Inspiration and News

DRUM FIT

If you like music, beating a drum, getting in a good workout, this is the class for you. Classes are on Saturday’s at 8:30am.

NEW LOCATION - NEW CLASSES

We are so excited to be in our new studio. Now we are able to offer more classes, services and products.

Zumba begins Wednesday, February 7th at 6:15p.m. I know so many of you have been waiting and we are excited to have Michelle join Totally Fit as our Zumba instructor andour Self Defense instructor.

Jessica who has been with us a few years now, has added Nutrition Coaching to her certifications. She will help anyone who needs accountability, encouragement, and direction in their weight loss journey.

Additional classes and services are coming soon.

KIDS YOGA

Kids learn to relax and reduce stress through games, music, and storytelling. They learn self awareness through yoga poses and breathing techniques. Classes Fridays at 4:00pm

Posture Perfect!

Do you think much about your posture as you go about your daily life?

Stand in front of a mirror in a comfortable stance. Are your shoulders sloped, does your stomach stick out and your back bow in?

There are a lot of people who cannot fully straighten up as they walk. You may see young adults whose heads are leaning forward from their torso, not aligned with it. This is because they spend too many hours on their phones with their heads tilted downward.

If you sit at a desk all day working on a computer without adequate postural support, you may develop a thoracic curve and rounded shoulders. If poor posture is maintained for long periods of time (weeks, months, years), tendinous tissue that previously permitted a good range of motion can shorten and impede movement.

Maintaining good posture throughout your daily life is key to being able to continue to do the things you love without impeded motion or pain. If you sit at a desk all day, see if you can get a desktop that allows you to sit or stand. After you get used to standing while you work, you will find that you have more energy in the afternoon, and you won’t need that afternoon coffee to keep you going!

Sitting on a stability ball will also help to maintain a strong core, which is a key element to good posture. Standing all day or sitting on a stability ball takes practice; you will need to slowly integrate this into your daily routine.

Doing exercises that strengthen the core, back, hamstrings and glutes will help to improve your posture. However, you cannot do these just once or twice a week and expect to see results. Practice good posture every day...and reap the benefits as you age!

Answering Your Questions

You asked...I answered!

I want to address some of the questions I'm most asked about fitness and physical well-being.
 

"I haven’t worked out in a long time; how many days a week should I work out?"

I always recommend getting back into it slowly. Try every other day for the first couple of weeks, then increase to four to six days a week. You need one day every week for your body to rest.

"Can I do weight training every day?"

No, you need to let your muscles rest 48 hours before performing weight training again. You could alternate your focus - work on the upper body one day and the lower body the next day.

"How do I know what size weights to use?"

If you are able to easily complete 10 to 12 repetitions, then you need to increase the size of weight you are using.

"I want to work on my stomach; everything else is fine."

If your stomach needs work then the rest of you does as well.  I always train the whole body in a workout, not just one part. If your stomach is weak, your back is also weak. If your quads need work, your hamstrings do as well. It all works together. Having one muscle stronger than the other causes injuries.  

"I do the same work out every time. Is this ok?"

No, you need to mix it up. Our bodies are amazing machines and adapt to our workouts. Our muscles don’t have to work as hard doing the same thing every day. You need to vary the intensity, duration and/or frequency of your workout.

"I don’t like water. How much do I have to drink every day?"

You should be drinking half your body weight in ounces of water per day. Example: a 140lb person should be drinking 70 ounces of water every day. If you don’t like plain water add lemon, lime, even cucumbers will give your water a refreshing taste.

"Does drinking coffee, tea, etc. count in those ounces."

No, caffeine will dehydrate you, not hydrate.

"Should I eat right before I work out?"

No, you should not eat right before you work out, nor should you work out on an empty stomach. Try to eat at least an hour before you begin. A snack of fruit or veggies and protein are your best choice. This will give you the energy to work out without being uncomfortable from a full stomach.

"I have heard that you don’t need to ice sore muscles anymore, that heat is best to use. Is this true?"

Ice helps to reduce inflammation. Heat brings blood to the area to help with repair. If you have arthritis and you ice on a regular basis, you will see a tremendous difference in your pain level and range of motion. So no, I don’t believe we should stop icing those sore muscles or joints.

"How do I know what is the best work out program for me?"

Whether it is yoga, dancing, spinning, or weight training, if you are committed to doing it weekly that is the best program for you. Just remember showing up is the hardest part! I can’t tell you how often people tell me they didn’t want to come to class but once they get there they are glad they did.

If you have more questions about fitness in general or about your own program, please get in touch! 

Baby Steps to Success

Well, it is almost March. How have you done with your New Year’s resolution to lose weight and to start exercising?

Don’t be too hard on yourself - like so many thousands of others, we have good intentions. We start out by starving ourselves and working out way too hard the first couple of days. Next thing you know we give up and go back to our old habits.

Here are a few tips to get you back on track to achieving your goals.

If there doesn’t seem to be enough time in your day to work out, combine cardio and strength training in a 20-minute workout. You will burn calories while building lean muscle.

Our bodies are amazing machines. If you do the same workout every time, you are doing yourself a disservice; our bodies become accustomed to the routine so it takes less effort. You have to keep the body guessing, so change little things like the number of reps you do, or switch the pace on your cardio.

Next, try making small changes to your diet. Instead of eating cereal, toast, or waffles for breakfast (which spike your blood sugar), eat protein and vegetables. Grains cause your insulin to rise as well as your cortisol, and before you know it you are hungry again and your blood sugar has plummeted.

Omelets are a great way to start your day. No time for making an omelet? How about scrambled or hard-boiled eggs and some raw veggies?

If you feel like you are missing something when you don’t have bread or grains with your meals, try saving them for your lunch and dinner. They should be just 1/4 of your meal; the rest should be vegetables, fruit, and protein.

Another problem I see all the time is the size of our portions - they are way too big. I always tell my clients to use a small plate. You will be surprised at how satisfied you are with smaller portions, and before you know it, you will hate that stuffed feeling when you overeat.

We didn’t get out of shape overnight, so why do we always believe we can get in shape overnight? Small changes over a longer period of time are more sustainable.

Presence, not Presents

We are always trying to stay healthy, keep the weight off and get in our workouts, but sometimes we forget to enjoy the moment.  

Yesterday my family had our annual Christmas cookie baking day. For quite a few years now I tried not to be in the kitchen helping because I didn’t want to eat the cookies or the dough (my favorite).  But this year I said I would help because we had a special helper joining us - Daphne, my 3 year old granddaughter.

We had a wonderful time reminiscing about past successes and the few failures we had in past baking gatherings...and we didn’t eat the dough or cookies as we were baking! instead, it was about spending time with our daughters and grandchildren.

It doesn’t have to be about the food, especially this time of year, it is about family and friends and treasuring those times together.  

I want to take a moment to thank all of you for allowing us to be a part of your lives and to helping you reach your fitness goals.  We look forward to continuing to be a part of your weekly fitness routine.  

No-Pressure Eating - Enjoy Your Thanksgiving!

Are you looking forward to Thanksgiving?

Getting together with family and friends of course enjoying great food and drink.

Did you know most people now look forward to Thanksgiving more than Christmas because there is less pressure?

It is also the time of year when people gain seven to ten pounds. The average calories consumed at a Thanksgiving dinner is 3,000...and with appetizers, drinks and dessert it can add up to 4,500 calories! That is at least a one-pound gain, depending on what else you ate during the day.

Here is a list of the calorie content of some of your favorites:

1. 1 cup of eggnog without alcohol - 223 calories

2. 4 oz. of wine – 100 calories

3. 1 oz. of peanuts – 170 calories

4. 7 (28g) cubes of cheese – 110 calories

5. 10 oz. glass of whiskey and coke with single shot of whiskey – 195 calories.

You may think some of those aren’t too bad, but it takes time to burn those calories!

Consider how long it would take you to burn off calories if you weigh 150 pounds. If you weigh less than 150 pounds it will take even longer.

1. Walking (3 ½ miles per hour): 140 in 30 minutes

2. Weight lifting (general light workout): 110 in 30 minutes

3. Hiking: 185 in 30 minutes

4. Gardening: 165 in 30 minutes

5. Chopping Wood: 220 in 30 minutes

Consider these numbers when you are trying to decide which foods you will eat and which you will avoid.

Have a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving

Moving Through the Holiday Season

I know it is hard to believe but the Holiday Season is fast approaching. There are only 38 days until Thanksgiving then we will be in full swing of another hectic, activity-packed holiday season.

I don’t know about you but I have already started to plan for the shopping, parties, workplace events, etc. I have also started to think about and adjust my diet accordingly.

Do you want to lose some weight before the holidays get here? It is doable, but don’t wait until next Monday...get started now by making simple adjustments. 

First, don’t eat after 7:00PM, or if you are like me and don’t get to eat dinner until then, make it a light meal, having your heavier meal at lunchtime.

Second, limit your snacks. If you feel you can’t wait until the next meal to eat something, make it a healthy snack. A piece of fruit and some protein will help you feel satisfied until your next meal.

Remember, eating 500 fewer calories a day adds up to losing one pound a week. Reducing your portion sizes along with not eating in the evening will help you reach your weight loss goals.

Keep moving! Find at least 10 minutes, three times a day to get in some activity.

A great way to burn calories at work is take the stairs.Going up and down the stairs for 10 minutes is a great cardio workout and calorie burner; it is also a quick way to get those legs in shape. 

Being proactive about eating healthy meals and getting in your workouts will help you feel amazing, and you will have the energy to keep up with all the activities that the holiday season brings.

It's never to early to prepare!

Have a Walk, Not a Donut!

We have all heard the saying “Getting in shape is 80% diet and 20% exercise." While that is accurate, you need to combine cardio with strength training in order to be successful in maintaining weight loss.

Did you know that after the age of 20 our metabolism drops 3% every decade? And at some point in our 30s we start to lose muscle mass. We all know muscle burns more calories than fat. Therefore adding weight bearing exercises to your workouts is a great way to help combat both a slowing metabolism and muscle loss.

Think about this: The average glazed doughnut is 255 calories. A 155-pound person will need to walk (average speed 3½ miles per hour) for one hour or do one hour of vigorous weightlifting to burn off that doughnut. If you weigh less than that, unfortunately you will have to work harder or longer to burn off that glazed doughnut.

But it takes only about 2,921 steps (just over a mile) to burn off a 3 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast. That is fairly easy to do!

Walking helps lower the risk of...

  • coronary heart disease by 9.3%,

  • diabetes by more than 12%,

  • cholesterol by 7%,

  • and high blood pressure by more than 7%.

This alone should motivate everyone to walk more often!

How many steps do you walk per day? I always hear, "I don’t have time to walk 30 minutes every day." Well, can you find ten minutes a day, three times a day? That’s all it takes to begin to see your health improve!

My favorite advice to someone beginning a diet and exercise program is this: baby steps. Making small changes to your diet and exercise routine is more sustainable than making big changes that you have a hard time maintaining.

New Healthy Habits!

I have talked a lot about nutrition the past few months and as I was trying to figure out what to write about this month, attitude, excuses, procrastination kept running through my mind. We all know the things we should be doing every day to keep ourselves healthy but sometimes we get off track and can’t seem to get back on track without a nudge or even a push.

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I was talking to a client today who told me why she tried the 30 Days to Healthy Living we are now offering at Totally Fit. It was because she had gotten off track and was having a hard time getting back to eating healthy. Finding what works for you is key - and the 30 Days to Healthy Living worked for her. It's important to realize that what worked before may not work this time. 

It is the same thing with working out. We can come up with a million excuses for not working out today but the reality is once you show up, you are glad you did and actually feel better.

Years ago people didn’t work out because they were more active in their daily lives. Even doing laundry was time consuming and labor intensive. Jobs were less sedentary. Now most people work at jobs where we sit all day. We don't even have to get up to make or send a copy! However, we are more stressed than ever before and really need to make the time to work out and de-stress.

Find a program that gets your serotonin levels up and the endorphins going, and you will keep coming back for more. Those feel-good hormones help to keep the cortisol levels down, which in turn helps to keep your weight down. So taking a yoga, weight training, core, balance and cardio, or maybe even a Zumba class is just what the doctor ordered.

I know old habits die hard but making new healthy habits are all good for our mind, body and spirit.
 

New Products at Totally FIt

I am so excited about all of the new things happening at Totally Fit this fall! We will be offering one or two new classes on Saturdays for those who are looking for an additional day to work out ... details to be finalized in the next couple of weeks.

I have been looking for nutrition products that are healthy for you and are not full of chemicals. I have finally found what I think is a perfect fit with what I believe we should be putting into our bodies. Arbonne products are certified vegan, gluten free, dairy free and they also use non-GMO products.

The protein shakes are delicious; in addition to the above benefits, they have a low glycemic index.

The Energy Fizz Sticks will provide you with energy without the highs and lows of coffee. They are only 13 calories and made with vitamins and botanicals.

One of my favorites is Digestion Plus, which helps support gastrointestinal health.

The Herbal Detox Tea is a caffeine-free herbal tea with 9 botanicals that support liver and kidney health.

There is a 7 Day Body Cleanse that can help to GENTLY flush toxins from the body.

There are many other products available to support a healthy body.

Also available with the products is a 30 Days to Healthy Living and Beyond Program. In order for your body to function optimally, we first need to get rid of all the toxins that are stored in it. This is a wonderful program that will help you on your journey to healthier living and weight loss, if that is your goal. I have had success with this program, as have a number of other people. 

I know quite a few of you have gone to our nutrition happy hours recently and have decided to try the products. I look forward to seeing everyone’s success. This is just one more step that I am taking to provide you with the best services and products out there.

Fruit: Nature's Candy

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and trying to stay away from processed sugar, which we all know is unhealthy for you. If you do not eat processed, overly sugared foods for a while, fruit will taste incredibly sweet and better than candy. 

Like the vegetables I talked about last month, fruit is low in fat, sodium and calories. Fruit has no cholesterol, and is a great source of potassium, vitamin C, dietary fiber and folic acid. 

The recommended daily amount of fruit is 1½ to 2 cups, depending on your age, sex and the amount of physical activity you do. Some fruits are higher in sugar than others; bananas, oranges and peaches each have about 12-14g of sugar. If you are a diabetic be aware of your totals per serving.

Fresh fruit tastes amazing, especially at this time of year when we are able to pick it ourselves or buy it right after it has been picked. 

Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries are high in antioxidants. If you have an aversion to the texture of the berries, which a lot of people do, add them to your smoothies.

Fruit doesn’t have to always be eaten raw; you can grill, bake or broil it for variety. Apple season is coming up, a great time to make your own applesauce. When you make your own, you know that what you have added to it is healthy. Eat it all winter when it is hard to get fresh apples.

Have you ever tried grilling your fruit? It is fabulous! One of my favorites is grilled pineapple...like eating candy, so sweet and delicious. How about broiling half a grapefruit with a little cinnamon and a touch of honey? 

Did you know that when the settlers first arrived in America, getting an orange for Christmas was a special gift? They savored this treat because fresh fruit was in rare supply at that point. 

Sometimes we forget how lucky we are to have the abundance of fresh produce. 

How to Incorporate Fresh Vegetables into Your Diet

I always look forward to this time of year because I am able to get fresh vegetables from the garden. The trick is to get variety because we all tend to eat the same thing every week.

Dark green vegetables like broccoli, dark green leafy lettuce, spinach, collard greens and kale are excellent sources of potassium, vitamin A and C. They are also good sources of calcium and iron. 

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The red and orange vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, tomatoes, red peppers and squash) are easy to incorporate because they tend to be sweeter, therefore more appealing. These veggies are great sources of potassium, vitamins A and C, and are natural carbohydrates.1

Next you have the beans and peas; these are high in fiber, which helps with proper bowel function. Fiber helps to reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Try some of these: black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, white beans, split peas.

Then you have your starchy vegetables (potatoes, water chestnuts, green peas and green lima beans, for instance), which have a higher sugar content but still provide you with essential vitamins.

Don’t forget about bean sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumbers, mushrooms and onions. These are also great sources of vitamins and fiber.

Choosing just a few from all the groups can provide you with a nice balance of nutrients to help you fight against heart disease, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes. Eating vegetables high in potassium may help to lower blood pressure, help to reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and decrease bone loss. Besides being good for you, vegetables have less calories than many other foods and will keep you full longer.

Sugar: The Enemy of Good Health

It's well known that sugar is bad for you, but many people do not realize how just how bad. Doctors always say reduce your salt intake if you have high blood pressure; now they are saying you should also reduce your sugar intake. Sugar is one of the leading causes of heart disease. Studies are showing it has the same effect on your brain as drugs. It gives you the feel-good boost that drugs do - one of the reasons we consume so much of it.

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Almost all of the packaged food you purchase has some kind of sugar in it, some of it worse for you than others. Do you know that even the salad dressings you buy have added sugar?

Processed packaged food is a quick, easy way to cook when you are in a hurry, which we all seem to be these days. But those quick easy foods are ruining your health. Look at the ingredients on the package before you purchase processed food to be sure sugar has not been added.

Better yet, buy fresh vegetables and fruit with all their natural sugars. You will be amazed at how sweet a peach tastes when you haven’t had processed sugar in a while and how much better you feel consuming natural sugars over processed.

Weight Loss = Lifestyle Change

More people exercise in the United States than any other country, yet we still have an obesity rate of over 35%.  It is so easy to stop for fast food or cook from boxed or frozen meals, all of which are full of preservatives, chemical additives and artificial sweeteners. Chemical additives are only part of the problem with our food. The wheat, corn and soy crops used in our foods are genetically altered. Hormones and antibiotics are used in most of our meat supply. Simply put, all of these factors contribute to how well your metabolism works; the rate at which your body converts food into energy. 

How then do you begin to lose weight? 

There are a few simple changes you can make. 

  1. Drink water and lots of it. You should be drinking half your body weight in water every day. For example if you weigh 140 lbs. you should be drinking 70 ounces of water. Coffee and soft drinks do not count!
  2. You have all heard this before but you should shop only the outer perimeter of the grocery store. If you can, buy organic as much as possible. The benefits will outweigh the additional cost. When you stop eating the processed foods, you will notice the difference in your energy level and weight in as little as a week. But remember - changing your eating habits takes time.
  3. Let’s not forget to get off the couch and get in some physical activity every day. Losing weight is 80% diet and 20% exercise. Finding what works for you and fits into your hectic schedule is a trial and error process.

When you are eating healthy and taking the time to exercise the rewards are tremendous.