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#1 Reason to go to the Gym

January 27, 2011 By kbuchanan 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

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: exercise, Fitness, health, just do it, workout

How to stay Healthy while Traveling

October 12, 2010 By kbuchanan 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

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: eating well, exercise, Fitness, health

Ashtanga Yoga class

May 24, 2010 By kbuchanan 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

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: ashtanga yoga, exercise, Fitness, health, yoga

What is your New Year’s Resolution?

January 6, 2010 By kbuchanan 1 Comment

We are well into the first week of 2010. On my first day back at work I heard so many people (mostly women) talking about “being good” in the new year. They were referring to their eating habits, in case it wasn’t obvious

I have to admit after my overly indulgent Christmas celebrations, I feel the same. I think it is natural though, simply because you probably have been going to more social activities, getting less sleep, possibly stressing about buying presents or about travel plans, etc. All of these things invite more lenient or excessive eating habits and more drinking.

I am not saying there is anything wrong with this – it is a really fun time of year for many people. I certainly enjoyed it! But, it can leave you feeling sluggish and unmotivated.

So, what is your New Year’s Resolution? If it has to do with diet, nutrition, fitness, or just general health, you are certainly not alone.

I have made a commitment to get back into a more regular fitness program…despite the freezing weather. I did a 10k back in October and then haven’t done much since then. I mean I’ve done a bit of running, a few weight sessions, and had some gym time, but nothing very consistent. Now is the time to get back into it.

If your resolution is not fitness or health related, that’s fine too. There are lots of things that are good to commit to in the new year. Whatever it is, stick with it! Don’t be a statistic – one of the people who keeps their resolution for 2 or 3 weeks and then gives up.

And I would love to hear your resolutions if you’re willing to share!

To your health,

Kimberly

Filed Under: Wellness Tagged With: Diet, Fitness, new year's resolution

Why you should worry about excess belly fat

January 3, 2010 By kbuchanan 2 Comments

Happy New Year All!

I hope you enjoyed the holiday season and got to spend some time with family and friends, relaxing, enjoying yourself…maybe eating a bit too much? Yep, me too. Now is the time to get back to your pre-Christmas weight, or maybe even lighter.

I’ve talked about the dangers of excess belly fat before, but I recently saw the article copied below written by Mike Geary, a personal trainer and nutritionist who specialises in loss of abdominal fat. It is certainly worth reading. Enjoy.

To your health,

Kimberly

The Hidden Dangers of Your Excess Abdominal Fat – It’s More Serious Than a Vanity Issue!

by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer

Did you know that the vast majority of people in this day and age have excess abdominal fat? The first thing that most people think of is that their extra abdominal fat is simply ugly, is covering up their abs from being visible, and makes them self conscious about showing off their body.

However, what most people don’t realize is that excess abdominal fat in particular, is not only ugly, but is also a dangerous risk factor to your health. Scientific research has clearly demonstrated that although it is unhealthy in general to have excess body fat throughout your body, it is also particularly dangerous to have excess abdominal fat.

There are two types of fat that you have in your abdominal area. The first type that covers up your abs from being visible is called subcutaneous fat and lies directly beneath the skin and on top of the abdominal muscles.

The second type of fat that you have in your abdominal area is called visceral fat, and that lies deeper in the abdomen beneath your muscle and surrounding your organs. Visceral fat also plays a role in giving certain men that “beer belly” appearance where their abdomen protrudes excessively but at the same time, also feels sort of hard if you push on it.

Both subcutaneous fat and visceral fat in the abdominal area are serious health risk factors, but science has shown that having excessive visceral fat is even more dangerous than subcutaneous fat. Both of them greatly increase your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, various forms of cancer, and other degenerative diseases.

Part of the reason visceral fat is particularly dangerous is that it apparently releases more inflammatory molecules into your body on a consistent basis.

If you care about the quality of your life and your loved ones, reducing your abdominal fat should be one of your TOP priorities! There’s just no way around it. Besides, a side-effect of finally getting rid of all of that excessive ugly abdominal fat is that your stomach will flatten out, and if you lose enough stomach fat, you will be able to visibly see those sexy six pack abs that everyone wants.

So what gets rid of extra abdominal fat? Is there actually a REAL solution beyond all of the gimmicks and hype that you see in ads and on commercials for “miracle” fat loss products?

The first thing you must understand is that there is absolutely NO quick fix solution. There are no pills or supplements of any sort that will help you lose your abdominal fat faster. Also, none of the gimmicky ab rockers, rollers, or ab belts will help get rid of abdominal fat either. You can’t spot reduce your stomach fat by using any of these worthless contraptions. It simply doesn’t work that way.

The ONLY solution to consistently lose your abdominal fat and keep it off for good is to combine a sound nutritious diet full of unprocessed natural foods with a properly designed strategic exercise program that stimulates the necessary hormonal and metabolic response within your body. Both your food intake as well as your training program are important if you are to get this right.

I’ve actually even seen a particular study that divided thousands of participants into a diet-only group and an exercise/diet group. While both groups in this study made good progress, the diet-only group lost significantly LESS abdominal fat than the diet & exercise combined group. Now the important thing to realize is that just any old exercise program will not necessarily do the trick. The majority of people that attempt getting into a good exercise routine are NOT working out effectively enough to really stimulate the loss of stubborn abdominal fat. I see this everyday at the gym.

Most people will do your typical boring ineffective cardio routines, throw in a little outdated body-part style weight training, and pump away with some crunches and side bends, and think that they are doing something useful for reducing their abdominal fat. Then they become frustrated after weeks or months of no results and wonder where they went wrong.

Well, the good news is that I’ve spent over a decade researching this topic, analyzing the science, and applying it “in the trenches” with myself as well as thousands of my clients from all over the world to see what works to really stimulate abdominal fat loss.

The entire solution… all of the nutritional strategies, as well as training sequences, exercise combinations, and more have all been compiled in my Truth About Six Pack Abs Program.

Keep in mind that the point of this whole program is NOT abdominal exercises (that is only a very small portion of it). The main point of this program is showing you the absolute most effective strategies for losing your stubborn abdominal fat, so you can get rid of that dangerous health risk, as well as get a flatter more defined midsection.

If you follow the guidelines, you WILL lose your belly fat that has been plaguing you for years. This is not guesswork… it is a proven system that works time and time again for all of my clients on every corner of the globe that actually apply the information I teach. If you apply it, the results will come. It’s really that simple.

The only reason most people fail in their fitness goals is that they have good intentions at first to adopt a new lifestyle, yet after a few weeks or months, they abandon their good intentions and slip right back into their old bad habits that gave them the excess body fat in the first place.

I want to help you succeed in finally getting rid of that extra abdominal fat that is not only UGLY, but also DANGEROUS.

Don’t waste another day allowing that nasty abdominal fat to kill your confidence as well as contribute to your risk for MAJOR diseases.

Get the solution to rid yourself for life of this problem at…

http://www.truthaboutabs.com/

Train hard, eat right, and enjoy life!

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Author – The Truth about Six Pack Abs

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: abs, belly fat, Fitness, weight loss

Get in shape…for free.

April 2, 2009 By kbuchanan 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

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: exercise, Fitness, gardening

Bikram yoga – get your sweat on

March 23, 2009 By kbuchanan 1 Comment

Hi everyone,

A good friend of mine recently told me about her new love for Bikram Yoga.

Have you heard of it? Well, it is claimed to be the fastest growing form of Yoga in the world. It was developed by a gentleman named Bikram Choudhury who was a yoga practioner from a very young age. It usually last 90 minutes and is done in a room with 40% humidity and about 40C (just over 100F.) Yeah, just like a sauna! Hence the reason for the title of my post. If you want to get your sweat on, this is it.

Why the heat? The heat causes you to sweat so much that toxins are able to get out of your body. It is part of the rejuvenation process. The heat also forces you to use more lung capacity than normal. Humans only use about 50% of our lung capacity on a day to day basis, according to Bikram. And lastly, the heat combined with the positions/exercises get your circulation working better than without the heat.

Can you try it? Bikram yoga is supposed to be okay for all levels of fitness, so why not? Just don’t forget a towel…or maybe several!

Here’s to your health.

Kimberly

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: bikram yoga, Fitness, yoga

Resistance bands – do they work?

March 4, 2009 By kbuchanan 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.

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

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: exercise, Fitness, resistance bands, weights