Friday, October 29, 2010

Reaching a small goal

Today during my training at the gym I was really struggling. I worked last night, so I was a bit more tired than usual. Many people I know have come down with the flu, so I'm trying to keep my immunity up and fight those germs. I was just weaker, and I hated it.

I turned on Eminem to give me some energy, (I LOVE his music), and started my routine. While I was training my biceps I thought back to a memory from middle school. Once a year, during physical education, the school would test the students on various sporting activities. I could NEVER do a pull-up, not even half of one.

My upper body has always been weaker than my lower body. Going through the education in becoming a certified personal trainer, I have learned so much about gaining muscle and my upper body is becoming much more stronger. Today, I put my knowledge and hard work to the test, and won a big challenge. I completed 4 sets of 4 pull-ups!!!!!!!!

This doesn't sound like a big deal, but for me it's HUGE. I made myself a goal, I achieved it, and feel fantastic. My entire life I couldn't complete a pull-up, and now I can. Next week I'm going to do even more!

Today, I encourage you to set a small goal, when you reach it, you will feel incredible and it will give you momentum for more. I was completely struggling today, and now I'm a big ball of happy energy!!!

Thank you for reading and no matter what shape and size you are, always love yourself!!!

xoxo
Michelle

TIP OF THE DAY:
To avoid eating all of your leftover Halloween candy, dump your whole basket to your lucky last trick or treater. You will make this child's night, and won't have the temptation around.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Know when to take it easy

I just got in from training and let me just tell you, I already hurt. Today I trained my back and shoulders, I really pushed myself. I usually warm up with 10 minutes of running, but I have lost a little weight, so I had to cut that out this week. I am trying to gain muscle, increase mass, so losing weight is a bad thing for me.

A client of mine told me Sat. that she felt a little run down. While I was training her, I made a mental note of this, and took her session down a notch. When I left I did tell her to eat, eat, eat. Most people when they don't feel well, don't consume enough good nutrients, which in turn makes you feel worse. I also told her to stay out of the gym the next few days.

Well, let's just say she is full blown sick at this point. What most people don't realize is that if you train when your immunity is low, when you are sick, it makes you worse, not to mention you can infect any other members of your gym. When you feel as though you are getting sick, please take a few days off. Don't risk becoming really sick, which leads to missing a few weeks.

Thank you for reading and no matter what shape and size you are, always love yourself!!!

xoxo
Michelle

TIP OF THE DAY:
To prevent acne breakouts on the sides of your face, wipe down your ipod cords with alcohol.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Please Read

I found out last night that a friend of mine has a brain tumor. A happy man, in his 30's, who is in relatively good health,has a brain tumor. Did I mention he has a beautiful little daughter named Sasha.

As I type this he is in surgery. His family was visiting, thank god, and they made him go see a Dr. I'm not putting him at blame, but, like most people, he thought it was nothing. His back hurt, had some headaches, etc......he just lived with the minor pains and put off making a Dr.'s appointment. I am not a medical practitioner, I didn't go to medical school, I only know what I read, learn, and feel .

What I do know is that most people don't go to the Dr. for various reasons. What I do know is that early detection of any type of ailment puts you at a higher rate of surviving it. What I do know is that no one knows your body better than yourself and when something is wrong it tries to tell you.

Today I beg and plead with you to please check in with your body. Is there something that doesn't feel right? Has something been persistent, that hasn't gone away? When was the last time you had a physical and had bloodwork done? Please make sure you are in good health before it is to late.

Thank you for reading and no matter what shape and size you are, always love yourself!!!

xoxo
Michelle

TIP OF THE DAY:
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND TAKE ACTION IF IT'S TELLING YOU SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Push through the bad weather

This morning while I was training at the gym I had an interesting conversation with a neighbor of mine. He had told me that because of the weather he has been dragging and that he hasn't been making it downstairs to the gym. A client I trained yesterday evening also had the same concerns.

The season has changed, we are in fall, and will head into winter soon. How do you push through the bad weather and keep up with your fitness regimen? One very simple tool you can use is to find a partner who will make you accountable. Find a friend or loved one whom you know trains regularly at the gym, and buddy up.

Holiday season is right around the corner, which means there will be parties. Your temptation to consume junk food and alcohol will be at a higher level. Most people gain weight during this time, in order to prevent this you need to kick up your training a notch.....not back down. I know when the weather is gloomy it gives you the desire to stay in, say no to this, put on your tennis shoes, call a friend, and get to the gym.....your body will thank you for it!!!

Thank you for reading and no matter what shape and size you are, always love yourself!!!

xoxo
Michelle

TIP OF THE DAY:
Stir in, don't dump the watery layer on top of your yogurt. It's actually whey, which contains live and active cultures, calcium, and amino acidis.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Bad days

I apologize for not posting, I was out of town. I wanted to share with you my past Sat. An acquaintance whom asked me for help completely screwed me over. When I say screwed me over, I mean big time. This wasn't a man, it was a woman, and it relates to business. I was so angry and hurt. I did nothing but hold up to my end of the bargain and have been kind, understanding, and patient. In the end she got malicious and cruel, which if you read my blog, you know that's not in my nature, so I can't wrap my head around it. I swear on everything I love, I was in no way at fault and have done nothing wrong.

The reason I write about this is because we all have bad days. Some are worse than others, it's how we handle them. I immediately called a friend and spent the day with her. I knew being alone would only make me feel worse. This is why in a prior blog I wrote about having that list of people to turn to when you need help. It is so important.

Being a fitness fanatic, I had trained every day so far of the week. I took Sat. off instead of Sun. Although my stress level was high, I didn't emotionally eat, I stayed on track. When I woke up Sunday morning I took all my stress and anger out in the gym. I swear to you, it made me feel better inside and out. Monday I did the same, and today, I strength trained and CAN'T WAIT for yoga later this evening.

It's getting colder, the holidays are approaching, and there are going to be bad days. We are living in hard times, when you do have a bad day turn to someone that loves you and lean on them. Also, remember emotional eating will only make you feel worse.

Thank you for reading and no matter what shape and size you are, always love yourself!!!

TIP OF THE DAY:
When you are at a buffet or salad bar fill up on fresh veggies, not ones drenched in oil. Don't defeat the purpose of eating vegetables, try and eat as many raw or steamed as possible.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Nothing in Excess

As most of you who read this know, I read health journals, magazines, and watch a variety of television shows on health and fitness daily. It seems recently I have stumbled on a topic everyone is talking/writing about. The topic of excess.

You can relate this topic to anything and everything, and there are consequences. Anything in excess will harm you. If you train to much, to long, for to hard you will tire your muscles and most likely injure yourself. If you sleep in excess (typically 9 or more hours a night) you will feel sluggish and overly tired. If you eat in excess you will gain weight. This is just to name a few.

Take a look at your life, your day, and make sure you are not in excess. Life is all about balance.

Thank you for reading and no matter what shape and size you are, always love yourself!!!

xoxo
Michelle

TIP OF THE DAY:
For those of you who love ice cream and can't seem to give it up, here is an example of how you can still have your ice cream but Not in excess, and no more than once a week: 1 single serving container of Ben & Jerry's Mint Chocolate Cookie ice cream topped with 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries. This is only 253 calories.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Learn how to use equipment

My wonderful mother is visiting me. I love her dearly, however, she is unhealthy. As she was unpacking her things, I was shocked when she pulled out her prescription bag. I understand that she's older, (in her 50's), and when you get older you might need some pharmaceutical aid, but I hated seeing all those bottles.

Now that I am a fitness professional my mother seemed to listen and pay more attention to me in regards to health and fitness. She even let me train her in the gym yesterday, that made me sooooooo happy. She has joined a gym and is trying to lose weight, but she doesn't know how to use any of the machines, which got me thinking.

The equipment in gyms are intimidating if you don't know how to use them correctly. This makes people stay away from them. If you are a member in a gym and are unsure, intimidated, scared, etc. to use the equipment, then please ask an employee for some assistance. Do not try and figure it out yourself, you can risk injury. Remember that you pay for a service and it comes with your membership. Most gym employees are happy to show you what the machines can do.

Thank you for reading and no matter what shape and size you are, always love yourself!!!

xoxo
Michelle

TIP OF THE DAY:
Take a look at your pots and pans and make sure they have not worn down. If they have you may be putting your health at risk.

Friday, October 8, 2010

lose a pound a week

It's Friday evening, the weekend is officially here. Hope this week was good for all of you. I had a very busy, productive week. My training has been really strong, I am progressing well. Today I trained my back and shoulders, I Incorporated a new exercise and I'm pretty soar.....love it!

I read fitness magazines and journals everyday to find different ways to exercise and keep my mind, body, and soul healthy. An article that struck me was on weight loss and the aftermath. There has been studies that have proven if you lose a lot of weight really fast, that a high percentage of people end up putting the weight back on.

The success stories were of people who aimed to lose one to one and a half pounds a week. This means it might take you a bit longer to hit your goal. You will, however, keep it off.........which is ultimately what we all strive for.

To lose a pound a week you need to have a 500 calorie deficit a day. Remember, a pound is 3500 calories. So, 500 x 7 =3500. If you are struggling with weight loss, try and cut back 500 calories a day. In time you will reach your goal without depriving yourself of meals and needed nutrients.

Thank you for reading and no matter what shape and size you are, always love yourself!!!

xoxo
Michelle

TIP OF THE DAY:
Keep each meal focused on one bold, hot flavor. Loading your plate with too many tastes or aromas may trigger the production of hunger-inducing hormones that can make you overeat without realizing it. Keep the flavor simple but make it stand out. Go for spices like crushed red pepper, paprika, and chili powder, all of which contain capsaicin, a compound that may increase satiety and help you eat less.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Find a healthy release

It's been rainy here in LA, the weather has officially changed. I've had a VERY "off" day. I woke up early, it was things as usual, however, as the day progressed it kept getting worse and worse. Usually I can shake it with a Tony Robbins CD, happy music,.......something. I couldn't shake it.......until yoga.

I'll be honest, I was sitting in my apartment ready to just pull the covers over my head and call it a day. My yoga studio is in Santa Monica, it was raining, and I didn't feel like the drive from Hollywood. I called one of my best friends, and yoga partner, he couldn't make class. He told me to go, that it would make me feel better, and he was right.

I'm starting to get really in tune with my emotions and now I am certain that if I'm having a bad day, an easy fix is yoga. The best way to explain how I'm feeling now is simply: at peace. I was able to release the bad day I was having, shut down my mind, and have an intense workout (I pushed myself like a maniac).

We live in a crazy, hectic world where stress is thrown at us sometimes at all angles. I encourage you to explore how you can release your stress with a form of exercise. Most people turn to food and start emotional eating, don't be like most, use your stress to become healthier.

Thank you for reading and no matter what shape or size you are, always love yourself!!!

xoxo
Michelle

TIP OF THE DAY:
There are about 3500 calories in one pound. An easy way to calculate your calorie intake is recording it in a diary. The iphone offers a food diary app., daily burn. You can download it free at dailyburn.com

Monday, October 4, 2010

Don't be afraid of the good fats

Today was endurance training, I had a journal to read so I decided to ride the bike. The journal was so good that I rode almost 20 miles....I couldn't stop reading. I burned a lot of calories, I am trying to gain muscle mass, which means I have to consume more calories today than normal.

The journal I read was on fats, and how your body needs fats. It started off by stating how fad diets are bad for you, which I agree. I believe you need balance in your body, deprivation of a macronutrient is bad, bad, bad. It stated that when most people are trying to lose weight, they get afraid of fat and try and cut it out completely.

What REALLY interested me is that they gave great examples of high fat populations whom heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity are unheard of. One of the populations were historical Eskimo's. Despite consuming an extremely high fat diet comprised of mostly whale blubber, seal fat, cold water fish, and organ meat, this population generally are healthy because there food and fats are natural and unprocessed.

Bottom line: EATING GOOD FATS DOES NOT MAKE YOU FAT! Just don't do it in excess and watch out for processed, refined foods. Some examples of good fats that you should consume are: extra virgin olive oil, avocados, pecans, macadamia's, almonds, salmon, and flax seeds to name a few.

Thank you for reading and no matter what shape or size you are, always love yourself!!!

xoxo
Michelle

TIP OF THE DAY:
Before you go grocery shopping, eat a meal. Never go to the grocery store hungry. Many studies have shown if you shop while hungry you will buy more junk foods. Plan out your meals, make a list, and stick to it.