Excuses, Excuses

So... I have to say, I think about blogging just about every day. I have so many ideas that I jot down that I could be writing about, so many great tidbits that I am learning through my classes, experiences in my own life, etc.

So why haven't I been blogging? My reason has been, wait for it... I think you know this one... "I've been too busy. I DON'T HAVE TIME!" But it's time for me to be honest with myself... and it's time for you to do the same.

What do we really mean when we say we don't have time to do something? Let's be honest, we are saying that it just isn't a priority. There are other things we'd rather do than [fill in the blank]... blog, exercise, cook a healthy dinner, get a health screening, etc. We all have 24 hours in our day, we all have the same opportunities.

You and I both need to evaluate our priorities. Once upon a time, when we were filled with emotion and excitement, we passionately and outwardly set a goal for ourselves. Then, over time, motivation started to fade for one reason or another... with exercise perhaps you haven't found something you enjoy, you haven't seen the results you wanted to, something "more important" filled its' place for one day and then another. Each day we have the same decision to make all over again.... how important is our goal to us? Will it be a priority today?

Let's start by re-evaluating. Put together a list of the reasons why we want to reach our goal. What are the pros of acheiving it? What are the cons of not?? Look further into the future... how can acheiving this goal help your life? Better health? Better self confidence? More successful? Better relationships? Write these down and put them where you will see them regularly, posted on the fridge, bathroom mirror, etc. Give yourself a daily reminder of why this goal is important to you.

Each day we can chose to make either decision, and we won't always make the decision in favor of our goal... but let's not kid ourselves into thinking that it's a "time" issue. It's a priority issue.

I hope you'll be hearing from me again soon, because it is important to ME to be here to motivate YOU on your journey of health and happiness.

Have a HEALTHY day!
~ Fit Britt

How Big of a Loser are YOU?

I can't help it, I LOVE The Biggest Loser. While I agree it is not a realistic (or safe) plan that individuals can do on their own without medical supervision, it is amazing proof of what our bodies are capable of. This show represents all of the reasons I have committed my career to fitness for weight loss and weight management - mostly, preventative health care.

This season started out with some pretty big shockers: the largest contestant EVER to be on the show... not a male, but a FEMALE... 476 pounds. Many other male contestants in the 400's, one - back for a second season - a 20 year old who was told he would not live past 30. A female contestant who COLLAPSED while walking ONE MILE during the first episode, needing to be MEDIVACKED and hospitalized for over a week. The viewers weren't the only one's shocked by these standards... the contestants seemed pretty oblivious as to how much their weight had affected their health.

Could this be you? Maybe you are not 400 pounds, but could your weight be affecting YOUR health? Do you get out of breath doing simple activities of daily living (such as climbing 1-2 flights of stairs)? Are you taking medication for blood pressure or cholesterol? Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Have you gained more than 15 pounds from your high school weight?

So the show begins with all of the contestants in a pretty sad state. Last night was the season finale and portrayed the contestants in a MUCH different light. Most contestants are completely off medication for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and no longer using breathing machines for sleep apnea. The 20 year old is told he has statistically gained 23 years on his life....that almost doubles his life expectancy. All contestants lost between 30-55% of their body weight. The winner (or "biggest loser") lost 239 pounds in 7 months! [Did I mention these are not typical results for what you'll get at home?]

We can do one of two things. We can watch the show lying around like a couch potato and eating cookie dough proclaiming, "this isn't realistic... I could never lose that much weight," OR we could use this as motivation and take a few notes on what it takes to be a real loser...

1. Define the TRUE reasons for wanting to lose weight (not based on appearance). Do you want to be able to play with your kids? Get through the work day without special exceptions? Know that you'll be around for years to spend with your grandchildren?

2. Take note of when and WHY you eat... dig deep... what is all of the weight hiding and the food masking?

3. Realize that health naturally deteriorates as we age (muscle mass and strength, bone density, cardiovascular endurance, range of motion, etc.). Recognize that you can do something TODAY to help prevent the deterioration and keep yourself in "maintenance mode" throughout life. Our bodies live by the "use it or lose it" principle... and once it is lost, gains will be minimal.

4. Make YOURSELF a priority. Yes you have to work, and provide for your family, and perhaps you are even taking classes in the evening or are involved in organizations (for yourself or your kids). Find a way to fit activity into your daily schedule, write it in your planner, and don't over commit yourself to the point where your health suffers.

5. Make activity a FAMILY lifestyle. Have a strong support group and avoid places that cause you to make poor decisions for diet and inactivity.

6. Ask for help. I would LOVE to help...what can Fit Britt do to support you?

7. Understand that the choices you make today affect your future health and life expectancy.

8. Did I mention make yourself a priority?

Yog-aaahhh

Yoga, y-o-g-a yoga, yo-yo-yo-yo-yoga (name that tune!).

It is becoming more and more apparent to me that yoga is truly for EVERYONE! I think a lot of people are still skeptical of yoga because they don't want to stand on their head while chanting and "ohm-ing." Let me say I have yet to do either of those in any of the classes I have experienced. There are some great organizations that have really transitioned yoga into a very comfortable and beneficial practice for general fitness centers and a group exercise setting.

What are your personal and fitness goals? Increase flexibility? Increase strength? Reduce stress? Clear your mind? Lose weight? Multitask and get multiple benefits within a shorter period of time?

All of these, and many more benefits can be acheived through yoga! And the great thing is you can be a yogi at any level. Pay attention to the name of the class you attend (don't start with advanced or "challenge" or hard core, etc.) but for the most part, each yoga class should be taught showing many levels and options that you can perform throughout the class.

The most common type of yoga seen in our culture is hatha yoga, which means we place most of our focus on the physical practice of the asanas, or poses. Furthermore, we flow through those poses in a vinyasa style, meaning we flow and transition from pose to pose with our breath.

The classes are most likely set up so that you start standing, sitting or lying on your mat barefoot, and spend the first few minutes of class focusing on your breathing and clearing your mind. In yoga, you breath through your nose the whole time, both on the inhale and the exhale. (This is partly in order to generate warmth through our breath, but also is considered a "cleansing breath" since our nose acts as a filter.) This time is meant to be a transition for you to stop the never ending thought processing in your mind and focus purely on your body and breath. The class should build slowly, adding movement with your breath and building up to the sun salutation (which is a series of poses that have you bending forward and backward, stretching and strengthing and ultimately increasing your body temperature so that your muscles are warm and ready for a deeper stretch). Then you progress to more intense stretches for your legs, hips, spine, and arms (only as intense as YOU would like), maybe a few balance poses, and the class starts to wind back down to some milder stretching on the floor and into final relaxation. The final relaxation is a way to "seal" your practice before entering back into the busy, hectic world. Again, focusing on your breathing and keeping your thoughts on your body instead of your to-do list. How often do you allow yourself 5 minutes to completely clear your mind and to be still? Just five minutes can give your body and mind so many benefits.

There are still many varieties and options for yoga, and I encourage you to check them out! In general, they should follow a similar sequence and could last from 30 minutes to 90+ minutes. Yoga is an activity that you could perform on your own, once you knew a few stretches. There are also "hot yoga" or Bikram yoga classes that are set in a 105 degree room, increasing the heat to your muscles and therefore helping you acheive a deeper stretch (and increasing your sweating and weight loss).

Stay tuned for the next two posts where I will explain in detail how each of the goals mentioned above can be achieved through yoga and also lead you through the sun salutation.

Additionally, for my friends in Texas ~ let me know if you'd like to join me for a yoga session. I have free passes to attend the classes I teach at Gold's gym (7:30 pm on Mondays and 6:30 pm on Fridays). Finally, what I am MOST excited about is that there is a Hot Yoga studio opening in College Station in one more week. Check out the website if you are interested:
http://www.collegestationyoga.com/
I believe that they will be offering free sample classes the week of October 12th. I'll be looking to go to a class that Tues, Wed, or Thurs evening if you'd like to join!

More to come on why you'll be saying yog-"aahh" with me!

Have a HEALTHY day!
~ Fit Britt

Quick AND AFFORDABLE Meal Prep

What's for dinner?
Oh the planning, the preparation, the last minute obstacles, and finally giving it all up and running through the drive thru. It happens to the best of us...but it doesn't have to!

There are TONS of great "meal preparation locations" across the country that can help you stay on track and have delicious home-cooked meals ready in no time.
So here's the deal, you dedicate two hours either one evening a week or once on the weekend to go to a storefront and prepare as many meals as you would like. All the marinades, sauces, sides, etc... they each get their own freezer bag and then finally a spot in your freezer at home (most recommend eating within 2 months of freezing). From there, they are ready to be cooked for about thirty minutes and dinner is done! Some of them don't even need to be thawed before throwing in the oven or on the stovetop. If they do, the only planning needed is a transfer to the fridge one or two days before you'd like to cook it!

I love this for soooo many reasons. It is a great opportunity to try out new recipes, styles and flavors that you might not venture into with your own cooking. Additionally, you don't have to purchase all of the spices, etc. that you only use for one recipe. You also don't have to spend time chopping all the veggies yourself. Everything is waiting for you at the meal prep stations! At most locations, you don't even have to clean up after yourself! You just move along to your next prep station. Don't like mushrooms? Leave them out of your mix! Or my favorite, add an extra scoop of veggies or a little more of your favorite flavors! There is still plenty of flexibility to adjust the meals to your liking.

Yeah, but it's probably pretty expensive to have such a convenient service, right? NEGATIVE! Depending on the company, it averages about $3-5 per plate of food (and most meals make somewhere between 3-6 "plates" depending on how you package it). For a home-cooked well-balanced meal with fresh vegetables and lots of flavor, you can't beat it!

I encourage you to try it out yourself. I believe it will truly save your life - by saving you time and perhaps helping you eat a little healthier. On the healthy note: not all of the recipes are lean and healthy, which I think is good because variety is the spice of life. But most locations have additional options for you to make the dishes more healthy if you'd like (some allow you to substitute wheat tortillas, pasta and brown rice; others allow you to change a beef or a pork option to lean chicken if you let them know ahead of time, etc.). Most locations also offer pretty amazing desserts: some that are already prepared and ready for you to take home and some that you can prepare yourself.

Can't spare two hours? A lot of companies have freezers already stocked with pre-prepared dishes, so you can stop by, purchase what you'd like and be on your merry way! Some companies even deliver to your home! (Both of these options are for an additional charge.)

I actually just pulled this website back up to find a new location for myself in Texas, and I thought it would be great to share with you as well!

So start by checking out this website to find locations and companies near you:
http://www.easymealprep.com/main/direct02.php

Some things that differentiate the companies:
- Some companies will let you split the meals, meaning you can take a 6-plate meal and turn it into 2 3-plate meals (great for me and the hubby). Also great if you want to go with a friend and split all the meals and split the cost.

- Some locations will allow you to bring your children, which can be a great family activity.

- Some locations offer private parties - how fun would it be to have a ladies night, eating scones and drinking wine while hanging out with all your besties and being productive?

- Definitely the menus will vary by location and vary by month.

- Some locations focus more on the entree, while some make sure that the entrees include a side. (To help keep cost down, the more expensive entrees like steak often do not come with a side). Don't let this discourage you if everything else looks good... I find it very easy to add a frozen Steamfresh veggie pack and some bagged frozen rolls that you just bake the number you'd like and dinner is still ready in no time!

*A shout out to "Let's Dish"
So I know there are many options and companies out there... but the one I have gone to and been so incredibly happy with that I never bothered trying another company is Let's Dish. If you are in the DC/NC/SC area or in WA state - I encourage you to give them a try. Actually, let me know if you are interested, because I can "refer" you to them, which means you will get a 10-15% discount on your first visit.

*Seeking out "Super Suppers"
For those of you that are in TX, I plan to check out one of the Super Suppers in Houston one weekend before the end of September. Let me know if you'd like to join!

I do hope that you will try this out, and I hope it will be a life saver to you like it has been to so many already. Please share if you have any experiences or companies that you truly enjoy!

Have a HEALTHY day!
~ Fit Britt

At Home MULTITASKING Fitness Program: Level 1

Here’s a quick work out that targets multiple body parts at the same time, to help you save time! Start by doing each exercise once, 12-15 repetitions*. When you have a good understanding of the exercises, try limiting the amount of rest between each exercise and (when energy and time permit) start going through the series 2-3 times. Perform this series 2-3 days a week (with a day off in between) and aim for 30 minutes of cardio on most of the other days!
*As for selecting the appropriate weight, select a weight that you can perform with proper control ONLY 12-15 times. If you could keep going past 15, you’ll need to add more weight next time. If you can’t even do 12 (especially if you are starting a new program) you’ll need to lower your weight for now. Lifting a weight that is not challenging enough for you, or a weight that is too heavy for you to properly control will just be a waste of your time.

#1. Standing lunge with dumbbell curl to press:

1. Start with one foot widely in front of the other. Test your lunge by bending your knees, allowing your hips to drop straight toward the ground (not forward) and check for a near-90 degree angle at both knees. When ready, add in the arm motion, start with your arms up at shoulder level in a bicep curl motion. As you lunge down, slowly lower your arms, and raise your arms and legs up together. Hold that stance as you switch to a wider arm position (palms facing forward) and perform an overhead shoulder press (don’t arch your back!). Repeat 12-15 times. Do one set on one leg, and then do the opposite leg after #3.

a. For added challenge put your front foot on a BOSU ball or other balance tool.

#2. Stability ball pushups (thighs on ball):

1. Start by getting on all fours and putting your belly on the ball. Then slowly walk out with your arms until the ball is at your mid-thigh. Position your arms in line with your shoulders (but wider) and allow your elbows to bend out to the side as you lower and press up. Make sure to squeeze your stomach tight (thinning your waist from all directions) the entire time! This is great for your core as well as your arms.
Keeping the ball on your thighs will make the weight lighter in your arms than if you were performing a push up on your toes, but will add the challenge of working your core.
a. If you don’t have a ball, do pushups on your knees or toes.
b. For added challenge, work on walking your arms further away so the ball is lower on your legs. Progress all the way to your toes!

#3. Stability ball bridge with triceps extension (skull crusher):

1. Grab your dumbbells and hold onto them while you sit on the ball and slowly walk your feet out until your upper back, shoulders, and head are resting on the ball. Make sure your feet stay directly under your knees and LIFT YOUR HIPS up squeezing your glutes the entire time. You’ll notice that just holding this position is a work out and is targeting MANY muscles! Once you are in position, lift your arms straight up with palms facing each other. Keeping your shoulder and elbow in place, bend at the elbow and allow the forearms and hands to come toward the head to a 90 degree angle. Press back up and repeat. Don’t hit yourself in the head with a dumbbell :)
a. If you don’t have a ball, either lay on the floor or prop your shoulders and head up on a stable couch/chair.

#1b. Perform the Lunge with dumbbell curl to press on the opposite leg.

#4. Stability ball crunches:

1. Sit back down on your ball and walk your feet out until the ball is in the arch of your lower back. Check to make sure your ankles are in line right under your knees. Lay back until you are parallel to the floor and lift part way up (not a sit up, a crunch!). Work up to doing a set of 20-30.
If this seems too challenging or bothers your back for any reason, simply roll down the ball until the ball is at your mid back. Over time, work your way back to the lower back region, but give yourself time to adjust.

a. No ball? Crunches on the floor!
b. For added challenge, straighten your arms by your ears (leave them by your ears as you crunch up) and/or stretch back even further than parallel, into a slight backbend.

#5. Side lunge step out with dumbbell scaption:

This exercise will use a very light weight as we are focusing on your small shoulder muscles (3-8 lbs).
Standing with your feet together, step one foot out to the side and slightly forward, lunging towards the foot that stepped out (base leg stays straight). Get your feet into position first, then hold the position as you lift your arms up at a diagonal (not a front raise, not a side raise) to eye level. Lower with control, step back together and repeat on the opposite side. Aim for 10-14 total arm lifts (5-7 lunges to each side).
This is a fairly difficult move, if it seems too challenging, break it into two separate moves: standing scaption (diagonal shoulder raise) and a side lunge.
a. For added challenge combine the shoulder raise with the step out and/or balance on your base foot for a few seconds when you step back in.

#6. Stability ball Y-T-A:

This is also a light weight exercise, and I encourage you to try it first with no weight at all (then work up to 3-8 lbs). It is also helpful to prop your feet against the base of a wall so you do not roll forward.
Kneel in front of your ball and then press up to where your upper thighs and hips are on the ball (most importantly get into a position that will not cause you to arch your back as you lift up). Curl your body around the ball, then lift up straightening your back and pulling your arms into the letter “Y.” Curl back over the ball, lift up again into the letter “T” with your arms to the sides. Curl again and lift up one more time to the letter “A.” The focus should be on squeezing your shoulder blades and working your upper back muscles (while also keeping your core tight to help protect and strengthen your lower back).
If this bothers your lower back, reduce your weight, try using a bigger ball, or DON’T DO IT AT ALL!
a. For added challenge, do not curl back over the ball between each letter. Gently relax your shoulder blades, move to the next letter and continue.

#7. Single leg balance with biceps curl:

It’s simple! (Yeah right.) Just stand on one leg while you do your biceps curls. If you are only doing one set, make sure to switch legs at the halfway point. If you are too unbalanced, use your “kickstand” by putting your toe down and decrease the assistance over time.
a. For added challenge, stand on a BOSU ball or other stability tool.

#8. Stability ball spinal balance:

Start on all fours with your hips on the ball. Squeeze your core and lift your RIGHT arm and your LEFT leg (note: opposite arm and leg). Lower and repeat on opposite side.
a. If you do not have a stability ball, perform this move on your hands and knees.

#9. Floor bridge (with ABD or ADD):

Start with just your body lying on the floor. With your feet hip width apart, press your feet into the ground and lift your hips up, focusing on squeezing your glutes with each repetition.

a. To work your inner thighs (ADDuction) place a squishy ball or a yoga block between your knees and pause at the top of each hip lift to add a squeeze.
b. To work your outer thighs (ABDuction) tie a thera-band around your thighs and pause at the top of each motion to press your knees outward.

#10. Reverse crunches/hip lifts:

Still on the floor, start with knees bent. Without swinging your legs, lift your hips off the floor (yeah – there’s a muscle in there that you probably haven’t been using!). Build up to holding your hips up for 2+ seconds (without pushing your arms into the floor to hold you up!).

a. For added challenge, straighten your legs and/or add a “lower your legs towards the floor” movement (but don’t swing into the hip lift!).

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There you have it, 10 exercises which each work multiple muscle groups. If you perform this routine, let me know how it goes for you! Questions and comments are always appreciated.

Have a HEALTHY day!

~ Fit Britt

FitBritt's Favorite Fitness Items

Before I start sharing specific exercise suggestions, I wanted to introduce my favorite fitness items. They are somewhat in order (with #1 being my top suggestion) however it will really depend on your goals and interests for fitness and health, as well as your budget :).

10. Stretch strap

A stretch strap can be as simple as a belt, or can have various loops like the example above. Stretching is something that you can do 7 days a week, and we all need it to lengthen our tight muscles and stretch out our muscular imbalances that are caused by both sitting for prolonged periods and performing the same movement repetitively. The strap is great because you no longer have to contort your body to reach your foot. You can perform many stretches while keeping your body in the right alignment by hooking your foot in the strap and pulling with your hands. Examples of stretches that would use the strap: sitting and trying to bend forward and reach toes, laying down and lifting one foot straight up in the air (keeping the knee straight), the standing quad stretch where you pull one foot up to your glutes (keeping your knees together), or various arm stretches circling your shoulders or reaching around your back.

COST: ~$30

9. Yoga block

If you are going to do yoga, in addition to having the stretching strap, you should also have 1 or 2 yoga blocks. These are also great to keep your body in the proper alignment while reaching towards the ground while stretching. Because of the shape of the block, you can set it at three different height levels depending on what you need for support. While standing and folding forward for stretches, it is not best to let your body "dangle," the gravity can cause more of a strain then a stretch. You should find a height where you are in a mild stretch, and if your hands cannot reach the ground, use yoga blocks for support. Examples of yoga poses that can utilize yoga blocks: forward fold, triangle, pyramid, deep lunge, half moon (balancing pose).

Yoga blocks can also be used as a prop to squeeze between your knees when performing crunches to help activate your abdominals and strengthen your inner thighs, as well as between your knees while standing and squatting to keep your knees in proper alignment.

COST: ~$10

8. Resistance Tubing

This is a great and portable tool to have at home and take on travel. There are different thicknesses (depicted with different color bands) to increase the resistance, but you can also shorten your grasp on the band to make it more challenging. Stand on the band to perform bicep curls, front/side lifts, upright rows, etc. Have someone hold the band behind you (or get one that ties to a door) to push forward in a chest press, fly, or overhead triceps extension. Have someone hold it in front of you to pull back and perform rows or straight arm pull downs. Step on a thicker band to perform squats. You can even use a tube AND dumbbells together to increase the challenge and instability factor.

You can also get flat, thin bands called TheraBands that are often used in physical therapy. These can be tied around your thighs to perform outer thigh exercises, held in your hands pulling in various directions to do shoulder exercises, etc.
COST: under $10/ea.

7. Foam Roller

Foam rollers have dramatically increased in popularity over the past year. You may finally start seeing them at your gym and I believe many major sporting goods stores have started carrying them. Another item that started in physical therapy, foam rollers can be used for both stretching and stability work. You can buy them in 1 foot or 3 foot length. The longer length is good if you want to lay lengthwise down the roller, otherwise I believe the 1 foot length would work for all other needs. You can also buy the full circle diameter or a half circle (one side is flat). The full diameter is used for stretching, the 1/2 diameter is used for balance (practice standing on either side for 30-60 seconds, then work on standing on it while performing other exercises such as biceps curls or shoulder press).

For stretching and working out muscular imbalances, the foam roller is a must. There will be future posts specifically on "foam rolling" but the basic idea is that you put the roller on the ground and place a muscle (such as your calf) on top of it and gently roll out the knots (NEVER ROLL OVER A JOINT!). This is similar to using tennis balls to massage your back, but I believe more effective.

COST: $10-20 depending on size and material

6. Dumbbells

Whether I am working out in the gym, or at home, I prefer to use dumbbells. While weight machines at the gym can be good for teaching your body the right motion, the dumbbells provide a few added challenges that will benefit your muscles. First, each arm is responsible for its' specific amount of weight - on a machine it is very likely that one arm is pushing more of the weight than the other, unbeknownst to you. Second, dumbbells require your body to use more control, therefore using more stabilizing muscles (ex: all of your shoulder and rotator cuff muscles have to work to stabilize while you are doing a chest press) and even require you to tighten your core to achieve control. And what happens when you are using more muscles at one time??? You burn more calories!! And you work more muscles at one time - what great time management!

Two problems with dumbbells at home are the expense and the space. You would be lucky to find dumbbells around $1 per pound. Therefore, with each set of weights that you purchase (5 lb set, 8 lb set, 10 lb set, etc.) this can get pretty expensive! One solution to this is to purchase an adjustable dumbbell set. If you only need up to 25 lbs, Target has a pretty good Reebok set which I think is under $100. I have heard good things about PowerBlocks, but they are very square and might feel weird to work with. If you start looking at these, especially getting up to 50-60 lb sets, we are talking 100's of dollars, but if you think about the number of dumbbells these replace, you will quickly see how much more efficient they are.

5. Stability Ball

Oh, my dear friend the Stability Ball. If there were a device that you knew that everytime you were on it you'd be working your abs... would you be interested? This is it, my friends! There are SOO) many things that you can do with this ball: crunches, pushups with your thighs on the ball, sitting on the ball while performing dumbbell arm exercises, kneeling on the ball, laying your shoulders on the ball with your feet on the ground and yes - even using it as an office chair, which I prefer. (Most of you know that I have a lower back disc issue, which is often exacerbated by slouching. When I sit on the ball all day, I am required to keep my abs tight and use good posture - alas, no back pain!) There will be many suggested exercises in the future utilizing the ball, so for now let's discuss selecting a ball.

1. When you sit on the ball your knees should be at a 90 degree angle. A general rule of thumb:

- if you are 5' 2" or under, you need a 45 cm ball

- between 5' 3" and 5' 7" get a 55 cm ball

- between 5' 8" and 6' 1" use a 65 cm.

2. You should really invest in a high quality ball (especially if you plan on sitting on it AND using dumbbells) - you'll want something that is burst resistant. I suggest the Versa Ball: http://www.power-systems.com/p-4090-versaball.aspx

3. You need to make sure you follow the directions for blowing up the ball (only inflate it 1/2 way on the first day, then add more air) and make sure that you get it to the right size but not overblown. There should be a little give, but you shouldn't sink into the ball. The Versa Balls come with a measuring tape.

COST: $20-40 depending on brand and size.

4. BOSU ball

Yes I have one of these at home, and you should too! The BOSU ball, standing for "both sides up" would truly be my #1 suggested exercise tool (you'll notice that #'s 3-1 on my list are weight management tools). You can stand on the blue dome, balance on one foot, advance it by adding arm exercises, put one foot on it and do lunges, hop on it, squat from side to side... and then flip it over so the blue wobbly dome is on the ground and the black flat side is up and start all over again! Sit/balance on it while doing crunches. Put your hands on it while doing push ups. Put your feet on it while doing planks or bridges. The options will not end, I promise. You will see that almost all of my exercise suggestions from this point out will utilize dumbbells and either the stability ball or the BOSU ball. As I've told all of my clients (who clearly come to agree with me in the end), the BOSU will be your best friend!

COST: you can get a home use model for under $100 at Target, the professional grade is (amazingly) only $20 more at power-systems.com. Either would be fine for home use.

3. Pedometer

EVERYONE needs help and motivation keeping track of their activity, and my final three suggestions will all do just that. The pedometer is simple and requires very minimal effort for use. Clip it to your belt like a pager and let it count your steps throughout the day.

I encourage all my new clients to get one and use it for a few days writing down their number of steps at the end of the day. THEN I tell them that your goal should be 10,000 steps a day - that is equivalent to 5 miles. Try it yourself... for the first few days, try not to change your activity level so you can get an idea of what a day in your current life is like. Then kick it up a notch! Don't call or email the person in the office two doors down, walk to see them! Park your car a few spots further away and enjoy the extra calories burned. Do a lap around the mall or the store before you start shopping. At the end of the day, take a walk (or a jog) with your family until you have reached your final number.

COST: $10 and up depending on model.

2. Heart Rate monitor

So you hop on the treadmill or the elliptical and take note of how many calories it says you have burned at the end of a workout, right? Oops, that wasn't specific to YOU. First of all, unless you put in your age and weight, the cardio machine is most likely calculating for a 160 lb person (not sure where I heard that number). Second of all, how does the machine have any idea of how difficult the activity is for you? It doesn't know if you are huffing and puffing or if the current activity is a walk in the park for you. Alas, the heart rate monitor. On your watch, you'll plug in your gender, height, weight, age, etc... and you'll wear the chest strap (directly on your skin - under your sports bra) while working out. You'll be able to monitor your heart rate throughout the activity (great for staying in your specific training zone!) and also your watch will be able to tell you how many calories you burned! Polar brand, specifically, will even work with most cardio machines to display your heart rate on the cardio display (but you'll still have to go by your watch to see calories burned). Even better, you don't have to be tied to a cardio machine... go for a run outside or monitor your heart rate and calories burned while doing strength training, you are free to roam!

You can even program your goals for # calories or # minutes of exercise into your watch and it will notify you each week whether you've achieved your goal or not. (When you achieve your goal you get a wonderful trophy icon on your watch for the whole next week! Woohoo!).

COST: $90 and up. Make sure to get a model that calculates your caloric output - check out the Polar Fitness ones. http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/products/fitness_crosstraining/

1. BodyBugg Arm Band

The Body What?? The BodyBugg! How much would you pay to guarantee you'll lose weight each week? (BodyBugg is hoping it's worth a few hundred dollars to you). Seriously, if you keep up with your Bugg, there will be no shock when you step on the scale each week. While there are now many similar brands of this device out there, the BodyBugg is what all the contestants on The Biggest Loser use (and therefore I love it), and one of the company's I used to work for now sells it.

So you have an arm band that is a little bigger than an iPod that you keep on your arm pretty much all the time. It is using your body temperature (and possibly a few other factors) to know how many calories you are burning every minute throughout the day. You will then sync it with your computer (requires a monthly online subscription) and be able to see your activity throughout the day. I hear most people go, "wow, I didn't know I was sitting that much!" But wait, there's more. You will also go online to input everything you ingest. It's a bit tedious at first, but since we are all creatures of habit you will be able to save all of your food choices for easy selection upon future logging. You can even list out all of the ingredients you put into a recipe so it knows the exact nutritional make-up. Again, tedious at first, but in the end you will have the success of weight loss! Finally, you tell the program exactly how much weight you want to lose each week and it will provide you feedback to reach that goal each time you sync.

*Want to learn more about the BodyBugg? I have a few friends/ex-coworkers that use it that would love to share the details with you. Let me know if you'd like to be put in contact with them.

COST: ~$200 comes with a 6-month subscription. http://my.apexfitness.com/vip/bb_enrollment_info_public.php#

There you have it! A lengthy post with my Top 10 suggested items. The best places to find these items?

- Target

- http://www.power-systems.com/

- http://www.fitnesswholesale.com/

Have a HEALTHY Day!

~ FitBritt

Where to Find the Time?

Hello again! One of Fit Britt’s followers asked an excellent question. “ . . . How [does] Environmental Mama fits exercise into her daily schedule? For me, I find WAY too many excuses not to exercise (it is not my favorite thing to do:) and it is easy for a mother to play the martyr and say things like "oh but I have to do this for (insert family member or dog's name)" and then forgo exercising.”

I completely agree that it is even more difficult for moms to come up with an excuse and something with which I definitely struggle. First, I repeat to myself frequently.....happy mom makes for happy kids. Being fit and happy with my size and health makes me better able to deal with my kids, regardless of their age. Whether I am handling a screaming baby, fussy toddler, tantrum-throwing 2 yr old, sassy 3 year old....or a challenging teenager, I am better equipped if I am self-confident and have an outlet for stress. I reason that taking care of myself actually helps me take better care of my children.

So, how to actually take the time to exercise? Here's how I try to stay on track with exercising:

I handle it one of two ways:

1. I make it part of my scheduled day. I have a “spot” where exercise regularly goes. It may be twice a week, three days a week, or five days a week, but it is planned ahead of time. I find myself more likely to exercise if I always do it, say at 9am, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Make a standing date with yourself.
2. I make an external commitment. It may be a local 5k that I sign up for (and pay) three months in advance, or join a local recreational sports team. You can adjust your “external commitment” based on your fitness level and what you enjoy. Perhaps it will simply be a regular aerobics class you attend with a friend or agreeing to coach a child's soccer team.

I alternate both methods frequently. I seem to go through phases where the regular exercising works great. Say, my husband knows on Tuesday and Thursday at 6pm is my workout time.....or I set my alarm early to do a video three days a week....or I take my kids for a walk before lunch every day. If I’m working, perhaps I devote two lunches to a brisk walk or run. Generally, at some point I find myself “falling off the wagon.” That is usually when I sign up for something. Personally, being a runner, it is typically a race of some sort. I register and pay and set up a training schedule. I’ll be honest. I usually regret signing up at some point, but I press on knowing I’ve already paid and told people about it. I am ALWAYS proud of myself and pleased at the end. That commitment gives me the extra oomph! I need to accomplish a new level of physical fitness. It keeps me inspired to keep up with my regularly scheduled workouts. Until, of course, the cycle repeats itself :)

In conclusion, I think finding the time to exercise is always a challenge regardless of where you are in life. I suggest trying different methods and finding what works for you. If you plan for a morning workout, and sleep through your alarm two weeks in a row—perhaps you need to reassess and look at an evening workout. If you are always skipping the evening workouts (this is me), then try a morning. Or sign up for a fun rec team. A three month sports season might be perfect to get you back into the groove of being fit. We all need encouragement from time to time, so find a positive fitness influence for you. At times I am better than others. Just keep at it!

Good Luck and Happy Exercising!

--Environmental Mama ;)

Additional tidbits from the Fit Britt:

I think this post equally applies to those who don't have kids! You often hear people say "I don't have time..." but the reality is we all have exactly the same amount of time each day. We also each have our own priorities. Having children is a huge lifestyle change, just like moving, starting a new job, getting married, etc. I think it is most important to establish your new routine as quickly as possible, so that it becomes a habit to make it a priority. Equally important is creating a support team. Talk to your spouse/sig-o about ways they can support your new lifestyle desires (watch the kids for an hour, be open to trying new foods, join in on the activity, etc.). However, we can't push our goals onto someone else, so whether the people you live with are on your cheer squad or not, you'll need an entire social network of friends to meet up with for walks, healthy snacks, group exercise classes, etc. Our society loves to catch up with friends over food and drinks... why not catch up during a hike instead? Maybe not all of your friends will be willing, but you certainly need some friends in your life that will be active with you, especially if you are not self motivated to exercise.
Lastly, I find what works best for me is learning more about the healthy benefits of exercise and proper nutrition (and what happens to your body when you don't exercise and eat right - no matter what you look like on the outside)... so I hope to continue to inspire and motivate you with new information every week!

Thanks AmberJamboree for the question, Environmental Mama for your input, and thanks to all for the dialogues that this blog has created!

Have a HEALTHY day!
Fit Britt