Feed on
Posts
Comments

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.

 

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 . . .

 

Daffodills, tulips, budding leaves on the trees, spring break, requests for the sprinkler to be turned on, popsicles-spring is here!  The days have been gorgeous;  they remind me how quickly the school year will be over and we’ll be into full-blown summer.   Vacations, camps, swimming lessons, water gun fights, park lunches, and  . . . wait a minute!  Swimming?!!

Oh, yikes, didn’t it seem like just yesterday it was January and we had like 6 months to get off that Thanksgiving and Christmas poundage?!  And it’s passed spring break, so it’s turned into Thanksgiving-Christmas-Spring Break poundage?!

I don’t know about you, but this is the kind of panic I feel along side the euphoria of spring.  I know that in about 8 weeks, I’m supposed to put these pale limbs into a bathing suit.  Yeah, I know, where did that confidence and courage go that I wrote about last year?  When it comes to bathing suits, it’s just not there!

I have a friend who says, “Just embrace it!”  Excuse me, what?  Could you just repeat that in English for me?  Could you just rub a little of that confidence on me while you’re doing the sunscreen?  I mean, seriously?  I’ve heard that strong is the new skinny, but I”m not sure everyone is embracing that.

Well, maybe I could give it a shot.  What if I could just EMBRACE IT?  What if I could just set some goals for the 8 weeks, stick to them, and be content with me?  What if every spring I didn’t start to panic at the thought of pools opening and my kids asking, “Can we go swim?”  It’s definitely worth the try.

Anyone with me?

 

Found a great recipe and wanted to share.  I made these Chocolate Cupcakes on Friday and shared them with friends.  They were easy and tasted good.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/4 cups water

     

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water until well combined. Add flour mixture to the mixer and mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Batter should look and feel more watery than normal cake batters.
  4. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each cup 1/2 to 3/4 full. Transfer to oven and bake, rotating pan halfway through cooking, until a cake tester inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
  5. Immediately remove cupcakes from muffin tin and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before frosting or dusting with powdered sugar.

from www.marthastewart.com or click here

 

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »