For the majority of my life, I struggled with my body image and had a very dysfunctional relationship with both food and exercise.  I was born in 1965 and grew up when Twiggy was the world’s most famous model—the “look” that was valued at that time was long, lanky, and thin, thin, thin!  My very well-meaning mom, who swore by the credo, “You can’t be too rich or too thin,” was diligent about keeping her own weight as low as possible and made sure that I understood that being thin was equated with being attractive and successful.

The only real glitch in the situation was that I was built more like a lineman than a model.  All my life I was a sturdy little gal—never frail and tiny like so many of my classmates growing up. Wanting the best for me, my mom warned that I had a “problem” figure and needed to carefully monitor my food intake so as not to get fat.  I was taught that it would almost be better to be dead than fat.  I personally did not see the problem, but as a kid you believe what you are told.  I internalized the message that my body was a “problem” and dedicated myself to finding a solution. Read the rest of this entry »

If you can’t get to the gym as often as you’d like, you need to prioritize within your workout to maximize your results.

For example, if your priority is building muscular strength, focus on weight training rather than cardiovascular training when you manage to squeeze in a workout.

By doing this, even if you only exercise two or three times during the week, at least you worked on your primary goal of building muscle.  If you are able to fit in another workout or two, that is icing on the (sugar-free/fat-free/gluten-free) cake!

I personally live by this code, as I never seem to have as many opportunities to work out as I would like. Given that I live a hectic life and have to do the best I can, when I finally do get to the gym, I follow these guidelines: Read the rest of this entry »

I was struck by a quote that I read recently by George Jung: “Life passes most people by while they’re making grand plans for it.”  It really hit me, as I spend many hours talking to clients that have big plans and grandiose visions of what they are going to do. I have been in this position myself: talking a great game but failing to take action and more importantly, failing follow through until the goal is reached.  My Mom used to say, “Don’t tell me what you’re going to do; tell me what you’ve done.” When she would say this to me, I would get annoyed because I wanted someone else to buy into my story.  Now that I have moved past the days that I tell myself “stories” I see the validity of her point.

Many of us talk a good game, but it never goes beyond talk. We need to ask ourselves WHY? Is it that we simply don’t want something badly enough? Is it that we are lazy and don’t want to do the work involved? Is it that we are somehow afraid of success and the responsibility that it will bring? I personally can vouch that I have fallen into all of these mental traps. Read the rest of this entry »

Here is Part 2 of my leg/butt workout.  If you missed Part 1, please read it first.  Adapt each exercise to your skill level and use an appropriate weight load.   I have modified this workout for personal training clients of all different levels.

As I said when I introduced Part 1, the workout consists of twelve exercises that I do on two nonconsecutive days.  Since some of the exercises are harder compound moves (using two or more joints at the same time), I put a few easy moves and a few compound moves into each workout so I can evenly divide the workload.

I do 5 to 8 sets of each exercise, and I do more sets for my weaker areas in an attempt to balance out my legs, both in terms of strength and aesthetic appeal.  Look in a mirror (from all angles) and determine what parts of your lower body need extra work.  Normally, we enjoy doing what comes easily to us and we avoid what is difficult. Assess your weak areas and focus on them.  You are only as strong as your weakest link.  Here are the final six exercises:

7.  HIP ADDUCTION: This exercise works the adductors of the hips, which are all the inner thigh muscles. Using the hip adductor machine, start in a position with your legs as wide as you can and extend your legs so they are straight with your feet in the air (even if the machine is designed to be used with bent knees.)  When you extend your legs, much of the work begins before you do the actual hip adduction, as you must hold your legs up against the pads.  Squeeze your legs together and hold them tightly contracted for a few seconds. Then, slowly let your legs separate to work the eccentric (negative) phase of the contraction.  As you work, use your abdominal muscles to your advantage by tightly contracting them as you press your legs together.  Exhale as you contract. TIP: When I am trying to graduate to a higher weight, I assist myself by pressing on my upper thighs with my own hands as my hips adduct (my legs move toward the center).  In this sense, I am acting as my own spotter.  It is no different than using a spotter for assistance with a chest press or a chin up. Read the rest of this entry »

Do you want to develop great legs and a delightful derriere sure to please you and your significant other? Over the years, I have developed the perfect combination of moves to develop my legs and butt, and the best part is that ANYONE can do it. All you have to do is adapt each exercise to your skill level and use an appropriate weight load. This workout is one that I have modified to work with personal training clients of all different levels.

My lower body workout consists of twelve exercises that I do on two nonconsecutive days. Since some of the exercises are harder compound moves (using two or more joints at the same time), I like to put a few easy moves and a few compound moves into each workout so I can evenly divide the workload!

Generally, I do 5 to 8 sets of each exercise, and I do more sets for my weaker areas in an attempt to balance out my legs, both in terms of strength and aesthetic appeal. Take a good look in the mirror from all angles and determine what parts of your lower body need extra work. This was a humbling experience for me, but acknowledging our weaknesses as wells as our strengths is part of the game. Always play to win. Always train your weakest link.

This week I will give you half of my leg routine, and stay tuned next time for Part 2!

1. BARBELL SQUATS: Depending on your fitness level, choose a barbell with which you can successfully complete 6 to 10 repetitions max. I generally like to select a weight with which I can do no more than eight reps. When I can do more than eight I increase the load. I never squat lower than a 90-degree angle at the knee because I can blow out my knees when I do so. At my age, I tend to be careful and not get too crazy. TIP: Squat slowly, and when you are in your full squat, pause for about 5 seconds, and push through the heels of your feet as you press up to a standing position. Always keep your weight in your hind foot for a squat. Read the rest of this entry »

In all my years working in the fitness industry, I have noted patterns of behavior that many of us share.  Unfortunately, most of the behavioral patterns that I see are destructive and hold us back from getting what we really want.  This is a shame, as I do believe that people begin a new fitness and eating plan with good intentions.  Here is but one of the many negative thought patterns that I have observed over the years and have fallen prey to, myself: Thinking of yourself as GOOD or BAD!

If you believe that you are good when you stick to your plan and bad when you take a detour or have a minor setback, you are going to turn a LAPSE into a RELAPSE and finally, suffer a total COLLAPSE!

Let’s say you fall off the wagon.  First, you tell yourself you are bad; yes, you are a bad person because you ate the left over pizza in the fridge.  Labeling yourself as “bad” will make you feel like a failure. You are not good at anything, and Mother was right: you will never marry, have seven cats and die alone.  You think, “What’s the use of even trying?”

Now you feel like you have “blown it,” and since you are a bad person AND a failure and have blown it, why not just totally blow it?

Finally, you spiral into state of worthlessness because you are bad, you are a failure, you have “blown it,” and you have wasted one more day of your life that you’ll never get back.

Sound familiar?  I have been stuck here, circling the drain, myself. Read the rest of this entry »

If you don’t know what you really want, how in the world are you going to get it?  You need to set goals in such a way that you know exactly what you are working to achieve, you can measure your progress along the way, and the goals must be realistic, considering who you are and the life you lead. Here are some tips to get you started setting effective goals that will get you where you want to go.

Set specific goals: Rather than say, “I want to get in shape,” specify or detail exactly what you want.  A more specific way of setting goals is to say, “I want to reduce my waist measurement by 3 inches and increase my strength and flexibility.”

Set measurable goals: How will you measure your progress?  Rather than say, “I want to walk more and get in better cardiovascular condition,” say, “I want to walk two miles every day at a rate of 15 minutes per mile.”  The progress of this goal can be easily measured, as the goal itself is worded in such a way that you can track your progress.

Set attainable goals: The kiss of death for most people is biting off more than they can chew. You have to set a goal that will challenge you, but not defeat you.  Be realistic about who you are, the constraints on your life, and what you are willing to do (or not.)  Read the rest of this entry »

I recently discussed the importance of body composition and how it matters not so much what you weigh, but rather how much of that weight is fat vs. muscle mass. For more information, check out this blog post: The Significance of Body Composition.

Now that we have reviewed the importance of knowing how much fat you carry relative to muscle, let’s discuss the importance of determining where that fat is.

An easy and effective way to measure what is really going on in your body is by calculating your Waist to Hip Ratio. All you need is a tape measure, which is portable, inexpensive, and will help you overcome Scalitis, that nasty disease that keeps you tied to your bathroom scale as a determinant of your self-worth!! Read the rest of this entry »

Have you ever started a new diet and exercise program that fizzles fast because you just can’t take it anymore?  You need to get real!

First, do what works for you.  This is your program, and it must accommodate you—your skill level, and activities that you know you will do.  If you try to follow the same fitness plan as your single gal-pal at work, it may not fit into your life if you are a working wife and mom with three rug rats!  Examine your life, what you like to do, and your limitations.  Customize your fitness plan to meet your needs and it will take less effort to maintain it.

Next, create a plan that you can live with forever: no shortcuts here—your plan is your new lifestyle, and you must create one that you have time to incorporate into your schedule.  Taking extreme measures will do nothing for you in the long run.  It’s better to make and sustain small changes than to do anything too extreme for a short while.  If you get overwhelmed or frustrated when thinking about “forever,” think only about today. Tomorrow will come and you will handle it when it gets here. Read the rest of this entry »

I have a client that is very obsessed with what he weighs, so much so that his mood du jour is determined by whether the number on the scale goes up or down.  This is no way to live, nor is it an accurate portrayal of what is really going on in your body, i.e., how much of your body is fat vs. how much of your body is lean mass, or muscle.

Excess body fat is undesirable for more reasons than simple aesthetics.  Fat is a storage site for carcinogens, and the more fat you carry above a healthy range, the more you risk hormonal imbalances which set you up for many diseases including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, or cancer of the breast, cervix, colon, esophagus, ovaries, and prostate, to name a few.

A recent study by the American Cancer Society found that approximately 90,000 cancer deaths every year are due to excess body fat.  I advise my clients to worry less about what they weigh and concern themselves more with what that weight is. In other words, figure out your body composition, or the percentage of fat relative to the percentage of muscle on your frame. Read the rest of this entry »