Feeling Upbeat and Trimming Down

I have not written a lot about my fitness results lately. I hit a few bumps in the road a couple of months ago and backslid. With it came a wave of self-disappointment and a less than cheery mood. I am used to this type of thing happening because I have dealt with it in the past in my self, but I am a pretty good trooper with a lot of help from someone who watches over me. I got back in the saddle again and I am riding off into the wild blue yonder with a wave of excellent … Continue reading →

At The Gym: The Beginning

When you first start out at the gym it may be intimidating to you. You look around and see that almost everyone is in good to great condition. Take a closer look though. You will see those that are working out and are at the same point that you are. You have to start somewhere and you have made an important step in conditioning your body to its fullest potential. Before you begin to devise a workout plan for yourself you should become knowledgeable about everything that you can regarding the specific goals that you are attempting to achieve for … Continue reading →

9-Year-Old Triathlete Makes History

If you are looking for motivation to kick-start your daily exercise routine here it is: At just 9 years old Winter Vinecki swam 1.5k (a little less than a mile), biked 40k (roughly 25 miles) and ran 10k (about 6.2 miles) in less than 4 hours. And she didn’t do it because she loves to exercise; rather the Michigan native competed in the inaugural Athletes for a Cure Triathlon at the Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida last week for one reason—her dad. Winter’s father is fighting for his life. Michael Vinecki was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of … Continue reading →

Monday Fast Fitness Plans

Monday mornings! I’ve never been a fan of Monday mornings. I spent my 4th of July weekend sick and in bed for the most part. Our plans were tabled for me, though I sent the husband and daughter out to have a good time. I got to enjoy their stories and their wonder at the fireworks and much more. But here it is, the long weekend is over and we are approaching the halfway mark of summer. July also marked the beginning of the back half of the year. Not to make you look at the calendar, but school starting … Continue reading →

Overcoming Boredom

Halfway through the year, it’s a sure bet that at least 45% of people who set out to be more fit this year have already given up. Sure you gave up because you were busy or overworked or there was just one too many things on your plate. Many of you still want to achieve your goals whether it’s losing that extra few pounds or just going for the best shape you can. Determination > Boredom Determination is a necessary quality whether you are beginning a new project or staying the course of an older one. Determination keeps you going … Continue reading →

When Did Fitness Become Work?

Why can’t fitness be fun anymore? A decade ago, we had a horse farm and I didn’t think about how many steps I walked in a day (in fact, I didn’t want to know). I worked outside every day, I hauled hay and horse feed; I worked with horses and I went riding. We would go out on long trail rides every other day or two. Sometimes we’d go for an hour and sometimes we’d ride for four hours. I didn’t ‘work’ out or put myself through the ‘grind.’ I was physically active and I got all the benefits of … Continue reading →

Pfft, Who Needs Excuses?

Do you really need an excuse to skip your exercise today? I don’t. Half the time I’m tired and I can easily make the argument for skipping the workout. I’d rather kick back with a cup of coffee and few extra minutes with the book before I get to work rather than hit the treadmill. But the problem with this is that making that choice, skipping that 30 minutes on the treadmill for a cup of coffee will lead to another and then another. By afternoon, I’m beat and want to take a nap. I may even do it. So … Continue reading →

Make Life & Fitness Easier for Yourself

Wouldn’t it be great if we had a magic wand that we could just wave that would make fitness easier to attain? I used to think that some people were just born fit and other people, well – we weren’t so lucky. Fitness is a state of mind, it’s who you want to be. It’s not just saying I want to be fit, it’s being active. In the words of a writer, fitness is about show, don’t tell. Lifestyle Choices When you make the choice to be more fit, you are talking about making lifestyle choices. The lifestyle choice could … Continue reading →

I Am So Tired When I Get Up

Lately, I’ve been down in the dumps, in a funk, struggling to get back to a sense of normalcy. I’m exhausted when I wake up. I’m downing coffee by the gallon just to get through the morning and I’d trade my right eye for a nap after lunch. Does this sound familiar? Fatigue and Your Workout It can be hard to get up and work out when you wake up fatigued and desperately wanting another hour of sleep. After all, if you get up at 5 a.m. to work out for an hour before showering, getting ready for work or … Continue reading →

How to Plan Like a Pro

It’s one thing to tell people to plan their workout and their exercise programs. It’s another thing to know how to do it. I know this is one of the most common questions I get – how do I make a plan that will work? How do you fit the schedule in with everything else that’s going on? Let’s talk about that so we can learn to plan like a pro. How To Do It Start by making a list of all the things you have to do. Put these things into three categories. The first category is all the … Continue reading →