Benefits of a Personal Trainer

A personal trainer can help you make the most of your exercise routine.

If you’re having a hard time getting motivated at the health club, or just don’t feel like you’re getting enough out of your exercise routine, consider hiring a personal trainer. More than just an instructor, a personal trainer can help you come up with the right workout plan to meet your goals. Whether it’s losing a few pounds, toning up your arms, or flattening your stomach for swimsuit season, a personal trainer can help you get there.

How a Personal Trainer Can Help

Hiring a personal trainer means both a financial commitment and a time commitment to your health and fitness. A personal trainer can help you:

• Get started. A personal trainer can guide you down the path to fitness by creating a specific exercise routine for you.
  
• Learn proper technique and form. If you’re not doing exercises the right way, it can lead to injury that can sideline you. By doing them right, you’re staying safe and also getting the maximum benefit from your workout.
  
• Achieve your goals. If you’ve always wanted to lose that last 20 pounds, tone up your body, or just be a healthier person, but you haven’t quite been able to get there on your own, a personal trainer can help keep you on track.
  

The Personal Trainer: Finding the Best Trainer for You

If you think a personal trainer might be beneficial, keep these things in mind when searching for someone who fits your needs:

• Try out a trainer. If you’re a member of a gym, ask for a list of trainers, and ask what their education and experiences are, and then watch them. Or just buy one session and get a feel for their personality and skills.
  
• Look for qualifications and style. You want a personal trainer who is educated and certified by a reputable organization, such as the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise. Beyond certification, you want to make sure that the trainer is a good fit for you and your workout style.
  
• Search online. Many organizations that certify personal trainers have Web sites that allow you to search for such a trainer in your area. This may be a good place to start if you don’t belong to a gym.
  
• Ask yourself how well they teach. A personal trainer should do more than just give you exercises to do. From a one-on-one personal training experience, it should be all about you, your needs, and special issues you’re dealing with. Your trainer shouldn’t be someone to just lead you through exercises; they should be teaching you these exercises.
  
• Personal training offers benefits, but at a price. On top of a gym membership, an hour of personal training can run from $20 to $100. On average, expect to pay around $50 for an hour of personal training.
  

So if it’s worth the cost and you find a personal trainer you like, try some sessions to start getting yourself into shape. Take a few to get you started, and maybe a few refreshers every now and then to make sure you’re getting the most out of your workouts.

After Pain Maiden – And the benefits of stretching

Thursday was Pain Maiden day. After several days of mild workouts I was put to the test. I made it through but just barely! Squats, squats, squats…did I mention squats? Standing squats, walking squats, leg lift like squats. We also do an exercise I really like for my stomach. Sitting on a mat lean back until you can feel it in your abs then pull your legs up to your chest…then at the same time…lean back and extend your legs straight out. Man, you can really feel that in your stomach. I can verify that you will feel it for a few days!!!

Remember how important stretching is! You definitely want to stretch after that exercise. One of the ways Nicole has shown me how to stretch is to take the stability ball and just lay right over it…hanging your head down but stabilizing yourself with your hands, then roll forward enough for your feet to come off the floor. Just relax and hang there. Feels awesome! Here is a link to some stretching exercises for you http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com .

As I said before I’ve graduated to the elipticle machine. I’m still on the same time and level as before. No change there. I also found that everyday stuff really makes a difference. I have been more conscience about exercise even when I’m not at the gym. Clenching butt cheeks when you’re just sitting somewhere…I know, it sounds weird but it works really well.

I took Friday, the day after my workout off. Well, let’s face it, I took it off because I could barely walk. Yep Nicole did it again… Again I want to stress stretching. If I had put more effort into stretching I wouldn’t have been so sore. So, today I jumped back on the treadmill and the elipticle and worked all the kinks and pains out. I do have to remember that just because I hurt the next day it’s good to get the kinks out. I paid for it today. I was stiffer than if I had just worked out a little yesterday.

Peace out J
</

Here’s a Recipe for Tilapia for fish on Fridays

Don’t forget to submit you’re recipes and keep checking the Recipes Tab to see if you’re recipe has been posted. Thanks!

Tilapia With a twist

INGREDIENTS
Tilapia fillet
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
juice from half a lemon
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup cooked spinach
1/4 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
Half of clove of Garlic
1 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Brush fillet with 1 tsp olive oil.
Squeeze juice from half a Lemon over fillet.
Sprinkle fillet with cilantro .
Broil in oven 6 inches from heat, about 5-7 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork
While tilapia is broiling, place spinach in a small pan with a little left over Olive oil
Toss with minced garlic
Cook until spinach is tender- Dont over cook it
Keep covered & warm until fillets are done.
Spoon cooked spinach on a plate, place fish over spinach, top with chopped tomatoes and shredded cheese.

I love this recipe. Its got good flavor and about 200 calories.

Just the last few days…

I was going to write about the awesome workout I had today but because of some mistake I was booked for yesterday instead of today…so, I won’t be writing about that today. However, I did manage to reschedule for tomorrow, so I’ll resume writing about my torture then.

I’ve been busy the last few days getting mostly stupid stuff done, like bills and cleaning…you know the crappy stuff. I find that if I don’t get my workout done in the morning then I can’t seem to fit it in at all. Not sure why, probably because I’m not a morning person anymore. I used to get up at 6:00am and go to work…now I roll out of bed around 8 or 9. I have not worked in about a year. This has been really tough. I have a hard time getting out of the house which is why the gym and my trainer are so important to me. You’ll hear about Everybody’s Fitness Center https://efcfit.com a lot. They have so many programs that I want to try (which will help me get out more). So you’ll hear about my struggles to get to the gym on a regular basis. And getting to those classes like BOSU and ZUMBA and YOGA. I have been putting more effort on going out and getting to the gym usually starts the ball rolling. For those of you out there with the same issues…You know what I’m talking about!

I have been working mostly on my lower half (you know, to achieve that cherry butt!). I’m starting slow because that seems to have worked for me in the past. When I rush into working out heavily all at once I get discouraged. I’ve been a treadmill person for the last few weeks with floor exercises, but I’m ready to kick it up a notch. I recently started on the elliptical machine so that I’m still working on my butt as well as my cardio. I’m up to 30 minutes but only a level 4. With time that should increase. My program is called A Ride In The Park…ok IT’S NOT anything like a ride in the park! A ride in the park is fun and easy and there’s scenery and I imagine flowers and trees…this is harder than it sounds… It’s more like a fast zooming ride like you’re being chased through the park hahaha. With my shoulder the way it is I can’t use the arm handles which is fine because then it would be like running through the park while being chased. For those of you that don’t know what an elliptical machine is…it’s another torture device that makes you feel like your peddling a bike only standing constantly. There’s no seat you can rest on if you’re tired…you just keep going and going…kinda like the energizer bunny! I also used the leg press which you can set your own weight limit and push with your legs to lift the weight. I like that machine better than the leg extension machines. Only because I feel like my knees are going to blow every time I used the leg extension ones. I have tried using lower weights and that seems to work a bit better but still struggling.

Food? Well, I do pretty good, and then I eat at 11:00 at night. That’s a bad! I have been trying to stop any eating after 7pm. Well obviously that hasn’t worked every night…but lately I’ve been better at it. I do find if I eat in the morning I’m hungry all day! That’s a problem for me because I’m not a big eater during the day (it makes me tired). I am trying to change that. Statistics prove that it’s better for you to have a good breakfast and eat in the morning. Soooooo, working on it! Water intake has increased with exercise…only because I’m thirsty when I workout…not because I’m trying to drink more. I’m going to start to monitor the amount of water I’m drinking a day so I can increase it and make myself conscience of it. I actually think starting to log what and when I eat would be a good idea…I’m a crazy eater. I can go for days with little to no food, and then eat constantly for a few days. I’m not sure if that’s considered binging or not. I don’t starve myself or overeat…I just forget to eat then when I remember I eat everyday for a few days….weird.

That’s my last few days…

Peace Out J

Regret Taking The Day Off

I worked out yesterday. A quick 30 minutes on the treadmill because I was hurting from my ass kickin from Nicole. I did do some floor exercises just to keep my stomach in check. But not a big workout. So, today I was trying to make it to the gym. Well I didn’t. And on top of that I just ate potato chips and cookies. So, I’m feeling really bad about all of it. GUILT! I hate GUILT! You know how you put something off all day thinking you’ll get to it and you never do…that was my workout time today.

It looks like I have to keep my workout scheduled for the morning…it’s the only time I have to myself and I know I can get it done. Water intake is also been really hard. I don’t like water and I haven’t found anything else that I like to drink so I’m going to have to suffer that one out. I have noticed that I drink way more tea now. I know the caffeine is bad but I absolutely love it. As soon as the weather gets better I’ll switch to ice tea.

I have lots of time on my hands and really thought I would be working out more. I guess I might be just expecting too much…going from no exercise in awhile to jumping right in. Remember, baby steps. It’s not all going to happen all at once. I’m not going to be right back into that long workout (especially with my shoulder injury). Working gradual is always a challenge to me (as I’m sure some of you have the same issue). I want that instant gratification…NOW, NOW, NOW. Yep that’s me.

Other than today’s potato chips and cookies, I’ve been watching my food intake. I’m trying NOT to diet. Just make better choices. Eating breakfast is also a challenge for me. I just can’t seem to get anything in before my workout which is not healthy. I am going to try to make some yogurt smoothies and see if that works as the warmer weather comes in. I think in the back of my head I’m thinking if I eat less…that will work, but you have to eat to lose weight…Proven fact.

I just can’t wait for the warmer weather! Workouts with Nicole outside. Rollerskating at the park. Hikes outside…oh just the thought of warmer weather is wonderful! That’s it for now.

Peace Out J