Change It up!

For me, one of the most sure fire ways to keep my workout routine consistent is to keep it fun and challenging.  If you let boredom creep into your routine, every workout will become a fight to stay on track.

Many times we want to change up our habits, but all we do is move from the elliptical machine to the stair master.  We’re afraid of leaving our comfort zone; we bore ourselves into failure!  This year we’re going to be brave!  We are going to do what we’ve never done!

If you’re one of those elliptical machine people (meaning, four days a week you put in your 30 minutes on the same machine), try a group class!  There are plenty of cardio classes that would shock some fun into your schedule, as well as give you an opportunity to work a few other muscle groups.  Zumba classes are everywhere.  I love Les Mills classes—Body Attack, Body Combat and Sh’Bam.

If you’re one of those group class people (meaning, you only attend classes and hate to work out alone), grab a buddy or a trainer and do some strength training!  You might have variety of muscle groups, but you probably don’t have the strength you could.  You’ll see some gigantic men and women in the weight areas, but I promise they are very nice.  Many are more than willing to help you find weights or give you a quick instructional on how to work a machine.

If you’re one of those weight lifting people (meaning, you only bulk up), try a martial arts class or the Les Mills Body Combat.  You’ll find it will let you still work in some strength training (as well as make you feel like there’s a use to all those muscles now) while letting you build in some cardio to your schedule.

And finally, my running friends!  If you’re one of those marathon freaks (meaning, you’re a marathon freak—you know who you are), try anything else!  Many runners have very healthy hearts and keep their weight in check.  The truth is you’re only working out one very small muscle group.  Can you play a game of basket ball or jump on the trampoline with your kids?  Can you help a friend move some furniture or climb a rock wall?

How are you going to change up your routine this year?  What have you been dying to try but always been too afraid?

A Little Motivation

I got to speak with some lovely ladies last night (shout out to my 20/20 ladies!).  We had a great time talking about all the good, the bad, and the ugly about weight loss and weight maintenance.  We even discussed which plastic surgeons are the best to help with “the ugly!”

I was thrilled with the opportunity to share everything I’ve learned—and everything I am still learning!

One of the stories I shared seemed to hit home with many of us last night, and I wanted to share with Blog Land!  It was a moment that I found extremely motivating when I was coming toward the end of my weight loss.  It’s a great perspective on those moments when you make not-so-great decisions or those mornings you get up, step on the scale, and want to freak out over the number you see.

I was in my Body Attack class (hells yeah, Monday nights at the Redmond Gold’s!).  It was toward the end of class so I’m sweating my butt off, and I’m pushing myself hard.  Our normal instructor often challenges us to consider why we’re truly there: “Are you here to get healthy?  To get fit?  Do you just want a great butt?” she’ll yell to us when we must look like we need some motivation.  Of course my snarky brain was all, “I’m here to work off that cupcake I decided to eat at lunch today!”  But then my brain kept going, “I’m killing the calories that I decided to eat today…  And not calories that I ate over 10 years of unhealthy eating.”

It was such a revolutionary thought to me!  I was working off the decisions I made that day.  My past decisions and their consequences were gone!  Every day was a choice: I could choose to do nothing about the decisions I make, or I could choose to drag my butt to Body Attack and pay up!  It was like a huge weight lifted from me (pun intended!); I felt like people who struggle with financial debt must feel when they’re in the black for the first time.

So when you’re beating yourself up for a slip up or for that extra couple pounds on the scale, remember that it’s not the end of your world.  This is not the biggest catastrophe that could happen to you!  Pick yourself up, pin point where you went wrong, and fix it.  It’s in your power to change your own life.

Fitness in the Park

I’m taking a break from our usual fare to inform all my local friends about a very exciting event! Gold’s Gym (in Redmond, WA) is hosting Fitness in the Park. On Sunday, September 26 at 10 o’clock in the morning, we’re going to be at Marymoor Park sweating our butts off for charity.

Gold’s is raising money for the Foundation for Community Betterment by offering a sampler of their Gold’s Group Exercise classes (people, I lost 95 pounds doing these classes!), a fitness boot camp and some other fun outdoor goings on!

Suggested donations to register are $20, but those people with large wallets and deep hearts will certainly not be turned away from a greater donation. Check out their site for more details.

Get there early to sign up! I can’t wait—see you on the 26th!

Pump It Up!

In recovering from my previously mentioned surgery, I lost some serious muscle mass. I used to have thighs of steel (they were seriously dreamy), but my thighs and other cute body parts were getting pretty flabby by the time I made it back to the gym.

I'm normally a BODY ATTACK kind of girl, but I decided to try out BODY PUMP at Gold’s. It’s an hour long strength training class (and it’s my new addiction). I think some serious strength training has helped me get back into the game much faster than I might have with it. It only took me about a week or two to get back to my regular work out, and I think it’ll only be another week or so before I’m pushing myself as hard as I used to.

Strength training in general is pretty important to your regular workout. This nifty article from the Mayo Clinic goes into depth on the importance of strength training, but here are my favorite reasons:

· Fight Osteoporosis – Your bones are densest where your muscles attach to the bone. When you regularly stress your muscles (and therefore stress your bones), your body adds density to your bones where you need it most. What does this mean? Women with nice strong guns also have nice strong bones.

· Weight Control – This one everyone probably already knows (but doesn’t do anything about). The more muscle your body has, the more efficiently it burns calories.

Strength training reduces your risk to injuries, gives you stamina, produces a fantastic looking butt, as well as other benefits. So grab a 5-pounder and start pumping some iron today! Or, find a BODY PUMP class near you.

Birthday Attack!

In February, I began thinking about what I would like to do for my birthday (I like lots of time to plan). I thought to myself, “The one thing I would love to do is my Body Attack class. And wouldn’t it be fun if all my friends were there!” I started working with Gold’s Gym and they very generously agreed to work with me. They offered a special time for the class on Saturday and I got to invite all of my friends!

Saturday was the big day and it was fantastic! Gold’s went above and beyond of what I had expected or asked! My favorite teachers did all the planning (pic to the right: Ryan, Jenna and Vicki), and they made my 29th birthday the best one I’ve had yet. And all my friends—who were very suspicious that I was making them exercise on my birthday—had fun and burnt some calories too!

Body Attack + My Birthday = Birthday Attack!

Then we were back at the house for some BBQ! It was the most guilt-free BBQ my friends will be at all year. We had burgers and chicken sausages, fresh veggies, soy crisps (for something a little munchy) and fruit salad. Of course there were cupcakes, but you didn’t have to feel guilty about having one since we had just burnt between 500-800 calories at class.

Best birthday ever!

Man, how am I going to have my 30th top this?

Monday Night Body Attack!

I just got back from my typical Monday night: BODY ATTACK at the Redmond Gold’s Gym! I can’t even tell you how inspiring and motivating being a part of this class—no, this community—has been for me as I lost weight, and now as I keep it off.

BODY ATTACK is a high impact, sports-inspired aerobic workout (not too dance-y for the uncoordinated me). I love the workout, and it’s the highlight of the beginning of my week. The teachers motivate and encourage me every week (holla’ Vicky, Julie, Ryan and Jenna!). And my classmates are amazing—I stood toward the back today (I don’t often), and some of my classmates have fantastic looking butts (very motivating)!

Even if this doesn’t quite sound like your cup of tea, I recommend getting yourself involved in an exercise community of some kind. When you love what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with, you’re far more likely to keep it up long term.