I was riding the train to work the other day. It was about 5:30 am and unusually crowed. Since the recession the trains have become emptier and emptier. Anyway, I was looking around for a seat and as I was looking at the faces I noticed something. Everyone looked so tried. Yeah, I know it’s 5:30 am of course they’re tired. But that’s not what I saw. I saw people who looked emotionally tired and stressed. There was one woman that I saw that was crying. She kept her composure but you can tell there was something wrong besides seeing the tears coming down her face. I felt so bad. I wish there was something that can be done. It was a tough moment. Honestly, I feel their pain. I’m not doing well myself at the moment but I’m trying to push through somehow.

You wonder if they are thinking about Thanksgiving or are even going to celebrate it or even if they afford to celebrate it. This year I believe will be tough for everyone. It’s very upsetting when you see homeless people on the trains asking for any food people have left over.

For this holiday and christmas we should think about giving. The gifts should be a great big hug, asking friends and family over for dinner, even having friends or neighbors over who don’t have anyone to spend the holiday with or you know are having a tough time. We need to spread some love and laughter to those around us who are stressed out. It’s doesn’t cost anything and those types of gifts shouldn’t. It shouldn’t be about what material thing we give people but the emotion we share with people. That’s what will be remembered the most and it will never wear away nor can we lose it.

As I write this, I’m trying to not get upset. It will be a hard year for me as well…emotionally and financially. I also have to re-think the gifts I was hoping to get people. I hope they don’t mind a great big hug because that’s all I can afford right now.

Be thankful for your health, how fit you are, the friends and family you have that support you. Remember that although theses are tough times, they can’t last forever and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Everyone needs to talk, find someone to talk to, let them know you want someone to just listen. Sometimes just having someone listen is a big help.

Happy Thanksgiving

My last post on twitter said that i was going to workout and write a blog about it…it’s a day late but here it is.

Before I had started my workout i had a really bad belly ache and wasn’t sure if I could even work out. But I had about 2 1/2 hours before my next client so I thought I’ll just do what I can. I began with jumping rope going for 100 skips.  Right after came mountain climbers holding on to a 12lb core ball (my hands were holding onto the handles, this way you also working the stabilizer muscles in the upper body, it could also be done with a bosu). Then still holding on to the 12lb core ball I did a shoulder raise, lowered the ball to the ground, and then did a squat thrust, that was done for 10 reps. By the end of that round my belly wasn’t hurting as much. But the longer I rested I felt more pain so I repeated those three exercises for 2 more sets. I only stopped to wipe my sweat and get a quick drink. By then I didn’t even notice that my belly pain went away. Yah!

Next came a 15 reps of a squat with a row using cables, 20 leg lifts on a bench, and a 1 min plank on a bosu. Again, I repeated for one more round. I was running out of time before my next client. So I had to move quick with my final exercises, 15 reps on a seated leg curl and 20 crunches on a seated ab machine for 3 sets.

Two last exercises were 15 back extensions and 10 (counting every other) running sit-ups for 3 sets.

I stretched and felt good. Although my time was short (i forgot to mention that I kind of hesitated for a while before I worked out because my belly was hurting so much), I did all that in 40 mins, I felt like I had a good workout.

I’m not sore from it, but then again it might just sneak up on me tomorrow.

Try the workout yourself and share how you felt.

Until my next workout….Chao!

I got into a discussion the other day regarding grapes and if they contain any nutritional value. The person who I was speaking with insisted that they didn’t and all they contained was tons of sugar and carbs. This person claimed that there were no vitamins in them and believed so because a nutritionist said so. Not all nutritionist  are bad but you have to consider why they give such information. People mainly go to nutritionists to find out how to eat to lose weight, but then they end up losing out on eating a lot of good for your body food because they want to drop a couple of pounds. But that’s a discussion for another time.

Back to grapes…I decided to do some research and here is what I found:

• 100g (1 cup) of grapes contain one of the 5 servings of fruit and vegetables need     for the body daily.
• 200 milligrams of potassium (keeps the heart healthy)
• 12g of natural sugar
• 25% of the daily dietary value of Vitamin C (boosts our defenses against illness)
• 9 milligrams of phosphorus (a basic part of nucleic acids that are the the basic building blocks of DNA)
• 4.6 milligrams of magnesium(important for muscle contractions)
• 92 (IU) of Vitamin A (vital for our eyesight)
• .19 milligrams of Vitamin E (for our skin and flushing out free radicals)
• 14.6 micrograms of Vitamin K (helps prevent blood clotting)
• rich in fiber
• has 69 calories to the cup
• cholesterol free

Grapes recently have been found to contain a lot of antioxidants like reserveratol  which can be found in wines. It has been linked to helping prevent cancer, heart disease, degenerative nerve diseases and even Alzheimer’s before it worsens. Some studies show that red grapes contain certain chemicals that can open and relax blood vessels which is helpful with those who suffer from hypertension.

Before you cut out grapes or any other fruit for that matter (especially because a nutritionist told you to do so) check out what the body would be losing out on if you didn’t eat it.

So I walk into this room with hardwood floor and what smelled like incense that filled the air. I was running late so I didn’t get to bring in any water with me, although the room was warm, I wasn’t worried. So what we had on hand was a mat, a 6lbs core ball, and an extra long blue band.

So the instructor prepared us regrading what we were in for, but I had to go find a mat at there front desk so when I had walk back in the room all I got to hear was “There will be a lot of pushups and plank holding….” Ok, that’s no problem.

Let me tell you, I sweat very easily, as I was going through the workout I was dripping. The instructor was right, there were a lot of push ups that has to be done but it was done with only seven reps at a time per set. The was also a lot of squat thrusts holding the core ball, as well as squats an tons of shoulder work. I had to hold of with the shoulder work a bit because I do have a problem with my shoulders. But I rested only 5 seconds at a time and tried to push through. After all of that we finally get a small water break, which I desperately needed.

We then began some mat work using the blue band (think thera-band). She had us lying on our side with the band under on foot, making sure to add tension by pulling the band toward us, then be gan the side leg lifts, back leg lifts, hold the leg in the air…the burn that developed!! That part was very intense.

The last part with the band was the ab work, a lot of crunches with the legs straight up with a slight downward angle (that part is great to engage those lower abs). Think non stop crunching while varying the way the legs are positioned. That part lasted about 5 minutes and my abs were definitely worked.

Overall, it was a good class. I worked up a great sweat. Is it something I will do often? Probably not. I still like my weight training and interval cardio workouts. But I will be incorporating some of the moves I learned there into my workouts.

Is there any class or routine that you have tried and liked?  Let me know. 

 

You will hear about our grueling workouts (yes, we grin and bear it too), about new fitness trends and what we think of them, answers to questions from other fitness enthusiasts….and everything else that has to do with stay fit and healthy

Working with a personal trainer is more than a luxury. It’s a learning experience to       make  your workouts the best they can be while avoiding injury and working towards a healthier lifestyle. In amNY the exercise equipment company Life Fitness gave the four reasons why someone should higher a trainer:

ACCURATE EVALUATION:
Personal trainers evaluate your goals to design a program that’ll get you where you want to go.

MOTIVATION:
Not only do trainers make great exercise buddies, they offer a no-excuses attitude to motivate you to continue working toward your goals. A study from Club Solutions magazine showed that gym members often quit after 45 days, but 60 percent of those working with a trainer stuck around.

POSITIONING:
Head neutral, back flat, core tight – these are some instructions your trainer is likely to command. Don’t take them lightly. Better positioning on equipment will help you maximize each movement and avoid injury.

*Make sure that the trainer is paying attention to you and not zoning out while they are counting how many reps you do. As much as reps are important, proper form is much more important. It will not matter how many reps you are doing if your not doing the exercise right.

EDUCATION:
A personal trainer knows the reason behind each squat, curl and crunch and how it will get you one step closer to reaching your goals.

*Ask your trainer for his or her credentials, where they got their certifications, how many years they have been training, etc. Many times there are new trainers who are not certified and have not yet learned the proper techniques, from the company they work for or the certification that they are going for, to train a client. those inexperienced trainers can cause injury and you won’t know it till you get one. If you want to make certain that they are properly certified speak to their manager and have them show you there certifications, which they should have on file.

We have a President, including his family, who are as busy as any other family in the world. But they make time to have a healthier life, by working out when they can ( I read that Michelle Obama wakes up at 4 am to work out), having healthy snacks available – the president has a bowl of apples on his desk in the oval office, and making sure their kids are as active as possible (they only get 2 hours of computer and t.v. time on the weekends). They make sure to have time for everything. You can do it too if you schedule your time efficiently. Whether you like working out at night or prefer the morning. Prepare yourself by having your gym bag next to your briefcase.

What you eat and how you treat your body is seen by the most observant people around….your kids. If you eat better and teach your kids to eat healthy that will stay with them forever. There are many places online that can show you how to make any meal healthier by choosing different ingredients. There are a two websites I like the most eatbetteramerica.com and delish.com.  If you tend to eat out a lot take a look at the book Eat This, Not That! Best and Worst Foods in America! You will learn the real truth about what you are eating.

Those of you who have children, nieces or nephews, even grand children remember that they watch your every move. They want to do what grown ups do. If your eating healthy, they will eat healthy, if they see you working out, they will want to workout too. Make time to go hiking as a family, bike riding, playing sports together. If your active your kids will want to be active too. Enroll your kids in dance classes,  karate schools, which ever sport they fancy the most. You will be doing your kids a world of good, as well as your children’s children, your nieces and nephews, your children’s friends, and children all over the world….live by the Constitution for a Healthier Life.