Push UUUUHPS!!!!

Dear Fitness Enthusiasts,

Push Ups, they look so easy and simple, but then, ouch! We butcher them and make them so brutally difficult! In my 11 years in the fitness industry, I can not begin to tell you the many incorrect and challenging variations I have seen done of this torturous no more exercise. Many of you avoid this guy like the plague! You think that you are too weak, the exercise is too hard, and you wouldn't dare do the 'girly' kind. Well, today I shall set you free to enter push up world!!!

Why can I not bend my elbows? Just bend!!! AHHHHH! NO PUSH UUUUHHHPS PLEAAAASE!!!!!

The biggest problems preventing your elbows from bending and being able to do a push up weather on your knees, using a wall or table/bench for support, or in the regular full push up position are:

Problem #1
DO NOT SINK YOUR HIPS! Your spine should not look like a sinking valley from your head to your bum. You do not want your toes and hips to be on one level and your shoulders on another.

Problem #2
DO NOT DROP YOUR HEAD DOWN TO THE FLOOR! You are not getting any further by reaching your forehead so far down to the floor. Pick your head up.

SOLUTION!!!!

Imagine:
There is a long ruler stuck to your back from head to toe and at all times, your head, back, bum and heels are all in contact with it!

BAD:

Hips sunk down/dropped
Spine curved and sloped
Head dropped down

GOOD:

CUTE!
Back is STRAIGHT
Head is in alignment with spine and hips
Hips up

VISUALIZE:

The red line is the ruler along your back. do not move any points off the ruler.

TADAAAAA:

THE PROPER PUSH UP LADIES AND GENTS!

Here you have it, the DO'S and DON'TS of Push Ups! Now, GO TRY THEM OUT!!!!

In Good Health,

Dani S.

Gym Science

Dear Fitness Enthusiasts,

Have you ever found yourself looking around the weight room for inspiration? Did you then find that one man/woman with a great physique you admire? Was your next step to then do whatever exact exercise that person was doing in the same way they were doing it?

That my friends is what is called gym science!!!!

Gym science can be educational assuming that the person you are learning from is executing proper form. You also have to know the risks of the exercise being copied as it pertains to you. For example, if you are inspired by a variation of a lunge that someone with great legs is doing, you have to make sure that they have correct functional alignment of the hip, knee and ankle joint. You have to be informed of the risks that exercise may have in the event that you have had previous injury to your knee. If you have a recent or old injury to your knee and it is vulnerable to repeat injury, you need to know if that is a wise exercise for you to be testing.

Ladies and gentleman, that is exactly the problem that gym science presents. Most people you are watching in the gym are not using proper form. Most people are working out in a fashion that they always have. For example, a football player who may no longer play football, is most likely still doing his old football gym workout. If you are a young professional who sits a desk 8 hours a day and does not play football and who has a vulnerable shoulder, it is not a wise decision at all for you to be copying the football guys chest press variation. This is exactly how many injuries are caused. Too many people feeling lost in the weight room are copying others who only APPEAR to know what they are doing.

So, can gym science be a good lesson? Sure it can. However, next time you are in the gym and seek inspiration from your fellow gym friends, make certain that you go and ask them what credibility they have for you to learn from them. Make sure that you learn the risks of that exercise to any sensitive/injured site that the exercise will involve. If this is not possible or accessible to you, go and ask a fitness professional for help instead.

The lesson to take away here is, copying "buff," strong, athletic looking people in your gym could very easily cause you harm and get you injured. So think again next time you are in the gym and looking for inspiration. Know your source and don't be shy to ask a professional for some tips instead.

Get Strong, Stay Healthy!

Dani S.

DO NOT FOLLOW THIS GUY! HE IS ONLY BREAKING HIS BACK AND RIPPING APART HIS SHOULDER!

Craving Chips?

Dear Health and Fitness Enthusiasts,

A dear friend of mine sent me a text message last night.

It stated, "Craving chips but don't want the guilt? These are amazing!"

She was right. I buy them all the time as a snack the whole family, even Jayden can enjoy! Kids love them, mom loves them, and dad loves them. They are crunchy, mildly salty, healthy, and delicious! They are indeed, amazing!

So, WHAT ARE THEY???

For only $1.49 and 130 calories a serving from Trader Joe's, these dried snap peas mack a great chip alternative snack your whole family will enjoy.

If you don't live near a Trader Joe's or do your shopping at other supermarkets, here is the same item by a different brand. 

   

These ones can be found at Vons, Ralphs, COSTCO, Albertsons, Walmart, and many other supermarkets for a very comparable price. AND they are Gluten free!

Hope you enjoy this delicious snack!

In Good Health,

Dani S. 

No Gym, No Equipment, No Time, No Problem!

Dear Fitness Enthusiasts,

Life gets busy! Sometimes as much as we would love to fit in a workout, time and energy excuses can add up. Wether you are a hard working man/woman who is too tired to wake up early, and work too late to fit it in, or are a new mom with no help, we all know circumstances can leave us feeling defeated. As a full time mom with no help myself, I can relate. We have to make an extra effort to make a plan. If you have no equipment at home, and no time to get to the gym, look no further than right here. There is so much you can do at home in a small space with no big fancy machines.

As I was hanging out with a fellow mom friend who is busy with twin babies, the topic came up as it often does, "What can I do at home?" She was the inspiration of this post, and this is what I responded with.

Below is a quick foolproof effective, efficient and powerful little circuit that you can do with just your bodies and a little space. Some energetic music could help! It looks like a lot as I have included descriptions of what the exercises are. Don't be scared!

The Warm Up:

• 10 arm circles each direction
• 10 arm swings across your chest (open close your arms)
• 10 alternating arm reaches (one arm up, one down, lift and lower alternating left and right)
• 1 min jumping jacks
• 1 minute of standing single leg kicks (30sec each leg)

The Circuit: 
DO AS MANY OF EACH AS YOU CAN IN 1 MINUTE, WITH PLANK AIM TO HOLD FOR 1 MINUTE, AND REPEAT THE CIRCUIT 3 TIMES.

• Squats 
• Push Ups 
• Lunges
• Plank (forearms on the ground, elbows bent at 90* angle, back straight with torso and hips off the floor)
• Superman back extensions (lay on your stomach with your arms straight in front of you, keeping arms and legs straight, lift arms and legs up off the floor)
• Burpees (starting in a push up position, jump your feet to your hands, jump up to standing position, repeat)

Note:

~ NO BREAK BETWEEN EACH EXERCISE, ONLY BETWEEN SETS.

~ IF TOO DIFFICULT, START WITH 30 SECOND INTERVALS FOR 3 SETS OR DO 1 MINUTE INTERVALS BUT ONLY 2 SETS.

~ IF TOO EASY, INCREASE TIME TO 1 MINUTE 30 SEC OR ADD A 4TH SET.

The Cool Down:

Repeat warm up BUT at a SLOWER rate.

Stretch:

• Standing hamstring stretch (bend forward, reaching toward your toes)
• Standing quadriceps stretch (IF balance is issue, hold on to a chair or wall with free hand. Bend your knee pointing knee down to floor lifting foot up, hold your foot behind you with your hand)
• Doorway chest stretch (Stand in a door way with feet together, with your arms bent at 90* hold the door frame on each side, keeping back and head straight, step one foot forward, hold, switch feet.)

Just a few to get you started. I look forward to your feedback! Give it a try TODAY!

In Good Health,

Dani S.

Be sure not to sink your hips and stomach to the floor
Be sure not to raise your hips higher thank your shoulders
***Your body should be a straight line from head to toe, no peaks or valleys!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dear Fellow Fitness & Health Enthusiasts,

Happy New Year! I wish you all a year filled with excellent health, love, laughter, adventure, inner peace, and happiness.

As it has been almost exactly 2 years to date since I last posted on my blog, I should start by catching you up.

Well, I fell pregnant in February 2012 and gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Jayden Noah Sher on September 26th 2012. I had a healthy and easy pregnancy and was working and exercising until the day he was born. I remained active by walking, swimming, weight training and mostly doing power yoga. In fact, I am pretty sure it was my yoga class that day, which put me into labor 10 days early!

Since the day he was born, my little eager beaver has needless to say kept me busy as a stay at home Mom. I have been, like all of you moms out there,  consumed with loving and taking care of this precious little gem. Watching him grow and develop from a sleeping, eating, burping little new born to a walking talking active little boy, I have loved and cherished every delicious moment of it!

I don't plan to return to work yet, but as a new year begins, I find myself inspired and ready to begin my blogger journey again.

So here I am, 2 years older, 2 years wiser, a Mommy of a 15 month walking talking edible little toddler.

I look forward to my new journey with you, my readers and fitness and health followers. Stay tuned as I am excited to share everything fitness and health for all my mommies, soon to be mommies, one day mommies, husbands, fathers, and one day fathers.

Keep Fit, Stay Healthy. Love.

"The Diet Starts Tomorrow"

"The Diet Starts Tomorrow"... or does it? If this sounds familiar to you and/or has become your Sunday night mantra, this one is for you!
The first mistake in this mantra is the term diet. Using this word is your first step in letting yourself down. The word diet resembles:

• restriction
• protein
• fat free
• low carb
• starvation
• boring
• frustration
• low calorie
• tasteless

Does this list of adjectives sound fun to you? Does it sound realistic to maintain? Does it excite you? Didn't think so! So why would you put yourself through the torture of "committing" yourself to this word every Sunday (or whatever day you choose)? Is it a surprise to you that by the afternoon of "tomorrow" you have already broken your "diet" and given up on the rest of the week, only to redeclare your mantra the following Sunday?

This is my point friends. DIET'S DO NOT WORK! They set you up for failure and are unrealistic! I don't care if your diet choice is no sugar, high protein, carb fearing, hormone drops/injections, or pre- packaged meals. The fact is that they are all unlikely to be maintained for the remainder of your life. Sure, you may drop a few or many pounds originally, but what happens after you reach your goal? What happens after you eat a piece of bread? A grain of sugar? YOU GAIN IT ALL BACK, PLUS SOME!

So what next? What happens when you realize that protein is not the answer, carbs are not deadly, and sometimes sugar in the right form is necessary? What are you supposed to do now?

Having been someone who has tried every single diet ever written, from grapefruits to Adkins, trust me when I say that the only way to be happy and not food obsessed and miserable is to eat sensibly. Well obviously if it was as easy as that, obesity wouldn't be an epidemic in our country and fat loss supplements and diets wouldn't be the billion dollar industry it is. I know it is not easy and does not come naturally to most of you. But all I am asking is that you think about this and give it a try.

Start by deciding that you want to be healthy. That you want to age gracefully and not spend every morning taking cholesterol and blood pressure medication. That you don't want miss out on chasing your kids around in the park playing soccer. That you want to live a healthy life to be there for your children through their milestones in life. That you want to feel energized. That you don't want to have to worry about low bone density and dangerous falls when you are older. There are millions of more reasons such as these that do not have to do with looking good on the beach. Try to shift your focus and watch the weight fall off.

How?

By making ONE healthy decision, ONE meal, ONE workout, ONE day at a time!!!!

You know what foods are unhealthy and will not contribute to a nutritous meal. You know what foods will. Just start slowly focusing on all the yummy healthy foods you could be eating. Start with the foods on the perimeter of the supermarket and eat more of those foods than those in the isles.

In case you need a list, here you go:
Dairy - White cheeses, yogurt, milk,
Fruit - Any and all welcome
Protein - Chicken, turkey, lean beef, eggs, legumes
Carbs - Potatoes (not fried!), quinoa, cous cous, BROWN rice, whole wheat bread
Veggies - Any and all welcome

Balance your meals with a variety of these foods. Portion out your servings and don't eat till your stomach hurts.

On the odd occasion that you crave something sweet, then let yourself have it. Ask yourself if you want it because you are stressed? Bored? Upset? Anxious? Or, if you really do just need something sweet. Have a small piece of chocolate instead of a king-size candy bar. Have a mini frozen yogurt instead of an extra large ice cream with a million toppings.

Be we wise and be healthy. Focus on your well being. Take it one step at a time. Don't set huge long term goals, set smaller ones and accomplish them one at a time. You have to crawl before you can walk. So get out there and shop and order smart and make it your goal to get at LEAST 30 minutes of physical activity in each day. From there, depending on what your fitness level is to start off with, increase the frequency, intensity, time and types of activities you do. You may start off with a 30 min walk, and then a slow jog, and then a run. You may start off with lifting 3lb weights, then 5lb, then 10lb. You may start with a level 1 yoga class, then level 2, then level 3. Eventually all of these components will make up your 1 hr a day workout!

So, go out there and get started! Your healthy life filled with nutritious meals and exercise starts TODAY!

In Great Health,
Dani S.

Trick or Treat

Dear Fitness and Wellness Enthusiasts,


In the spirit of Halloween I found it fitting to blog about our sugary treat foes. 


For starters, a few stats on candy and its association with Halloween.

• "The average American eats 24 pounds of candy a year, and most of that is likely consumed right around this time of year." Huffington Post
• "Americans purchase nearly 600 million pounds of candy a year for Halloween." Huffington Post
• "The U.S. is the world's largest candy consumer, spending more than $8.8 billion on various sweets in 2008" Bloomberg Business Week

You get the idea, that is a ton of candy and therefore a fortune of sugar and calories. 


However, to paint a clearer picture and to create a bit of a visual, picture one pound of candy, lets say fun size Butterfingers, weighing in at 100 calories per piece. 


In one pound of mini Butterfingers there are approximately 12 pieces of these chocolates. 


So, time for some math.  

 12 chocolates x 100 calories = 1200 calories per pound of fun size butterfingers

3500 calories = 1 pound of fat.

This means that eating 3 pounds of these delicious treats, will put on 1 pound of fat onto your body, with an excess of 100 calories. 

So, we as a nation consume how much candy? How many calories? Well, if these 24 pounds of candy consumed by the average American in a year are fun size Butterfingers, then that is 28,800 Calories! If the 600 million pounds of candy we purchase for Halloween are also fun size Butterfingers, then that is 720 BILLION calories!

This is crazy! 

Just so that I'm not a complete devil for blogging this entry this Halloween, I end off by saying that ONE of these fun size treats sure won't kill you. BUT, you have to stop at ONE!

All this sugar spikes our insulin levels and leaves us wanting more, so be sure not to get sucked in to the vortex of candy consumption today and all year long. 

BE WISE AND HEALTH SMART AND SAFE OUT THERE TONIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND DON'T BE TRICKED BY THE TEMPTATION OF MORE TREATS!!!!!

Happy Halloween!

In Good Health,

Dani S.