As January approaches, lots of people make New Year resolutions. This list of promises help keep them focused and motivated throughout the coming year. Some of the most common resolutions (and toughest!) are those promises related to exercise, fitness, diet, losing weight and health. Yet, these personal health challenges should be at the top of your list. Improving one’s health has incredible impact on our entire lifestyle—mental, emotional, physical and even spiritual.

These personal promises can be hard to keep, so here are some tips and tricks to help you maintain your New Year’s resolutions, lose weight and feel better about yourself:

1. Personal Accountability. Despite their cajoling and teasing remarks, your true friends and family will always be there to support you, no matter what. Inform them of your intent, and ask them to continuously keep you on schedule, especially when times get rough and discouraging. Do away with naysayers and those who doubt your intentions, while learning to accept inspiration and discipline from those who really care.
2. Be inspired. One of the fastest ways people give up on something is to fall into a routine or repetitious mindset. Avoid doing the same thing over and over and find something interesting or inspiring about your new health routine. If running is a part of your regime, then enjoy the scenery, listen to your favorite music, or join others. If food choices become mundane, look for alternatives to your current menu that won’t burden your budget.
3. Keep track of your progress. No matter where you go, there you are. This makes it very difficult to see the subtle changes in your own body.  Don’t forget to document your developments. Take monthly pictures and notes of your gradual climb to the ideal physical and mental form to keep yourself aware of your personal progress. Show them to your loved ones, who will likely notice it much sooner than you. Consider buying a high-end scale that measures body fat, visceral fat, skeletal muscle mass and body mass index.
4. Reward yourself. As you begin to see results, make sure to enjoy your accomplishments. Take a break, get a manicure, have some fun with your friends and family. If your indulgences are manageable and within reason, then you won’t have to worry about being lethargic or gaining back all that you’ve lost.
5. If it’s not working, find another way. It if feels like it’s not working out fast enough for you, find an alternative and see if that works. Keep searching for ways to improve yourself. Once you’ve found that exercise regimen that’s perfect for you, keep at it!
6. Keep moving forward. Somewhere along the way, you will want to stop or give up. Don’t let it conquer you! Talk to your accountability partner, and get encouraged.  Even if you fail and slip back into your old ways, it’s not too late.  Don’t give up. Start again and keep moving forward.  Set backs are normal.  If you plan for them, then they won’t conquer you.
7. Hire a Personal Trainer. Personal trainers are just that—personal. You own private coach will keep you going during the lulls of motivation. If finances are an issues, hire a personal trainer once a week or even once a month.  Or, find a fitness bootcamp that meets once or twice a week. Paying for personal training provides an added level of accountability.

May this coming year be a year of success and victories for your health and fitness!

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If you’re ready to kick off the New Year with a personal trainer to help you establish and keep some realistic fitness goals, please contact me today.  I provide in-home personal training service for women in Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, Bedford, Euless, Hurst, North Richland Hills, Arlington and Irving.

How to Control Stress and Weight Gain Naturally

Recent studies confirm that stress can contribute to weight gain, and cortisol is the primary stress hormone responsible. When we’re under a lot of stress or threatened, cortisol levels rise to a “fight or flight” state, releasing a burst of energy we need to respond to the situation. And because this causes dramatic changes in metabolism and blood flow, prolonged state of stress, or chronic stress, can lead to bad eating habits and even put your health at risk.

According to the report submitted by the American Institute of Stress, “chronic stress may result in increased appetite, leading to weight gain.” Too much cortisol can slow your metabolism, causing you to gain more weight than you normally would even when your diet remains the same.

Chronic stress can also make you crave fatty, salty and sweet foods that aren’t good for you. And because it affects where our body stores fat, studies show that people with higher levels of cortisol have more abdominal fat, which puts them at a higher risk. Here are three tips on how to reduce your stress (and waistline!) naturally:

Tip #1: Take a break. Remove the sources of stress in your life, if at all possible. Cut back on your commitments and learn to delegate. Sometimes, we feel overwhelmed with work because we are too scared to trust other people’s talents. Manage your time more effectively. You’ll achieve more with less amount of stress if you plan ahead.

Tip #2: Be active. Start a fitness program you can really commit to. Play your favorite sport more regularly, or go walking or biking more often. Remember, exercising can help you cope with stress that you can’t eliminate.

Tip #3: Monitor your responses. If you are an emotional eater, develop a list of non-food ways to handle pressures from work and home. Learning to wait out the urge to eat (about 10 to 15 minutes) can be a simple psychological change that makes a significant difference.

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For a sensible plan that guides you on a healthy diet and exercise routine best for you to reach and keep a healthy weight, contact me today! I am an in-home personal trainer primarily for women. I provide these fitness services in the mid Cities area of the Dallas / Fort Worth metroplex, including the cities of South Lake, Colleyville, Grapevine, Hurst, Euless, Bedford, (HEB area) and  North Richland Hills.

If you recently started a fitness program, you are most likely wondering when you can realistically expect to see results. While some diet programs and celebrity workout routines promise weight loss in a matter of weeks or even days, don’t be easily fooled. Getting in shape and staying healthy will require dedication, motivation and time, and there is no short-cut you can take.

Many doctors and fitness specialists agree that it takes about 12 weeks before you can begin to notice an apparent change in your body, depending on the amount of time and variety of workout you do.  This period will allow you to measure the effectiveness of your new lifestyle, and determine if your fitness program really works for you.  During this time, you may follow these three easy steps to maximize your workout for optimum weight loss:

1. Maintain a healthy diet

Your food choices can directly impact the outcome of all your hard work.  Stay away from popular diets that are often calorie restrictive.  This will not bring you long-term results, and might even cause weight gain in the future.  Go for healthy options such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated.

2. Plan a workout that includes both cardiovascular and weight-lifting routines

Jogging or cycling, for example, create a greater caloric deficit than anaerobic exercises (stop and start activities like tennis and basketball) because your body is in constant motion during the entire workout.  Lifting weights also increases muscle mass which increases the metabolic rate and causes greater caloric burn while at rest.

3. Keep an accurate record of your results

Track changes in your weight and measurements, as well as your workout sessions and food intake.  Not only will your logs and journals help you monitor your progress, they are also excellent motivators.

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If you’re interested in starting a personal training program, please contact me today.  I provide in-home personal training service for women in Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, Bedford, Euless, Hurst, North Richland Hills, Arlington and Irving.

Accountability and consistency–both crucial elements of success–are two of our biggest challenges. And this translates even in fitness. Although you generally enjoy your workout routine, there will be days when you won’t feel like getting up early in the morning to exercise; it’s human nature. On days like these, it’s good to turn to a source of motivation and accountability to keep you going.

Here’s how:

Secret #1: Commit to a fitness program and find an accountability partner. Once you’ve identified the workout routine that best fits you, write it down and give a copy to your accountability partner. This person doesn’t necessarily have to exercise with you, but he or she has to know when you plan to exercise, ask you if you did, and monitor your progress.

Secret #2: Get a training partner. If you struggle to get out of bed to exercise, consider hiring a personal trainer. Having someone to get in shape with you is fun, and can be a great motivator. If this is not possible, encourage a friend to commit to a workout plan with you or, if you have kids, involve them in your program. Line up different training partners, including your dogs, so you have options when you are ready to exercise.

Secret #3: Track your progress. Keep a written record of your exercise plan, and plot them on your calendar. Treat your workout schedule as if they were important meetings. When you miss a training session, make a written record of your reasons. At the end of the week, review your performance and plan next week’s course of action. Make sure you communicate your performance and plans—including all your excuses—to your accountability partner.

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Contact me if you would like to hire a certified, personal trainer. I provide in-home personal training services in Grapevine, Bedford, Hurst, Euless, Arlington, Grapevine, Southlake, Colleyville, Westlake and Trophy Club.

To exercise efficiently and effectively, you must avoid injury during your workouts.  Too many people push themselves through the pain thinking they are doing their body good, but it’s not true. The  adage, “No pain, no gain” is just not accurate.

Here’s a great article from Ironman Athlete and Doctor of Physical Therapy, Wendy Benwell:

During the last few miles of the marathon at the 2010 Ironman New Zealand, I was experiencing several thoughts and emotions.

I was most enthusiastic about my body feeling strong, without muscle or joint pain. Seven months of training had finally paid off. My main goal for every Ironman triathlon has been to finish before the cut-off time feeling somewhat strong.

I am fortunate, being a doctor of physical therapy and certified as a USA Triathlon coach, that I am able to design a training program for myself which will help to prevent injuries, but also help me to finish a race feeling strong. I feel that my background has helped me avoid getting injured. We all need to learn how to listen to our bodies and understand what our body is telling us.

As a former collegiate volleyball player I had to deal with several injuries secondary to the increased demands of the sport, especially practice time. The most severe injury was a fractured lumbar spine. I endured years of physical therapy to overcome the pain and resumed playing volleyball at a high level.

It was very difficult to listen to my own body at that time. I was unaware of the consequences of playing through the pain and I felt I would be letting my team down if I could not play due to injury. I felt I owed it to my team, my school and my coach to play regardless of the pain level or the consequences to my body.

Throughout my educational training as a physical therapist I came to understand the importance of listening to one’s own symptoms during a sport. The effects of playing through pain can be detrimental. I know of many athletes who train endlessly for a marathon or a triathlon only to be sidelined by an injury.

If athletes listen to their own symptoms during their training, they will have a greater chance of recovering and rehabilitating before the race date.

Symptoms During Your Workout

Listening to your body is imperative when training for a running race or a triathlon. Symptoms that you might feel during training could either indicate joint stiffness, muscular tightness, muscle soreness or pain from a previous injury. Stiffness, soreness and tightness are normal symptoms encountered during training, especially in a warm-up.

These symptoms should subside after approximately 10 minutes of an easy warm-up. However, sharp pain or severe tightness that persists during the workout could indicate a serious injury.

If you experience severe tightness or pain which persists during the workout, decrease the intensity, decrease the distance and stretch mid-run. If your symptoms subside, return to your normal workout the next day and listen to your body during the warm-up and workout.

However, if the symptoms continue, rest from running for approximately 48 hours. Ice the area of concern for 15 minutes every two hours and assess the symptoms. If you feel symptoms at rest, the injured area is still inflamed and the athlete should continue to rest or perform pain-free cross training. If the symptoms persist at rest and last longer than two to four days, the athlete should seek professional advice from a qualified physician or physical therapist.

Listen or Else!

If the athlete continues with a high-intensity workout while experiencing severe symptoms, the injury can progress and become increasingly worse. For example, I had a patient who was a runner and was consistently increasing her mileage in preparation for a marathon. She experienced calf tightness during training which became worse as she continued to increase her mileage.

Instead of listening to her symptoms and decreasing her mileage, decreasing the intensity of her workout or resting, she continued to run. She continued to experience severe calf tightness, which slowly turned into pain and tightness at rest.

What could have been a mild to moderate calf strain turned into a massive Achilles tendon rupture during one of her training days. The rehabilitation lasted approximately six to eight months and included complete rest from running.

The Road to Recovery

When recovering from a mild to moderate injury, the athlete should be very cautious during their training. The focus should be pain-free training with a slow increase in mileage and intensity. If the athlete is a runner, pain-free cross training such as swimming or cycling will help to maintain endurance and strength without compromising the running injury.

If the athlete is a triathlete, continue to focus on pain-free training. If cycling was the cause of the injury, decrease the number of cycling days and add more running and/or swimming. This will help to maintain a high level of fitness without compromising their endurance.

During training days, focus on slower, longer distances rather than high-intensity training days such as intervals or hill repeats. If the athlete is pain-free with slower, longer distances, add in tempo work gradually. Tempo work will help to increase speed without a high demand on the healing tissues.

Once tempo work is pain-free, slowly add in interval work and easy hill repeats. Gradually return to your training program while listening to your body. Listening to your body during this time of rehabilitation is crucial for proper healing.

Having unrealistic fitness goals can make weight loss extremely frustrating.  With the wrong expectations, you can set yourself up for failure.

Weight loss goals should be:

• Precise. Outline an action plan for the week, and be specific. Create a fitness plan that’s clear and goal-oriented.
• Progressive. Take baby steps in the beginning and allow yourself to gradually move on to the next level.  For example, say, “I’ll walk 20 minutes, three times a week,” rather than, “I’ll walk two hours every day beginning tomorrow.”  Once you’ve gotten the hang of walking regularly, it will be easier to do it for 30 or 40 minutes, and then to an hour or even two a day.  Track your progress by keeping a diary.  There’s nothing more motivating than seeing your fitness trend on paper.
• Optimistic. Say, “My average daily intake will be 3,000 calories this week” rather than, “I’ll never eat more than 1,000 calories every day.”  Setting positive, sensible goals will make you feel good about your successes, not deprived or—worse—starved.
• Realistic. Set goals that you can live with and fit in your lifestyle.  Say, “I want to lose a pound this week,” rather than, “I will lose ten pounds before the end of the week.”  Remember—you didn’t gain the extra weight overnight, so don’t expect to get rid of it overnight.
• Rewarding. Celebrate each victory, even those as small as losing a pound after your first week on a much healthier diet.  These small triumphs are crucial in attaining a long-term success.

Setting goals that are practical and sensible allows you to enjoy a weight loss program that is effective, and brings permanent results.

So, how much is within reason again?

• Lose 1 pound, per week. Losing 1 pound a week, according to nutritionists, is recommended; anything more than that is unhealthy and could easily put your body at risk.  Now this also means being realistic about your timetable.  If you want to lose 30 pounds, for instance, then embrace the fact that you will be going on a much longer program.
• Cut back 250 calories, per day. Cutting back 250 to 500 calories a day will help you lose about a pound per week.  Making little changes in your daily diet add up in the long run:  the syrup on your pancakes, the butter on your toast, the extra glass of milk you drink in the morning.
• Burn 250 calories per day. Exercising off 250 to 500 calories will also help you lose a pound or more a week.  Ideally, you should do a combination of both; for example—cutting back 250 calories and then sweating off an extra 250 calories will help accelerate your weight loss goals.
• Lose 5 to 10 percent of your starting weight. This, according to most doctors, is medically achievable.  This means that if you weigh 200 pounds, a reasonable target would be to lose 10 to 20 pounds.

Revise your thinking and your targets.  Unrealistic goals only increase the risk of dropping out of a weight loss program.  The best way to go:  smaller, more tangible expectations.

Enjoy your journey!

Contact me if you’re interested in hiring me as an In-Home Fitness Trainer.  I serve the Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, Hurst, Euless, and Bedford, Texas area.

So you did everything right today: ate nutritious meals, exercised for an hour before hitting the morning traffic to work, had a hearty apple for your afternoon snack, and consumed a well-balanced dinner.  But before calling it a night, you find yourself snacking furiously on a generous serving of chocolate ice cream.

It’s hard not to treat yourself with a nice late night snack after a busy day.  But before you open that bag of chips you’ve been eyeing, here are eight healthy, late-night snack alternatives you might want to try:

1. Turkey Rollups – Roll deli-style turkey slices with low-fat cheese. Add some spiciness with a touch of salsa or Dijon mustard.
2. Soup – A cup of warm soup can do wonders. Choose broth-based soups (i.e. chicken, minestrone or bean) and avoid the creamy ones.
3. Cheese and Crackers – 5 or 6 whole-grain crackers with 1 to 1.5 ounces of cheese.
4. Half a Sandwich – Scrambled eggs and tomato or peanut butter and jelly, with whole wheat bread.
5. Low-fat Cottage Cheese and Fresh Fruit – 1/2 cup of  low-fat cottage cheese topped with your favorite fruit.
6. English-Muffin Pizza – Top with tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons of shredded part-skim cheese.
7. Cereal and milk – 1 cup of a whole-grain cereal with low-fat or fat-free milk.
8. Dried Fruits and Nuts – Try a bag of nuts or a healthy serving of dried fruits while you watch TV.

If you don’t get all the recommended calories throughout the day, a late night snack may still be a part of your healthy eating regimen.  But if you’re usually munching after a full day of eating, then the extra calories will add up and result to weight gain in the long run.

Before opening the pantry, ask yourself if you’re really hungry.  If you’re snacking out of boredom, or plain habit, eat a healthy filling snack such as the ones suggested above.  The best munchies contain starch and protein, plus vitamins and minerals, not just empty calories; adding protein keeps you feeling full longer than just starch alone.

Enjoy your midnight snacks!

Contact me if you’re interested in hiring me as a Personal Fitness Trainer.  I serve the Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, Westlake, North Richland Hills, and Keller, Texas area.

Ever wondered what’s the difference between those who exercise and those who don’t?

It’s habit.  And clearly people have different habits.

Kudos for those who brave on the grueling first 3 weeks of doing their daily workout routines!  And for those of you who continue exercising on a regular basis despite your certainly busy schedules, I’m sure you’re already enjoying the fruits of all your hard work.

Now, if you are yet to master the art of consistency, let me give you four reasons why it’s good to exercise regularly:

1. You will enjoy the metabolism of a 20-year old - People who habitually exercise have a more active metabolism, which allows the body to digest nutrients faster.  Being able to go through the entire day feeling alert, not sluggish, lets you engage in physical activities—whether it’s playing your favorite sport or doing household chores—like a 20-year-old.  You simply have more energy!
2. Stress won’t get the best of you - Keeping a regular, daily workout schedule relaxes not only your body, but also your mind.  It’s the perfect stress reliever.  Sweat your worries away starting with a good warm up and a few breathing exercises.  And because your body pumps up endorphins when you exercise, you can expect to go through the day feeling good about yourself.
3. You’ll keep the extra pounds off - We’re talking long-term here, folks!  Exercising regularly not only helps you achieve your fitness goals, but also allows you to maintain the body you’ve achieved.  And this is where the challenge really lies—keeping the excess weight off.  Be consistent in your workout routine and you won’t have to worry about not being able to fit in your favorite jeans.
4. Your body will naturally stall your aging process - Engaging in regular physical workout helps delay the aging process by reducing chances of disease and disability.  This is so much better (and cheaper!) than any drugs or anything else the world has for aging.  And here’s the best part:  there are no unhealthy side effects, but lots of healthy side effects.

Are you convinced?  Good.  Start reaping the benefits of regular physical exercise today!

Contact me you’re interested in hiring me as an In-Home Personal Trainer. I serve the Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, Westlake, North Richland Hills, and Keller, Texas area. It’s time you see results!

When your mom said, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” she wasn’t kidding.

It seems, however, that many didn’t take this loving “morning reminder” seriously. According to studies, about 25% of American adults skip breakfast every day. This is unfortunate considering the many benefits one can get from eating a healthy breakfast.  Here are three reasons why breakfast can help you in your weight-loss goals:

1. Increase in metabolism. As you sleep soundly through the night, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy.  Eating a nutritious meal (not necessarily a heavy meal) in the morning breaks the overnight fast, and gives you the energy you need to burn calories throughout the day.
2. Maintain a healthy body weight. Studies show that healthy breakfast eaters have less body weight compared to breakfast skippers.  Not eating in the morning, according to the research, is connected to higher occurrence of obesity (because you tend to consume more food during the day when you allow yourself to be hungry in the morning); while having daily morning meals help decrease body mass index and weight.
3. Ensure mental performance and maximum productivity. People who skip breakfast don’t get the recommended amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.  Eating a good, nourishing meal the moment you wake up, however, improves your cognitive function (related to memory), allowing your brain to function better, therefore increasing your productivity during the day.

Breakfast being the most important meal of the day is not a myth. Eat a healthy, delicious breakfast every day—it’s a good and effective way to control your weight gain.

Contact me if you are interested in a weight loss personal training program in the Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Texas area, and I’ll design a program that will turn your fitness goals into reality.

Do you crave something to eat even when you’re not really hungry? Do you sometimes find yourself snacking away to deal with tight deadlines at work? Have you ever mindlessly munched on candy bars and ice cream when you’re upset or depressed? Do you turn to “comfort food” when you’re anxious or worried?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you might be an emotional eater.

To overcome emotional eating, you must first recognize what you’re really feeling, and then find a way to cope with your feelings differently, perhaps more positively. Weight loss advice will work if you don’t know why you are compelled to eat instinctively.

Physical hunger is different from emotional hunger. How? When you feel (or hear) your stomach growling and you feel lightheaded, then you are physically hungry. When you feel the urge to eat, on the other hand, not because your body signals meal time, but because you want to satisfy your desire to chew on something, perhaps in your attempt to soothe an unpleasant feeling, socialize, grieve, or even relieve boredom, then you are emotionally hungry.

To defeat emotional eating, you must only eat to satisfy physical hunger, and not fall into the traps of mindless snacking.

Here are a few tips to conquer emotional eating:

• Chew your food slowly and listen to your body for clues that you’re physically satisfied.
• Don’t sit in front of the TV (or lounge in bed) with a huge bowl of food; chances are you will find yourself eating the entire thing without realizing it.
• Don’t deprive yourself of foods you love. You can still treat yourself to some of your favorite foods–just don’t overdo it.
• Find the link between the events in your day and your cravings for food. Recognize the triggers that pressures you into eating more, like losing a client or arguing with a friend.
• Deal with your “triggers”. If these are unavoidable things, find ways to deal with stress or events that create emotional hunger.

Conquering your emotional eating habits takes hard work, but with practice, time, and dedication to stick to your fitness goals, you will surely overcome these cravings for a better, healthier new you!

Contact me if you are interested in hiring me as a personal trainer.  I serve the Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, Hurst, Euless, and Bedford, Texas area. It’s time you see results!