Category: boun-see balls

January 16, 2013

Personal Trainer Interview 1: Erica D. House

Since I have decided to become a personal trainer, I thought it would be wise to pick the brain of some other personal trainers out there to glean some insight about the certification process and any helpful insider tips they’d like to share. I also thought that doing interviews on my blog might benefit any other readers out there who have any interest in becoming personal trainers themselves.

So, without further ado, meet my first guest, Erica House from EricaDHouse.com. She is a psychology instructor, ACSM personal trainer, and a certified intuitive eating counselor. She’s a fitnesss professional with her own personal weight loss story. Take it away Erica:

1. What was the driving force behind your decision to become a personal trainer?

I lost 50 pounds a few years ago and became the ‘go to’ person people asked for fitness and nutrition advice. I realized that I loved helping other people reach their goals and I knew from being a college professor that I enjoyed teaching so personal training seemed like the best of both worlds!

2. How did you choose which personal training agency to certify with?

I had friends that worked in the industry and I asked them which certifications were the best to go with. The two I routinely heard were ACSM and NASM. I went with ACSM because it is the one I found my local gyms to prefer, but I have heard that both are the ‘gold standard’ in personal training.

3. How did you prepare for the exam? Any tips, tricks, or best practices?

I studied for the exam for one month. I had taken an anatomy and physiology class for fun a few months prior (because I’m a huge dork) and had a good background already in the nutrition side of things so I was able to prepare in a shorter time than suggested (which is usually at least 3 months.) I purchased the study guides and reviewed them for a few hours a day before and after work. I read through the chapters, created an outline for each one, and flashcards for the major terms/concepts. That took a few weeks and the last week I spent re-reading everything I created until I just couldn’t take seeing it anymore!

4. Could you give me an idea about what the testing day was like?

I lucked out and was able to take my exam at my place of employment (a university.) I arrived at the testing center and they took my purse and cell and sat me at an isolated computer area. The exam was all online and I finished in about half the time allowed. I was beyond nervous and the moment the test was over and I saw that I passed I was elated!

5. I know you are a psychology professor—I was a psych minor myself. I’m interested in how fitness and psychology might meld together. Is there anything you’ve learned about the brain or human behavior/motivations that would help in a personal training setting?

There is SO much overlap between the two fields. I teach a drugs and behavior course where I lecture on how to set SMART goals, a topic covered heavily in the ACSM exam. I also lecture on motivation and learning new behaviors in General Psychology and those concepts of forming new healthy habits are important when trying to engage new clients.

6. How are you using the web/social media to build your online presence as a fitness professional?

I actually started my blog with the idea that I would do in-person Health/Wellness counseling. I envisioned the blog being a way to recruit new clients and I didn’t expect that the blog itself would become the main focus! I now see my PT cert as a way to lend credibility to the writing I do in the health/fitness industry and I’m actually finally starting to work as a trainer locally next month.

7. Any health and fitness resources/research publications that you read daily or recommend? How else do you keep up with PT trends?

Every morning I check out Blisstree, Huffington Post Healthy Living and NPR Health Shots to look at the health news for the day. I love learning about the latest nutrition trends or fitness craze and I’ll save the best articles I come across to share with my followers on twitter throughout the day.

8. These days, there are a variety of places/ways to train—at a studio, in homes, in offices, and even online. What has your personal training experience been like? Or where do you see this certification taking you?

My first experience personal training will start in a few weeks at a local facility. I don’t anticipate ever training clients in their homes. I thought about it and the idea of having to travel and lug the equipment around didn’t appeal to me. I may offer online PT at some point in the future but I really like the idea of doing it face-to-face for now.

9. What are your plans for using your certificate in the future? Any personal training goals for this year?

My primary goal is to start my first PT job and learn as much as I can about the field to best serve my clients! I know what types of workouts I prefer (running, barre, circuit training) and I’m hoping to learn many other types (TRX, spin, …) as I anticipate many clients being interested in things I don’t have an extensive knowledge of (yet!)

10. What advice would you give to someone like me who is just starting out and studying for the CPT exam?

Start early! Set up a specific schedule for how much you’d like to have accomplished in a week and give yourself a bit of extra time still for those weeks where life just gets too hectic to stay on track. Also, spend some time researching online what your specific exam will be like and the experiences others had with taking it.

***Thanks so much for your insight Erica! I plan on using these tips as I head out on my own journey. If you haven’t checked out Erica’s fitness blog yet, you need to!

Stay tuned for the next installment of these Personal Trainer Interviews. My next guest is a local trainer whom I’ve personally trained with and who owns her own studio in town. If you have any other burning questions you’d like answered, let me know and I’ll try to incorporate them into future interviews. Leave a comment here or tweet me @StarBasil.

January 15, 2013

Big Announcement

It’s official! I’ve purchased all the supplies to become an NASM certified personal trainer. I’m super excited. The materials are on their way and this is going to happen, because I’m finally going to make it happen.

I don’t have any plans of quitting my day job. This certification is something that I’ve been dying to have for a long time. I’m doing it for my own health, personal enrichment, expanded knowledge, more clout as a health and fitness writer, and perhaps online personal training down the road. I’m toying with the idea of getting a second job as a PT at a gym, but I’ll cross that bridge later.

This was an impulsive, yet planned, buy that I know I won’t regret. I will be entering a new decade of life in about 6 months (exactly the amount of time I have to take the PT test), and I wanted to do something big to take me running strong into this next decade. I kept thinking about how you never regret things you try, but you do regret things you never tried. I am not going to regret anything this time.

I’m so excited to take you along for the ride. I’ll keep you posted on progress, testing tips, workshop updates, and how it’s all going. In the meantime, I can hardly stand the wait until those books get here!

January 6, 2013

Supreme 90Day Overview

Say hello to my newest secret workout weapon: Supreme90Day

I ordered it right after my favorite magazine touted it as comparable to P90X, something I’ve always wanted to try but was reluctant to spend so much cash on. Lo and behold, Supreme90Day is super inexpensive. In fact, you can sometimes find it at some Big Lots stores for like $4. People, that’s $4 for 10 workout DVDs. That’s 40 cents each! Oh yeah, baby!!! For the value of this system, that is one heckuva price.

Let’s get one thing straight. This system will bust your butt! In fact, if you don’t have a strength training base to build upon, you might not want to start this until you do. I am a serious exerciser, and this still caught me off guard. This is not for beginners.

From a person who thrives upon change when it comes to working out, this 90-day workout system is ideal because you’re doing something different every single day. This not only prevents me from getting bored but it keeps every one of my muscles guessing. I can already feel a change in my body. Carrying my son around doesn’t feel as hard but my abs definitely feel harder! Push ups get a little easier, dashing up the stairs isn’t as hard, and now some of my other workouts feel like child’s play.

I’m currently on Day 15 of the system, working on this in conjunction with the Tone It Up Love Your Body series. Whoa! I started at Day 1 (again!) toward the end of December because I had a looong Christmas vacation to get a strong start. In fact, a friend and I just decided to head to the gym on our lunch breaks and we do some of the S90D circuits there. I started jotting the workouts down as I was working through the DVDs, so I can do them anywhere and I won’t get off-track. Here’s a glimpse at the breakdown (most videos pack major power into just 30-40 minutes):

Chest and Back: lots of push up and plank-style variation exercises, presses and flyes.
Ultimate Ball: prepare to work your entire body on the fitness ball.
Tabata Inferno: prepare to sweat profusely! Each circuit is performed 8 times for 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest. Some of the moves are strength-based (thrusters, lunges, etc), but you use lighter weights so you can power through them fast.
Shoulders and Arms: you’ll be shaking when you’re done and won’t want to lift your arms. Lots of traditional and functional bicep, tricep and shoulder exercises.
Cardio Challenge: Another sweat-buster. And you won’t do the same exercises twice in this powerful workout. Mountain climbers, plank jacks and burpees, oh my!
Legs: All different variations of lunges and squats abound in this leg circuit.
Core Dynamics: Sure, you’ll work your core, but you’ll also work your entire body. Don’t plan on doing crunches, though. You’ll be put through lots of plank variations and other powerful core exercises.
Total Body: Uses some exercises from the other videos and some new exercises to hit every major and minor muscle group.
Back and Bis: Many variations of what you’d expect with bicep curls, rows, and such. Some of the variations you probably haven’t tried before. Also hits the lower back.
Chest, Shoulders and Tris: Again, many variations on exercises you know like kickbacks, push ups, flyes and such.

Every workout incorporates major core work. In fact, many of them feature a core circuit before getting into the regular workout. The pace is pretty fast though, which is good in a way because you’re burning extra calories along with your strength training. But it can be difficult to keep up with.

You *could* do all of the workouts without a ball, but not without hand weights. And as you progress, you’ll need heavier and heavier weights. Most of the time, Tom Holland shows you how to do the moves without the ball, but there are a few instances where he doesn’t. I would highly recommend a ball. You can get one pretty cheap at Walmart.

In addition to the workouts, the system comes with a complete 90-day nutrition plan written by Tosca Reno. Be prepared for tons of lean protein like eggs and grilled chicken and eating every few hours. I am actually following the Tone It Up nutrition plan right now, but in some ways the eating plans are similar. Both emphasize lean, clean and green foods and eating every few hours. For those of you that don’t know, Tosca Reno is the biggest public personality behind eating clean. If she wrote this plan, I put my trust in it. To me, it seems similar to a bodybuilding diet, which makes sense since Tosca Reno is a fitness competitor.

As long as I keep at it–and I plan to–I will continue to update you on my progress. If you’re interested in learning more, please feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer.

*Disclaimer: I have no affiliation whatsoever with anyone or any system mentioned in this post. Nor am I a fitness or health professional (yet!). This post reflects my own thoughts and observations.

January 4, 2013

Green Tea Health Tonic

When life hands you lemons, make some lemon-spiked green tea. Of course!

Seriously though, lemons help your body absorb much more of the antioxidant catechin found in green tea. Don’t take it from me, take it from this study done at Purdue. What do catechins do? They sweep away DNA-damaging free radicals, helping prevent cancer and the common cold.

Here’s a recipe for green tea with a health kick.

Green Tea Health Tonic:

1 cup brewed green tea
1 slice fresh lemon
1 tsp honey
1 dash cinnamon

You know what to do. Mix it all together. Well, you’ll probably want to squeeze out the lemon juice into the tea and discard. But you know that, right? I have plans to drink this regularly and especially when I start feeling under the weather.

Such a simple drink, but here’s the amazing health scoop:

Green Tea: you already know green tea is good for you. But check out this article that outlines just how good it could be for you.

Lemon: As stated above, absorbic acid (vitamin C) helps your body absorb significantly more catechins from tea. Vitamin C itself is very beneficial to your immune system. Lemon is also used as a detoxifying digestive aid and has antibacterial properties. Read more here.

Honey: has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It could also hamper the growth of food-borne pathogens. The darker the honey, the higher the antioxidant content. Honey soothing for coughs as well. Read more here.

Cinnamon: Could help regulate blood sugar levels and fight inflammation.

Did I ever tell you that my little 4-year-old son loves tea? In the winter, you’ll find us poring over the selection at the grocery store and trying new flavors each week. We have lots of fun with it.

We’re really digging tea at our house this season. What are your favorite flavors/brands?

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or doctor, just an average person trying to eat and drink better. I’m simply presenting information as I have researched it, from what I consider reputable sources. Consult a professional before making any dietary changes.

January 3, 2013

Tone It Up Plan and Love Your Body Update

I finally did it! After all the time I’ve known about Tone It Up and wondered about the Nutrition Plan, I finally bought it. It took the Cyber Monday deal they were offering (and some nicely-timed bonus money) to finally push me over the edge. I got a TIU hat, water bottle, journal, Beach Babe workout DVD, packet of PerfectFit and a TIU decal for ordering that day. You know me, I’m always searching for a good deal! But really, I’m so glad I finally did it. I didn’t quite know what I would be getting, but it’s well worth it.

First, with the wealth of health information and recipes out on the web, I didn’t think I really needed to spend a significant amount of cash on this plan. However, once I got the plan, it was much more helpful and organized than I could have probably mustered on my own. You are given plenty of recipes and meal options for all six “meals” of the day. Plus, the girls have certain food groups timed throughout the day for optimal metabolism-boosting and sports performance. Every new season brings along new updates to the plan–all included for free! It’s super exciting whenever a new update comes out.

The emphasis of the plan is on Lean, Green and Clean foods. In other words, “real” foods or the closest to nature-made foods as possible. So far, I’ve noticed that when I eat on this plan for a week and then indulge in “unreal” foods for one meal (i.e. taco or burger + cookie), I get a stomachache. I guess that could be a good incentive to keep eating as healthy as possible. This is how we should be eating all the time anyhow, so I don’t consider it a “diet” per se.

You can tell that Karena and Katrina put a ton of work and manpower in putting the plan together. Plus, once you’re part of the team, you’re really part of the team. There are so many special “members-only” perks and challenges that once you sign up, you finally feel like part of the TIU “in crowd.” I didn’t quite realize what I was missing until I went all-in.

This week kicks off the Love Your Body series and I’ve been doing everything they tell me to and then some. Here’s a breakdown of what we were supposed to do to prepare.

List 5 Things I Love About My Body

*I should’ve added: “Strong pain tolerance.” I am so thankful for that. This was a tough exercise to do. It was hard to come up with five things and it felt vain, but really, it’s good to be thankful for what our bodies can do. I guess I’m also thankful for strong lungs, powerful abs (my baby doctor almost didn’t make it in time), and a kick-a$$ immune system.

Fitness Goals for 2013

Whoa whoa, what’s that you see? Become a personal trainer? Yep, it’s on my list of things to do before I turn a certain age (ahem) in June. NASM it is! I’ll keep you posted. I guess since I’ve finally written it now, it must happen right? Good incentive.

Workouts so Far

Monday: Rest day

Tuesday: 40 minute Tabata Inferno on the Supreme90Day system + 20 minute barefoot treadmill run (we’ll talk more about this later).

Wednesday:

AM: 35 minute shoulders and arms on Supreme90Day
Lunch: 30 min brisk walk w/ friend
PM: 45 Cupid’s Cardio interval run on treadmill w/ friend.

Thursday:

AM: 40 minute Cardio on Supreme90Day + 1 mile walk to work (in 20-degree weather)
Lunch: 30 min brisk walk with mom and sis
PM: 1 mile walk home + TBD

I already have plans to go with another friend to the gym tomorrow (Friday) at lunch for strength training along with cardio in the morning.
Pre-planning + Recruiting Friends = Success.

How are you doing so far this year? What are you Fit Goals for 2013?

December 27, 2012

On Finding Time to Work Out

When people say that they don’t have time to work out, they’re most likely wrong. I’ve been one of those people. Unless you’re an on-call ER doctor with a family at home and heavily-involved research in progress, it’s probably safe to say you do have pockets of time in your day in which you can fill with movement.

I know from experience that finding time to work out is possible. I’ve been a full-time college student with a full-time job and a social life before who found time to work out. I’ve been a newlywed with a new house to fix up, a new full-time job and a new marriage to tend to who found time to work out. I am now a full-time worker with many hobbies and goals (and at one time a side freelance job) and a son in the same fixer-upper who still finds time to work out. I do have days where I’m finally on the treadmill at 10:00 at night. I do have a million and one projects going on at one time that I have to set aside in order to get a sweat session in. But most days, I do have workouts scheduled into my daily planner–and I do them!

Source: Uploaded by user via Tiffany on Pinterest

How? I make them a priority. After family and work, my workouts are of the utmost importance. Not because I’m vain or obsessive, but because I understand the necessity of exercise for a healthy body. I like the extra energy I get from it, the strength, the endurance and the bodily benefits I get from it. I never sacrifice meaningful time with my family for workouts, but I do sometimes set aside other less meaningful projects to sneak in some treadmill time. I walk on my lunch breaks at work, I walk or bike to and from work, and I also sweat it out after work at least three times per week. This is about growing stronger physically and mentally, breeding good health and carving out a healthy future. Those things are so so important! I would like to share a few personal tips that I’ve used to “make more time” in my day, so I can work out and accomplish other goals.

Really, you can use these tips to find the time to do almost anything that your heart truly desires. If you want to find time to start your own business, learn a new language, go back to school, or some other life-changing event, you can use these same time-savers to tackle your dreams.

1. Cut out TV. If there is one life lesson I’ve learned, it is this: if you have enough time to watch TV, you have enough time to take over the world. I’m not exaggerating. I would like this quote to go down in the quote history books with my name attached. The things you can accomplish in the time it takes to watch two full-length episodes of Grey’s Anatomy would probably astonish you. Honey Boo Boo is not going to get you any closer to your dream body or fulfilling life, believe me! If you do feel the need to watch TV (ahem!), you should pull up a mat or a treadmill and multitask. That’s even a rule that I’ve set for myself. If I’m going to watch some frothy reality show (Big IF), I make sure my butt is being productive while I’m at it. It’s perfectly OK to be a little indulgent if it’s your reward for breaking a sweat.

This is our new giant of a TV that I try not to spend time in front of, unless it’s a workout DVD.

2. Be intentional with your time. Take a good hard look at what you’re really spending your time on. Maybe record every activity you do for a week, or even one day. Then, see where you can prune your free time. Cruising Pinterest, reading gossip mags, and lying on the couch present prime opportunities to get moving. My guess is you’ll find many 1/2-hour or even 15-minute pockets of time when you could take a walk or even dance to the radio. Make a separate list of all those important tasks that would fulfill you, make your dreams into reality, or make your biceps pop. Work on weeding out the time suckers and substituting them for pieces of your wish list. Make a promise to yourself to be more intentional with your time rather than letting circumstances control it. Many of the things we spend our free time on are highly unnecessary.

3. Multi-task: If you really do love those gossip mags, give yourself permission to read them only on the treadmill. Or listen to some podcasts or book recordings while you’re pedalling away. Steal away for a few squats in the bathroom. Do your workout on your work lunch break. Jump rope while your dinner is simmering. Do three laps around the mall before you start your Christmas shopping. Do whatever it takes to blend your workouts into your daily life.

4. Schedule it in: Schedule workouts into your day as you would a work meeting. Then, schedule your other things around it. I usually work out Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. So, I normally schedule doctor and dentist visits, play dates, dinner dates and other things on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Or I just switch workouts around a bit. They don’t get removed from the schedule, just moved. The point is that workouts should become a non-negotiable item in your planner. Once those habits are formed, they will be difficult to break.

5. Tunnel vision: At-home workouts are a danger zone for some people, including me sometimes. You start tidying up a corner of the house, folding laundry and suddenly you don’t have time to work out anymore. If working out at home is your only option, I suggest acquiring tunnel vision. You need to walk into your bedroom with purpose, change into your workout clothes, and plant yourself in your workout space while ignoring your peripheral vision. Just do it, as Nike would say. Don’t let all those familiar distractions deter you from obtaining a healthier body.

6. Go to bed a tad bit earlier: and then work out first thing in the morning. Check exercise off your list before too many other items overtake said to-do list. We all could stand to go to bed 15 minutes earlier.

7. Incorporate the Kiddos: Mommas, I hear ya. It’s difficult to work out while the kids are around. Well, there’s no reason why working out and spending time with the kids need to be mutually exclusive. Hook up the bike trailer and go for a family bike ride. Have your Peanut throw punches too while you’re doing your TurboFire, like mine does. Sneak in a playground workout while your little one is running around. Find a reformer workout you can do on the trampoline. Or just workout next to your children as they’re playing. You’ll really be doing your kids a favor by showing them that working out is something normal, that we should be doing. My Peanut is learning this well. Fitness is just something that we do at our house. And hopefully one day he’ll never have to “find the time” to do it, he’ll just do it without thinking.

I hope this post has enlightened you to work out with what little time you think you have. This is especially helpful if your New Year’s resolutions are fitness-involved. Do you have any other secrets for sneaking in fitness?

December 26, 2012

Super-Power Roasted Chickpea Salad

Take a whole bunch of amazingly vital nutrients and put them into a single dish and you might get something close to this Chickpea Salad. It’s chock-full of clean ingredients that boast healthy levels of vitamins and nutrients to help keep your body in tip-top shape.

According to a fun book* I got per request for Christmas, this is just a handful of the beautiful things that the ingredients could do for your body:

Garbanzo beans: Since chickpeas are a legume, they reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Their high fiber content makes them aces at slowing sugar absorption, reducing cholesterol levels, keeping you feeling full, and lowering colon cancer risk.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes cooked in oil are rich in lycopene, which means they provide some protection against certain cancers. Eating tomatoes with fat makes them more easily absorbed by the body. Tomatoes are also a good source of lutein, which is beneficial for the eyes in a number of ways. Not to mention all the vitamins that the red veggie offers.

Onions: Onions are a potent cancer-fighting food. Onions “contain a whole pharmacy of compounds with health benefits.” They are also antiinflammatory, antibiotic and antiviral in nature.

Button mushrooms: They are a nutrient powerhouse. Get the book. Read page 51 and start adding these mushrooms to your daily meals.

Spinach: A great source of vitamin K and calcium, which together help build strong bones. No wonder why Popeye popped those cans like a pill! It is also a great source of flavanoids, which are antiinflammatory and anticancer agents. It’s great for women because of its folic acid and iron content. There are too many benefits to list!

Olive Oil: The phenols in olive oil are powerful antioxidants. The oil may have a significant effect on lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of certain cancers.

Garlic: The medicinal qualities of garlic are astounding: “Garlic is lipid-lowering, antithrombotic, anti-blood coagulation, antihypertensive, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral and antiparasitic. In other words, it helps lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, helps prevent plaque, helps protect against cancer and even helps prevent the common cold. Garlic is nutritional gold.

This week, I needed to make a light lunch that I could easily grab and munch on in between holiday events and preparations. I’m off of work for the holidays, which means plenty of non-nutritious foods are always within easy reach. Putting this salad within easy reach instead gives me a healthy alternative. For me, Christmas lunch is a free-for-all. Not so the rest of the week.

Superpower Roasted Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 c fresh spinach
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:

Drizzle olive oil in a saucepan. Heat the onions, garlic and spinach over medium heat until onions start to look translucent and the spinach wilts. Add the rest of the ingredients and roast for another 5 minutes or so. Enjoy the salad, warmed or chilled, for at least another four days.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or doctor, just an average person trying to eat better. I’m simply presenting information as I have researched it. Consult a professional before making any dietary changes.

December 22, 2012

Walking Mantra Meditation

Since I’ve been delving into the land of mantras, I thought it would be fun to talk about walking mantra meditations. Now, I’m not a huge meditator. I know all about how good it is for you, and I always have good intentions of meditating, but the practice of silent meditation often falls to the wayside.

After reading an article about walking meditation by friend Nancy Monson, I decided I really like the idea of walking and meditating at the same time. After all, I walk to work a lot, and what’s better than multitasking while doing it?

One day, on my way home from work, I selected a word to focus on for the entire trip. The results were actually pretty amazing. Focusing on the word “beauty” made so many lovely and heartwarming things stand out to me. I had covered the non-picturesque territory so many times before, I didn’t think anything would really strike me as particularly beautiful, but I was wrong. Turning a simple walk into an opportunity for awareness, wellness, and gratitude is just genius to me. It makes every walk quite a bit more special.

I noticed a squirrel carrying a whole corn cob (funny!)
A sign for “Pleasant Street”

A family decorating their Christmas tree in front of the window (so special!)

Particularly aesthetically-pleasing arrangements of apartment electricity lines (weird, I know!).

And interesting architectural details

And I really can’t believe I never noticed this adorable bird treehouse display after living in the same neighborhood for over 7 years!!! It’s amazing what you pick up on while you’re being intentionally mindful.

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This type of walk was so energizing, I plan on doing it much more in the future.

I’ve taken walks before where I focused on how fast I was going to the point that my face got really tight. I’ve taken walks where I focused on a recent fight and used the walk to get away from home, process what happened, and prevent welling rage from erupting. This idea of a walking meditation is much more pleasant and productive, don’t you think? And why would you ever take another walk again without focusing on what’s truly beautiful? Just another simple way to turn an ordinary everyday task into something a little more special…

Try it! And then leave a note to tell me what you think.

December 14, 2012

My Favorite Mantra is Everywhere

Now that I’ve declared “Make it Happen” my personal slogan, I am seeing the phrase pop up everywhere. Fate? Or selective attention? I’m not sure, but it sure is cool. Here are just a few of sooo many instances:

1. I keep seeing Mariah Carey’s Make it Happen all over Facebook and in my favorite magazine.

2. I was reading an article the other day about immigrant millionaires, and one of the women gave advice to “Follow your dream and make it happen.” Exactly!

3. In another magazine, a slogan for a personal training certificate program (how perfect!) popped right out at me.

4. At about the same time, I was reading The Art of Nonconformity (great read) and the phrase popped right out at me on many-a-page.

5. In yet another magazine, I was reading a success story, and the woman’s chosen mantra while working out was “make it happen.”

Seeing those words popping up everywhere is pretty nifty. Once you start seeing these words constantly repeating themselves, it’s like perpetual motivation. It keeps me going.

What is your workout mantra?

October 7, 2012

Where it all started

Let me introduce you to the exercise video that made it all happen for me.

Now, my mom is a Richard Simmons fanatic, something that used to make me throw my head back and roll my eyes. However, he was on to something with making fitness fun with good music and positive motivation. It’s just that…Simmons just isn’t for me.

So, I went digging a little deeper in our VHS cabinet for a workout video circa 1980-something. See, my family was not fitness or nutrition-conscious at all. It’s amazing that we even owned a workout video, but that’s another story.

When I decided to begin my fitness journey, this was the only resource available to me, aside from some equally-old Jane Fonda workouts at the library. So, I did it as often as I could, and it provided a nice baseline endurance level for me to make the leap into running. There was a lot of running in place, aerobics and body-weight exercises in that video, like you might expect. I realize now that all I ever needed was a pair of running shoes, but it never occurred to me to run. I thought I hated running. I was still too close to those horrid memories of the ill-fated gym class mile.

I credit this video with getting me started in my fitness quest. I always felt so good after I worked up a sweat and felt that stretched-out feeling in my lungs. This is where the endorphin rush originated for me and got me hooked.

I wonder what the story is behind my mom buying this video in the first place….Ah, another story.

My husband and I recently weeded through our video collection and decided, reluctantly, to let go of our VHS movies (am I that old?). I just had to get one last picture of this hallmark fitness tool before I sent it to the thrift store. What a memory!