Just Get Going

This past weekend I completed my 3rd half marathon. This race took place at the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, FL, and was a really great experience. I had been training for this race for some time, and while I didn't run quite as fast as I had hoped I would, I did finish with a new personal best time.

Along the way, I even had time to stop for a pictures with a couple of the coolest guys ever.




These races at WDW are always such a great motivator for me, because there are always runners of every shape and size imaginable. There are people that finish these races, some even faster than me, that look like they would struggle to complete a 5k, let alone a half or a full marathon.

The amount of inspiration you can get from some of these participants is incredible, and they really show that whatever excuse you have for not exercising really is a nothing but that--an excuse.

This weekend I passed a guy that was running the half that had both of his legs amputated. He was out there running with two prosthetics and enjoying the experience, when no one would have blamed him for sitting at home feeling sorry for himself.

Two years ago, a soldier ran the full marathon wearing full army fatigues, carrying his pack with him as he ran in honor of all the other soldiers serving overseas. Every person that passed him thanked him for serving our country, and he just humbly deflected all gratitude to those soldiers far from home.

This year I had some friends run that have never considered themselves runners, yet they all managed to finish their races. One actually wasn't planning to run until the day before the race when another person got sick. She hadn't trained and had every reason not to run, but instead she just went out and did it. She may not have been the fastest person out there, but she finished.

And when you finish something you never thought was possible, you feel so proud of what you accomplished, and it also helps you realize how much more is attainable. I love going to these big races to remind myself of what is possible when you convince yourself that you are able to do anything you put your mind to.

So whether or not you ever run a marathon, or even a 5k, please don't ever tell yourself you can't do it. Because you can.

And afterwords your muscles might be sore, and your joints might ache, but you'll have done something that can never be taken away from you.

And you'll know to never doubt yourself again. Ever.

Resolutions 2012

Happy New Year!

So I'm a few days late, but better late than never, right?

With the new year come New Year's resolutions. And every year it seems like the majority of those resolutions are to do something in order to improve your health. If I had to guess, losing weight would be the most common resolution that people make. Other common resolutions often include quit smoking, eat healthier, and drink more water.

So if we consistently resolve to live healthier, how come we are getting unhealthier as a country every year?

The answer is pretty straight forward. It is only the 5th of January, and already a large number of people have given up on their resolutions. Statistically, only about one in five resolutions last. That means 80% of our resolutions fail. Why so many failures? Making major changes to your lifestyle is difficult, and if you're not fully committed to the change it is easy to revert back to your old ways. And even if you are fully committed, slip ups happen. The key is to not let the slip up become the last straw. Instead, brush or off and get on with the changes you are working towards.

So whether you decide to lose weight, stop smoking, or get more exercise, the start of a new year is a great opportunity to make a lasting change for the betterment of your health.

And if you happen to fall off the wagon at some point, don't get discouraged. Just resolve to start over and then keep going.

You can do it.

As for me, this year's resolution is going to be a tough one. I'm setting my sights on running 728 miles for the year. I'll keep you posted on my progress throughout the year.

You're Never Too Old to Run

Sometimes people say things, and all you can do is stop, scratch your head, and say "huh?"

I feel like the time that this happens most often to me is when the topic is me running another marathon. While saying I'm a marathon runner might be a bit of an untruth, I have successfully finished the only two races I've ever attempted, which is an accomplishment I'll be proud of for as long as I can still lace up my Asics.

While I was training for my first marathon two years ago, I had one of those head scratching "huh" moments while talking with my parents. My dad said something to the effect of "Are you sure about this? You know, people die from the stress of running marathons."

Huh? Sure, every once in a while a marathoner dies while completing a race. And if legend holds true, the Greek soldier did drop dead after running from the Battle of Marathon to the assembly in Athens. But really, dad, let's compare the ratio of marathon running fatalities to that of those who die of a sedentary lifestyle.

I think I'll take my chances with running.

Turns out, I'm not the only person willing to take on the "inherent health risks" associated with marathon running. According to Joy Johnson, 84, the "risk" of running isn't enough to keep her from continuing her streak of 24 consecutive New York City marathons. "I want to keep running as long as I can and drop in my running shoes when the time comes," she recently told Janice Lloyd from the USA Today. Joy is one of 2,634 runners age 60 or older that is running New York this year.

The positive effects all this running has on these elder runners is impressive, to say the least. Ms. Johnson's bones are so dense after 25 years of distance running that Stanford researches thought the results of a recent bone density test can back wrong. Not only were the results correct, but the strength of her bones is directly attributed to her healthy diet and physical exercise, as Johnson takes no bone strengthening supplements. Running, as well as most any type of higher intensity activity, has also been shown to improve cholesterol levels, muscle strength, and body composition, as well as a host of other effects. While there can be some aches and pains associated with running, the positive effects far outweigh and far outlast any negative ones.

The moral of the story is simple, you're never too old to start running. As with anything, there will be some growing pains, but they are nothing that can't be overcome. And whatever reason you may be hiding behind is just an excuse. Asked about the aches and pains she experiences, Ms. Johnson replies that she does have a little arthritis, but "who doesn't over age 30?"

Kind of hard to argue with that logic, eh?

To read more about Joy and other older folks running for their health, check out the article here.

On-Line Pesrsonal Training:Pros and Cons

There is a lot of confusion out there concerning what exactly an on-line personal trainer provides to his or her clients. While the price is certainly affordable, people need to be assured that they are still getting a good value for their investment. Below, find a list of the benefits a good on-line personal trainer can provide, as well as the few ways in which an in person personal trainer is superior. Then, compare the two lists and decide if the pricey option is what you need, or if you think that a good on-line personal trainer will be able to help you meet your fitness goals while saving you hundreds of dollars along the way.

ADVANTAGES

1: Price. This can not be over emphasized. An on-line trainer can give you years of knowledge and experience at a price you can afford.

2: Accessability. An on-line personal trainer is likely to be available most times of the day. Certainly there are some instances of unavailability, but with the prevalence of smart phones you can expect a reply from an on-line personal trainer whether by phone, text, or email within a few hours. If you need to get in touch with your personal trainer and he or she isn't at the gym, it may be a couple days until you get your feedback.

3: Information. The Internet is full of information, and if the on-line personal trainer knows his or her clients, it will be very easy to pass on relevant information in a very timely manner. For a personal trainer in a gym to provide all f his or her clients with relevant articles and information, he or she would be wearing out the photocopier. And most people aren't going to read the article at the gym anyway, but many would click on a link that comes from a trusted adviser.

4: Mobile. If you travel for work or pleasure, there is no way to take your personal trainer with you to advise you about working out on the go. If you have a good relationship with an on-line personal trainer, when you get to a hotel that has an on site "fitness facility", which is seldom very complete, you can send an email listing what equipment is available. Soon, you will get a reply giving you a workout routine that will help you meet your goals and utilizes the equipment that is available. Another benefit that falls into this category concerns people moving. If either the client or the personal trainer moves to a new city, their relationship is severed. As long as you still have Internet access, your relationship with your on-line personal trainer can go on for years.

DISADVANTAGES

1: Form. When working directly with a personal trainer, the personal trainer is able to watch your form and help you correct it on the spot. He or she is also able to adjust the weight being used on the fly to either push the client harder or back off if the resistance is too difficult. With an on-line personal trainer, the client must handle these tasks on his or her own.

SOLUTION:To help prevent bad form, I post photos and videos of the exercises I am recommending on-line so you are able to know the proper way to perform the exercises. Also, you are always welcome to send me a video of you performing an exercise for me to critique, or we can Skype or use face time to make any corrections in that way.

2: Accountability. Meeting with a personal trainer at the gym is a motivator for some, especially if they are going to have to pay whether they go to the gym or not. With an on-line personal trainer, you have to keep yourself accountable about maintaining your workouts.

SOLUTION:If accountability is the biggest challenge to improving your health, I will make it a point to keep you on track. If you need a phone call or a text every day to make sure you are working out, I'll do that for you.

At the end of the day, there are a number of options out there for people that want to improve their health. What you need to do is figure out what works best from you, and stay diligent so as to make the most out of your decision.

How healthy you are is ultimately up to you, and I'd be honored to help you along your way.

If you would like to explore the possibility of us forming a working relationship, please check out www.dkfitsolutions.com for more information and to get the ball rolling.

What's On Your iPod?

Everyone, it seems, has an iPod these days.  Whether it's the newest and fanciest model or something a little older and possibly outdated, for some people an iPod is every bit as important to their workout as good shoes or a sports bra.  This is especially true for many people when they take their workouts out of the gym and do their cardio on the open road.

As someone who has run a marathon both with and without an iPod, I am somewhat on the fence when it comes to "needing" music with you during an extended workout.  Something that absolutely cannot be overlooked when deciding whether or not an iPod is appropriate is the safety aspect of not having music blasting in your ears while you run or bike down the street.  Being able to hear an approaching car, dog, or fellow exerciser can give you an extra second or two of notice to ensure your safety, should a situation ever arise.  The ear buds can also have a subtle impact on the balancing mechanism of your inner ear, which can be a problem if you are riding or running on a trail that may be somewhat uneven.  If you choose to exercise while listening to your iPod, I would recommend you keeping the volume low so you are better able to stay aware of your surroundings. 

If you do decide to use an iPod or other mp3 player, what are you listening to?  The spectrum of options is wide, from listening to books on tape to only having music with a specific number of beats per minute in an attempt to help you run or pedal at an even pace.  As long as you are making the choices of music that you enjoy, you really can't go wrong.  Personally, I like the music on my iPod to be a little more upbeat, especially when I'm an hour or more into a run.  I love a lot of slower music, but when I'm working out and I'm tired, those slow songs don't help. 

So, here are a few songs that I have on my iPod running playlist.  They definitely help me get over the hump when I'm out training for whatever distance race is next up on the horizon.  If you've got other suggestions, feel free to leave a comment for others to check out as well.

1.  "Otis"--Jay-z and Kanye West
2.  "Rolling in the Deep"--Adele
3.  "It's All Been Done"--Barenaked Ladies
4.  "Dog Days are Over"--Florence + the Machine
5.  "Celebrity Skin"--Hole
6.  "Bombs Over Baghdad"--Outkast

Finding Your Six-Pack

A common goal for many people starting an exercise plan is to work on their abs, with the ultimate goal of developing a six-pack.

What is so often overlooked, and so conveniently omitted in ever ab info-mercial ever made, is that seeing your six-pack doesn't require doing more ab exercises. To see your abs you must cut down on the amount of adipose tissue that your body is storing in that area.

To put it bluntly, you have to lose the belly fat to find the six-pack.

Before you feel like all hope is gone, however, realize that there are ways to lose the weight, it just requires some dedication and self-control.

The biggest way to impact your waistline for most people is to reexamine their diet. In this day and age, it is so easy to consume more calories daily than what we actually need. Whether it is because restaurant portions are out of control or because we drink so many calories from a bottle, there are a multitude of ways to cut back on the number of calories going into our bodies on a daily basis. And if you are able to lower the number of calories going in, your body won't have any excess calories to store as at, which bodes well for your waistline.

Along with calorie control, exercise is also very important to help keep your weight under control. While many people feel that running is the best form of exercise to lose weight, it is far from the only way to get a level of exercise that is good for your health in general, and your abs in particular. Biking, swimming, and walking are all great alternatives to running as a way of burning extra calories. Strength training is another very effective way to burn calories, and has actually been shown to have a longer lasting impact on your metabolism than most forms of cardiovascular exercise. Leisure time activities can also help you burn calories on a regular basis. Playing tennis or racquetball are great forms of fun exercise. Golf is great too, provided you don't spend the entire 18 holes riding in a cart. Most courses are 3-5 miles in length, so if you can walk while playing you will get a great deal of exercise while enjoying a day at the golf course. Even something as fun and easy as playing with your kids or grandkids can provide you with some much needed exercise.

Developing a six-pack is difficult. Anyone who says otherwise is lying to you or trying to sell you something--or probably both. But, with some dedication to the plan, it is a totally achievable goal.

Just remember, it won't happen over night and you might need to do a little more than just 8 minutes per day.

Resistance Training--Why Bother?

Resistance training is a form or physical activity that is often a bit misunderstood.  Many 'experts' have said that resistance training is beneficial, but that if you want to burn calories it isn't as good as cardiovascular exercises, such as running.  Some women feel that lifting weights is going to make their muscles get too big and they will start to look a little too manly for their tastes. 

However, I'm here to tell you that resistance training is as beneficial AND as important as any component of a healthy and active lifestyle, for EVERYONE!  The trick is to know what you are trying to achieve and tailor your resistance exercises accordingly. 

So let's start with the benefits of strength training.  You can do a google search on the topic, and read countless articles on all of the benefits of strength training.  One huge benefit of resistance training is the effect it has on your metabolism.  After a good, full body strength training routine, your metabolism is elevated for hours.  This means that you are burning calories at a faster rate WHILE YOU ARE LITERALLY DOING NOTHING after you complete the workout.  A cardiovascular workout, on the other hand, has very little effect on your metabolism after the workout is completed.  Strength training also helps to lower your blood pressure and reduce your stress.  Just make sure to keep breathing while you are pushing out those last few reps. 

There are many different components to a strength training program as well, and any good personal trainer can easily advise you in the way to combine these components in a way that will help you achieve your ultimate goal.  While some may have the goal of increasing their muscle mass or gaining lots of strength and power, others may simply want to tone their muscles and improve their muscular endurance and the look of the muscles.  The way to achieve these rather opposite goals often require performing many of the same exercises.  The difference, though, is the amount of weight lifted and the sets and reps performed.

All things considered, weight training is every bit as important as cardiovascular training in any well rounded fitness plan.  While very few plans will have an even split between cardio training and lifting weights, any plan that doesn't include both should be called into question. 

And remember, no matter what your goals are, doing some form of resistance training needs to find its way into your program. 

If you need help incorporating resistance training into your workout routine, or if you are unsure how to best utilize resistance training to meet your goals, visit my website or send me an email and I'll be glad to help you on your path towards improving your health. 

Why Wait?

When did Americans go from being a people who take action to a people who put off action? In all honesty, I've been known to put things off a time or two. And when it comes to our health, which probably should be the MOST important thing to most of us, we are especially guilty.

Case in point, how many times have you been planning to work out once you got home from work, only to get home and change your mind? Or how often do you hear someone say something to the effect of "I'm starting a new diet/workout program next week/month?" Why wait? Why put off improving our health until we get around to it?

The person that is willing to start now, and work with what they have, is going to see the best results. Maybe you have a shoulder that is bothering you or a knee that's flaring up. These issues may limit the amount of physical activity you can do, and may force you to think outside the box about what you can physically do, but they shouldn't be your excuse to just not do anything. Use this time when you are healing a certain body part to strengthen up some areas that you may not focus enough on. The time spent will jot be in vain, I promise you that.

So why wait any longer? Start doing something. Anything. Do some stretching to loosen up your hips and low back. You'd be surprised how tightness in your core can cause problems in other parts of your body. Get in the pool for a good workout that places relatively little pounding stresses on any of your joints. The moving and swimming might actually alleviate some of your pain.

Just start doing something. Now.

Don't wait for the perfect time to start improving your health.

Because the perfect time will likely never get here.

Accept What You Can't Control

When you're setting out on your plan to improve your health, there are a number of inevitable obstacles that you will encounter along the way. The trick to making yourself healthier for the rest of your life, as opposed to for the first two weeks of whatever program you are trying, is to accept that your training plan has limits and don't let those limits get you down.

As an example, I am currently training to run my second ever half marathon. The race is coming up in just about a month, and I'm not nearly as ready as I want to be. One of the big reasons I'm not closer to ready is completely out of my control--the summer weather. I live in Florida, and to train for a long race you need to log many miles. There have been a few times I've set out from home hoping to get 8-10 miles in, only to walk in the door 2 hours later after finishing 5-6. The summer heat and humidity really takes a lot of energy out of me when I run, and as long as I live here that won't change. So, instead of giving up on trying to get a new PR in this race because it's too hot to train like I want to, I keep grinding out as many miles a day as I can, and make sure to rest for a couple of days before trying a long run. Tomorrow I'm shooting for at least 10, so hopefully the weather will be slightly cooler and my body will cooperate.

Another road block to a healthy lifestyle is our body's need for rest after physical activity. This rest comes in two forms, one taking days off and one sleeping enough at night. Sleeping close to 8 hours a night is important because that is when the body does most of it's tissue repair. Sleeping enough at night helps your muscles get stronger and allows for you to be able to exercise longer and at a higher intensity. And sometimes, you just need to take a day off from working out to allow your muscles to rest as well. On these off days, however, it is still important for you to make sure that you are engaging in some moderate activity, but nothing that forces your body to work too hard.

Family, kids, pets, and work are all other things that tend to get in our way occasionally as we work towards improving our overall health. If you learn how to mange these distractions, and how to overcome them and stay on the active path, there is no doubt that you will begin to see the physical changes that you are hoping for.

Just Do It

Face it folks, how many of us really look forward to working out every day?

This seemingly simple question isn't quite as superficial as it seems. Most active people, myself included, look forward to the IDEA of working out every day. We may look at a calendar and plan out our cardio and strength training days. Maybe you sign up for a yoga or pilates class as well.

Then, inevitably, the day of the workout gets here and it just seems like the last thing on Earth any of us would like to do.

So what do you do? Gut out a workout that you really have no desire to complete? Ideally, maybe. But maybe not. Doing the whole workout, when you have no desire to be there, can leave you with an awfully bad taste in your mouth. The kind of taste that might prevent you from hitting the gym or the pool or whatever you had planned the next time.

So should you just skip the workout entirely? Absolutely not.

Instead, you need to alter the workout but still do something. Maybe today you were supposed to do a P90x workout but you are just dragging. Well instead of ploy-x just do cardio x instead. Or instead of running take the dog and the kids for a longer walk than normal. If you're going to the gym, only do one or two sets of one or two exercises instead of your normal 4 sets of 6 exercises.

The key is to do something and listen to your body. Sometimes once you get started, your attitude will switch and you'll knock out the whole workout anyway. And sometimes your body is begging for a break of routine, but will respond positively to some light activity.

The trick to maintaining a healthy active lifestyle is to understand that to err and miss a workout is human. But to use one bad day or week as an excuse to quit working out is just that--quitting. You are literally giving up on yourself. And you deserve better from yourself than that.

So do a little something everyday, no matter how little that something is.

Why Personal Trainers are Helpful

When people think about hiring a personal trainer, one of the first reasons that they dismiss the notion is that it costs too much money. I'm inclined to agree with that logic when you're talking about the typical, in-gym personal trainer that is charging $30-$50 per 45 minute training session. However, if you're looking for a cheaper alternative that still provides plenty of benefits, allow me to explain why a DK FitSolutions plan may be the best thing for you and your health.

1. Paying a little money may actually help motivate you to workout more. If you're paying for a service, you might as well use it, right? And according to Women's Health Magazine, spending some money on a personal trainer is the number one way to stay dedicated to working out.

2. Personal trainers help prevent your routine from going stale. A good personal trainer will accept your feedback about what things you like and dislike, and design programs that will meet your goals without being monotonous.

3. A good personal trainer will give you new exercises and moves that will challenge you in a different way than what you've been doing. Sure, doing squats/leg presses are great ways to tone your legs and burn calories, but have you ever tried the Bulgarian split squat or around the clock lunges? Variety in the gym is a good thing, and personal trainers can help provide that.

4. Personal trainers can also provide you with a sense of accountability. I am fully willing to check up with you daily, if need be, to make sure you're sticking with your plan. For some folks, knowing that someone is going to call or send an email asking about their workout is the best tool to make sure they actually get to the gym or do their at-home workout for the day.

5. At DK FitSolutions, we not only work with you to improve your fitness, but we also work with you to help improve your diet. What you eat plays such a huge role in how you look and feel, and so many personal trainers are slow to address the foods you eat. While we in no way try to impose a strict caloric limit nor forbid certain foods, we strive to make you more aware of the food choices that you make and how those choices effect your overall health.

There are more benefits than just these five examples of why DK FitSolutions would be a great choice for you to help improve your health. Why not give us an opportunity to prove what we can do?

Visit www.dkfitsolutions.com for more information on how to let us help you. You've got nothing to lose.

And remember, whatever your health or fitness problem, we have a solution!

No Gym Required

There is a thought floating around that says you can't lose weight and get fit unless you have a gym membership and spend hours a day at said gym.

I'm here to tell you that this couldn't be farther from the truth. While there are certain advantages to working out a gym, there are enough other ways to accomplish the same goal working out at home with little or no equipment required.

How can this be possible?

Simple--body weight exercises. By simply using the resistance God gave you, you can work up a sweat and shed pounds at home doing many of the same exercises you'd do at the gym with a few minor modifications.

Don't believe me? I guarantee I can have you sweaty and out of breath in less than 20 minutes and that you'll be sore for a day or two following the workout. And with the hundreds of different exercises that can be done using nothing but your own body weight, it would be easy to create a program that would never get stale and continue to challenge you as your health improves.

Care to give this idea a try? Go to www.dkfitsolutions.com, click on the individuals programs tab and sign up. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Getting the New You Off the Couch

In case you've missed the first three parts to creating a new you, you can find them here (Part I, Part II, Part III)  As a quick refresher, in Part I you were implored to make the decision for yourself to become a healthier person.  In Part II, we looked at how important it is that you cook the majority of your own meals.  And Part III looked at how to navigate the grocery store shopping for the healthiest items.  Today, Part 4 is going to contradict the excuses you use to not get off the couch and get active. 

The first excuse to look at is the most tired and overused excuse in the book.  Ask most people that don't exercise why they are not active, and the majority will tell you that they just don't have time.  Can anyone say "Shenanigans"?  If you are super busy for a day or two, this excuse might work.  But to say that you are always too busy is a load of crap.  If you were to take a look at how you use your time, you may find that you have more time to exercise than you think.  For example, how much time do you spend on Facebook and Twitter?  Checking e-mail?  Playing Farmville?  While all of these things may SEEM important, none of them are more important than taking positive steps towards improving your health.  Other time wasters that we are notorious for include playing video games and watching TV.  If we are honest with ourselves, playing that game of Madden or watching another re-run of Seinfeld or the Kardashians really isn't a good reason for not exercising. 

Another reason that many people like to give for not exercising is that they are too tired.  On the surface, this sounds like a semi-legitimate reason.  Exercising requires exerting physical energy, and if you are tired you are already running low on energy.  The funny thing about exercise, though, is that the physiologic effects of exercise actually make you more alert and give you more energy.  I don't know how many times at work I'd be struggling to stay awake no matter how much coffee I've had.  However, if I walk around for a few minutes, maybe do a few squats or push-ups, I usually am focused and alert for hours afterward.  So when you get home from work, don't let yourself get sucked in to the "I'm too tired" routine, change clothes and do something.  Even if you only have a few minutes to jog around the block, you'd be surprised how much more energy you'll have and how much better you'll feel than if you don't do anything at all.

The last of the most common excuses that I get for why people don't exercise is that they are sore after they are done.  This excuse is funny to me, because when you talk to people that work out a lot they love that feeling of sore muscles and dead legs.  When you haven't done much physical activity in a while, any big change in exercise habits cause microscopic damage to your muscles.  Even when you've been active for years, if you stress the muscles enough, this damage occurs.  The soreness that you get after the workout comes from the process of your body repairing the tissue.  Ultimately, this soreness that you feel is the actual process of your body getting stronger.  The more consistently you exercise, the better your body will be at repairing itself, and the shorter the duration of your discomfort. 

These are just three of the most common excuses that I've heard from people trying to explain why they don't exercise.  There are dozens of others, and none of them are good enough reasons to not be doing something to improve your health.  While modern medicine has gotten increasingly better and solving medical issues, there is nothing better at improving your health than preventing whatever injury or illness to begin with.  So get moving!

Got a good excuse for why you aren't getting enough exercise on a regular basis?  Leave me a comment with the best you've got and I'll give you a better reason to start exercising today.

Need help determining what you need to do to improve your health and take control of your fitness?  Visit www.dkfitsolutions.com for more information on how I can help, or e-mail me at denny@dkfitsolutions.com and I'll be happy to answer any questions that you may have. 

Alternative Exercise

Everybody knows that getting a certain amount of exercise daily is a good thing. The problem is that too many people have a hard time "finding time" to exercise.

What they fail to realize, however, is that just because you're not on a treadmill or pumping iron, you can still be exercising. Chase your kids around in the backyard or go splash around at the beach. That's exercise. Take the dog for a walk or spend some time working on the lawn. Exercise. Don't drive around the parking lot looking for the closest parking spot. Park out in BFE and walk into the store. Then when you come out with the cart, take the time to walk the cart back to the corral. Exercise.

There are literally dozens of ways to get the exercise you need on a daily basis, and many of them don't require a significant time investment.

Now get off the computer, and do something to get your exercise in for the day.

Best Ab Exercise

Today's quick tip deals with working on getting those nice looking abs for whatever is left of summer swimsuit season, which depending on where you live could be almost over or still have no end in sight.

While popular perception has long been that doing lots of ab exercises (crunches, sit ups, etc) is the only way to work the muscles needed to craft the sought after six-pack, as with most cases of conventional wisdom, that may not be the whole story. Most ab exercises are contraction based, meaning that as you perform the exercise the muscles are contracting. However, because the main function of your abdominal group is not a contraction movement, working those muscles using primarily contraction exercises is not the most efficient way to see improvements.

Your abs are stability muscles that connect your upper and lower body and allow the entire body to function as a unit. As stabilizers, the best way to work them is in a stabilizing or rotational manner. Therefore, front and side planks are two great ways to really tone your abs. Doing exercises on a stability ball, or just trying to sit on one for portions of the day, also works your core muscles. Twists and chops are good options as well.

Of course, the biggest factor in determining how good your abs look really has nothing to do with what kind of ab exercises you do. But that's another topic for another day....

On-Line Personal Training:How It Works

Anyone who has spent much time in many of the big time national gyms has probably been approached by a personal trainer who is interested in helping you reach your fitness goals. For the sake of argument, I'm going to assume that any and all personal trainers hired by these gyms have the knowledge and professionalism to help you reach your goals, though that may not always be the case. In any event, after talking with the personal trainer you may decide that he or she may in fact be able to help you reach your goals. Inevitably, the conversation is going to shift to what it would cost to hire this person to help you achieve your fitness goals. Depending on where you live and exactly which gym you frequent, the cost associated with hiring the personal trainer may shock you enough that you are no longer interested in what they have to provide. It would not be uncommon at all for a personal trainer to charge $20-$50 (or more) per 45 minute session. If you're a little scared of that price, you're not alone. But don't think that just because you can't spend $100 dollars or more a week on a personal trainer you can't afford to have one, you just need to take a second and think outside of the box.

A good on-line personal trainer provides you with most of the same things an in-person personal trainer provides at a fraction of the cost. In my program,months small monthly rate, you'll get customized training plans suited to you and your goals based on what activities you like to do. Don't like running? No problem. I'll never have you on a treadmill or pounding pavement again. Your program will be updated every 4-6 weeks typically, but if you need a change after a week or two, we can switch it up then. Literally everything a personal trainer provides we can provide, except we aren't there to talk to you between sets. If you can motivate yourself to get to the gym (or to just workout in your living room) I will provide you with the tools you need to live a healthier life.

At the end of the day, there is no denying that Americans are as unhealthy now as they have ever been. Many people want to take steps to get healthier, but don't know how. There are professionals out there that can give you the tools you need to improve your health, but too many have priced themselves too high for many people to afford. But the tide is changing. With the growth of the internet, more services can be delivered to you at a price you can afford, and rock solid personal training advice is no exception.

Please visit www.dkfitsolutions.com for more details about how we can work together to improve your health. Get in touch with me through the website or leave a comment on here, and the new you will be on the way.

And remember, no matter what your health goals are, we have the solution that will help you achieve them.

Running in the Rain

As I'm sitting in the office looking out the window, sunny Florida is looking awfully rainy today. While there are a multitude of reasons to wish I wasn't working today, the fact that I'm missing a chance to get a good run in while the temperature and humidity are down is chief among them.

If you have the opportunity to get in a good rain-run this summer, I urge you to take it. You need to make sure to bring some water with you, though. Remember you are still sweating and need to rehydrate, even though temps are a bit lower and the rain is coming down.

Enjoy your time exercising outdoors this summer, and take advantage of a rainy day when the opportunity arrives. I promise, you won't regret it.

www.dkfitsolutions.com

Get Fit or Go Broke--Part II

Yesterday, we looked at the financial strain that obesity causes for those that struggle with their weight.  If you missed that post, you can find it here.  Today, we look at how you can fight the battle of the bulge on a tight budget, both in terms of diet and exercise.  So without further ado....

Eating healthy on a budget isn't as easy as it should be, but it is far from impossible.  The biggest obstacle to overcome affects those that shop with coupons and BOGO type deals at the local grocery store.  Big agriculture and big food producers are always offering coupons and deals on their food products, and most of the time these products are of the highly processed variety.  As foods become processed, their nutritional value decreases.  Therefore, when you consume overly processed foods, you get far less nutritional value for your money.  With that in mind, spending a little more money shopping the outsides of the store (where you typically find your fresh meat, dairy, and produce) actually provides you with more vitamins, minerals, and nutrients per dollar than shopping the inside of the store and chasing the deals.  If you're willing to spend a few pennies more to shop the organic parts of the store, the health benefits are even greater.

There is no arguing that shopping for the most healthy foods in a grocery store will cost you more than shopping the aisles for hamburger helper and microwavable meals, but that isn't the only way to eat healthy.  More and more cities and towns across the country are having weekly (or even daily) farmer's markets, where farmers from the area can sell their products directly to you, the consumer.  This works out great for all parties involved, as farmers can often charge a few cents more than they would get for their produce from the food manufacturers, and the consumer can get farm fresh produce way cheaper than you can find it at any grocery store.  Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms are also rapidly popping up around the country.  In a CSA farm, many people buy shares of the farm's produce prior to the growing season, and then share in the harvest weekly or bi-weekly.  A great advantage of a CSA is that you are constantly receiving fresh produce, and often times you may get some crops that you would never have bought on your own.  My wife and I joined a CSA for the first time this year, and we have learned that some veggies, like beets, aren't as bad as we once thought.  Never would have even tried beets if we didn't have a few of them in our bag one week from the farm, but since we had already paid for them, we weren't going to let them go to waste.

Another way to save on your grocery bill while improving on the quality of the food you eat is to find a farmer in your area that raises meat animals to be butchered and sold to individuals.  Oftentimes, especially if you are dealing with a beef farmer, you can buy portions of a cow so that you don't have to find a way to store hundreds of pounds of meat at one time.  Again, my wife and I have a couple of farmers in the area that we use, one for eggs and chickens, the other for beef and pork.  The great thing about both of these farmers is that they raise their animals on the pasture, meaning they have access to fresh grass daily and aren't confined to a feed lot with hundreds of other animals in a confined space.  They also eat foods that are natural to them, instead of all grain diets of many factory meat farms, and  therefore the meat is much lower in fat and has a much higher nutritional value.

Click here to find CSAs, farmers markets, individual farmers, and other sources of local fresh meat and produce in your area.  And remember, even if the price isn't significantly cheaper than what you find in the store, the quality is usually so much higher. You'll eat less food while getting a higher nutritional value, which is good for both the waistline and the wallet.

Just as with nutrition, exercise doesn't have to break the bank either.  Every one of us has access to one of the most versatile pieces of fitness equipment ever created, the human body.  Even the most highly trained and fit people in the world can get a great workout using nothing but their own body weight to train with.  Whether its running and doing plyometric exercises for those in excellent shape, or walking and doing push-ups, the body provides all you need to change they way it looks and feels.  Of course, if you are willing to spend a little bit of money to add variety and additional options to your fitness program, that may help you reach your goals faster or keep you from getting bored.  But the amount you spend on exercise is completely up to you, and spending all the money in the world doesn't help you achieve your goals any faster than spending no money but having an iron will to make the necessary changes to your lifestyle. 

Ultimately, everyone has the power and the resources to improve their health by changing their diet and increasing the amount of physical activity they get.  For more information on getting fit without going broke, email me at dkfitsolutions@gmail.com and we can figure out the way that works best for your needs and your budget.