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#1 Reason to go to the Gym

January 27, 2011 By 2 Comments

Recently, due to my work schedule, I’ve been hitting the gym (or jogging) in the mornings, rather than after work like I used to.

It was pretty hard the first couple of days, just because it was early!!  There have even been a couple of times that I’ve hit the snooze button and not gone…we’re all human :)

However, I was thinking about this the other morning when my alarm went off and my head was having a wrestling match with either getting up or sleeping for a little bit longer:  On the mornings that I got up and did my exercise, did I ever regret my decision?  NO WAY.  On the mornings that I slept in, did I ever regret my decision?  YES WAY.

Based on these answers, it only makes sense to get up and do the exercise, even if I’m feeling like a snooze would be better.  I’m sure the same applies to most people out there, even if it’s not a first-thing-in-the-morning decision, but maybe a lunch time or evening workout.  If you’ve said you’re going to exercise, just do it!  (The Nike slogan totally makes sense now.)

I’m saying that the #1 reason to get to the gym (or go for a bike ride, jog, etc) is because it makes you feel great about yourself.  It gets your blood flowing, your metabolism up, and clears your mind for whatever else the day has to offer you.   Who knows, it might be the best 30/60/90 minutes of your day.

To your health,

Kimberly

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Getting in Shape in San Diego

November 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Active in San Diego

I’ve been back in San Diego now for about three weeks.  The sun has been shining (most days), the ocean glistening, and the coffee flowing!  (I forgot how obsessed America is with coffee – it is in demand at all hours of the day – in really big cups. I even saw a personal trainer with a huge mug, drinking it while he was training someone.)

I’ve been hitting the gym, going for walks and jogs, or at least doing something active everyday.  You know what I’ve noticed?  A lot of people are in GREAT shape.  Men and women alike, people are seriously in shape here.  There are people jogging everywhere.  People in the gym are doing crazy amounts of exercise.  People are working up a proper sweat while working out.

I know America has this image of being really fat, but that is definitely a geographical thing.  San Diego still has overweight people and lots of unhealthy food to eat, but it also have a great choice of organic products, specialty grocery stores, foods suitable for different food allergies, and lots of active people.

Anyway, my whole point is that I have a new found motivation for working out.  I hate to admit that my attitude to working out was a lot lazier in the UK, but it was.  It’s time to get more serious again.

Peer influence

It’s actually amazing how much peer influence encourages you to follow through with things.  This applies both to good habits and bad habits.  I’ve blogged about this before, but I’ll repeat myself.  If you surround yourself with people who are into healthy, natural eating and who like to be active, work out, cycle, etc you are more likely to do the same.  If you surround yourself with people who eat fast food/junk food a lot and don’t get any exercise, you are also more likely to do the same.  (I know these are the two extremes, but I’m just trying to show a point.)

If you have fitness goals, natural weight loss goals, or other health goals, it’s a good idea to get at least a few people in your friend circle who have similar goals, or will at least support you as you work toward your goals.

Now that I’m back in a place where being active is more common and where being serious about exercise is more common, I’m motivated to be the same!

Off to the gym… :)

To your health,

Kimberly

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How to stay Healthy while Traveling

October 12, 2010 By 1 Comment

I know it has been a few weeks, but here is my “Real Life Story” #3 – thanks a million to my friend Courtney Ford for allowing me to put this on my blog.  I really enjoyed reading it and anyone can learn a thing or two from Courtney.  She is so disciplined with eating and fitness, but still has a really great time in life!

Enjoying the Balancing Act – Eating well while traveling

I’d like to think my two passions in life are conflicting and that I have it particularly hard. You see, I am an athlete (well ex-athlete and current avid worker-outer) who is pretty passionate about eating whole and well. But I am also a travel and culture junkie. And this means that I must eat, drink and experience local specialties till my heart’s content.

I am joking about having it hard. In truth it’s not hard at all – but it does require some thinking.

I have had an exceptional year that has taken me traveling through many countries and cultures. At the same time I trained for and completed my first half marathon, at under 2 hours, and plan to run another. While at times this balance can be a challenge, I have a routine down. This routine I picked up while traveling for work and not wanting to fall out of shape despite my busy schedule.

I will say that I don’t believe you should sacrifice the joys of ‘experiencing’ for the sake of health and fitness. These are not clashing things – they often can live quite harmoniously side-by-side. Here are my tips to balancing yourself while on the road.

Firstly and very simply – “all things in moderation”. Just because you’re in the land of chocolate or brie doesn’t mean you have to eat it by the kilo.

Here are a couple other every day tips for you on the road;

* Bring snacks – my purse may weigh 10 lbs more because of the usual banana or apple and bag of nuts I keep on hand but its worth it

* Carry water! And drink it – lots of it.

* Eat a big breakfast – you’ll see you have more energy from the get go

* Bring workout clothes (1-2 pairs and wash on long trips) – I always enjoy first noticing where the locals are running and then joining in. Or in places like Copenhagen or Amsterdam, rent a bike and join in with the masses

* Pack a resistance band in your luggage and if need be a workout plan on paper with hotel room exercises like sit ups, wall squats, lunges…etc. (see sample workout below)

* Plan for AM workouts – you’ll find yourself cutting back on ‘indulgences’ the night before

* If possible, avoid public transportation and just walk

* Take the stairs

* But remember to enjoy! Experience what your new location has to offer, even if its alcohol filled or cream laden. There is a major difference between tasting and gorging. Being in great shape doesn’t mean you have to suffer.

I have found this workout and often like to follow it when on the road because I don’t need anything but myself. P.S. Don’t be alarmed by this girl’s body! After a few times doing this rough workout, you’ll look like this too.

On the road Workout

1. Half burpees with calf raises – 60 reps

2. One leg raised push-ups – 30 reps each leg

3. Jump lunges – 60 reps

4. One leg dead lifts – 30 reps each leg

5. Crunches with leg extensions – 60 reps

6. Prisoner squats with forward kick – 30 reps each leg

7. One leg raised tricep dips – 30 reps each leg

8. One leg jump knees – 30 reps each leg

9. Chest lifts (hyper extensions) – 60 reps

10. Over the chair leg lifts (in and out) – 30 reps each leg

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWgPldBACa0

Happy healthy travels to you!

Courtney is currently living in Madrid while her husband gets his MBA.  She and two business partners have a fantastic site for anyone wanting information about Madrid.  Check it out here: http://guiriguidetomadrid.com/.

Thanks again for your contribution Courtney.

To your health,

Kimberly

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Ashtanga Yoga class

May 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I tried a yoga class for the first time about a week ago.  Wow – what a workout!  It was Ashtanga Yoga, which is a type of yoga that synchronizes the breath with a progressive series of postures. (That’s about the extent of my knowledge now, but check out this site for a bit more info.)

Anyway, the class was a great workout.  It was an hour and a quarter, but I was already feeling the burn after ten minutes.  I honestly was surprised at the difficulty of it.  I do a fair bit of exercise normally, but nothing like yoga.  I had decided I didn’t need to take a towel with me (you know…for sweat!), but I wish I had.

Once I got a little bit more stretched out, things got easier, but the various poses were all challenging.  Because it was my first time, I struggled with having the right posture, having my toes/hands pointing in the right direction, AND breathing.  My teacher assured me that it gets easier though!

For the last 5 minutes of the class, we did a position called Dead Man (or something very similar to that?) where we just laid on our mats with our limbs totally limp – it was so relaxing after our hard work.

For the next few days, I felt muscles I didn’t know I had.  My buns were definitely sore and various muscles around my upper back.  So, clearly my body was working in ways it wasn’t used to, which I was extremely pleased about.  Yoga seems like a great addition to my workout routine.   And the teacher also said that there are always ways to make yoga harder for yourself, as you progress, so you won’t ever plateau or get bored.

Have you tried yoga?  I’d love to hear about your experiences.

To your health

Kimberly

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An Easy Way to increase your Weight Loss and Improve your Health

February 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Quick and Easy

Nowadays a LOT of people are looking for the quick, easy way to lose weight.  Every month, there is a new pill, celebrity diet, or other fad idea to help you get rid of your excess pounds.  Why is it that so many people (in many countries, not just the USA) are still overweight?  Well, these fads are not the solution for long-term weight loss and health.

Surround yourself with the Right people

One easy step you can take to start your healthy, natural weight and fat loss is by surrounding yourself with people who also want to live a healthy lifestyle.  It is totally free!  And natural!

When you hang out with people who like to be active, and people who have healthy eating habits, it is SO much easier to also have those habits.  The peer “influence” in this case is a really positive thing.   When you end up going to friends houses for dinner, or entertaining people in your own home, you can be more confident that the food choices will be in line with what you like to put in your mouth and that the people coming to see you will be happy with the healthy things you are making for them.

Additionally, when you say you’re going to go to the gym after work, or go for a jog on the weekend, your friends or colleagues will support you in that.  They won’t try to steer you away from that because they understand the importance of exercise.

It is incredible what peer influence does to a person.  We always think about it in terms of teenagers and smoking, drugs, drinking, or cutting classes.  We often talk about kids and whether or not they are hanging with the “wrong crowd.”  But, that mentality is much less often applied to adults.

But, that doesn’t mean that peer pressure ends when you become an adult.  And health and wellness is a perfect example of this.

How to do this

If you already have lots of friends and family around you who have healthy lifestyle habits, then great.  Let those people help influence the way you’re living your life.  If they invite you to go for a hike, bike ride, jog, or tennis game, say yes.  It is fun socially and also great for your health.

If you don’t already have people around you with good eating or exercise habits, then you need to do something about it.  I’m not saying you should disown your current friends and family, but just try to meet some new people.  There are lots of clubs out there for joggers, walkers, hikers, or just about anything fitness related.  There are also group exercise classes at gyms.  You can start attending something like that and meet new people that way.

Try to find a healthy cooking club somewhere in your area.  That is also a fun way to meet new people with similar values.  Or you can always just find an online forum about health and weight loss.  This isn’t as effective as being with people face to face, but it’s a good first step.

Another really important thing to do is to talk to your current friends and family who don’t share your same desires to be healthy.  Let them know that you would like their help and support in being a healthy person.   Let them know that your goals are important to you.  If they are true friends, they should respect that. Maybe some of them will even join you :)

Peer influence will always be a part of life, so why not make it a positive influence?  Something to help you meet your weight loss and fitness goals.

To your health,

Kimberly

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Why NOT to Skimp on your Hiking Gear

February 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

For anyone out there who does a lot of walking, hiking, camping, or any other outdoor activities, you probably will laugh when you read this post, but for all the other people out there, who, like me, just take up these kinds of things once in awhile, read on…

Lake District

This article’s concept comes from my first hand experience doing some walking in the UK last year.  I am a California girl truly, but have been living in England for over 5 years now.  Everyone had said what a beautiful place the Lake District was, so my husband and I ventured up there last autumn.  Outdoor stuff is such a great way to get some exercise.

Now, just to set the scene, I’m not a girly girl, but I’m also not a regular outdoorsy person.  Or at least, I’m not an “I can deal with any kind of weather” kind of person.  Remember, I grew up in southern California – I’ve been spoiled with year round mild temperatures, little rain, etc.  So, I’ve done some camping, hiking, and rock climbing while growing up, but it was almost always sunny, warm conditions.

Needless to say, the UK’s climate is much different to what I’m used to.

Before we did any walking in the Lake District, my husband (who is English, and ex-Army, so knows about being prepared) insisted that I get some waterproof clothing, some appropriate walking boots, and even a waterproof cover for my daypack.  I thought he was being ridiculous, but he wouldn’t let us go anywhere without these things!

My Bad Choice

Anyway, I had already purchased a waterproof jacket and boots in the end of summer sales, so I was content with those.  But, then I had to look for some waterproof trousers.  As I hate spending money on things like this (which I know I will only use a couple of times each year) I scrounged around for a bargain.  Eventually I found this pair of waterproofs for £10 that were 100% polyester.  I thought this was a great find and didn’t hesitate buying them!

Moving onto the use of these trousers – the first day we didn’t do a very high peak, so all the clothing was fine.  But, when day two came around and we did a much higher, much steeper peak, things went wrong.

The Problem

Once we got to the second highest park of the walk, the fog came in really quickly, it started raining, and the wind was so strong that I literally went down on all fours because I felt like I was going to be blown away.  (Not my normal California weather!)  The problem with the trousers was not that they weren’t waterproof, but that they weren’t breathable.

What I mean by this is that my body heat and sweat were being held in by the waterproofs.  So, my cotton trousers underneath the waterproof trousers were totally drenched.  When you add this to the already cold and windy conditions, I was in bad shape.  My body just couldn’t get warm and my clothes felt so uncomfortable.  But, what do you do at the top of a mountain?  You have to just grin and bear it..and get yourself down to the bottom.

The Moral

Clearly I survived the experience, but if I had to do it over, I would have bought different pants!  That £10 I spent was a total waste, as I will never use those again.  If you require waterproof clothing for something you’re planning, don’t make the same mistake that I made – don’t skimp on your gear.

Spend a little bit more and get something that will actually benefit you if the weather is different than what you anticipated.  Many good quality hiking clothes are made of a special nylon that is quiet, so as not to annoy you (or wildlife) all day long.  Nylon dries quickly and is lightweight.

Gore-Tex products are also a good buy.  They have been innovators in the “outdoor gear” industry since the 1970′s.   In fact, their website states that their mantra is dry=comfortable.  I can verify the truth in that statement now that I’ve had my bad experience :)

Check out a few options here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Unisex-Waterproof-Breathable-Trousers-XSmall/dp/B000VDNIZU/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=sports&qid=1265539334&sr=1-16#moreAboutThisProduct

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Berghaus-Deluge-Waterproof-Overtrouser-Medium/dp/B000PCVE30/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=sports&qid=1265539622&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Berghaus-Mens-Goretex-Paclite-Pants/dp/B000PCW8PI/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=sports&qid=1265539522&sr=1-15

To your health (and staying dry!),

Kimberly

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Sale on Resistance Bands!

December 6, 2009 By 1 Comment

You may or may not remember, but earlier this year I did a post about resistance bands.  Well, if you haven’t yet purchased any, now could be a good time.  Amazon are having a big sale on many of their resistance bands right now.

Whether they are for you or for a friend/family member for Christmas, you don’t want to miss out on the savings!

See my original post here and there is a link to one of the resistance band packages that are on sale.

Enjoy!

Kimberly

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How to get Motivated to Exercise

November 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Hi all,

I know what it is like to tell yourself everyday that today is going to be the day that you start your new fitness regime.  I think most people have said that to themselves at least once…probably many times.

So, how do you get that extra bit of motivation to actually get going?

I suggest signing up for an organised run.  That can be a 5k if you’re only a beginner, or maybe a 10k if you already have some level of fitness under your belt.  By paying to participate in a run, you have a firm date that you work towards.  You know that the event is, say, 4 weeks away.  You make a plan for the weeks leading up to the event and keep to it.  When setting goals for yourself (including exercise), putting a date on the goal makes it so much more likely that you will achieve that goal.

And sign up for the event with a good friend.  They can be your training buddy and you can support each other in the process!

If you’ve never done an organised run, you might find that you actually love it!  On my first 5k a few years ago, I found that it gave me a complete buzz to run the distance with so many other people.  It really pushes you to do your best and it makes you look forward to signing up for the next event.

My most recent run was the Herts 10K.  It was my first year doing it.  I actually completed it 5 minutes faster than I had ever done a 10K previously and I put that entirely down to running along side so many other people.

Finally, let’s not forget that these events give you a great opportunity to raise money for a worthy cause.  Choose a charity that you are passionate about and see what events they are involved with.  You will feel great and the charity will appreciate whatever you can raise in sponsorship money.

To your health,

Kimberly

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Get in shape…for free.

April 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

If I asked you what you could do for exercise that didn’t cost you anything, didn’t make you leave the house, and didn’t make you learn any crazy positions or dance moves, what would you think?  I’m sure some of you could guess right, but in case you didn’t think of it, I’m talking about….gardening!

Yes, that’s right.  Gardening in your own back yard.  It is fantastic for your heart and for your soul.  I have read a statistic saying that an hour of gardening is similar to walking a brisk 5k.  And I should add that the gardening will work more muscles than just walking, so you will get stronger!

If you’ve never gardened before, I would suggest doing just an hour the first time.  I would also recommend doing some exercises (such as hand strengthening) to get yourself ready.  Now, that probably sounds crazy – “training” to do gardening?  Hmm…  If you think I’m joking, go do some gardening and see how you feel the next day.  It is hard work!

Another benefit of gardening is that it keeps your body flexible.  Being on your knees while digging in the soil, or bending your back while using a rake are both great for keeping you nimble.

And just think of the satisfaction!  Working to make your own home a more beautiful place is extremely satisfying.  It is a brilliant way to reduce stress too.

Ready for the icing on the cake?  You can grow your own produce – fresh, scrumptious fruits and vegetables!  That is the ultimate satisfaction.

Give it a try!  Just don’t forget to wear a hat and some decent sun screen.

Kimberly

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Resistance bands – do they work?

March 4, 2009 By 1 Comment

Hi all,

I wanted to do a quick post about resistance bands because I recently tried them for the first time. I realise they have been around for awhile, but I’ve just never thought about using them.resistance-bands

Then I heard a personal trainer talking about how much he swears by them with his clients…well, if he uses them, I thought surely there must be something good about them.

For anyone who doesn’t know what I’m talking about, resistance bands are rubber type bands that usually have a handle on each end. They might come in various colors to signify different resistance levels.  You use them similarly to how you use free weights but they don’t actually weigh much. You simply use your body’s own resistance to get a workout.

Anyway, moving on to my experience: I used the easiest resistance level and did a twenty minute dvd workout that came with the bands. It was a workout!! My muscles didn’t feel quite as tired as they do when I use free weights or machines but I could feel the calories burning and got a good little cardio session. I did have some soreness the next day, which meant it worked and was using my muscles in different ways than I normally use them.

It was actually really enjoyable and I would highly recommend it for people who have never done weight training before or for those who are stuck in a rut with their current workout regime.

Resistance bands are supposed to be better because of the way they work your body. You end up using more muscles by having to balance yourself rather than isolating just one muscle (e.g. bicep.) This is similar to the benefit that using a resistance ball gives you.

Give it a try! Check these out.

And I’m always happy to hear what you think.

To your health,
Kimberly

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