Personal Training
Florida Recap + Fitting In Fitness!
Jey friends!! Long time no talk. I was away on vacation in sunny, hot Florida. Okay, so it wasn’t typical weather there this time of year, it was acutally a bit chilly in the mornings and evenings, but whatever it was there, it was much better than the weather in Boston! I had a great time and enjoyed some delicious food and company as well. The day before my trip I was freaking out about bringing certain items on the plane. I ended up going with
- Baggies of protein powder portioned out
- 3 Justins Nut butter packets
- Small container of pumpkin pie spice
- Baggies of dry oatmeal portioned out
- Truvia packets
- Baggies of cut up bell peppers and cucumbers
- Apple, strawberries
I GOT IT ALL THROUGH SECURITY!!! I was beyond excited, since I had gotten mixed messages whether it would get through. Our flight was at 6:05am, which meant early morning (which I am used to since I start work at 5am quite often)
We immediately hit up Starbucks. I got a Grande coffee with skim milk and added a Truvia packet
All my bags and food (oh I forgot I bought a Chobani once I was passed security in a little cafe)
Mama Onefitfoodie and My Grande
Bye Bye Boston!
Around 7:30am it was breakfast time! I had gotten a “perfect oatmeal” at Starbucks and saved it. I added 1 baggie of cinnamon protein powder
Lifesaver pumpkin pie spice!
Stir it up and breakfast is served!
With some strawberries
And a squirt of cinnamon peanut butter!
I picked up 3 packets of these at Whole Foods. They are perfect for traveling!! THe flight was very pleasant thanks to Jet Blue’s in flight TV. I did however start a book (I am sure most of you have read or heard of it but to me it was new) It is “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and I am about halfway and addicted! It took me a while to get into it, but now I am hooked!
After we arrived, picked up our rent a car, we hit the streets to find some lunch. We wanted to sit outside and one of the only places was Cheesecake Factory. My mom was not pleased since she wanted to go to a ‘cute place’ but Cheesecake has great options and they had beautiful outdoor seating. She apologized because the food was SO good! It was even better than the Cheesecake we have here (if that is possible) I got the fresh vegetable salad with grilled chicken and no cheese: Asparagus, Green Beans, Tomato, Cucumber, Roasted Asian Noodles, Grilled Chicken, Beets, Apple, Edamame, Radicchio, Romaine and Fresh Mango, Mixed Greens, Carrots, White Cheddar All Chopped with Pomegranate Vinaigrette. I also got balsamic vinegar and olive oil on the side instead of the dressing! YUM
A little while later after checking into our hotel, we went to the beach even though it was not hot. We bundled up and wanted to feel the sand between our toes! it was lovely, we both napped. After I got up, it was time to squeeze in a workout! I took advantage of the perfect 60 degree weather and went for a 25 minute easy run. Typically I hate running and never do it (I do sprints on the treadmill but thats about it) BUT I wanted to run and it felt awesome! There is NOTHING like running along the beach, smelling the ocean, wind in your hair. It was just perfect!
Dinner was at Seasons 52, which we have been to before. It is delicious and I really hope they make their way to Boston! I started with a Shiraz
My mom and I split two appetizer salads. One was a greek (cheese on the side) and the ohter was baby greens with roasted portabello mushrooms and a drizzle of truffle dressing. I loved the portabellos in the salad!
My main course, I chose the chicken breast which was served in a sauce that I was acutally not too fond of. It was watery and smokey, and not really my style. I asked for another plate and ate the chicken off the clean plate to avoid the sauce. The veggies and rice were delicious though!
We also split a side of baby brussels sprouts which were so tender and juicy! They were topped with roasted red peppers and garlic
I should’ve gotten what my mom got! Baby scallops with pearl pasta and asparagus. These were SO sweet and delicious! Next time, I know to get this!
The next morning called for rain, so me and my mom were planning on getting soem workout and shopping done! We woke up and hit the hotel gym (which was great!) for a circuit style workout. Back in the hotel room, we made breakfast! The hotel was equipped with a mini kitchen so we took advantage
Fresh coffee (we brought from home)
Some goods we picked up at the store
I defrosted some berries
Oatmeal, eggwhites and berries! Perfect!
Of course I snagged this at the store! WHY can’t I find this in Boston! it is my favorite PB and I cannot find it anywhere!!! Those are the pics I took from my trip! The rest of the time was great and luckily the sun was out the rest of the trip! I love traveling and getting away even if just for a few days.
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And now a change in subject to some information about how YOU can stay motivated and how to make exercise a part of your regular routine!
I work in a gym, I do my best to share my knowledge with others in hopes that they will take something away from any conversation we have. If I have a 30 minute conversation with someone about the importance of weight training, I go on and on and in detail about different exercise and what not, and the only thing they take away is that you shouldn’t work body parts back to back, they need rest…well then I did my job. Working as a trainer and in a gym setting, I hear every excuse in the book as to why someone can’t fit exercise into their routine.
“Its so hard for me to get out of bed”
“I have to take the kids to work”
“I left my clothes at home”
“I wouldn’t know what to do when I got into a gym”
“I can do it for a week, but know I will fall off the wagon”
“I don’t like exercise”
“My dog chewed my shoes” <--- Yes I have heard this before
I get asked all of the time by co-workers, friends, family members and blog readers how I fit exercise into my daily routine. How do I have time to work out every day? Well first of all, I do not workout every day. I always take 1 full day off of rest. I sit around, read, cook, and do whatever I want, but I do not work out! Rest is extremely important in developing a healthy and well rounded exercise program. It is after any workout routine, the muscles need to replace both proteins and energy stores to make a full recovery If the muscles are not given enough time to recover fully before another workout, then the muscles progressively become smaller. This could lead to a decrease in lean tissue, thus lowering metabolism over the course of a few weeks.
I want to share some tips on how to make exercise part of your routine, no matter how busy you are. (I follow these tips sometimes too!)
You do not need a gym to work out. I just got back from sunny Florida which was a great vacation! I had some fun in the sun and great time spent with family. We were staying in a hotel for one of the nights, that I checked out before hand and they had a decent fitness center. The other 2 nights, I did not have access to a gym. I knew this beforehand, so I printed out some at home workouts in which I just needed my own body. I also took it to the streets and had some great runs! I generally do not enjoy running, but I haven’t done it in so long, that I enjoyed my time hitting the pavement! Hitting the pavement also doesn’t mean you have to run. Try walking lunges, sprints, speed walking or lateral side stepping! My at home workout bible is a great tool to create your own workout! If you are crunched for time, find an open space and work up a sweat for 10-30 minutes! Also, check out some great exercise DVD’s that you can pack in your suitcase when you travel or pop into the DVD player at home!
Choose a time and stick to it: Clients that are just starting out on an exercise program are worried about what time they will work out. What I tell them is to try it in the morning, lunchtime and afternoon and see not only when you have the most energy, but what time you think that you could most stick to. Once you have down a time that you prefer to work out, you are more likely to stick to it! We wake up, we brush our teeth, it’s a given that in the morning we brush our teeth. Make exercise part of your daily routine. If it’s the lunch time you enjoy, then when lunch time rolls around, you always know it’s time to sweat!
Don’t be intimidated: Lots of people I deal with are intimidated by gyms. Sure they can get on a treadmill but what about the ‘other stuff’ like the weights, dumbbells, and funky looking elliptical? Don’t be scared to ask the front desk at your gym for assistance. More often then not they WANT to help you. They may even help to set you up on a complimentary personal training session. Scour the internet as well. It can be a great resource. I know lots of blogs have information about exercises and health information. In my exercise tips/workout section, I have a TON of articles and workouts for free! The website http://www.exrx.net/ is also a great resource for weight training!
Find something YOU ENJOY: I know I have talked about “doing what you love” before, and I cannot stress this enough. There are a million ways to get in shape and exercise, so find something that you enjoy. Try a class—spinning, zumba, body pump, cardio sculpt, yoga. Hop on a new machine, pick up a new exercise DVD, Join a local sports league. Take up swimming! Whatever it is, get out there and try it! You may surprise yourself!
Break up your exercise time: Don’t feel like you have to spend two hours in the gym for it to be effective. In fact, some of the most effective workouts have you in and out of the gym in 45 minutes. Don’t be scared to split up your exercise time throughout the day. Exercise for three 10-minute periods throughout the day instead of one long session. The exercise benefits will remain the same.
Set goals for yourself: Draw up an exercise contract. Write down weekly fitness goals and sign the contract. Then have a friend or family member witness it. For example, on Monday you could write down that you will make it to the gym at least 3 times per week. Writing it down will make you more accountable for it! Don’t forget to warm up before exercising and to cool down afterward. And remember, you are making a change for the long term. Once exercise becomes a permanent part of your daily routine, it will cease being an effort. And you will feel better and look better—two of the best motivators you can find.
Find a friend: Sometimes working out can be so much more enjoyable and do-able with a workout buddy! You can motivate eachother and make gym dates (you can even follow it up with coffee dates, and shopping dates!) Set a time, find a friend and do it together. By having that buddy by your side, you are less likely to skip your workout AND you can learn something new from each other!
Question of the day: What is your tip for fitting in exercise into your daily routine?
