help you lose weight: Your brain.
Continue reading ‘Very Easy Ways to Lose Weight’
Ever wonder what goes on in the “training world?” Meet the leader who runs ACE (American Council on Exercise) - America’s Authority on Fitness - in this profile I wrote for TBX Connection.
Scott Goudeseune, ACE’s CEO, came from a non-fitness background to take the world of exercise by storm. He is working on elevating personal training to the next level. Under his command, ACE has formed a partnership with IDEA, created the “Workout Watchdog” program and revamped ACE’s web site to include useful features like unbiased product reviews that protect you from “the ugly” of exercise.
How does he do it? Read From Beer to Bodies. And as always, I would love to hear your comments.
Tired of sending your mom flowers for Mother’s Day? Do something different - help fight cancer in her name.
The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) asks you to join their “Do it for Mom” Initiative this Mother’s Day. Now through May 9th, you can donate to breast cancer research in honor of you mom or other special woman, and the NFCR will send her a uniquely-designed honor card, letting her know that you have made a donation in her name to help fund life-saving cancer research.
Join this great Initiative and help save lives on the NFCR web site.
All donations benefit NFCR’s breast cancer research programs, which include research on prevention, earlier detection, and more effective treatment.
Why not do something different?
Published on
March 21, 2010 in
spinning.
I was once called the “Spinning Evangelist” by a doctor at a facility I worked at because I loved it so much. Every word out of my mouth was Spinning. Spinning was the solution for everything. Stressed out? Get on the bike. Tired? Get on the bike. Life falling apart? Get on the bike. Overweight? Get on the bike.
I became a walking-talking Spinning promotional vehicle because I am so committed to Spinning: It literally changed my life. In turn - it has helped me change the lives of others.
I was moved to teach by two exceptional Spinning instructors, and three of my own former students have now become instructors as well. They themselves are motivating others to follow their hearts…and the cycle of sharing the love for our craft continues.
I have written extensively about Spinning, both here and in a couple of articles for Spinning.com. For those of you who have a passion for Spinning, or just want to learn more about it, I am linking to some of these articles here. They are oldies and sometimes goodies, but devotion never goes out of style.
Continue reading ‘Spinning: Indoor Cycling and You’
If you are interested on losing those last 15 pounds, hop on by my weight loss blog…and see for yourself how I am doing it. Share my struggle with sleeping, resisting those M&Ms and learning how to eat better.
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day (or any other Holiday involving beer drinking - Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, etc.), Fitness Magazine tastes tests 11 light beers and gives their caloric content as well as personal feedback.
I am all about balance. What’s the point of being superfit and skinny if you are not happy?
If you want a beer - have one. Learn what’s the best of the best in this article from Fitness Magazine.
The “Get Fit! Now!” blog has a funny post on calories burned during sex. I especially laughed at the 816 calorie activity.
Hop on over to their blog here and take a secret peep for yourselves.
With all the information about fitness out there, what do you want to know?
What would like to read?
What would you like to learn?
Post your comments, with or without your name, and help me help you by learning more about you and what you’d to know.
~Helen
Published on
February 27, 2010 in
spinning.
“Zombieland Rule #8: Get a Kick-Ass Partner”
How about FOUR kick-ass partners - on Spin bikes?
Four kick-ass partners = four women from four different worlds.
Four opinions, four sets of experiences, four teaching styles, four different heights and weights.
Four countries. Four languages. Four personalities.
We are nurses, writers, personal trainers and contractors. We have 13 children between us.
What joins us together? Passion. For Spinning, people, fitness and laughter. Continue reading ‘Zombieland Rule 8 Applied Practically’
Want to find out how to stay in shape in as little time as possible during this busy season? Need to learn how to exercise efficiently? Read Helen’s LA’s the Place December fitness column find out how. If you have any ideas you’d like to share, please comment.
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The 5 Easiest Ways to Stay Fit Over the Holidays
(Written for and originally published on LA’s the Place. Read full article here: LA’s the Place.com)
The Holidays are busy times. Shopping for gifts, attending parties, and traveling to visit family often take priority over your own needs. With chestnuts roasting on an open fire and the smell of baked goods in the air, it’s easy to overlook the simple fact that skimping on exercise now will extract a hefty toll in the new year.
Continue reading ‘Easy Tips to Keep Exercising Over the Holidays’
By Alana Clarke
Guest Poster
The smell of the turkey fills the air. Mixed with the hints of warm apples and cinnamon, even the most stringent fitness guru is bound to have a watering palate. So how does one fight off the urge to throw away weeks, and sometimes months, of healthy eating for a few days of family, fun, and Holiday feasting? Here are a few Holiday “helpers” to guide you through these festive times without the extra “winter coat:”
- DO NOT skip breakfast or lunch in anticipation of the meal ahead. Our culture tends to “groom” us to save the best for last, but this can severely alter our bodies’ natural biochemistry. When you don’t eat, your metabolism is quick to go into “starvation mode” by slowing down drastically to prepare your body for a lengthy fasting period. So when you starve and then suddenly “fill up,” those calories will be less likely to be expended and more likely to be preserved (i.e. stored as fat) to safeguard future “fasting” periods. Ouch!
Continue reading ‘Holiday Eating Tips to Save the Season’
Published on
November 17, 2009 in
spinning.
Spinning instructors and enthusiasts…
Please share your thoughts and feelings on Spinning®. Did it make you feel more empowered? Did you forge new friendships? Did it give you a sense of purpose?
If you want your comment to be inlcuded in a future article, please provide your initials and location (state or country). No need to register if you do not want to. Just coment away (of course, I’ll have to approve the comment in case some anti-cardio peeps sneak over to wreak havoc.)
To learn what happens as it happens at the conference, check out my Twitter feed at right. I will update daily throughout the day, keeping you posted, in 140 characters, on what’s going on at today’s conference.
UPDATE:
Summary of “tweets” below:
August 13, 13:57: #idea #fitness convention. Reebok has new trapeze workout. Fascinating. (Note: Never got to see it in action. Looks fun, though I am not sure how practical it was…)
August 13, 14:28: #idea #fitness convention. Adjustable #kettlebells. Not as smooth as originals but interesting. (Love kettlebells. Don’t know if these adjustable weight units are sturdy enough. Will have to test.)
August 13, 15:35: #idea #fitness convention. #Trx people just tortured me at their booth but i loved it. Learned valuable stretches. (Allison from Fitness Anywhere went over some good stretches with me.)
August 13, 16:04: #idea #fitness convention. #kranking from johnny g. Upper body cycling. I am too un coordinated. Hr 70%. (Sorry, Johnny G. I love, love, love Spinning. But Kranking. Uh….not so much.”
August 13, 22:45G: reat day at #IDEAWORLD. Met amazing people and learned that the companies in the expo have a lot to share, too. Knowledge everywhere.
Published on
June 30, 2009 in
tips.
According to MensHealth.com, the eight foods you should eat every day are:
- Spinach
- Yogurt
- Tomatoes
- Carrots
- Blueberries
- Black beans
- Walnuts
- Oats
Continue reading ‘8 Best Foods to Eat’
Published on
June 1, 2009 in
tips.
Read Helen’s interview at BargainBabe.com on ways to get in shape inexpensively, quickly and effectively.
(written for Valley Living Magazine)
Busy Mother and Trainer Gives Life to Innovative Fitness Concept
Teri McQuaid is familiar with empty promises about weight loss. She is bombarded with them everyday, just like the rest of us. The difference, however, is that McQuaid is a certified trainer who knows the truth. And the truth is, “there is no quick fix.”
“Losing 20 pounds in two weeks is not realistic,” says McQuaid, also an aquatic fitness expert, Spinning® instructor and certified swim instructor. “What we see in ads - and on TV – is not reality.” Reality for many of us, according to the mother of four, is that we are real people, busy with kids and jobs, with no chef or assistant in sight. “I try to help clients find ways to fit exercise – fun exercise – into their lives, getting the most out of their limited time.”
Continue reading ‘Losing Weight in the Pool - a Quick and Effective Workout’
