There's a Fitness Streak in Progress

I'm half way through 30 days of fitness. Yay me! I decided on this streak as a kickoff 

after several months of not being able to. It feels great to exercise at high intensity levels without any risks again.

The last 16 days haven't been easy. I've pushed myself to exercise especially on the days I just wanted to rest. I'm thankful those days haven't been many. Since it's my intention to workout for 30 days without a day off, my goal is to do at least 20 minutes. So far, I've worked out for an hour or more on my good workout days and 30 minutes on the days I didn't feel like it. 

I have to remember that it's not easy and I have to take it one day at a time. It helps to plan my exercises for the week. It's nice to know what I'm going to do everyday and I can make changes if necessary. 

Besides jumpstarting the fitness part of my life, I'm doing this for my health. It's not about fitting into a particular size but about my heart health, muscular strength, flexibility and low body fat. To achieve this, I'm alternating cardiovascular and strength training exercises. I've been doing interval or circuit training at home with or without weights. I've been taking cycle, Zumba and Body Pump classes at my local gym to change my home workout routine.

A fitness streak isn't for everyone but if it's something you want to try, give it a shot and you'll be surprised on what your body can do. Just make sure you do a variety of exercises so that you don't get bored. Be safe and here's to your health.

Again, I Can Exercise. Hooray!

Google images

I can't believe it's been six months since I wrote on this blog. I had a few medical issues and I just didn't feel motivated to write. Getting better became my focus.

In November 2013, I had a routine surgery with a predicted two weeks recovery time. I was excited that I would be back on my feet in no time teaching, exercising and just living my normal life. Wrong! A two week recovery period turned into nearly five months due to medical complications from the surgery.

Not only did I have complications, I was told I couldn't do any strenuous activities. I could walk but not too fast. I couldn't break a sweat and my weight limit was 10 pounds. For strength training, I did modified body weight exercises. For instance, I did wall push-ups. Sadly, I had to stop teaching my classes at the local fitness facility. Not teaching my classes as well as not working out hard took some getting use to.

Am I ready to get back into my exercise and teaching lifestyle? Yes! I got my medical clearance to resume strenuous activities and I'm excited. I've slowly increased the intensity of my exercises and I look forward to getting stronger. I look forward to running especially since I want to run a 10K or half marathon this year.  

In addition to working out, I look forward to teaching a strength training class in April. I enjoy teaching group fitness classes and interacting with the clients. My goal is the teach more classes as well.

Expected and unexpected things can keep you from exercising. Once you're back on your feet, you can slowly get back into it one workout at a time. Here's to your health!  

Thirty-One Days of Fitness

Fitbie Facebook Page

I decided to workout every day this month for at least 20 minutes. I just didn't expect it to coincide with the government shutdown. As the nation counts the number of seconds, minutes, hours, and days the government has been shutdown, I've been counting my 31 days of fitness. I'm half way through.

What inspired me? A pending medical procedure. It will have me out of commission for a few weeks and I want to make sure I exercise as much as I can before the procedure. Working out everyday will help tone my muscles more, increase my endurance and may be shed a few inches or weight.

I'm having fun doing a variety of exercises. Besides teaching my group fitness classes four times a week, I run outside or on the treadmill, take indoor cycling classes, Latin dancing, body weight exercises, or kickboxing. I do about an hour of aerobics or circuit training. I do about 20 minutes of strength training which machines, free weights, and body weight exercises such as squats and push-ups. I always stretch.

Even though I'm working out everyday this month, I work out 4 - 5 days a week religiously. Well, unless I'm under the weather. I enjoy exercising and it's a life style. Here's to your health!

Fitness Inspiration

Celebrities and athletes inspire some of us in a variety of ways. A few people such as Jillian Michaels, First Lady Michelle Obama, Dara Torres, and Diana Nyad inspire me to be better in my fitness life. As a group fitness instructor, the participants in my classes inspire me the most.

Not long ago, after teaching my water aerobics class, I struck up a conversation with one of the students. She shared with me that due to her weight, obesity induced diseases and a car accident, she was in a wheel chair for six years. She couldn't stand on her own two legs to walk! The wheel chair was her only way of getting around all those years.

After loosing weight due to a medical intervention, she's been able to walk since early this year. She's making healthy food choices and is exercising. She enjoys working out and wishes she'd done it sooner.

Exercise and weight loss takes a great deal of work and dedication at 120 pounds or 500 pounds. On the days that I don't feel like working out, I think about this lady, grab my shoes, and get moving.

As long as you're medically cleared to exercise, do at least 30 minutes of aerobics three times or more a week. You can even do 20 minutes and build up from there. Also include strength training with machines, free weights or body weight exercises such as push-ups, squats, or mountain climbers. Find your inspiration to exercise and here's to your health.

Exercise Will Get You Out of a Funk

Google Images

I always exercise with my over all health in mind but never think it'll help lift me out of a funk. I know that exercise is a stress reliever but it's not on my mind or the reason why I workout. I just think it's good for me. Earlier this week, I was feeling blah and I had a choice to make; sit idle, lay in bed, eat mindlessly or exercise.

I chose to get moving to help burn of what I was feeling. I laced up my running shoes and went for a four mile run. Emotionally, I felt fantastic at the end. According to the Mayo Clinic, physical activity increases endorphins in the brain and increases self confidence and lowers symptoms of mild depression. Endorphins are chemicals released in the brain and they help deal with pain or stress.

I can definitely say that my brains released endorphins to help get me out of my funk. I do a variety of exercises ranging from Zumba, indoor cycling, running, or use an exercise equipment such as an elliptical. I usually exercise for about an hour doing aerobic and strength training exercises. But physical activity for even 10 minutes will make a difference.

As a group fitness instructor, I encourage my students to exercise even when they don't feel like it. I'll share my experience of the benefit of physical activity reducing stress with them. Here's to your health and reducing stress.

CRAVINGS: Everyone Has Them

Google images

I'm a strong believer in giving into your cravings. I usually have strong cravings for something sweet such as Cold Stone Creamery, delicious moist brownies, something spicy (Habanero spicy) or a nice juicy steak. Most of the time, I don't satisfy my cravings immediately. I wait it out hoping it goes away. Not. So, I'm a believer in giving into my cravings but I wait it out.

On the Fourth of July, I had cravings for brownies but there were none at the neighborhood gathering. The craving was so strong that, the burgers looked like brownies. Hilarious!

According to WebMd, nearly 100% of young women and nearly 70% of young men have food cravings. When we're stressed or anxious, the cravings are high. I've never thought of my cravings being related to my emotional state. I've associated them with my hormones. I found it interesting to read that we usually crave things that are fatty, sugary, or both. Well, if I look back at the foods I crave, they sure are high in fat and or  sugar.

WebMd recommends eating low calorie foods to satisfy the urges. For instance, a delicious low calorie brownie will be enough to curb the craving. As for me, I made the brownie's but I didn't select a low calorie recipe but next time, I'll consider that.

I'm a happy camper and I no longer have my brownie cravings. I'm glad I don't constantly have these urges. I'm also glad that I workout nearly everyday to help burn of the high fat and sugar calories. Almost every one has cravings and it's okay. Here's to your health and to our cravings.

Fit Streak Complete

In May, my goal was to workout everyday of the month and I accomplished it. I followed Fitbie's FitStreak challenge and worked out for at least 20 minutes daily.

The first 10 days were easy but day 11 was challenging. I wanted to take a day off but I was motivated by my goal to push through the goal. On that day, I decided to workout for only 20 minutes but exercised for 40 minutes. Starting a workout is the hardest but once the body is warmed up and endorphins kick in, you can go longer.

Although the goal was to exercise for at least 20 minutes, I worked out over 40 minutes almost everyday. I did a variety of exercises such as Wii Zumba, interval training, indoor cycling, Jillian Michaels' (30-day Shred Level 1 and Six Weeks Six-Pak Ab Workout) and strength training. I did these exercises on my own time in addition to teaching my group fitness classes four times a week. One of my favorite was interval training using Greatist' 30-Minute, No Gym Bodyweight Workout.

It was my favorite because I didn't need weights to get a great cardio and strength training for my body and I was drenched in sweat and tired at the end. Instead of doing jump tucks, I ran for a minute because I didn't want to do anything that would cause pain in my lower back. I'm still nervous about certain exercises since my bulging disk issue last year.

I tweeted my daily workouts to Fitbie and sometimes they retweeted my tweets. It wasn't challenging to workout everyday. It was part of my daily schedule and I strive to make it happen. There was only one day I was working out late around nine o'clcok in the evening because of a family obligation earlier in the day. I'm glad that I set this fitness goal and  I achieved it.

I'm looking for another fitness goal to accomplish but I don't know what yet. Working out everyday is doable but it's important to vary the exercises. Here's to my health.