Planks are so good for you, but sometimes they can be less than fun.

Luckily, there are several ways to make them more enjoyable, and if  you enjoy your planks, you are much more likely to do them on a regular basis.

More planks = a strong core which supports your back and helps you to be more active and awesome in your daily life. Yay! to that.

Ways to make planking more fun:
1. Do them with a friend. Having a plank buddy is one of the best ways to do more planks. Your planking amigo will hold you accountable, entertain you and sometimes holler at you to put your butt down.

2. Sing a song or even better “plankify a song” To do this change the lyrics to any song to make it about planking. Let’s take Michael Jackson’s “Beat it” for example. Usually it goes, “Beat it…beat it…no one wants to be defeated, etc.” So if you plankify it the new song might go, “Plank it…plank it…no plank wants to be defeated.” Now you try!

3. Set a goal and work towards it. If you goal is 60 seconds, try to add a few seconds every day. Just don’t over do it and lose your form.

4. Try different variations. Just doing the same ol’ plank everyday can get tedious. The internet is crawling with plank options, just make sure you don’t do anything too difficult for your fitness level.

5. Try to meditate. Focus on your breathing and when your brain wanders to the pain in your stomach muscles, feel the pain and gently return your focus back to your breathing. Gain enlightenment and core strength all at once!

6. Pass the time by feeling superior to all the people in the gym who are too lazy to do the plank and are going other, far less effective exercises.

7. Plank someplace different and hopefully scenic, like my awesome client Janelle U. recently did in Hawaii.

Remember always stop if you feel any strain or pain in your lower back. 

Hopefully some of these suggestions will make your planking more enjoyable.

If you have more ideas or photos of yourself planking some place cool please share!

Plank on!

    A shot from the inaugural meeting of the women’s fitness group, “Girls Morning Out.” Everyone had a great time and got nice and sweaty (or glowing as some of you like to say). The consensus seemed to be that comraderie and games can make a person forget they just did a bunch of lunges. Even the rubber chicken had fun. Can’t wait for the next one!

Please join me and some of my favorite women for a total body workout in the great outdoors. Each meeting will also feature a fun building game that will challenge your body and and work your smile muscles.

We will improve our strength, flexibility, endurance and agility all while enjoying the great outdoors. Please wear a good sports bra and come ready for action!

All fitness levels are welcome and movements can be personalized to your abilities. Please bring a friend and feel free to forward this to anyone you think might be interested. Let me know if you any questions and please RSVP so I know how much equipment to bring.

RSVP here!

See you in the park!

$10 per class.

I love training brides. They are as motivated as Olympians who have to compete in tight strapless dresses and are willing to move heaven and earth in order to reach their goal (which happens to be a very effective strength training system).  It’s also great to have a finish line with an open bar and a professional photographer.

My client Sherri S. tied the knot a while back. For months before the big day she talked about wanting to be a “buff bride” and insisted on lifting as much and as heavily as possible. The girl was an unstoppable metal moving machine. On her own she did loads of cardio as well. Of course the big day was a smashing success and the lovely couple is now happily wed.

Check out the beautiful bride…

Some of the cutest people with impulse control problems in our society are also known as toddlers. They eat what they want, scream when they want and stick anything tempting right into their cute little mouths. And no matter how hard you try, you can’t ever get them to organize their own sock drawers.  Now it turns out that those of us who were able to retain some of that charming impulsiveness of youth, may have a more difficult time staying lean than other people. A study by the National Institute on Aging recently found that very impulsive people tend to weigh 22 pounds more than people who have a tight rein on themselves.

But don’t fret, just because you are impulsive doesn’t mean you are doomed to be tipping the scales the wrong way.  There are lots of things you can to do whip your toddler self into shape.

Take this quick quiz and find out now if you might be a Fitness Toddler…

True or false?

1. Stationary cardio machines seem like the stupidest toys ever invented.

2. You are unable to sleep with a box/bag of your favorite treat lurking in the house.

3. People think you’re fun and spontaneous. You

4. don’t mind walking, as long as there is a treat where the sidewalk ends.

5. You get bored easily and wonder when this quiz is going to be over.

If you answered true to 4 or more of the 5 above questions, consider yourself an FT.

Helpful tips for adorable fitness toddlers:

• Make it fun! Good advice for everyone, but especially for FT’s. So take an unusual class, try a new sport or bring a buddy to the gym.
• Remove temptation. Much like those little plastic thingies new parents put in the light sockets so that their little darlings don’t fry their fingers’ off, F.T.’s must be protected from tempting temptations.
• Find a “fitness parent” who you like and want to please. You tell them you took an upside down aerobics class and they say “good boy!” or “good girl!”
• Don’t expect instant results. Nobody expects toddlers to run marathon on those chubby little legs, and you should expect too much too soon either.
• Don’t compare yourself to other “fitness grown-ups.” They may be more disciplined and consciences, but you will always be more fun at party’s. Plus you’d be totally bored with their workouts before you can say sweat sock three times fast.

Good luck cutie!

     

Eating breakfast is like saving for retirement. We all know it should be a top priority, but it always seems like starting tomorrow is a better idea. Yet, study after study shows that people who make time for an early meal are much more likely to maintain a healthy body weight. Plus, eating breakfast can improve focus, energy levels and reduce homicidal tendencies.

Lucky for all of us, there are some breakfast ideas that are so easy, delicious and nutritious that they are capable of helping us to overcome the very strong forces of morning inertia.

The morning breakfast pie is just such an option. It consists of toasted bread (preferably whole grain), nut butter (peanut or almond work great) and sliced fresh fruit. My favorites are apples, strawberries and blue berries.

The morning breakfast pie has everything you need to start your day out right. The bread offers complex carbohydrates for energy and fiber. The nut butter has a bit of protein to keep you feeling satisfied and a tad of healthy fats. The fruit offers just the right bit of sweetness, vitamins, even more fiber and a head start on your five-a-day.The morning breakfast pie takes less than two minutes to make and is a great investment in the rest of your day.

Make one today for a happier, leaner and more productive tomorrow!