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Infomercial Maniac

I know one. Someone who has bought multiple products off of infomercials, especially when she worked third shift and infomercials were the only things on the channel-deficient television she was allowed to watch. Some were laughable (everyone knows there’s no cure for stretch marks), some legitimate (I’ve heard good things about Proactiv®). Now I’m starting to bend for some. Namely P90X and Slim in 6. I don’t really know a whole lot about them, but the buzz around me suggests they might be worth a shot.

I adore the idea of a complete fitness plan in one bundle where all the guesswork is removed and workouts are changed up every so often to keep muscles and people from getting bored. I’m not too keen on the price for something I’d like to see/try first. And P90X even sounds a bit hardcore for my athletic taste. There are always mixed reviews from people who have tried it which doesn’t make the decision any easier. I think I’ll wait until my neighbor or someone else close by tries it so I can get a first-hand account. (And maybe borrow a DVD or two just to preview it).

Stott Pilates

I went on a search for sunglasses two days ago at a discount home store and ended up coming across a Stott Pilates DVD for just $4. Naturally, as I’m always on the lookout for something new/different and affordable, I bought it. And last night I worked out along with the video and was pleasantly surprised.

I have tried a whole variety of Pilates DVDs only to be bored with the all-too-familiar repetition of the same old moves. Sometimes it seems like if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. You do the hundred; you do you do the side-lying leg series; you do some single and double leg stretches; you do the saw, etc. However, this Stott Pilates DVD offered a lot of variations and a lot of adjustments that made the moves even more challenging (a bonus for the challenge-seeking non-beginners and beginners alike). You do the hundred on your knees and pump your arms from all different directions. But don’t worry, you can still feel it in the core!

I actually felt rejuvenated after my workout and I felt like I actually worked out my arms. Imagine that–a Pilates routine that works on the arms! There were some isolated upper back moves, a few different kinds of push ups and a few different moves that integrated the biceps and triceps into the movements.

I think I might make a trip back to that store and make a few more selections while supplies last and the price is right!

Giving In

One of the most important things you can do on a diet is to splurge. Yes, you heard that right. This can even applies to any other regimen you put yourself on, be it anything from budget to fitness-related.

Take the family that gets themselves into financial trouble by eating out almost every night. Instead of completely cutting dining out of their budget, they’d be more likely to abide by a revised budget if they penciled in restaurant meals once a week. A woman should never have to completely eliminate chocolate from her diet. She should indulge even once a day on a small piece of rich dark chocolate. Better yet, expensive dark chocolate. That way it really feels like a quality satisfying luxury, but one that’s under control. Take dining out of the budget and chocolate out of the pantry, and you basically set yourself up for a binge. We all strongly desire what we think we can’t have. Of course, these indulgences shouldn’t happen after every single meal and shouldn’t be in giant-sized proportions. Just a little something…

Portion control is important as is the quality of food eaten, but just as important are those moments when you surrender. No one can stick to a budget or fitness plan without a little fun and indulgence built in.

Is an active job a workout?

I had a small argument with my dad about this. After a trip to the doctor, we was told his chances of having a heart attack were off the charts due to a combination of factors, including smoking, high cholesterol/triglyceride/everything readings, eating a full bag of Cheetos in one sitting and sleeping every hour he wasn’t at work. My dad was previously a construction worker for over 20 years of his life. The man has some pipes. But he also has quite the belly and much-too-high cholesterol levels.

I know construction work can be exhausting. But just because you work in an active job doesn’t mean you earn rights to eat anything you want. Just because you lift heavy objects all day does not give you license to neglect other body parts and your flexibility. Just because you only eat a small amount per day doesn’t mean that calorie allowance should be filled with filth. And just because said lifting builds muscle, it doesn’t mean you are getting any cardiovascular exercise, elevating your heart rate for an extended period of time. There is a HUGE difference. Let’s not even get me started on the smoking, daddy-o!

And dad refuses to switch from white foods to whole grains; refuses to eliminate popcorn drowned in extra butter melted in the microwave; and refuses to eat most foods from the produce section, and that’s just a start. He swears he doesn’t eat that bad, but a real, honest food log would tell an entirely different story. I don’t mean to rip on him, but I just have a hard time not getting mad. Now that I’ve made healthy trades and sort of jumped over to the “healthy” side, I absolutely hate excuses and I am easily saddened by situations where people decide not to take care of themselves. I suppose that’s because I’ve done a lot of reading and research about how certain foods and exercise affect your health. Unhealthy people have probably not done so (or ignore the facts) and don’t really understand what they’re doing to their bodies.

I’ve helped when I’ve been asked. It’s a gentle subject and I know the worst thing I could do is persist. I’ve given him a diagram of exercises to help strengthen his back and alleviate his pain, which I’m pretty sure ended up as a coaster. I made an entire booklet of information for him about healthy nutrition, because he couldn’t afford to go to a nutritionist. Even though I was asked, I was still insulted (basically told I didn’t know anything) and the book was completely ignored (i.e. discarded). Hours and hours of work down the drain is enough to make anyone angry.

When I became a mother, I lived, breathed, spoke, thought, and constantly worried about my health and that of my child. I think that’s a natural reaction for a parent. I can’t imagine losing anyone this close, especially for reasons that are within their control. I can so clearly see this teetering on a tightrope and it nearly makes me sick. I don’t want to see my daddy hurting, especially like this. Please pops, can you do better than this so we can enjoy your presence for much much longer?

Tracey Anderson Method

So, I’ve been reading a lot about celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson lately. Just like other things I’ve written about, it seems once I hear about something, I’ll hear about it a few times. Tracy Anderson popped up in my inbox twice in one day, so I thought it would be worth checking out.

There are devout followers and extreme skeptics of the Tracy Anderson Method. Tracy emphasizes the itsy bitsy dancer body, which of course isn’t for everybody or every body. The claims made are that she has over a decade of research under her belt, but I’m very curious as to what and how trustworthy this research actually is. And some of the nutrition plans of hers that I’ve come across sound sketchy. And who on this Earth, besides Madonna, has two hours six days a week to work out? Just sayin’.

Anyhow, Tracy places a wonderful emphasis on improving strength and sculting a sexy body without worrying about adding bulk. It’s a wonderful high rep/low weight method to try on alternate days from your low rep/high strength training days. Don’t mistake the low weights as a workout for pansies, because some of them can be very hardcore. The method also has some similarities to Pilates, but with a much more diverse set of exercises. For one, Pilates puts focus on the core, while Tracy Anderson chisels out arm and leg muscles as well.

Althought I don’t think the complete plan is sustainable, I am a proponent of variety. So, I have incorporated a few of Tracey’s methods into my workouts this week.

Here are a few places where you can find a few free workouts from Tracy:

1. Daily Candy recently posted four workout videos with Tracy. This is a link to the “Tracy Anderson” search results. There are four different targeted workouts from which to pick and choose. Tracy guides you, but you have to pause the video to eke out the indicated reps by yourself.

2. Just type Tracy Anderson in YouTube to bring up several free 10-minute-ish workouts.

3. The home page of the Tracy Anderson Method Website offers a free workout video if you enter your email address. No gimmicks or hassle, or I wouldn’t have signed up myself.

4. Self Magazine published a wonderful arm workout by Tracy several months ago. Print the slide show and do in your living room.

Check out Tracy’s website and studio images. People are paying $900 a month to work out with her on funky pully systems and cube-shaped frames. She also made a series of workout DVDs you can get on her website or Amazon. For now, I’ll just take advantage of the free online workouts, thanks.

Gym Rookies

I’ve heard people who are so self-conscious of their weight that they will forgo a gym membership just for that reason. Heck, I was probably one of them. Well, I actually thought gyms were for hardcore weight lifting men with excessive muscle. I had no idea that the gym was a regular place for regular people and their regular fitness routines until I joined one.

The first thing to remember is, some of these people started their fitness journeys in your same shoes. They may have been overweight, hesitant to join, and completely unsure of themselves in that new place. They know exactly how you’re feeling and can sympathize with your uncertainty. They are much more likely to be internally rooting for you rather than judging you. They’re more likely glad that you’re there, taking care of yourself, than not.

Second, everyone is really probably only thinking about themselves. People are very self-conscious when they’re grunting, sweating, and struggling in front of other people. They’re all worried about themselves. It’s actually sort of comical if you watch people for awhile. They all check themselves out in the mirrors around the gym. Don’t worry, they’re more worried about their own sagging skin than your cellulite. Or they’re busy focusing on their workout form.

Third, I’ve noticed, especially with runners, there is a sort of unspoken comaraderie among people who run. It doesn’t matter if you’re an elite athlete or a slow beginner. Runners cheer each other on. I have never seen so much enthusiasm or experienced so much encouragement as when I’m out running, especially in road races. At the gym, you’re doing something that most of the population disregards, and you can take pride in the fact that you’re there instead of glued to the tube.

The easiest way to acclimate yourself to a new gym is to take a tour, take the gym up on their free personal training sessions, or try out a group fitness class. Just getting accustomed to the lingo, equipment and faces let you dip your feet without drowning. Read up a little bit on fitness equipment before you head in and print off a few workouts you can try. Take a friend with you for those free weekly trials so you have a buddy in this unchartered territory. I also find that reading or listening to music helps me fall into my own little wonderland where I don’t even know what’s happening around me.

Happy Lifting!

Not All Opposites Attract

Here’s a little insight into the differences between someone who is healthy and someone who is not. Some of them might be overgeneralizations, but really, the habits between the two groups are significantly different. And in no way am I trying to be insulting, because I myself have been on both sides of the equation and know all too well the upsides and downsides of both. Here’s my experience with healthy vs. not-so-healthy.

1. Enthusiastic about each opportunity to walk instead of drive/Moan at the thought of having to cross a parking lot to reach a neighboring store.

2. Find little ways to incorporate activity into everything, even lunch/Barely leave their desk and would rather not even take the stairs.

3. Find time, no matter what the circumstances or how many kids they have, to work out several times each week/Offer an extensive list of excuses as to why exercise just isn’t feasible.

4. Take pride in trying out new fruits and vegetables and have a recipe collection for common favorites/Most fruits are ingested in juice form.

5. Knows what most fruits and vegetables look like/Not sure where to find an eggplant.

6. Pantries and fridges are full of healthy fare from the perimeter of the grocery store/Boxed meals and prepackaged goods usually make the cut.

7. Maintain a healthy lifestyle long-term/diet on and off; regularly sign up for different weight loss programs and quit after a short time.

8. Thoughts of the deep-frying process make you a bit nauseous/Thoughts of keeping down Brussels sprouts makes you turn up your nose.

9. Take charge, research and implement healthy living strategies/Wait for some miracle cure, supplement or equation to take all the guesswork out and require the least work possible.

10. Comfortable being uncomfortable for healthful gains/Huffing and puffing are avoided at all costs.

11. Have at least a basic idea of how to read nutrition labels and eyeball a serving size/Likely eat much more than one serving and think labels are way too scientific to even bother with.

12. Barely watch television and sometimes work out during commercials/Have at least 2 or more shows each weeknight that they catch on a regular basis.

13. Work at healthful habits one step and small goal at a time/Use an all-or-nothing approach and go all-out only to come crashing to a halt days later.

14. Small setbacks don’t completely derail the healthy lifestyle/A minor slip-up might completely sabotage willpower.

15. Enjoy small indulgences every once in awhile/Try to completely eliminate certain foods, label foods good and bad, and/or go overboard on portion size.

High Rollin’ on Skates

I’ve decided that today, a cross training day, will be dedicated to roller blades. The weather is finally shaping up and I have a pair of shiny new skates in the attic that have been waiting to come out of hiding. I bought them just as it was getting cold and snowy. So, I did a little research on roller blade workouts, because I don’t want to sell my workout short. Here are some different moves that I’ve come across that I might try when no one’s looking:

1. In N Out: While skating, get into squat position. From there, move legs out wide, bring them in and repeat.

2. One-legged In N Out: Same as In N Out, except move only one leg out to the side at a time during each rep.

3. Riding backwards: Basically the same as In N Out, just propelling yourself backwards.

4. Leg lifts: Grab a bench or tree for balance. Since the skates provide extra resistance, leg lifts to the side get an extra push.

5. Rear leg lift: Same as above; use skate for resistance and lift one leg behind you.

I found a whole lot more intricate moves as well that I am not even going to attempt. Even just braking is going to take some getting used to again. We’ll work on the more coordinated dance steps some other time:)

Psychology to your Advantage

I just heard an interesting tidbit from a Social Psychology lecture I was listening to on a podcast (don’t ask). There was a study that said that individuals put forth more effort when other people are around. Thinking about this from a fitness standpoint, it would be beneficial to work out in a gym or other public facility. You might just work a little harder. Or perhaps you might try running in public. It feels good to breeze past homes where you occasionally see people sitting in front of the TV, or sitting around in general. Or when you sneak a peek at a cute guy, you can’t help but pick up your shoulders and your pace. Awww, c’mon, you know you do:) And you know people are watching you from their vehicles as they pass by, so you don’t want to appear haggard, right? Taking part in group exercise classes, in front of a mirror to boot, makes you more apt to perfect your form, follow through, and eek out every last rep so you don’t look like a schmuck. In the comfort of your own living room, you can get by with a little (or a lot) of slack.

The hugest boost I’ve ever had while running was when I was running in road races. I don’t think I would’ve survived the half-marathon if it weren’t for the supporters that cheered the entire length of the route. As silly as it may sound, it ticked me off, at the same time as it made me root for them, when these little kids or people much heavier than me would pass me up. That pushed me to run faster. And my mom even noticed that every time I saw my family at the mile markers, my pace seemed to pick up. So, there must be some truth in these psychological theories.

The opposite effect is true when you’re working out with other people or participating in a group effort. You’re actually more likely to work less hard. You start to rely on the strength and speed of others, such as in the case of something like a tug-of-war.

So, use these little tidbits to your advantage to push your workout to new heights!

Sweatin’ to the Oldies

Thank goodness the days of Richard Simmons and endless grapevines are gone. You can get fit, without sweating to the oldies, with the likes of Jillian, Ellen Barrett, Chalene Johnson, Sara Ivanhoe, and other modern-day fitness mavens. As technology progresses and trainers find new ways to sweat, we are blessed with more efficient and more enjoyable workouts.

I think when the background music, background decor, workout outfits are more tasteful and modern, the more favorably I look upon the video. It’s much easier to get into the groove of it when it doesn’t feel like I’m traveling back to the days of thong leotards and neon biker shorts. I don’t know exactly what it is.

Thank goodness for on-demand fitness television, online workout videos, online fitness information about anything you can think of, easier access to foreign forms of exercise, accessible exercise equipment and widespread chain fitness clubs in every city. This modern stuff is all very much to my benefit, for sure. I get bored very easily.