Blog Archives
3 Ways to Amp Up Your Workout
Steve Pfiester writes for Designer Whey, “What are you Really Doing in the Gym“.
“I’ve been guilty of going into the gym, knocking down a list of exercises, and two hours later packing up to go home. Sounds good, but the problem is I never really worked out at all. Sure I got a little pumped, maybe even made my quads burn a little. And still, except for my armpits, my shirt didn’t have a drop of water on it – except where I drooled starring at Bonnie doing walking lunges. Ok, moving on…
How do we make our time in the gym more useful, more intense, more productive? Most of us don’t have time to devote two hours of pure isometric exercises to give us bigger biceps. Especially when our goals may be to condition our abs and lean out. Even if you’re like me and you want it all, is it still possible to work on building our bodies while we condition and get lean?”
CLICK HERE to read the rest of Steve’s Blog and get the answer!
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Being Fit Tastes So Good
As most of you know I work for Sears’ online fitness community called FitStudio. One of my jobs is to write motivational tidbits to FitStudio members, which get emailed to members once a week. Here was today’s tip!
This week’s topics:
Razor Back Workout
Walk to a Different Beat Treadmill Workout
Mind Your Munchies Diet Tips
Poll: What’s Your Meal Environment?
Be sure to join FitStudio so you get more of these helpful tips and workouts.
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FITNESS: Avoid the Wrong Track to Nowhere
People are constantly asking me what weight routine to do. They ask me to critique their routine, as if changing a couple of exercises is going to change everything. Honestly, most people are spending too much time on stuff that really doesn’t matter and not enough time on the stuff that matters most.
Listen, I’d guess that 80% of the population wants to lose weight and tone up – not sculpt their rear deltoids and show more muscle separation in their quads. Just because some girl in the gym (who looks very hot by the way) does a certain workout, doesn’t mean that workout is for you (YET). Plus, I guarantee she is doing a lot more than lifting dumbbells.
Before you waste a lot of time and energy copying programs, trying new weight exercises and analyzing every exercise you see in the gym – ask yourself a few questions.
Fitness Checklist for Success:
1. Are you doing enough cardio? Listen, you can sculpt your muscle all day but if you aren’t actively and purposely removing fat, you’ll never see all your hard work.
2. Do you know how many calories you are eating every day? When people ask me for diet advice, 90% of them have NO clue how much they are eating. They can list off all these healthy foods to me, but that means nothing. That’s like me telling my husband that I bought 5 shirts and 2 pair of jeans. What the heck can he do with that? He sure can’t balance the checkbook with that. I can even tell him I bought them from TJMaxx, and that STILL won’t give him a clue how much to deduct from the checking account. Read the rest of this entry
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Food – Keep It Simple Stupid
Managing calories can be pretty overwhelming in the beginning. Looking up calories online, counting calories, looking at grams of protein, etc – it can honestly be pretty taxing ….BUT don’t give up!! Maybe you are making things too difficult. There is an easy way to learn how to manage calories and it’s called keeping it simple.
You’ve probably heard the saying “KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid”, well this DEFinitely applies with diet. The more ingredients you add in a meal, the harder it is to manage. The more you eat out, the harder it is to manage. And the harder it is to manage, the more likely it is you will give up.
Here are a Few Tips to Keeping Your Diet Simple, Stupid! 
1.) Eat whole foods. Choose one meat and 1-2 veggies for basic meals. Flavor with Read the rest of this entry
Dieter’s Independence Day: 5 Tips to Freedom
FREEDOM!
Remember the line in Braveheart where Mel Gibson yells “Freedom!“? That scene is the epitome of what I think of when I think of independence. As we celebrate the Fourth of July, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, I can’t help but think of all the people who still live in bondage – bondage to their unhealthy bodies.
What if we all could gain independence and be free from the bondage of diets and end the battle of the bulge? Well, you can.
Every time you ignore your body, you are choosing to be enslaved by your weight and your own guilt. Every time you decide to lean on a pill, diet fad or exercise gimmick, you’re making the decision to be in bondage to that product and enslaved by rules. Eventually, it may seem tempting to just wave the white flag – but don’t give up. Let me share what has worked for me and so many others. Read the rest of this entry
Adam & Eve’s Diet and Exercise Plan
When I consider all the diets on the market, I can’t help but wonder how Adam and Eve ate. I mean, there was no paparazzi to capture them eating at the trendy “Garden of Eden Café” nor were there tabloids exploiting Eve’s hot body and her latest “In the Garden Workout”. Diet and exercise as we know it didn’t even exist.
Deep fryers weren’t even invented and the closest thing to fast food was picking an apple off a tree. High calorie foods simply were not as easy to come by and exercise was a just way of life.
No one had to tell Adam and Eve to workout, they got plenty of exercise with their standard daily duties. I bet we’d burn a lot more calories and eat a lot less if we had to live like they did.
With that in mind, I really doubt obesity was much of an issue. Eve couldn’t have just gone to Publix to pick up a few groceries. Collecting food took time and energy. Since there was no refrigeration, it was essential the food was fresh for each meal so the chores were never-ending. Read the rest of this entry
10 Tips to Kick the Never-Ending Diet
“I tried every diet in the book. I tried some that weren’t in the book. I tried eating the book. It tasted better than most of the diets.” Dolly Parton
When I think of Dolly’s quote I think of how my mother also tried every diet in the book before she finally lost her weight. I know she must have felt like she spent her entire life dieting. The truth is she just made a few common mistakes that just continued to prolong her results – and it happens to so many people. That’s why so many American live their all their life dieting.
10 Tips to Break the ‘Never-ending Diet’ Cycle:
- Avoid diet hopping. Some people never stick to a diet long enough to get results before they hop on the next diet that comes their way. If you chose a diet plan, stick to it.
- Never attempt an unrealistic diet. I can’t help but think of the Cabbage Soup Diet, which I was on for all of four very long days. A successful diet is one you can stick with for the long haul.
- Don’t rely on the quick fix. We all know better, but our patience often gets the best of us. Don’t give in to weight loss gimmicks. A quick fix is just a temporary fix and only postpones the inevitable.
- Be realistic. If you are on a mild diet and exercise plan, expect mild results. The more intense the program, the faster the results. Be realistic when setting and working toward your goal.
- Be honest with yourself. People seem quick to recall all the healthy low-calorie foods they eat but get amnesia when it comes to unhealthy choices. The scale will tell on you so, in all actuality, you aren’t fooling anyone but your self. Read the rest of this entry
My Top 20 Diet Tips
Everyone is looking for a short cut to lose weight. Although I prefer people not live on diet tips alone, diet tips can definitely help jump-start weight loss.
A few years ago Steve and I were teaching a fitness and nutrition class to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. In this class I gave a few applicable diet tips that could be used in the workplace and at home. A few months later I ran into one of the employees in Publix and the man introduced himself and said, “remember the tip you gave about using salad plates instead of dinner plates? I’ve lost 40lbs so far” he boasted. I was simply blown away. I couldn’t believe that simple tip helped him to lose so much weight.
A random diet tip is not always a perfect match to every dieter. The very same tip that helped that man may not help someone else, but it is can sure help someone who overeats. Other people may have a bigger issue with what they eat or how often they eat. Whatever your struggle is, here are my top 20 diet tips for losing weight. Maybe a few of them can help you!
1.) Serve meals on small salad plates instead of large dinner plates.
2.) Use Stevia instead of sugar, honey or other sugar substitutes.
3.) Share a meal, or put the other half of your meal in a to-go box, when eating out.
4.) Limit processed foods like pasta, breads, cereals and instant rice.
5.) Drink one large glass of water before each meal. Read the rest of this entry
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Sewing Fitness, Tips to Reap the Reward
In a recent Bible Study, Calvary Chapel Pastor Jim Gallagher was talking about the process of reaping what you sow, referencing Galatians 6:7. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap”. This scripture encompasses everything we do – including fitness.
I was reminded we are a product of how we live each day. What really hit home for me was when Jim reminded us of the actual process of producing a harvest. This process would be very long and grueling.
Most of us are not farmers and haven’t even thought of the work that’s involved in producing a harvest, but I think if we reflect on what it takes to produce a crop we may look at fitness differently.
Prepare
Let’s start with preparing the soil. In the world of fitness, we could look at this step as preparing the mind. Before you can begin to tackle diet and fitness goals, you need to be mentally ready. It took my mom 3 months of journaling and soul-searching before she could fully commit to the changes she wanted to make in her life.
Plan
Once the soil is ready it’s time to sew the seed. Before you sew the seed, you must decide what you want to produce. Do you live in a climate to produce the crop of choice? All these things matter before you can even put one seed in the ground. Read the rest of this entry
How POWERFUL are your Power Walks? Get 8 Tips to Improve
photo by Misty Lundeen
I was running yesterday and ran past a middle-aged woman (side note: I love how “middle-aged people” continue to get older as I get older. ha!). Anyway, so I say good morning (because that’s how I roll) and she mouthed something. This was my cue to stop. So, I took off one of my earphones and I said “what?” since I can’t read lips and that’s when I heard her words, “I used to that. I used to run 3 miles a day and look skinny like you”.
I went on to say you can do it again and tried to encourage her. She said she was too old, etc and went on to make excuses. I then told her how my mom and dad got fit in their late fifties and that it’s never too late to get in shape. She was totally not hearing me, but I smiled anyway and off I went.
As I ran around my “morning loop” I passed her 4 times. This KILLED me. She was clearly convinced she couldn’t get fit, but she was walking so slow she almost was going backwards. OK, not really, but you get my drift. She wasn’t even TRYING! I guess she thought she was doing something “healthy”, and don’t get me wrong, what she was doing was better than sitting on the couch – but she could have made SO much more out of her efforts.
Even people that walk past me that I can totally tell are walking for exercise are still WAY under where they need to be to really burn some calories. So, how do you know if you are on pace?
Here are 8 Tips to Make Sure Your Power-Walks Are POWERFUL
1.) Swing arms. Arms should swing at a 90 degree angle while walking and your body should twist at the waist while holding your abs tight. This gives you the power you need to move faster (look at the photo of the runner. I guarantee she would be able to book it like that if her arms were dangling down by her side. However, if you aren’t walking fast enough, you’ll feel like a complete tard because your arms will be out-performing your legs. Another words, don’t expect to swing your arms like a maniac and let your legs walk like you are in a coma. They work best if they are working together and it will feel much more natural. The best part about swinging your arms is, it not only increases calories burned, but it tones your abs and waist. If you do it right, you will actually be sore. If not, you are likely not getting enough rotation.
2.) Maintain good posture. Be sure to stand up tall while running or walking, rolling shoulders back and being careful not to stick your neck out (which people often do when they are moving forward, whether driving or walking). This will help train your body how to maintain better posture all the time. If you aren’t “training” your body on good posture while walking, you are training your body how to maintain bad posture.
3.) Walk as fast as you can. Try walking as fast as possible without breaking into a run, taking long strides with bended knee as if lunging forward. Your arms will really have to swing hard to help you keep this pace. It will also feel completely awkward, but it will look much more normal than it feels. Do this until you can’t maintain it any more. I would consider that your top pace for walking.
4.) Prevent slowing down by tracking your walks. For instance, you can count your steps from one mailbox, or light post, to another to help give you a top-end goal to help hold you accountable or you can track your walk time. Another awesome device is the iPhone App called the RunKeeper. It will tell you your average pace and track your progress.
5.) Look at people around you. Notice other walkers and realize they all think they are working out hard and many of them look no different than if you saw them walking in the mall while shopping. Make it your mission NOT to be ”that guy”.
6.) Have someone video tape you. This is a RUDE awakening. When I was doing a TV segment on walking, I was SHOCKED by how slow I looked. I was walking at 4.2mph and it looked like I was strolling. Sometimes pride fuels us to improve and we need to see how we look to others in order to be motivated to perform better. This sure helped me.
7.) Challenge your workouts with interval training. I love my new GymBoss Interval Trainer. It’s a timer you can set to go off at different intervals to help make your walks more challenging and less boring. For instance, if you are wanting to become a runner you can set the timer for 2-minute walks and 1-minute sprints. As you improve, you can change that to a 2-minute jog and 1-minute recovery walk. Eventually, you can do a 2-minute run and 1-minute sprint. It’s a great way to boost your workouts and let the GymBoss become your “trainer”.
8.) Buy a heart rate monitor. This tip is the #1 best thing you can do to hold yourself accountable. Your heart rate is the best indicator of how many calories you are burning. I like to be around 75% of my maximum heart rate with 65% being my lowest and 85% being my highest. (Maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. Then you multiple that number by the heart rate you are wanting to maintain, like .75). I suggest getting a POLAR Heart Rate Monitor like this one from Sears, as a POLAR not only tracks your hear rate, calories burned and all kinds of cool stuff, but it syncs to most of the commercial treadmills in gyms. This way you can be on a treadmill and the treadmill display will display your heart rate without even holding on to the sensors. COOL!
Subscribe to my Blog for more pFIT Tips with me! Bonnie Pfiester, Fitness Advisory Board Member for FitStudio, powered by Sears Fitness and c0-creator of BCx Boot Camp.
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