5 Easy Steps To a Heathier Life

Getting on the path to a healthier life is not as hard as we make it out to be. So many people feel as though they have to revamp their entire life to get in shape.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

The truth is (drum roll please) take baby steps. It's that simple! Why do we insist on making huge lifestyle changes when all it takes is small steps each day. I am a believer in moderation - avoiding excess and being sure to enjoy a variety of foods/activities.

Here are 5 easy steps to a healthier life:

1. Practice the "push away." This is not a weightlifting movement but rather the action we need to take when we have had enough food. "Push Away" from the table when you are done eating. We would all hate to know how many extra calories we consumed because we indulged.

2. Turn off the tube...or plasma...or computer. Typically the TV or computer is the culprit to snacking or just plain laziness. Start limiting your TV and replace that time with a walk, 30 minutes of exercise (see our home workout at http://www.personalpodtraining.com/) or pick up a book and stimulate your mind.

3. Play hide and seek. How many times have you taken your kids or grandkids to the park and enjoyed the park bench rather than the park activity? Next time you want to sit (or not go to the park at all), get up and play tag or hide n' seek! This is my wife Amy's specialty, when they come home from the park that is all our kids can talk about "mommy played tag with us!" She burned calories and made a memory - go for it!

4. Use your palm for non-work stuff. Most of us schedule our day down to the minute but rarely find time to exercise. This next week (and every week thereafter) take out your daytimer and schedule three 30-minute bouts of exercise. Treat that appointment like it's worth money, because it is - exercise adds days to your life and keeps you out of the doctor's office. Find workouts that requires no equipment at http://www.personalpodtraining.com/. The outdoor workout can be done in a hotel room, living room, or backyard!

5. Find the fire exit. When you are going up or down 1-4 floors find the stairs and use them. This will get your heart pumping and your legs working! This simple activity will increase your alertness and also burn calories. If you are going up more than 4 floors get off of the elevator early and climb the remaining flights.

There you have it, 5 easy steps to a healthier life. They are all simple but require planning and discipline. I have found that undisciplined lives lead to weight gain and unhealthy lifestyles, but that is for a different blog. For now turn off the computer and head out for some activity! See you in a few days.

3 Exercises for Every Workout

I was on the road yesterday driving to a business appointment and I was thinking about fitness and exercise (I know that is weird but it's what I do). Anyway, I was thinking about which exercises are the most important and should be incorporated into every workout.

I went in a few different directions but came up with these three. I am not suggesting that you only incorporate these movements; my point is that every resistance training program must include these exercises or a variation of them.

Here they are with a brief explanation:

1. Lunge - This exercise utilizes all of the major muscles in your legs and mimics a functional movement - walking. It is relatively easy to perform and can be adapted to match your fitness level. I will sometimes use only my bodyweight for resistance or I will grab dumbbells to increase the difficulty. There are easily 12-15 different variations of the lunge, so pick one and incorporate it into your routine.

2. Push-up - Body weight exercises are a great way to measure your muscle strength and endurance and a push up is an awesome place to start. This movement utilizes the deltoid (shoulder), chest, and triceps. It will also indirectly fire the core muscles for stabilization purposes. One can use variations of the push up to increase or decrease the difficulty. For instance place your hands on a bench or chair to elevate your upper body to make it easier. Or put your feet up on the bench or chair to increase the difficulty. Find the way that is best for you and get started with the push-up!

3. Rowing motion - This can be done from a seated or bent over position. Rowing is the best way to develop the postural muscles. It strengthens your entire upper back and rear deltiods (shoulder) as it pulls the shoulders back into a good posture. A bent over row can be done with dumbbells or a bar while a seated row needs to be done with a machine.

I hope this helps you improve your exercise program. I am just finishing up the December workouts for PersonalPODTraining, they are looking great! All of our programs include these 3 movements and their variations.

Check out a short video sample at http://www.personalpodtraining.com/ , if you need help programming and would like a trainer to take you through each workout PersonalPODTraining may be right for you. Check out the FAQ page http://www.personalpodtraining.com/faqs.asp if you have questions.

Please add comments and pass on to anyone interested.

3 Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

As a fitness professional I hear it every year. "I can't believe I gained another 10 lbs. over the holidays!" With parties and food around every corner it's easy to fall into this trap.

I want to help you navigate through the "all you can eat holiday buffet." Here are a few simple holiday nutritional tips that I give my clients:

1. Don't skip meals leading up to your party or family get together. Many people think they can "save" calories by not eating prior to the big meal. Do this and your metabolism will come to a screeching halt! Instead eat small meals during the day prior to the party, not only will this keep your metabolism humming, it will also keep you from overeating at the get together.

2. Avoid too much alcohol. I know this is very difficult but it is very important. Be sure to slow down when you are consuming alcohol don't be an a hurry, think moderation. The other tip is to have a glass of water between drinks. It is amazing how many extra calories are consumed at the bar over the holidays!

3. Go for protein and fiber when your loading up your plate. Look for an extra helping of lean meats or vegetables and avoid high starch and sugar foods.

Hope this helps and remember you can enjoy the parties without overeating and gaining weight.

The other missing link over the holidays is not enough calorie burn! We are all busy and find it difficult to fit in our workouts. PersonalPODTraining.com is one way many have chosen to help them with their health and fitness. Download workouts to your ipod or video ipod and take them to the gym, your home, or to the local park.

Every workout has a personal trainer and video instruction for every exercise and movement. Go to www.personalpodtraining.com to view a free sample workout.

Be sure to check back every Monday for another health and fitness tip.