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Tight and Toned
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Make A Difference
Wouldn’t You Like To Make A Difference?
I talk to people all the time that say ” I would love to workout with a personal trainer but…..” and then there is usually some excuse like “she has 100 kids and works full time” or “is sick all the time” …these are all valid excuses.
But they are just that… excuses.
I love this reason “I already belong to a gym”. Well, let me ask you…what kind of results have you seen since you’ve been at the gym?…
What I am hearing you saying is you have not made commitment to yourself and your family to put your health first.
I have clients who have kids, full time jobs and illnesses and/or medical issues but guess what …they are there faithfully doing their workouts because they know that they can’t be 100% to anyone else unless the put themselves first. They know they are making lasting changes. Just take a look at Shape It Up Success Stories and you will see people making a difference in their lives.
How Shape It Up Can Make A Difference
Shape It Up’s main focus is get you the results you want. When I train my clients, my focus is on you and what works for you. I love customizing my client’s programs because everyone is different. There are so many layers to losing weight. So much more than just dropping pounds. It’s not just about exercise and eating right. There is a whole psychological level that is different for every person.
How Can You Make A Difference In Others Life’s
- Become the example.
- Be the inspiration.
- Weed out your information . Make sure the source of your fitness and nutritional information is from a reputable person. Some one who is certified by a creditable personal training company.
- Just start. It doesn’t matter how far you are from your fitness goals. Just start already! 🙂 Go for a walk. Add a piece of broccoli to your plate. DO something.
- Spreading the word about health and fitness. You never know when it might spark someone to take a step towards a healthier lifestyle.
You could be saving someone’s life.
Fitness is contagious!
When you feel great inside it flows into everything you do! It just takes one action and you’ll see how fitness can be life altering.
Remember it’s not just today that you can make a difference.
Everyday, you have choices to make. Make good ones and your body will reward you!
Would you like to work with me? Contact me here.
Your Personal Trainer
About the Author
Since 2006, Nicole Simonin has been a Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Shape It Up, LLC. Nicole is recognized for her well-rounded approach to fitness. Through private and online personal training, Nicole motivates, educates and inspires women to get fit and healthy. Her passion is to empower busy women to not only get fit but to be fierce in life and have no limits as to what can be accomplished. Click here to work with Nicole as your personal trainer.
Collision Course For Destruction
Diet.
Did you ever notice the word “die” in diet???…
Are you going to die on a diet?..
Probably not (unless it is a VERY extreme diet).
BUT you can do A LOT of damage to your body if you are yo-yo dieting.
Talk about a metabolism collision course for destruction!
When you go on a new fad “diet” this is usually the course you have laid out for yourself:
“I will start on Monday!” [because we all know great things happen only on Mondays (well placed eye roll)…
So Monday you start your new diet. You feel great! “I am doing really good”, you think. “I’ve had my tic-tac for breakfast, lunch was a shake filled with processed sugars and dinner will be my “sensible” meal. I am keeping my calories low and I am going to lose this weight…finally!”…Day #1 a “success” and a 2 pound weight loss. [What’s really happening: You are in the honeymoon phase. You feel slimmer already because you have decreased your calorie intake and you have lost some water weight. Your body is okay with that…for this one day.]
Day 2 – Tuesday. “I feel great today…but I am a little hungry. That’s okay because I have WILL POWER!” By the end of the day, your starting to dream of foods…and probably foods with a ton of sugar and fat. These foods are calling to you “Eat me…It’s okay. One’s not gonna hurt you…..“Nope”, you say,“because I have will power.”….Day 2 a struggle but an additional 1 pound loss . [What’s really happening: Your body is starting to think that this is the way it’s going to be…not a lot of food coming in. So your body’s natural response is to start storing things for the famine that’s about to happen. Can you guess what your body is going to store? Yup, FAT! And that 1 pound weight loss was probably some much needed lean muscle.]
Day 3 – Wednesday. “Boy, I am starving!! …and I’m feeling a bit dizzy. BUT I look great! …But I’m really hungry…and I CAN’T eat ‘that’ (whatever ‘that’ may be. Let’s say it’s a chocolate cookie)...”it’s not on my diet. I’ll have my tic-tac for breakfast and I will use my… will power??” By lunch, you are out of your mind obsessing about food and how it tastes and how GOOD it will make you feel after you eat it. [What is really happening: Your body is trying to preserve you. So it is sending all kinds of signals for you to eat and eat A LOT. Don’t blame your body for doing what it is supposed to do to make sure you still exist.]
Wednesday night: You blow it! You eat anything that is within your reach!! Ahhhh, that feels good!.…10 minutes later…“Why did I do that!?! I have no will power at all. I can’t do this. It’s too hard! What is wrong with me???”
Thursday and Friday you are miserable and feel like an utter failure. So you head on into the weekend ready to console yourself with all kinds of good foods.
Sunday night: You have now gained back the 3 pounds you lost and they brought some friends….now you’re up 5 pounds from day one. “Well, I can start my diet tomorrow on Monday.”
And so starts the yo-yo dieting.
This yo-yo will totally destroy your metabolism by sending your hormones and blood sugar on the roller coaster ride from hell. It will make any future attempts to lose weight 10 times harder because your body “remembers” and prepares for disaster quicker with each diet. PLUS with each “diet”, your body will take prisoners (a.k.a. fat) and they will multiple….and your body will NOT let the prisoners go with out a fight.
That story is crazy right??
The sad part is… the above story is true in many people’s lives.
Is it true in yours??
Get educated on why your body does what it does and work with your body NOT against it. Once you and your body are in unison, watch how that fat just melts off your body.
3 Great Exercises To Help Relieve Back Pain
Depending on the level and severity of you back pain, the following three exercises may help alleviate your pain. Please make sure you warm up before stretching.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
What is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)??
Pronounced “Hit”, this acronym stands for High Intensity Interval Training.
High Intensity Interval Training has become very popular over the past years because it can be:
- Easily modified for all fitness levels
- Generally, you don’t need much equipment if any
- Can be done with cardiovascular machines like treadmills, elliptical, bikes, rowers, etc.
Depending on your fitness level and fitness goals, there are many different ways you can do a High Intensity Interval Training program . Most of the time the exercises consist of body weight exercises and plyometrics (explosive jump movements) followed by resting periods or low level exercises.
These intense exercises can range from 10 seconds to 10 minutes long. High Intensity Interval Training is aiming to get your heart rate up to 80%-95% of your maximum estimated heart rate. The recovery period also varies in time and is usually performed at 40%-50% of person’s estimated heart rate.
What Are The Benefits of High Intensity Interval Training?
- Better aerobic and anaerobic fitness
- Improved Cardiovascular function
- Better insulin sensitivity.
- Improved blood pressure
- Improved cholesterol
- Decreased body fat
- Helps maintain lean muscle mass
Because this is an all out type of program (meaning you give 100% maximum effort on each exercise), the workouts are typically shorter in duration (20 minutes to 40 minutes).
Increase Calorie Burn After Your HIIT
You will also get a great “after burn” following your High Intensity Interval Training workout because the body is recovering and rebuilding. This after burn may give you a 6%-15% more calorie burn (based off the overall workout calorie burn).
Are You Ready To Do A High Intensity Interval Training Workout?
- If you are a sedentary individual or have medical risks, always consult with your doctor before starting any type of fitness program.
- If you are already relatively active or have been involved in a fitness program (someone who workouts out intensely about 3-4 times per week), you might be able to incorporate High Intensity Interval Training into your fitness program.
- I am all for pushing yourself, but be warned when you first start off…if done correctly, this is an intense workout! I would recommend hiring a qualified personal trainer to make sure you are executing the exercises correctly and have an appropriate workout designed for you.
Here are some examples of High Intensity Interval Training exercises:
Line Jumps
180 Degree Turns
Lunge Jump Switches
Burpees
Are You Burning Enough Calories For Weight Loss? Read more…
Lunge Kick
It’s Shape It Up Tuesday!
I’ve got a quick clip for you today that is great for your legs, flexibility and cardiovascular.
I’d love to hear how you made out with this exercise! Leave a response below.
The 2nd Rack
It’s Throw Back Thursday here at SIU…
and my TBT is more about what can you do now that you couldn’t do before…
Here’s this week’s TBT:
Diane is a SIU client and she is sooooo excited that she has moved to the second tier of the dumbbell rack. This rack includes 25 pounds and up! When Diane first started she could barely lift 5 pound dumbbells. She has come a long way! Way to go Diane!!
What can you do now that you couldn’t do before? I wanna know!
Leave your comments below or join me on any of my
social media site listed to the right…can’t wait to hear from you!
Fat Loss – How many calories needed
There is a constant debate about fat loss.
Here’s the bottom line….
- If your goal is fat loss you want to have a calorie deficit.
- If you want to maintain your weight you need to have an even calorie balance of your metabolic rate.
- If you want to gain weight (put on muscle) you need to have a calorie surplus.
Depending on what you want to look like (lean look like a dancer or long distance runner, or more muscular look like a figure model or just a smaller version of yourself) will determine your macro-nutrients and what type of workouts you implement.
You can read more about what body type you are by clicking here to read more.
If you would like to work with me and find out how I can tailor your fitness program to your dream physique please click here.
Have You Fallen Off The Wagon?
Have you fallen off your fitness wagon??
Don’t worry. At some time or another, everyone has taken the tumble off. The most important part is how quickly you get back on the fitness wagon!
Please read that again and let it sink in.
If it used to take you on a 3 month food fest and now it only takes you a week to get back on track…that’s progress!
So why is that we fall off?
Are we just destined to fail?
Are you destined to be overweight or to be unhealthy…
Absolutely not!
Most of us have some ideal in our head of what we’d ultimately like to look like or feel like. But these dreams have to be based on reality. I am 5 foot 2 inches. I can dream all I want of being 6 foot tall with long legs but that will never happen. I am not saying don’t dream big but make sure you breakdown that big goal into smaller achievable goals.
Most people set themselves up for failure by picking unrealistic goals or goals that don’t quite fit into their lifestyle.
If your resolution was to workout 6 days a week for one hour and you are new to working out you are setting yourself up for failure. A more realistic approach would be for you to agree to 3 days per week for 20 minutes each workout. Everyone can fit in 20 minutes per day. This is a realistic and achievable goal. Eventually, you can work up to the 6 days per week…make it a long term goal.
I love this resolution…
“I am not going to eat any more sweets!”….Yeah ya are!
Because the moment that those words are uttered something in your brain clicked on. Now all the sudden you are obsessed with thinking about sweets, wanting to eat and smell them. This will go on until you cave in and eat every sweet treat you can get your hands on! Our inner rebel does not like hearing it “can’t” have something…maybe we should start telling ourselves we are never going to eat vegetables or fruit ever again?
Instead, maybe agree to start cutting down the sweets. Have half of what you’d normally have and slowly continue to cut it down until you only have sweets 1-2 times per week. Better yet, replace your sweet highly processed foods with fruit.
If you are having trouble with your fitness goal and need some accountability please come check out Shape It Up Fitness. We will encourage and support you with your fitness goals. It is always easier when you have a support system.
So remember to dream big about what you really want to achieve and don’t stop until you get it.
In the words of Casey Kasem:
“Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.”
Check out my online fitness program called Thrive.
