If you’re searching for ways to help motivate yourself to stick with a regular exercise program, a great first step is to ask yourself why you want to exercise in the first place!  Is it to look better?  Feel better? Lose weight?  Decrease your back pain?  Because your doctor told you to?  Because you’re paying for a gym membership you don’t use? What’s your “WHY”? Write it down.  Look at it.  Is it important?  Does it move you?  If it doesn’t–there’s the reason you’re not exercising regularly .

Let’s assume you’ve got at least one important reason why you want to exercise regularly, and it really does move you. Write it down and  post it somewhere where you can see it.  If it’s at the top of your mind, it’s more likely to move you to action.

Next, you need to figure out what inspires you. This is where it gets tricky. You really need to put some thought into this.  Some of us are inspired by recognition, some by money, some by social connections/relationships, and some by achievement/accomplishment.  What inspires YOU?  If you can figure this out, you’re that much closer to harnessing what may motivate you to keep exercising.  Finding your “why” and understanding what inspires you to do things are the first two steps toward maintaining the motivation to exercise.

Once  you’ve found your “why” and you’ve done a little self-discovery to understand what inspires you, put into play some processes that will boost your motivation.  Here are a few ideas:

1). If social support and connections are important, consider getting an exercise buddy, joining a  club (running, rowing, fencing–whatever your thing is!),  or maybe joining my fitness boot camp in San Jose (yeah, you knew I was going to have to throw in a boot camp plug somewhere!),

2). If recognition is important to you, tell friends and family about your fitness goals and what you plan to achieve.  Take “before” pictures and measurements, and set goals for what you want to achieve for your “after” photos.  There’s nothing like a little social accountability to keep you focused on your goal!

3). If a sense of accomplishment inspires you , sign up for a footrace or another athletic event for which you must train or practice.   Having a race or event date is a fabulous way to remain focused on a goal.  At this time of year, there are dozens of 5k, 10k, 1/2 marathons and marathons  you can enter.  How about a triathlon?  A bike race?  Here in Silicon Valley, the sky is the limit.   Sign up for something!

4).  If money is important to you, consider making a bet with someone.  In order to win, you have to accomplish a fitness goal or perhaps work out a certain number of time per week for a certain length of time. It’s that old accountability thing, combined with something that motivates you to take action— money.  Another way you could use money as motivation is to put a few bucks in jar each time you work out.  After a few months, you’ll be able to treat yourself to some little luxury (maybe some spa  treatments or new workout gear!).

In a perfect world, we’d all have the motivation to work out without having to put  ”carrots” in front of ourselves.  But, the world isn’t perfect, and neither are we.  Sometimes we all need a kick in the pants to exercise more, eat a little better and take better care of ourselves.

Hopefully one of these tips will be the kick in the pants you need help you maintain your motivation to work out.

If you have found certain things that help you maintain your motivation to exercise, share them by posting a comment!

Committed to your fitness success,

Becky

A much more effective and time-efficient approach to ordering your exercises is utilizing the alternating set format. Here you’ll perform one exercise, rest for a very short period of time, then perform another non-competing exercise, rest for a short period of time, and so forth. Alternating sets allow you to work different areas of your body when you would otherwise be resting with the straight set format. Plus, by working another area of your body with a non-competing exercise you allow your body to recover from the previous exercise(s). The result is improved training economy and density: more work accomplished in less time, the cornerstone of any sound fat loss program.

There are several ways to perform alternating sets outlined below:

1.)   Supersets: Alternate between two different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as push-ups and lunges). I really like this format and use it for my personal training customers in San Jose, as well as for many of my own workouts.

2.)   Trisets: Alternate between three different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body such as push-ups, rows, and lunges).

3.)   Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises

Though supersets and trisets are excellent alternating set options, I believe circuit training is by the far the best option for time-crunched recreational exercisers who want to boost their metabolism and decrease body fat . That’s one reason why we  incorporate a strength/cardio circuit into about 90% of our monthly bootcamp workouts in San Jose and Los Gatos.  They incinerate calories, as well as develop lean muscle and cardiovascular endurance.

Here’s an example of a 6 station cardio/strength circuit:

Exercise#1- Jump rope

Exercise#2- Dips

Exercise#3- High knee jog in place

Exercise#4- Pull-ups  (if you don’t have a pull up bar, you can do an inverted row at home by putting a broomstick across two chairs)

Exercise#5- Fast lateral shuffle

Exercise#6:  Push ups

Exercise at each station for 1 minute, and take a 10-15 second recovery break between each station.  At the cardio stations (1, 3, and 5) you’ll go “all out” for one minute.  At the strength stations (2,4, and 6), perform sets of 8-12 repetitions of the exercise, and then take a brief rest.  Beginners might get in 2 sets, advanced folks might get in 4 sets during the 60 second time frame (due to less rest time).

Perform this circuit up to four times for an excellent fat burning workout.

The key to creating the optimal hormonal environment for fat loss is to perform each exercise with maximal intensity while separated by brief rest periods in order to accumulate a high volume of total body work in the shortest amount of time possible. Circuit training provides for the best of both worlds and is thus simply unmatched for simultaneously maximizing fat loss and lean muscle gain.

When you’re short on time (and who isn’t these days!), nothing beats a high intensity circuit training workout.

Committed to your success,

Becky

Yes, a lot of us eat more than we should on Thanksgiving (this San Jose fitness professional included).  And, yes, overeating is not healthy.  But again, I say—it’s just ONE day! Let it go.  Enjoy the day. Eat some of the foods you enjoy.  Spend time with people you love.  Be thankful you have legs that get you where you want to go and a heart that is pumping blood to the muscles in your legs.

That said, I do have a challenge for you:  If you don’t do this already, begin a tradition of doing some sort of healthy activity on Thankgiving Day. Your body will thank you for it, and my guess is, you’re going to have some fun doing it!

When I was a kid, my family  and I spent many of our Thanksgiving celebrations with another family  in Palo Alto. Although dinner at our friends’ home was a formal affair, we’d arrive at their home early in the afternoon in our jeans and tennies and head out to the hills around Stanford University for a  walk in the hills. The air was usually chilly and brisk, and we’d have tons of fun running around and laughing. I always enjoyed that part of the day.

Fast forward to today, and my husband, kids and I have created our own traditions.  I now cook the Thanksgiving meal, but I plan my cooking  chores so that I have time to go to the gym or do a quick interval workout at a local track with my dog.  The rest of my family heads out to Willow Glen High School for the annual family “Turkey Bowl”.  Organized by a brother-in-law, this is a traditional (almost) touch foot ball game with about 20 friends and family members ranging in age from about 8 to 50. I usually head over to the game after my workout to get a few pictures.  It’s a fun time and so far, nobody has ended up in the ER (a few of the more “seasoned” athletes have ended up on ice for a few days, though).

Here’s the point:  Yes, Thanksgiving is all about the food. But, how about organizing some sort of traditional activity that your whole family can do? We have some great venues her in San Jose for  outdoor leisure activities whether you’re a recovering couch potato or a seasoned athlete.  Those who don’t want to move too vigorously might enjoy  a walk around Discovery Meadow or Christmas in the Park.  Athletic types could play a few games of tennis at Willow Street Park.  The competitive types could run or walk the Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.

We all have choices in how we spend our time.  I believe that Thanksgiving is all about good food, friends and family.  There’s absolutely no reason that some physical activity can’t be part of the equation—even if you’re the cook, like me.

Do you have a Thanksgiving family tradition that involves a healthy activity?  Share it here in the comments section!

My best to you and yours this Thanksgiving.

Becky

“Love handles”, those little rolls of fat at your waistline, are often the last thing to go when you’re on a fat loss program.  As I’ve mentioned before at this blog, WHERE you hold your body fat is determined in large part by your genetics. However, HOW MUCH body fat you have is almost a direct correlation to to how you live your life:  your calorie intake, your exercise activities, and even your choices of exercise activities.

If you’re battling with your love handles–or you’re struggling to lose your last 5-10 pounds, here are some ideas that will help you win the battle:

-Replace some of your longer, moderate intensity cardio workouts with shorter, high intensity interval training workouts. You’ll burn more calories in an interval training workout and you’ll also stoke your metabolism to burn more calories for a few hours after your workout it over.  Some studies have shown that high intensity interval training may help reduce abdominal obesity.

-Decrease  your consumption of sugary treats and beverages. We’re not sure why, but there seems to be a correlation between  high sugar consumption and fat accumulation in the belly.  This is the one time where genetics isn’t the only thing putting stored fat around your waistline!  So, cut down on added sugar wherever possible.  If you want to take it a step further, cut down on processed carbohydrates in general (white bread, white rice, cakes, cookies, etc.) , and switch to whole grain carbohydrates eaten in moderation.

-Strength train. And, no, I’m not talking dozens of side bends (spot reducing doesn’t work, remember??).  I advocate strength training for lots of reasons.  With regard to the “love handles” issue, my reason is this:  Regular strength training (done right)  increases your resting metabolic rate over time.   Choose exercises that work several muscle groups/joints at a time like squats, lunges, deadlifts, push ups and pull ups.  Lift or push enough weight so that your muscles become extremely fatigued.  This creates “protein turnover”, or muscle rebuilding.  This protein turnover stuff requires energy  (calories) and results in more muscle mass over time.

-Make sure the fat you add to your diet is good fat.  Choose monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, nut butters, and canola oil as your sources of added at.  Mono-unsaturated fats are heart healthy fats.  Some studies have shown that consumption of mono-unsaturated fats decreases abdominal obesity in individuals who carry excess fat in their bellies.

-Add in two more servings of vegetables every day. Okay, so I’m fibbing a little bit here.  I don’t know of any studies that have shown eating more veggies every day will decrease the size of your love handles.  However, most of us don’t eat enough veggies.  Chances are, if you add in two more servings of veggies every day, you may decrease your consumption of some not-so-good for you foods.  In addition, by eating more veggies you’ll increase your vitamin and mineral intake and your fiber intake for the day.  All good things to do for your body.

I could probably add another 3-5 bullet points here, but let’s keep it at a manageable five for now.

The bottom line is this:  You CAN decrease the size of your love handles.  Side bends and ab crunches won’t do it.  A slightly negative energy balance (fewer calories IN than OUT), good food, and smart exercise WILL get you there.

Have you decreased the size of your love handles recently?  Please share your success here by leaving a comment!

Committed to your success,

Becky

I’ve uploaded a weekend workout for you.  This workout combines short bursts of high intensity cardio work with some full body strength exercises.  When you’re short on time, this is a great workout format.

After a good warm up, perform the cardio intervals for 60-120 seconds at a high intensity (how long you go depends on your fitness level).  Perform 15 repetitions of the strength moves, or as many as you can up to fifteen. Complete the circuit 3-5 times.

The video is only 2 1/2 minutes long, but in case you can’t wait for it to load, here it is in writing:

Jump Rope

“Spiderman” push ups (Beginners:  do these on your knees)

Fast lateral shuffles

Bulgarian Split Squats (15 on each side)

“Quick feet”

Inverted row** (Beginners:  bend your knees)

**If you can’t set this up at home, do triceps dips. Dips work different muscles, but it’s something you can do at  home with no equipment.

If you need some visual aides (and you want to see how “Noah the Wonder Dog” gets into nearly every dang frame of the video) here ya go………….

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruVfHcBXuoc[/youtube]

Don’t forget to cool down, stretch, and drink water after your workout.

A special challenge to anyone who is currently enrolled in an August boot camp:  The first two campers to post a comment here that they have completed the workout win a Prograde Craver! .  In your comment, tell me how  many rounds you did and how long it took you.  Cravers delivered to camp next week .

Have  great weekend!

Becky

Thanks to everyone who turned in an evaluation form at camp last month.  Seems you guys want some more music variety.  Truth be told, I was told by my Willow Glen campers this morning (my “Fit and  Fabulous over 40 ” group) that I’ve gotta quit it with the oldies!  Ok, Ok, I’ve heard ya.  I’ll be bustin’ out the rap music on Thursday .

So, campers, what DO you want to hear at  your camp???  Jackie and I will be happy to make custom playlists of the stuff you want to hear—but you need to let us know what  you want!  So, let’s hear it here in the comments section.  What specific songs?  Specific artists?  Music genres? 

Leave a comment in the comment section located below and give us your music ideas.  

Let’s burn some serious calories this month at camp!

Committed to your success,

Becky

Before I get to that, I’d like to make two important announcements………

1) Welcome to our newest campers Midge (Campbell boot camp) , and Marsha and Lea (Willow Glen FitCamp).  Happy to have you come aboard mid-month, and so honored that you all have already committed to June camps!

2).  Big congratulations to Jackie Michaelsen (Campbell boot camp instructor), as she graduates today from San Jose State University with a degree in Kinesiology.  Way to go, Jackie!

Now, on to business at hand, your weekend workout……..

After a 3-5 minute warm-up, complete the following exercises.  Rest 10-15 seconds between each pair of exercises:

• Push Ups  -  one set of 12-15
• Jumping Jacks  -  continuous for 1 minute

• Squats  -   one set of 12-15 (you can do jump squats if you want)
• Fast lateral shuffle  -  continuous for 1 minute

• Inverted row  -  one set of 12-15 (see photos at the end of this post)
• Walking lunges  - continuous for 1 minute

• Dips – one set of 12-15
• “Quick feet”  (think fast taps on a soccer ball) –  continuous for 1 minute

Beginners: Do one full circuit of this workout.  Intermediate and advanced exercisers, do 2-3 circuits of this workout.

Cool down, stretch and drink water after you’ve completed all your rounds–and pat yourself on the back for a job well done!

Note:  If you have wrist or shoulder issues and you own exercise tubing, you can substitute chest presses for the push ups and triceps pull downs for the dips.

If you complete this workout, leave a comment here and let me know how it went.  Also, let me know how long it took you.  I think you’ll be surprised at how quick and efficient this workout is!

Here’s how to set up an inverted row with household equipment:

Beginning position

You can set this up using two chairs and a strong broom handle or thick wooden dowel.

Position yourself with your shoulders right underneath the bar.  With your legs bent (easier) or straight (harder), pull your torso up toward the bar.

Ending position

Enjoy your three day weekend!

Committed to your success,

Becky

I had a pretty bad case of plantar fasciitis a few years ago, and believe one of the reasons I am free of it today is due to the stretches that I consistently do.  Good medical attention (which included custom orthotics) and very good shoes that are the right type of shoe for my particular situation are the other two things that I credit with helping me .

 I made a little video of some of the stretches I do in the hope that they’ll help  you, too!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txMziVqh8ew[/youtube]

Committed to your success,

Becky

When you become a regular exerciser, your body does what it’s good at–it adapts.  If you do the same workout routine and the same cardio routine day in and day out, it becomes easier to do, right?  Your body has become more efficient.  

I like to use a car analogy to illustrate this:  A well-tuned car burns less fuel at a particular speed than a car that’s out of whack.  Same with your body. That’s one of the few negative aspects of exercise as it relates to weight loss.  You perhaps huffed and puffed when you ran, say, 3 miles for the first time, and now you’re in better shape and can do it easily.  You’re also probably burning a few less calories now during those three miles than you did when you first started running.  Dang.

But hang on.  I have a solution:  

Mix up your strength and cardio workouts

Stop doing the same old thing all the time!  I think the best way to shake up your workout is to do interval training.  I talk a lot about interval training here at the this blog, so I’m not going to go into detail about it here (seek out previous posts and workouts listed in the archives).

Other ideas to shake up your workout:

-If you’re a treadmill exerciser or an outdoor runner, run hills or put your treadmill on an incline.

-If you are a spinning enthusiast, get off the bike and go for a run.

-If you’re a swimmer, get out of the pool and pick a land-based cardio workout.

-If you’re a Zumba groupie, try a step class.

-Re-vamp your strength workout by changing the exercises you do or the angle at which you do them.

-Change other parameters of your strength workout each month:  Sets, repetitions, rest periods or the weight you lift.

Keep your body guessing and adapting—don’t get complacent with your workouts.

If you shake up your routine, you’re sure to shake up your plateau!

Committed to your success,

Becky

Log on to secure your place in camp NOW!  www.lifesportbootcamp.com

This is our 5th year of running our summer series, “Muscle it out at Morley”, and we’re gearing up for a great time.  Won’t you come join us??

Get ready to 

-Lose weight!

-Get your buns to fit in your bathing suit

-Flatten your abs

-Tone your legs

We’ll run five 4-week camps throughout the summer and into September (we keep going until it gets too dark to work out at the park!).  Class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-7 pm.

If you’re looking to accelerate your weight loss results and ditch your boring gym routine that isn’t getting you the results you want—join the fun of “Muscle it out at Morley”!

See you at the park,

Becky

Press Release: Summer boot camp returns to Campbell