Two New Hot Mamas!

I am working with two new Hot Mamas this week, Devra and Sarah. Both are mothers that are looking to get back into shape.

I met with them for the first time on Thursday, May 22 at City Fitness Gym in Cleveland Park to conduct a fitness assessment. This is the first step in any personal training relationship. The fitness assessment starts off with us discussing each of their individual health histories (both are very healthy) and their long- and short-term fitness goals.

Then we moved on the the actual physical assessments which include:
A posture assessment on the treadmill
An over head squat (another posture assessment)
The pushup test
The situp test
Flexibility tests
The step test (for cardiovascular endurance)
and anatomical site measurements.

Everything went very well and they were still smiling when they left.

We are going to meet twice a week from now on. Check back to see how these Hot Mamas are doing and what they are doing to acheive their fitness goals!

You can also follow their progress and cheer them on at their blog: Loser Moms.

Obesity and Health are Contagious

Researchers from Harvard and the University of California, San Diego have conducted a study that shows that obesity is not only a growing epidemic in the United States, it is as contagious as the common cold. The study says that if you associate with a group that is overweight, it is very likely that you will be overweight as well.

Spouses spend a lot of time together, but an overweight spouse has a smaller influence on you than your friends do. You share the same genetic makeup with your siblings, but they, also, have a smaller influence than your friends do. This is because we look to our close friends when determining appropriate social behavior. It feels more comfortable to be overweight if the majority of our friends are overweight. This makes sense, right? Are you always motivated to go out and run when you see your spouse lace up his/her running shoes? And just think back to all the times you were perplexed at your sibling's choice of hair style or clothing, but at the same time you wanted to dress exactly the way your friends did. We may not be in junior high any more, but things have not changed completely.

Try conducting your own survey. The next time you are at a social event, take a look at the groups of friends around you. See how many groups seem to be made up of mostly overweight individuals or mostly non- overweight individuals. Or even study your own different social circles.

However, the inverse can be true also. If you want to become healthier this year, you might need to spend time with a healthier group of friends. I don't mean that you need to completely divorce your current group of friends, but associating with healthier people can influence you to become healthier also. Plus, when your other friends see how healthy and fit you have become, they will likely want to join you! People that want to stop smoking or drinking will often join new social circles. Individuals that want to become healthier should think along the same lines.

Or perhaps you can convince your closest friends to work out with you?

To read more on this subject, check out the article in Time Magazine.

For more information on small group personal training in the Washington DC area, check out www.fitindc.com.

Lifestyle Changes....Not Resolutions...in 2008

It's January. This is the time when people start to think about their goals for the year. What are your health and fitness goals for this year? Do you want to lose weight and lower your body fat? Do you want to get stronger or improve balance? Would you like to lower your blood pressure or cholesterol?

We all start with the best of intentions in January. However, according to a study conducted by CNN in 2004, only 30% of the people that set health and fitness goals continue them into February. Only 1 in 5 will still be working towards these goals in June. That's not good!

Those of us who belong to a gym know that in the next few weeks, our favorite classes are going to be jam packed. We will have to wait for machines and "work in" with people. It's frustrating, but in the back of your mind, you know that in just a few weeks, life will be back to normal.

Why does this phenomenon happen every year? Why don't more people stick to their health related resolutions?

I will tell you why: It's because resolutions don't work! New Years resolutions do not work because most of us state a resolution without making a plan as to how to achieve this resolution. Therefore, when February rolls around and no significant progress has been made, the resolutions get ditched.

How can you make things different this year? How can you make sure that you actually achieve your goals this year? Unfortuneately, there is no fairy godmother (so I've been told)who will come by with her magic wand to help you out. Instead, you just have to change your thinking a little bit in order to be successful:

*Divide your long-term goals into short-term goals. Just say you would like to lose 30 pounds this year. A better way to look at that goal is to say, "I am going to lose 10 pounds by April 1. I will lose another 10 pounds by the end of the summer. Then I will lose the remainder of the weight by the end of the year." Losing 10 pounds seems much more manageable than losing 30 pounds.

*Create a support system. Recruit coworkers, friends, neighbors or family members to help you with your goal. Now, you are not only accountable to yourself, but to your support system as well. Join a boot camp, hire a personal trainer, buy a dog that likes to run. There is no need to do this alone.

*Create realistic goals. You may want to look like Halle Berry or a professional athlete by the end of the year, but chances are, that is not going to happen. Peyton Manning even tells us that in one of his pep talks in his commercial. Another unrealistic goal is to say that you are giving up cookies and ice cream completely. However, you can decrease your body fat by the end of the year. You can lose inches from your waist or lower your cholestoral. You can walk more or eat better and limit yourself to ice cream only on Fridays. Let's focus on goals that are attainable.

*Reward yourself. If you achieve a short term goal, go ahead and treat yourself. For example, promise yourself a new bathing suit if you lose 5 pounds by your birthday. That will give you something to look forward to and will give you a little extra motivation.

What is your lifestyle change for 2008? What have you done in years past to achieve your goals? Do you need help planning your 2008 lifestyle change?

I encourage you to post to this blog and share your questions and stories with us!