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.
(Written for LA’s the Place.com. Read original at LA’s the Place.)
With time and money in short supply, using your own body weight and changing up your exercise routine are top fitness trends according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE). 48% of ACE professionals surveyed predict that gym memberships will decline in 2009, so it’s time to look at what you can do at home to get fit quickly and inexpensively.
The last home workout article, Homegrown Muscle: Building a Home-Based Gym, focused on the essentials and recommended simple budget-friendly add-ons. From paper plates to stability balls and kettlebells, we ran the gamut with options that kept you motivated and on the path to weight loss success.
This time around we’ve found some “break-out stars” to supplement, or even replace, your home gym. Below each item you will find a “Trainer’s note” with my observations and comments.
Continue reading ‘Time-Saving Workouts: Gravity Bar, Perfect Pullup and Hula Hooping’
Exciting news. In the April 2009 issue of the Harvard Health Letter, the typical “no-no”s are cut some slack and the benefits of alcohol, chocolate (yay!), sex, sleep and social networks are touted. Moderation is key, of course, but now some of what’s been considered bad can actually be good!
My motto has always been: balance. You have to live on occasion. Just use your head. And Harvard Health seems to agree.
For enough ammo to prove your point to doubters, read the synopsis here. For more in-depth information, read the full article.
The electronic version of my “Living the Fit Life” is here. >Download your copy now. It’s free! (Courtesy of LA’s the Place.com.)
Post any comments you might have about it here. I’d love to hear your feedback.
And don’t forget to sign up for my free weight loss e-zine, either.
Before we talk about the best way to get flat abs quickly, we need to clarify one little thing: There is no such thing as spot reduction. If there were I would have the most amazing abdominals ever, because I do a lot of stomach exercises. I plank, pike, lift, crunch, x climb, tuck, roll out and kettlebell. However, I have lost 80 pounds, been pregnant twice, and now carry an extra 10 pounds over ideal. So, alas, my muscles are fabulous, but the excess skin (and few extra pounds) covering them are not.
Do I care? Not really. Because my core is strong and my body can do pretty much everything I ask of it. This Christmas, I found myself climbing up and down a ladder, hoisting decoration-filled boxes in and out of my tiny attic. Reaching overhead while balancing on a rung, lifting the boxes, rotating them across my body and lowering down (sounds like the “wood chop” exercise, doesn’t it?). All stomach muscles engaged, back taught, stabilizers engaged. THAT is why I work my abs…to be able to live my life without ending up in traction.
>Read on for ab exercises
(written for LAsthePlace.com View accompanying photos at LAsthePlace.com)
When time is of the essence, kettlebell training incorporates all elements of fitness for a full-body fat blasting workout in just 30 minutes.
A simple cast iron weight can replace an entire gym full of equipment. Yes, you read correctly. Everything you need to become leaner, faster, stronger and more flexible is contained in a tidy, but heavy, package called a kettlebell.
Continue reading ‘Re-Shape Your Body and Burn Fat Quickly with Kettlebells’
The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s Authority on Fitness®, just released its annual popular fitness trend report. Topping the list? No surprise here. Budget-friendly workouts and time-saving boot camp-style classes.
The economy has taken its toll on everyone, and the fitness industry is not exempt. Every year ACE surveys its worldwide network of personal trainers, group fitness experts, lifestyle and weight management consultants, and advanced health and fitness specialists to see what’s hot, and what’s not, in exercise.
The top two trends reflect our current economic woes, but there is a definite positive element. Though people are cutting back on expenses, they are still thinking of their health as their best investment. For many, it’s simply time to get creative with their exercise routines. The following are ACE’s “Top Workout Trends” for 2009. See what other people are doing for their health and fitness.
Continue reading ‘Money Crunch and Saving Time Shapes Fitness Trends’
The amount of exercise you need a day is a difficult question to answer.
Celebrities often claim they exercise two hours a day. On TV, weight loss shows feature people exercising more than four hours each day. Health advocates say 30 minutes of daily activity is enough to keep you healthy.
So…how much exercise do you really need?
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, it’s more than previously thought.
Continue reading ‘How Much Exercise Is Enough to Lose Weight?’
January 1 sported plenty of people out jogging…apparently folks who usually do not jog. They struggled. They ran barely above crawling. They limped. And yet onward they jogged, full of agony. Why? Because their new year’s resolutions told them to.
How long will these joggers keep running? Not long enough. Of the 70% of people who make new year’s resolutions every year a large majority will not keep them. They set unrealistic goals, do not have a proper plan in place, and believe that on an arbitrary date things will “be different.”
THE FRESH START APPROACH
The “fresh start,” or clean slate, concept is what motivates many people to make new year’s resolutions. It also gives them license to “be bad” up until that date, knowing that on the magical day of January 1 they will be transformed into strong-willed exercise machines. Unfortunately, as someone who has seen many a January 1 (or many a Monday) come and go with no miraculous change within myself, I can attest to the fact that there is one big problem with the fresh start approach: The date may be fresh, but you are still…you. With the same life, same issues, same problems you had on December 31. Until you resolve those problems and change your thought patterns, your resolutions will start, stop, and stay unfulfilled.
Continue reading ‘New Year’s Weight Loss Resolutions’
What Do You Really Put in Your Mouth?
(written for suite101.com)
Recording what you actually eat vs. what you think you eat can be a valuable tool in the struggle with weight loss.
It’s a common phrase among people who start writing down what they eat: “No wonder I’m not losing weight.”
They discover they may not be eating enough. They discover they may be eating too much. They discover they are just eating the wrong things.
How do you stack up? Do you know if you are eating the right amounts and types? Knowledge is power, and in this case it’s a simple fix: start keeping a food journal.
It may seem boring and it may feel tedious, but keeping a record of what you eat can make the difference between weight loss failure or success.
(continue reading at suite101.com)
BUT I LIKE IT
When a personal trainer says she is sore, that’s either a good thing or a bad thing.
In this case, it’s a good thing.
I am testing Russian kettlebells. From my article on building a home-based gym, “Kettlebells provide a thorough, whole-body workout that incorporates strength, endurance and flexibility. The kettlebells’ off-centered weight forces you to use more stabilizer muscles with each move, thus involving many muscles simultaneously. Your core stays active and your body’s muscles learn to work smoothly as one unit.”
Uhm. Yes. And my butt and legs, more specifically hamstrings, are very sore.
The kettlebell professionals at Iron Core in San Diego, California, sent me a kettlebell to experiment with. After very casually playing around with it for two weeks I started yesterday on a six week training program to see how effective kettlebells are in shaping my body. Cardiovascularly I am very strong. However, I am discovering that even as a personal trainer and Spinning instructor there are muscles I apparently miss when I hit the weight room or ride.
I will write a complete review for my LA’s the Place fitness column (with a link from here and my plentyofwords site), with thoughts and progress notes, in about six weeks. Until then, I walk like a rodeo rider.
(Written for CitiHealth Publications)
I remember my first Spinning® class vividly. With 50 pounds left to lose, an out of shape body and baggy black sweat pants, I wore my insecurity like a badge. As I hesitantly got onto the Spin bike the instructor walked in - and I froze. Taking one look at his very lean frame, I thought, “Uh oh. I’m in trouble.”
Continue reading ‘Spinning: Up Close and Personal’
Training in water brings fitness to a new level
(Written for CitiHealth Publications)
Nancy and Bob Dubay of Temecula are very fit. The couple strength trains, walks, golfs and performs regular cardiovascular exercise. So when they signed up for private aquatic training last summer both were unsure of what to expect. They were pleasantly surprised
“It’s a good workout,” says Nancy Dubay. “The intervals were hard and got my heart rate up. But I felt refreshed after – full of energy.”
“I was very pleased with how easy it was on my body, while still being challenging,” adds Bob Dubay. “I wanted to try working out in the water because my back was bothering me from other forms of exercise. My heart rate was elevated, my legs and core definitely felt it. And core strength is important for back health.”
Continue reading ‘Aquatic Fitness – Not Your Grandmother’s Water Aerobics Class’
The boot camp concept is here to stay. People are interested in functional fitness (i.e. exercises that help you do more in your daily life rather than just moving isolated parts).
So take a peek at our new Temecula boot camp FitCAMP web site (and our demo video) at myfitcamp.com. My partner in crime, Teri (the blond one) and I hope you enjoy it. And if you are ever in Temecula, come join us!
