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I don’t know if you have ever seen the episode of Seinfeld when Elaine dances.  Oh, my!  She thinks she is a great dancer (it’s a crazy concoction of arm flaps and knee jerks), and the whole room is laughing at her.

Well, the other day Tyler, my trainer, headed for the backdoor of Miracles and started jogging down the back alley.

“We’re doing this?”  I asked.  You might remember our running tug-of-war in a previous post.

“Yep, let’s go!’

While I am not really a runner, I was up for something different.  I have been working at getting my shoulders better:  having them scraped, rehab, stretching, not lifting heavy weights with my arms (I’m under strict orders of no more military presses), but I recently got the green light to start lifting a little bit.  Tyler had also been helping me in our sessions, which were quite limited to shoulder rehab and legs.  So needless to say, I was game when Tyler headed out into the back alley.

It’s extremely pitiful to admit that I hadn’t run in the daylight since college most likely.  I’ve run a few times with my dog, but only at night.  Undercover.  So I have to admit it was kind of fun.  A little bit liberating.

We didn’t run long, (too much lasagna for me before my 7:00 pm training-can a girl get some notice so she doesn’t have seconds?!), but on our way back I told Tyler that I felt like Elaine from Seinfeld when I ran.  Of course, he then proceeded to run with a nice flop and jerk the whole way back to Miracles.  AGH, why do I even speak?

It was quite funny, and I would much rather be laughing than crying during a work-out!  Even if I do sort of feel like Elaine.

 

 

 

Good Morning!  Hope you had a good weekkend!  I just wanted to share an excerpt from the latest Miracles Fitness e-mail:

A popular magazine recently boasted the headline of “8 Lies Trainers Tell You.”

This quickly peaked my interest.

Lies! Me? No way.

I read the article and was not impressed. The “lies” were nothing but a bunch of fitness myths, nothing worth repeating and definitely nothing that I’ve told my clients.

Then I got to thinking about all the lies that fitness magazines try to get us to believe, and realized that this was the real story to tell.

So here you have it – 8 Lies Fitness Magazines Tell You:

Lie #1: You need fancy diet foods to lose weight.

Designer, brand name protein powders, bars and diet foods grace the glossy pages – looking gourmet and mouthwatering. And very expensive. The bold claims on these “foods” make them quite tempting, but keep your wallet in your pocket. Healthy weight loss is best gotten by eating a diet of wholesome, real foods.
Eat real food, not expensive diet foods.

Lie #2: Transformations are simple. Eat less and move more.

So many of the one-page success stories water-down the truth about what it takes to transform from ‘before’ to ‘after’. In order to showcase their reader’s successes, one hundred pound melt-downs are condensed to a few paragraphs which undoubtedly say “Suzy ate small meals and exercised 60 minutes 3 to 4 times per week.” I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but massive transformations take much more effort and laser-like focus than that.
Don’t believe that massive body transformations are easy, expect to put in hard work and dedication.

Lie #3: You need the latest fitness fashions in order to see results.

The latest fashions look great on those fitness models. Who knew that spandex could come in so many flashy colors and styles? And all the benefits of that hundred dollar tank top seem totally worth it, right? Actually your old t-shirt works just as well as the fancy stuff.
You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on fitness fashion, the pounds will melt off just as quickly in a faded t-shirt.

Lie #4: You can still eat junk food and look like a cover model.

By now I’m sure you’re seeing the trend of less-than-healthy advertisements peppered throughout your favorite fitness magazine. A common theme is to offer “healthy” versions of your favorite junk foods. While these lighter versions may very well be healthier than the originals, its still packaged junk that will slow your results.
“Healthy” junk food is still junk, so choose wholesome, real foods instead.

Lie #5: You can get flat abs in just a couple of weeks.

Catchy headlines sell magazines. Flat Abs in 3 Weeks! Get a Killer Core by Summer! Rock Hard Abs Fast! The truth is that real results take time. You didn’t pack on all those unwanted pounds in 3 weeks, so don’t expect to lose it in 3 weeks.
Don’t believe headline-hype, real results take real time.

Lie #6: Pills will get you the results you want.

Fat burning pills. Cleanse pills. Vitamin pills. Super Food pills. You name the pill and it’s probably on display in a pretty ad depicting fitness models with perfect physiques. Be wary of any bottle of pills with extraordinary claims.
Results do not come in pill form, but by hard workouts and solid nutrition.

Lie #7: Don’t eat carbs, unless it’s carbs from our advertisers.

On one page you’ll read about the horrors of carbohydrates and how cutting back will get you to effortlessly drop pounds. On the next you’ll see a super lean fitness model holding up a piece of whole wheat bread with a sassy smile. She eats this brand of bread, so you should too if you want to look like her. Which page do you believe?
Carbohydrate intake must be controlled, regardless of its brand.

Lie #8: You don’t need a trainer to achieve maximum results.

A recurring theme in fitness magazines is the idea that you can do your body transformation on your own – no personal trainer needed. It’s a great theme for the magazine since it means you’ll keep buying the latest issue for your fitness advice. The truth is that people serious about achieve amazing transformations always seek out professional coaching to ensure their success.
Real results are achieved with the guidance of a professional trainer.

If you have a goal you’ve yet to achieve then reach out to Dan anc call Miracles Fitness.

 

Legs, Legs, and More Legs

I think I mentioned in a previous post that I hurt my shoulder.  Well, just my luck, I hurt the other shoulder last week, and of course, it wasn’t while doing something super-strength awesome.  I was sleeping!  So uncool.  Well, after a visit to rehab, I am under strict orders to stretch and lay off the weights.  I guess using 50 lb. dumbbells with a hurt shoulder is a no-no and only leads to another hurt shoulder.

This time I guess I have to obey.  With 5 kiddos, I can’t afford an injury that leads to surgery.

So it’s been mostly legs, legs, and more legs lately.  I am doing cardio and abs, too, but I feel like lunges, squats, and hamstring curls are getting a little monotonous.

Some of the things that have helped me are

*  Working with a trainer

* Stretching

*  Adding new music to my iPod

*  Setting new cardio goals

*  Giving my legs more rest

*  New websites

After searching the web, I found a great website called Sarah Fit.  It helped me find new things to break up some of my routines and add some new exercises to my toolbox.  Here’s an example below (I particularly like the lunges with the knee lift):

 

Have a great weekend!

As some of you may know, it has been a stressful few weeks in our household.  One of our kiddos had corrective surgery on his elbow/arm that he broke a few years ago.  The road to recovery has not been smooth, and after several visits to Indy and another surgery yesterday, I am hoping that he can really start recovering now.  Wow, it’s not fun to see one of your children hurting!

A few times I have not been able to go to the gym, and many times I have been tempted to stay home.  But inside I know that working out may be one of the only times I get out of the house for the day, and once I am there I feel the benefits.  Exercise helps get my mind off of what is going on at home just for forty-five minutes or so, and it decreases the stress my body is feeling.  Exercise is helping prevent an emotional meltdown!  : )

I know many (all of) you have stress in your lives.  Does excercise help you?  Here’s a great article from the Mayo Clinic that expands on the benefits of excercise during stressful times.

 

I saw this on Pinterest from the authenticsuburbangourmet.blogspot.com, and it reminded me of summer!  My 3-year-old LOVES avocados (you might see him with a handful at Aldi!) so he might even eat it, too!

Sadly we say good-bye to Matt today.  He has been an awesome addition and perfect fit for Miracles Fitness, and we are so thankful for the expertise and encouragement that he shared.  We wish him all the best as he and his fiance move on to new goals (and a wedding soon!).  We will miss you, Matt!

I had the place to myself on Sunday so I thought I would try something new. I’ve done hamstring curls on the ball, but never one leg at a time. It was hard but worth the challenge! Here’s a demonstration from MidwestFit:

I was so excited last night to see that one of my favorite blogs had a guest post that I submitted last year.  So thankful that my sister-in-law saw it or I would have missed it!  “How to Save Money on Meals while on Vacation” - Check it out!

I recently hurt my shoulder so I have not been able to do much with my arms.  I have been concentrating on work-outs that focus on abs, cardio, and legs.  Here’s one I did this week when I had some time in between running my kids around:

5 minute warm-up on the bike

Pilates leg circles (24-30 per leg, going each direction)

15 Pilates ab roll-ups with medicine ball

30-60 sec. plank (only with healthy arm)

3 wall sits – 30 sec. each

2 min. full-speed cardio (bike)

15 squats with medicine ball

30 Medicine ball twists

Split squats on stability ball (15 each leg)

2 min cardio (bike)

Repeat circuit

5 min run/walk on treadmill

Stretch

Have a workout you wanna share?

 

 

 

You’re Outta Here!

Well, it’s spring and I’m cleaning out my closet!

Two of the great rewards of my “aha” moment over a year ago were losing inches and getting to buy a few new things.  I didn’t go a on a crazy shopping spree, but my pants were falling down so let’s just say it was necessary!  While I brought a few new things in, I didn’t really get rid of too much.  Was it me unconsciouly thinking I would gain the weight back?  I don’t know.  But a few weekends ago, it was a different story.

I gathered up the pants that were the wrong size, tried on a few just in case, and decided it was time.  They were OUTTA HERE!!!

While getting a few new things was definitley nice, it was also good for me to get rid of things that could have been a crutch.   For me it was a way of moving on and feeling more sure that this was going to stick, that it was a success.   What a great feeling to see that pile!

Now maybe a shopping spree is in order?  I’m just saying . . .

 

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