The Stack of Books at my Bedside Table

I try to read at night instead of watch TV so that I can fill my brain with good thoughts before sleep.   I am a chronic over-thinker so I can’t put my head on the pillow and pass out.  So I have a stack of books near my bed that I reach for to help me fall asleep.  I avoid heavy books, nothing scary or so compelling that I need to finish it before I sleep.  Moreover, I read inspirational books, yes they come from the "self-help" section of the bookstore.  Let's just call them "wellness" books.  :)

I've gone through phases with the stack over the years.  It used to include fashion and interior design magazines and books.  Then, over the last 10+ years the stack evolved to include “The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying," books about the neuroscience of the brain and it's connection to consciousness and books by Pema Chondron.   I guess my aging brain craves to understand and make sense of the changing and uncertain world around us.  In those same years, I lost my father to stroke, I had 3 children and we saw significant change in politics from Bush to Obama and now Trump. 

Every book in my stack has given me the perfect bit of wisdom that I was looking for. 

My most recent edition to the stack is “When Breath Becomes Air”. I have to say I was a bit nervous about reading the book because I already knew the sad ending. Yet, when I read it, I was so deeply

impressed by the writing and the thoughts and the feelings it evoked in me.  Without giving it all away, one of the poignant messages I gained from this book was, to enjoy the simple pleasures in front of you: the smile or laugh from the ones you love, time with family, watching a sun set.  If you haven’t already read this book, you need to add it to your list.  

May you enjoy the simplicity of your day and have the gift of time to read through your own stack of books. 

Hope to see you for a workout soon.  

Best, 

Barb

In 2018 I will....

It's the start of 2018 and it's the time to talk about our resolutions for the new year. So, how can we set ourselves up to really stick to all of these positive habits that we set for ourselves.

One strategy is to write out concrete goals for yourself.  Avoid wishy washy language that gives you an out.  Start each resolution with the words "I will..." Example: "I will drink 12 glasses of water everyday for the next 30 days". Don't use language that gets you out of the commitment. Example, "I will try to drink 12 glasses of water everyday for the rest of the year."   Lots of "outs" on this goal.

Moreover, the more concrete we are in our Resolution(s), the more we encourage self-accountability in meeting our goals.   When our goals are too general and written down with any words of uncertainty, then we can make excuses for why we didn't hit our goal.  This doesn't mean that you have to change everything in your life in one year.  Instead choose your top 5, prioritize them, give them a specific timeline, and then decide of those 5 what you can actually do with success.  Change doesn't happen overnight, it comes after making thoughtful small changes and choices about how you want to live.

When I worked in corporate marketing, at the beginning of each year, we would spend multiple days and many hours developing strategies to acquire new customers and retain our existing ones. Then we would review those strategies, refine them over more hours and days and then present them to management for approval.  Once approved, my plan was shared with everyone and I was accountable to hit my annual plan.  I was 100% accountable to the goals I developed.   When I look back and think about how much time and energy I put into developing annual marketing goals, in comparison, I should easily be able to spend even a quarter of the time on my own personal health, fitness and life goals starting with a New Years resolution.

So with that, I will share one of my resolutions with you:

 I will not eat processed foods or sugars for 30 days.

May you find 2018 filled with love, joy, wonder and good health.  Hope to see you for a workout soon.

Best,
Barb

Own it.

At the end of last year I turned 47.  Ok, wow…I just wrote that down and posted it for all of you to see. 

For whatever reason, we like to hide our age.  We try to avoid talking about it, we cover everything up with make-up, lasers, botox, clothes, attitude, etc.    But what if instead of hiding our age, we just owned our age.  

My 8 year old owns her age.  She skips, jumps, laughs hard and argues openly and honestly with her brothers.  She doesn’t always brush her hair and doesn’t worry about it and she puts together her own multicolored mis-matched outfits every morning with a confidence that I love.  She owns swinging as high as she can on the swings.  She tells me honestly that she doesn’t understand her homework and asks for help.  She eats with intent and when eating a nutella banana sandwich she allows the nutella to stay on her face until she’s completely done with her treat.   

So, as I watch my daughter and her conviction for owning age 8.  I’m going to own age 47.  I’m going to own that I feel pretty amazing and that I have excelled physically in Yoga that I never thought possible.  I own that I’ve found new thoughtful connections with friends and family that couldn’t have happened any sooner than now. I own that my body is constantly changing to keep up with me and that it’s OK.   I’m going to own that my life is different than it was 20 years ago.  I’m going to own that this life isn’t always easy and sometimes can be really hard.  I’m going to own my role as a girlfriend, a mom, a sister, a daughter and a wife and support others in addition to asking for help when I need it.  I’m going to own the grey that appears on my hairline, and the dark circles under my eyes and the bloated belly I get every 4 weeks.  Bottom line, I’m going to OWN IT ALL and then embrace it!   My life and this age and any age that you are at should be embraced with tremendous gratitude.   I know it’s cliche to say, but we do only get ONE LIFE, so embrace every part of you, own every part of who and what you are on this little earth that we live on and enjoy the simple beautiful moments of this aging process.   When you truly own all that you are, I assure you that your timeless inner light from your graceful beautiful soul, will shine brightly out towards everyone you pass.    

Meditation for More Brain Space

Centuries ago those who practiced meditation did so because they were trying to focus more clearly on their life's purpose.   

Today we seek meditation to help cope with life's stresses: loss of loved ones, work problems, home issues, technology failures.  It's one of many tools used for stress relief for our modern day problems. 

While exercise has always been and will continue to be one of my stress relief tools, I've found consistent calm through yoga and meditation.  In Yoga I was re-introduced to the benefits of stillness during Svasana (final resting pose).  I found myself hanging out in this pose for longer periods of time and feeling a more profound sense of calm not just in this pose but for long periods after getting out of it. 

I wanted more of this feeling, so I started asking my meditating friends what they did. One of them shared videos on YouTube.  And another recommended the book, "Start Here Now".  So I gave it a shot.   It was hard at first to just sit and stay focused to meditate but I committed to 10 minutes a day initially and then, over time, it became a welcome daily practice that lasted anywhere between 10-20mins. 

As I learned more about the practice of meditation, I found books, articles, videos, Ted talks and more that talked about the science of the brain during meditation and all of its benefits for sports, psychotherapy, creativity, physical ailments and many more wellness benefits. 

Having spent over a year meditating daily, I've found a new sense of contentment and appreciation for the simple pleasures in life because through meditation I'd given myself a little more brain space to notice them. 

So my challenge to you all is to find a way to give yourself just 5 minutes of stillness per day through meditation. Try it for the next 7 days.  If you need guidance, check out the app Yoga Wake Up . They have several meditations (including a few that I've recorded ) that you can download to take with you anywhere.   

I know that it's not easy to sit still, but give it a try, you may soon reap all the health & wellness benefits that meditation can offer. 

Have a great week. Hope to see you soon. 

Barb

Community Yoga with Barb every Thursday at Noon

Have you ever gone to a Yoga class and found yourself completely lost?  You don't know which leg should go up or down?  Is the instructor calling out Yoga terminology that you don't understand as you watch the rest of the class moving with ease and harmony and then feel totally out of place???  Well, in this community class I will teach you all of the basics that will help you get the most out of the next class that you take at your gym, at a studio or anywhere where they offer yoga.

I have been practicing Yoga since I was pregnant with my first child over 12 years ago.  I started with Iyengar.   I've tried Bikram, Kundalini and Hot Yoga, but my favorite style is Vinyasa Flow, which is all about movement with breath.

The benefits of yoga are both for the mind and the body which is why I love it so much and why I completed my 200 hour teacher training at the end of last year.  So, come try it out with me.  Take your lunch break to learn the basic moves of Yoga.  If you already know the poses then come to refine your practice so that you know you are in the poses correctly.  I promise to make it both challenging and educational so that you can get the most out of the next Yoga class you do.

Email me directly if you'd like to join, this will be a small group class, I need a min of 5 to run it and I have a max of 8.

Have a great week and hope to see you soon.

Barb

Thank You letter to my Mom Tribe

To My Mom Tribe,


You know who you are.  For over a decade you've counseled me on every aspect of this Mom job. Your advice has always been free of charge and your words have always been uplifting.  

It feels like just yesterday that I ran into you at the Drs office with a baby in my tummy or in a Bjorn, we also caught up in the "Moms" room at the office and I remember when you expertly held my 8 week old so I could brush my hair & de-puff my eyes. 

Today we're flocked together in our mom zone on the sidelines of kids games, chatting mid Pilates to get the number for that math tutor and nodding off alongside the kiddos watching the latest release of a Pixar movie. 

Tomorrow, I'll see how your child has surpassed you in height and your oldest is driving the younger ones to school and that you are now caring for your own mom who needs you. 

So thank you, my Mom Tribe, for being part of my tribe yesterday, today & tomorrow. I really couldn't do all of this with out you. 

Happy Moms Day ❤️🙏

-Barb

Community Yoga with Barb

As some of you may know I completed a 200 hour yoga teacher certification with the Mukti Yoga school. It was a great learning experience for me so Id like to share my learnings with you. 

So this week I'm offer a 1 hour beginner yoga community class tomorrow Tuesday at noon (or Wednesday at noon if that's better for everyone). Suggested donation for the class is $10 or whatever you would like to contribute. 

I'm excited to share what I've learned in this training with you. Email me directly if you'd like to join in one of these community sessions this week. 

Have a great day!

Barb

As usual see my previous posts on health and fitness here on this blog. 

Note, the community class this week will be on land but Yoga Sup is an option for the future. 😊

Set your Intention

I know it's been a while since I last posted but I thought it timely to post about setting up for a brand new year. So thanks for reading & here we go...

I'm done with the concept of "resolutions". It carries the assumption that something is wrong & needs to be fixed.   So instead, I plan to set a positive health & wellness Intention this year. 

So what is an Intention? Here's how it's defined on the web: 

-a thing intended; an aim or plan

-the healing process of a wound

-Word Origin late Middle English: from Old French entencion, from Latin intentio(n-) ‘stretching, purpose,

Basically all of these fit for creating an Intention.  As it relates to health & well-being, it's about setting a plan that will not only help with any healing that's needed but also helps to stretch and evolve oneself both physically & mentally. I'm not talking about a magic wand that addressees everything, but I am talking about creating & committing to a mindset that helps keep you on the path to a tangible & achievable goal for your overall health.   

Setting an Intention can be as simple as a commitment to walk outdoors everyday, even for a short time.  Another example, (not as simple) can be to set an Intention to be mindful whenever you eat. Food is available to us 24/7 and it's ready for us fast (drive-thrus, salad bars, microwave meals). In turn, we're all guilty of eating so fast that we can't even remember what we had for lunch. If you are mindful when you eat (and not multitasking) you can actually enjoy your food. All of your senses come into play (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell) and you really get to savor the moment of eating. The other side benefit is that you aid your digestion process by chewing your food slower, and then sending the macerated pieces through your system slower as well. (Benefits can include less reflux, gassiness and/or sleepiness from "inhaling" your lunch too fast.)

My Intention is to commit to a consistent & longer daily meditation practice.  I started this practice last year, but I was inconsistent & pretty distracted most of the time.  However, over time, I got better & by the end of the year, I created a consistent practice for myself that helped calm the mind & the body. Don't worry, I'm not moving to the Himalayas to become a Buddhist monk, but after a year of trying out a little stillness through meditation, I get it, I like it & I'm already seeing the benefits. 

Whatever Intention you decide on, make it yours, create it with a big dose of positivity & then just get started.  Any positive intention you create not only helps you but it also has a positive effect on those around you. 

Happy New Year! Hope to see you soon. 

With love,

Barb 

Find Your Inspiration for 2015

I'm always looking for inspiration to help drive my personal, professional and health/fitness goals throughout the year and after thinking about all of the famous people who inspire me, I realized that the most inspiring person to me is my Mom, Gloria.

Born in 1931, my Mom is the rock of our family.   She is the middle daughter of 6 and has always been confident and strong.  She survived Japanese occupation of the Phillipines during World War II; and in high school and college she threw javelin & shot-put on her track and field team.  In addition, she was a model back in her home town and participated and placed in many pageants in the 1950's.  Her full time job was raising her 7 children while my Dad worked as a house painter.  

Today, she is the proud parent of 7 children and 8 grandkids and raised all of us in the US in the same 900 sq ft home that she still lives in today.    At 80+ years old, she does have short-term spotty memory and other physical ailments that slow her down, but she still has an amazing ability to provide inspiration and guidance to all of us.  In some cases she provides laser focused parenting advise to us about raising our own kids.  At other times, she entertains us with concise recollections of our own growing years.   Her biggest dream for all of us has been to get a quality education, live quality lives and take care of family.  We continue to fulfill that dream for her.    I thank my Mom for her strength and guidance throughout the years and continue to find inspiration from her life's example in this new year of 2015.

If you haven't done so yet, take a moment to figure out who/what inspires you and use that as your motivation for your health & fitness goals for 2015.  Happy New Year everyone!

-Barb


Contact me directly for Group Sessions and 1/1 trainings starting this month.

Also, check out barbfit.blogspot.com for pasts posts on health & fitness.

EAT: The Story of Food & $10 Off Farm Fresh to you

In my evening quests to find quality content on TV, I discovered this really interesting show on the National Geographic Channel: EAT - The Story of Food

This fascinating National Geographic series goes into the history of how we eat and how each major milestone in our history has changed what we eat and the way we eat.  One of the interesting facts for me was how the creation of canned/preserved foods for soliders during wartime, gave birth (post-war) to convenience foods for the home (TV Dinners, Spam,  Betty Croker Box Cakes, Microwave Ovens).   And of course, clever marketers and skilled scientists were behind and continue to be behind all of these products.  Since we are what we eat, seems like a worthwhile series to check out.

While you are thinking of food, I aso wanted to make sure that I passed on my $10 discount code for  Farm Fresh to You: BARB9222.  I get the small No Cooking Box every 2 weeks and it gets delivered right to my door.  Their Nantes carrots and organic fruit are really tasty.    All produce is locally grown and in season.  Here's the link to check out their website & sign up:  www.farmfreshtoyou.com

Hope you are all getting some workouts in despite this gloomy weather.  Probably a good time to get into the gym and/or take a Yoga or Pilates class at a local studio.  

Have a great week and hope to see you all for a workout soon!

Barb


Sessions in December
For those of you that want to get ahead of the Holiday Eating, I will be doing some group sessions in December.  Normally we meet Wednesdays & Fridays @ 9am, but I may be able to squeeze in a few Mondays and Thursdays.  Email me directly if you are interested and we can get a group going for the next few weeks.

1-1's 
I'm firming up my schedule for December and have some space to squeeze in some 1-1 Sessions.  Your first session includes a free 20 min fitness assessment.  Email me if you are intersested and we can schedule a time to review your goals.


Don't forget to check out my blog at barbfit.blogspot.com for previous posts on health & fitness.

What's your favorite exercise therapy?

There's a lot going on in our world that can lead you to some level of stress:  incessant news of wars, viruses with no cures, shootings, etc.   In addition, we have our personal daily stressors, being on time for a meeting, getting yourself and possibly your entire family out the door in the morning, getting stuck in traffic, etc.   Between worldly stressors and personal ones, you can build up a lot of stress that if not addressed can manifest into a real physical issue: tension in the neck, sleepless nights, weight gain and many other health problems.

So how can we handle all of this stress???  My answer: Exercise.   Given all of life's daily stressors, I use exercise for my therapy.  It clears my head, it requires me to focus on my movement, it forces me to push aside whatever is stressing me out because my body is relying on me to make it safely through whatever the physical activity is.   I exercise or do some kind of physical activity about 5-7 days a week and when I get out of that routine, my ability to manage stress diminishes with every day that I haven't worked out.   For me, there's a direct correlation between the two: more exercise = less stress and less exercise = more stress.  

In this article from the Mayo clinic Get Moving to Manage Stress   they state that "Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever".  

The Huffington Posts in their article: How Does Exercise Reduce Stress highlights scientific benefits :  

[Exercise] forces the body's physiological systems -- all of which are involved in the stress response -- to communicate much more closely than usual: The cardiovascular system communicates with the renal system, which communicates with the muscular system. And all of these are controlled by the central and sympathetic nervous systems, which also must communicate with each other. This workout of the body's communication system may be the true value of exercise; the more sedentary we get, the less efficient our bodies in responding to stress.

So what better excuse to go for a long walk, hike or bike ride with a friend when it is a proven stress reducer.  If you already use exercise as your stress reducer, what are your favorites?  My top 3 are Running, Yoga and more recently Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP).  Running has always been my go to.  I can do it anywhere and I find a calming rhythm in my pace, my cadence and my breathing.  Yoga is my next favorite as it calms my mind while it sets me in repetitive motions that require strength, balance and flexibility.   SUP is my most recent favorite.  Every time I go out on a board whether with friends or by myself, I work my core and my arms via paddling and get a mini escape from land and usually a pretty awe inspiring view of the shoreline from the water.  

So get out and participate in your own favorite exercise therapy this week, I'm sure it will help you with life's stresses.  Have a great week and hope to see you for a workout soon!

Barb


If you're interested in group sessions or 1-1 personal training sessions,  contact me @ barbmh@yahoo.com   Also don't forget to check out my past posts on health & fitness at barbfit.blogspot.com 

Some free Stuff for my So Cal Friends

Hope you are all having a great week.  For those of you live in Southern California, I wanted to pass on  a couple free health and fitness related items that I am also doing.

Next week I'll be attending the IDEA World Fitness and Nutrition Expo in Anaheim, CA to get some continuing education credits for my NASM personal training certification.  I'll also be checking out their Expo where there will be over 300 Leading Brands in the fitness world: equipment, technology, nutrition and a lot more.  The Expo opens on Thursday, August 14th at Noon and here's your free pass to check it out  IDEA Fit EXPO Free Pass.  Sign up soon as there are a limited number of free passes available.  Hope to see you there!

For my friends in the South Bay (Manhattan, Hermosa, Redondo, Torrance) I also just signed up for the Blue Zones Project through Beach Cities Health District.  Just complete their survey and you will receive their discount card.  I got 10% off at Good Stuff restaurant and plan to use it at Grow on Wednesdays for a discount on their fresh fruit.  All this, for FREE!  For more info and to sign up check it out here: Blue Zones Project.

Enjoy your free stuff and hope to see you for a workout soon!

Barb


Sessions this week:

Group Sessions:
I'm available for a Wednesday and/or Thursday Session at 9am.  I will need 4 to run the session so email me for more info and if you'd like to join.  You are welcome to bring a friend!

TRX Sessions:
I am a TRX Suspension System Qualified Trainer and would be happy to show you how effectively use the system.  I'm still running a 20minutes for $20 session and move you through you a quick & effective High Intensity Interval workout with the TRX that you will love.  Email me for more info.

1-1 Training Sessions:
If you're looking for 1-1 Training, I currently have openings and would love to create a custom program for you that you can stick to.  If you've been thinking about training for a while and need to kickstart a program, contact me and we will get you started!

Don't forget to check out my past blogs on Health & Fitness at barbfit.blogspot.com 

How much time will you dedicate to health & fitness this summer?

There are a lot of reasons to be grateful for the summer: warm weather, school break & family vacations.

And in this season just like I've written in the Fall, Winter & Spring you also need to dedicate time for your health & fitness.

Sometimes it's easy as the warmer weather inspires consumption of lighter foods such as fresh seasonal fruits & vegetables. Or you end up on a vacation that includes outdoor activities for 10 days straight. Take advantage of these easy ways to keep up with your health & fitness.

And of course, sometimes it's hard -  Your kids are out of school & there's no time to get a real workout.  Or that 10 day vacation you're on has a decadent all you can eat buffet that you can't pass up.

Whether it's easy or hard, carve out some time everyday this summer to do something active & make a conscious effort to be mindful about what you eat without stressing yourself out.  Living an active life & eating for your health is a lifelong commitment.

And, if you need a little more motivation, come join me for a workout.

Have a great week!

Don't forget to check out my blog for past posts on health & fitness. 

http://barbfit.blogspot.com/



Group Sessions this week:
Wednesday at 9:30am and/or Friday at 9:30am.  4 persons min needed to run the session.  Email me if you'd like to join us.  Hope to see you for a few sessions this summer!


TRX Sessions & Demos:
I am a TRX Suspension System Qualified Trainer and I would love to show you how to effectively use this system.  I use the TRX for quick and intense 20 min workouts when I don't have a lot of time.  So, let me show you how it works.  I'm offering a 20min for $20 session with the TRX that incorporates muscle conditioning combined with High Intensity Interval Training all on the TRX.  Email me for more info.  

Commit to One New Goal for the Next 8 Weeks to Improve Your Health

Maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly can be a daunting task when you are at the beginning of your journey for improving your health.  It's also just as difficult, when you've made good progress towards your goal.   Many times you hit a rut and don't see any further changes.  Furthermore, with your job, overall life responsibilities and commitments to friends, family and co-workers, where will you find the time to exercise and/or start a diet???

Well, it's hard; and I've definitely been there (multiple injuries, pregnancies, vacations...).  So, my challenge to you today, is just to commit to ONE new goal that you can stick to for the next 8 weeks.  It's a way to make progress without being overwhelmed by all the steps.  Let's just take ONE step today.  

Here are some ideas for that ONE new goal you can achieve:
-Drink enough water every day
-Add 1 more day of exercise/week (min. of 20 minutes, ex. Yoga 1x/week, Run 1x/week)
-Eat more green vegetables every day
-No Coke, Diet Coke, Vitamin Water (or other sweetened beverage) for 8 weeks
-Choose to walk instead of drive if it's a short distance
-No added sugar
-No fried foods

I'm sure you can think of other things, but just pick one.  Log your progress in a journal, or on your phone and/or with an app (ex. MyFitnessPal). Then, in 2 weeks, check in with me and let me know how you feel.  If you cut something out, do you miss it or crave it? If you added something, did you notice the difference?   Then, in 8 weeks, when you have this ONE new thing down and "mastered," let's come up with the next goal you can achieve;  and let's continue this lifetime journey and commitment to ourselves, our friends and our families to live a long, healthy and active life.

Have a great week and hope to see you for a workout soon!

Barb



Core Group Sessions:
I have an intensive in progress and have 1-2 drop in spots available.  Email me if you'd like to join.

1-1 Sessions:
Getting ready for summer beach weather?  Let me know if you're interested in 1-1 sessions to get yourself on the right track.  I have a few 1-1 spots open and would love to create a custom program for you.

Don't forget to check out my previous posts at barbfit.blogspot.com for past posts on health and fitness.

2014: TIme to Clean it up!

It's 2014, the beginning of the year and a great time to clean up the house, purge through and recycle out all the "stuff" you don't use anymore to start this year off with a clean slate.

I'm sure many of you have started your New Year's resolutions with new exercise regimes and maybe even a "Cleanse" to also get your body started off right for this year.

So, let's take this cleaning idea one step further: Have you cleaned out your fridge and pantry?  OK, I'm not just talking about wiping down all the shelves and throwing out the rotting fruits & vegetables or the moldy leftovers.  I'm talking about purging your fridge and pantry of all the food that is truly not good for you or your family.  We all live very busy lives and often it's tough to make a nutritious meal for ourselves, let alone our families, but if you stock your fridge and pantry correctly you will at least have some more healthy options that will start you on the right track for a year of better eating habits.

Get rid of the obvious stuff first, sugary snacks, overly salty crackers and chips. Left over holiday treats.  Then take a harder look at what you have.  How many fresh fruits and vegetables are there for you to snack on?  Or did they just rot while you ate chips and salsa again last night as a snack.

Then take a look at the not so obvious stuff: processed foods.  The packaging may say "Gluten Free" "Sugar free" "Low Calorie", but if you can't even pronounce the list of ingredients on the packaging, then it is most likely so processed that any health benefits may be negated by all the processing that they used to bring that product to your store shelves.

I know for some, it's not so easy to just get rid of food, so consider donating some of the items to a food bank or shelter.  If you can't do it alone, have a friend come over and take a look at the fridge and pantry together.    Or, call a professional (Personal Trainer, Nutritionist, Dietician) and have them walk you through the process of what to keep, what to throw out and what to buy.

Finally, educate yourself on what you should have in your fridge.  Below are a few links that can help you in the process:

best-foods-to-stock in your Fridge from Parents.com

Dr Oz Fridge Makeover

Food Consumption Graph

Food Labels from Precision Nutrition

Have a great week and hope to see you for a workout soon!

Barb

Working out on Turkey Day

Although you are probably already way deep into your Thanksgiving festivities, I just wanted to throw out a little reminder to try to get a quick workout in.

Even a quick 20 mins will work. Sneak off to the gym or workout to your fav exercise video. Or after your meal, go for a short walk with friends or family before settling into the couch for sports or movies.

Your body will be thankful for any workouts you can do. :)

Have a fantastic Thanksgiving.

Barb

Sugar Detox Time is Now

Fall is the time of the year when I hit about a dozen birthday parties and eat all kinds of sugary holiday foods including leftover Halloween candy, various pumpkin flavored treats (latte's, breads, pancakes) and warm baked goods.   The change in weather makes sweet comfort food even more appealing.

Since I am bombarded with so many tasty treats at home, at the grocery store, at the office and/or at my friend's house, it's also the most important time to watch my sugar intake and start the process of detoxing my body of all the excess that sugar.    Sugar can be very addictive.  This article from Time Magazine What you need to know about Sugar provides some important information about sugar and sheds more light on many myths about sugar.

So, don't wait to make this your New Year's resolution, take steps now to curb your sugary snacky habits.  Remember taking care of your health is a life-long commitment so stick to good habits as much as you can throughout the year.

And when you're ready to add a workout to your life-long commitment to health, come see me for a session or two.

Have a great week!

Barb


3 Week Intensive Starts this Week:
We squeezing in one more session before Thanksgiving.  We will meet 2x/week Wednesday & Friday morning at 9am.  We have space for a few more folks, so email me quickly if you'd like to join.


6:30am Sessions:
I have a few folks interested in 6:30a sessions, but still need more to create an early morning Intensive.  Email me if you are an early riser and would like to start your day with some Core Conditioning and High Intensity Training.


1-1 Sessions:
Get ahead of the New Year's resolution and schedule a session with me before the year end.  I would love to develop a program just for you.


Don't forget to go to  barbfit.blogspot.com for past posts on health and fitness.

Health Benefits to a Good Night's Sleep

Every night before I go to bed I check on each of my kids while they are sleeping.  Sometimes they're curled up completely under the covers and other times they're all the way out with their heads at the foot of their beds.  My oldest sometimes talks and walks in his sleep and my daughter usually falls asleep with all the lights on and multiple books open on her lap.  They are deep sleepers and at their age they usually get about 10-12 hours of sleep (WebMed-How much should kids sleep) and I have to say, I'm a little jealous.

I used to be able to sleep in with no problem.  Getting up after 9am was a normal habit for me for a lot of years.  Then, I had my kids, and the whole sleep thing went completely haywire.   I thought when my kids were sleep trained that I would be able to sleep in again, but no, that didn't work.  So now I'm training myself to have a better sleep regimen.

Getting enough sleep as an adult is a simple task that can really improve your overall health, but not everyone makes it a priority.  Watching TV late at night or being on the computer through the night can really impact your overall sleep patterns and lead you to minimal amounts of good sleep; and if it continues will lead to weight gain, crankiness and other health issues.

According to Precision Nutrition: "The average adult gets about 7 hrs of sleep/night.  33% of the population gets fewer than 6.5 hrs/night.  Women sleep a bit more than men.  Those who carry high amounts of body fat tend to sleep less than those with a normal body fat. Studies suggest that people who sleep fewer than 6 hrs/night gain almost twice as much weight as people who sleep 7-8 hrs/night.  Excessive sleep isn't any better: those who sleep more than 9 hrs/night have similar body composition outcomes as those who sleep less than 6 hrs." (All About Sleep from Precision Nutrition).

So try to get your "Z's," that is 7-8 hrs of them every night.  Turn off the TV, put away your phone and have a cup of herbal tea and a hot bath instead.  Although it's tough to do this every night, try to make it your priority, you'll feel better during the day and give your body and your mind the rest it needs.  Then during the day if you feel energized and ready for a workout, you know where to find me.  ;-)

Have a great day!

Barb


Core Drop In Session This Week:
Friday, October 25th 9am: 5 people min to run.  Email me if you're interested in joining.

3 Week Intensive:
I'm trying to squeeze in another Intensive before the week of Thanksgiving.  Let me know if you are interested.  We will meet Wednesday and Friday at 9am and will need 5 people min to run the session,

6:30am Intensive:
Ok you early birds, I have a few folks asking about a 6:30am intensive. Email me if there are more of you out there who would like a workout at the crack of dawn.  Times and days TBD.

1-1 Training:
Get ahead of that New Year's resolution and treat yourself to a series of Personal Training Sessions.  What better gift to yourself than the gift of health and fitness?!?  Email me for more info and to schedule your first training session.



Don't forget to check out barbfit.blogspot.com for past posts on Health & Fitness

Exercises in the Planes of Motion

When I studied for my personal training exam, there were many concepts that were more challenging to  absorb by studying them from the book.  The 3 Planes of Motion: Sagittal Plane, Frontal Plane & Transverse Plane  ( Planes of Motion from Livestrong) were one of those concepts.

Now after a few years of personal training under my belt and multiple exercise seminars and classes later, I better understand the benefits and I practice exercises in all planes of motion in just about every workout I do.  So, why should you pay attention to these planes?  I'm just an exercise freak, right???  ;-)

Well, the reason I've incorporated exercises in these 3 different planes of motion is because it helps me to build a stronger and well balanced body.  I'm an older parent and my goal is to be able to play soccer with my sons through high school (they are 9 & 7 now).   I also want to run 10K's and half marathons with my youngest when she old enough (she's 4).  So it's going to be another 10+ years of staying active and capable of playing sports with my kids without blowing out a knee.  ;-)   This is where these exercises in different planes of motion help me.

Most gym equipment will force you into a single plane of motion exercise (example: the bicep curl machine). While this is not bad for you, it may cause you to miss out on strengthening multiple parts of your body by limiting you to only one plane of motion.  As you know, I am a TRX fan.  One of the reasons I am a fan is because just about every move that I do with the TRX requires multiple body parts to work at once.  What we do in everyday life requires you to use many different parts of our bodies, why should your workout limit you to only one area? 

So, think about the exercises you do on your next workout and see how many planes of motion you are working out in.  If it's all 3 then you already know what to do, but if it's only 1 or 2 planes then start slowly incorporating exercises that work in all planes.  Over time and with the right exercises you will start to see the benefits too.

Have a great week and hope to see you for a workout soon!

Barb


1-1 Training Sessions
Are you finally ready to get started with a customized training program?  If so, contact me and let's get started.  I would love to meet with you to understand your health and fitness goals and work together to get you closer to achieving those goals.  Email me to schedule your first 1-1 session.


Intensive
The 3 week intensive has started and we have a great group.  I would love to get plans in place for the next intensive so let me know if you are interested.  We meet 2 days/week and need a minimum of 5 to run the session.



Dont forget to check out my past posts about health and fitness at barbfit.blogspot.com

Time for Clean Eating.

There's a lot of talk about clean eating these days, so I thought I would share some info I've found on the Internet to help guide you in making good decisions about what to eat more of.  Of course, any change in your regular diet is not going to be easy, so take baby steps towards clean eating.  Start with putting a bowl of organic fresh fruit on your kitchen counter. It's a great way to have a healthy fibrous snack in front of you.   Berries are great and most fruit in season is also really good.  We get a box of fresh fruit and veggies delivered to our door every 2 weeks and it's been a great way to get all the seasonal goodies.   For more info on clean eating check out this article 5 Simple Steps to Clean Eating and for some ideas on what to cook, here are recipes from Cooking Light 10 Clean Eating Recipes .

Hope you had a great summer and can take advantage of the opportunity of Fall to get your health and fitness back on track or maintain all the good progress you've made.  Hope to see you for a workout soon!

Barb


Core Sessions this week:
Friday, 9:30am - 5 Person Min to run.  Email to save your spot.  Meet at South Park


1-1 Training Sessions:
I am an NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Qualified TRX trainer and have taught fitness for many years (AFAA Group Exercise Instructor 5 yrs., PSIA Ski Instructor - 8 yrs.).  I would love to help you with your health and fitness goals and create a custom exercise program that you can stick with for years.  Email me today to set up your first session and let's get started!


3 Week Group Intensive:
It's that time of the year again when my travel schedule settles down and I can spend a full 3 weeks to workout with you!  We meet 2 (possibly 3) times/week and do a combination of Core workouts and High Intensity Interval Training.  I need a min of 5 to run the intensive.  Email me if you are interested and we will lock down days and times.

Don't forget to check out my blog barbfit.blogspot.com for previous posts on health and fitness