To grow, you have to change and that is many times painful. Three steps forward, two steps backward, & keep trudging ahead.

Change is hard and scary.

Don't Let Your Emotions Get in the Way

This is a great article from Spark People on not allowing your emotions to get in the way and never giving up.  When you feel like throwing in the towel (going "off" your diet and making excuses as to why I should not exercise), this is when you should stick to your plan.  Sticking to your health and fitness plan is the best way to get through the rough times - not the opposite.  Take a moment to read.  Great article!

Hoping that I will not be as grumpy as I was this weekend. Could it be the heat or my hormones or BOTH?

Just had hair did & told my son that could not wet it in pool. Realized that he is oy young once and dove in and had a ball. Your child is worth more than your vanity.

The Benefits of Interval Training

Do you want to get into shape fast?

Do you want an effective workout you can do in a short amount of time?

Do you want to feel exhilarated when you finish your workout?

If you answered yes to these three questions, then interval training is the workout for you. Interval training is cardiovascular exercise that combines short bursts of intense cardio alternated with easy-does-it periods of rest. It can be done with any workout that gets your heart rate up, and since it’s so hot outside right now, any cardiovascular machine—like a treadmill, stationary bike, or an elliptical trainer—you can find at the gym will work out just fine.

I’ve been an advocate of interval training for many years and really believe it is the best way to get fit in a short amount of time. Here’s how I structure an interval workout for my clients:

-       Warm-up. Start with a cardiovascular warm-up for five minutes (you pick the exercise that will get your heart rate going). During this time, you should be able to talk but not carry on full conversations.

-       Full steam. Ramp up your exercise activity to your maximum ability for 30 seconds. Your heart rate should be at a level that you are not able to talk.

-       Recovery. Take a period of rest for 30 seconds. If you’re a beginner, take a 60-second recovery period. Your heart rate should go down to 100–110 beats per minute during this period.

-       Repeat with five to ten 30-second intervals of intense activity interspersed with 30- to 60-second periods of rest.

-       Cooldown. Finish up with five minutes of your exercise at a lower speed or lighter resistance level.

If you are just getting started in a workout routine and want to try interval training, be sure to warm up before starting intervals, set training goals that are within your ability, start slowly, and build the number of repetitions over time.


It’s important to keep a steady but challenging pace throughout the full-steam portions of the workout. The rest periods will allow you to recover, then push yourself again, which is great for improving endurance and improving your speed and strength in other cardiovascular exercises. Doing bursts of intense exercise not only improves cardiovascular fitness, but also the body’s ability to burn fat and calories in a shorter time period than other workout routines.


One of the reasons I enjoy interval training is how great it makes me feel. When you workout endorphins are produced in your brain in response to the exercise. Because interval training sends short bursts of intense activity to the brain, it really gets those endorphins pumping, leaving you with an amazing feeling the rest of your day.


The best part of interval training is that you get the benefits of exercise in a shorter amount of time. If you want to invest in your well-being, all you have to do is set aside 20 to 30 minutes three times per week and follow the routine outlined above. So, hang up those clothes hanging on your treadmill at home, get to work, and I guarantee that you will feel better and look better with about one hour of exercise per week! 

Up and atom in perpetual motion. The life of a trainer and single Mom!

Losing two pounds a week of fat is healthy, but anymore and you could most likely be losing muscle.

So nice and peaceful on a Saturday morn before hitting the gym to pump everyone up!

Exercise Helps Your Brain

From the New York Times
By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS
Published: July 7, 2010

A number of new studies have begun to tease out the specific mechanisms and, in the process, raised new questions about just how exercise remolds the brain.

Sure glad it's the weekend. Life has been so busy and the summer slow down begins. Change.

Keep a Food Log for Diet Success

Wouldn’t it be great to understand what causes you to overeat? If you are watching your weight or trying to lose weight, a food log should be an integral part of your weight-loss plan and can help you better understand and control your eating habits. In essence, keeping a daily log of everything you eat and drink is a diet in itself.

To start a food log, begin by writing down the food and beverages that you consume each day, including details about the portion size, time of day, and your appetite level at the time of the meal or snack. After this information is input, a nutrient or calorie-counter guide will help you track several key components of what was consumed—fat, calories, carbs, and protein. There are several free online resources that you can utilize to track this data.

In addition to keeping track of the food you eat, also make a note about how you feel at each meal. Were you angry, happy, or stressed out? Did the mood you were in cause you to overeat or to make unhealthy food choices? By tracking these emotions, it will illustrate important trends in your eating and help you to be more conscious of your eating habits and perhaps help you to make a change the next time a frustrating situation arises.

Once you start a food log and keep it for a few weeks, you can go back and look at the daily caloric intake and the way you felt and start to analyze the data. You can use the food log to help you track danger zones (donuts at the office, the cookie jar), underlying reasons for eating besides hunger, what your appetite is like throughout the day, when you have cravings, and what portion sizes you are really consuming. All of this information can be extremely useful in helping you make changes to your diet.

When it’s time to make some changes, it’s important to work on making small, gradual changes to your diet so you can ease into them. Drastic changes to your diet may lead to frustration that could lead to overeating or bingeing.

Here are a few helpful tips to help you maintain your food log:

- Make sure you food log includes everything that you eat and drink every day. Be sure to capture all of the beverages you drink as well. The calories in that caramel mocha coffee drink, can of soda, or your morning orange juice are all part of your daily caloric intake and need to be tracked.

- One of the most common mistakes is forgetting to log foods when you are on the run. Grab a notebook or some paper and make sure it is small enough to put in your purse or briefcase so you can record on the go. If you don’t have time during the day to write everything down, use a voice recorder or the notepad on your phone to note the food you’ve consumed.

- Don’t fudge the entries. Be honest about what you eat and log everything. No one has to see the log but you, and fudging the results will not give you the accurate data you need for tracking purposes.

Starting a food log will help you better understand your eating habits, track your daily caloric intake, take charge of your diet, and get you on your way to achieving your weight-loss goals. 

July Prescriptions & Schedule

Happy Birthday

Maryl K (Evening Group Training) July 2
Foad F (Great Dentist) July 7
Leslie C (Riverhouse) July 8
Jane O (Miss her) July 12
Suzette (Evening Group Training) July 15
Todd H (IDR)July 16
Edgar R (Personal Training) July 22
Liz (FCA) July 30
Andrea T (Riverhouse) July 31



N2SHAPE Schedule for July


Group Training, Fitness First, 8150 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, VA  22182
Personal Trainer:  Ellen Yates

Mon 5:15 pm - Basic Strength Training - Increase muscle and metabolic rate.
Tues 6 am  Boot Camp - Series of exercises and drills to increase muscular and cardiovasular endurance.
Wed 10:00 am Trekking - Take your fitness to the next level with intervals of intense cardio followed by recovery on cardiovascular machines chosen specifically for your goals and orthopedic issues. 
Wed 5:15  Circuit Training - Nonstop workout with intervals of muscular and cardiovascular endurance for lower, upper, and core.
Wed 6:15 pm  - Basic Strength Training - Increase muscle and metabolic rate. 
Thurs 6:15 am  Strength Training for Every Day Life - Increase strength for every day routines while working on posture and flexibility.
Sat 9:00 am Cutting Edge - Use equipment and techniques that are the latest and newest in the fitness industry. 

Corporate Fitness

Farm Credit Administration (FCA), McLean, VA
Mon 12:30 pm Weight Training
Instructor:  Alfred Thompson
Wed 12:30 pm Trekking
Instructor:  Ellen Yates
To register, e-mail garverm@fca.gov.

Association for School Curriculum Development (ASCD), Alexandria, VA
Instructor:  Beth Kramer
Mon & Wed Yoga 5:00 pm
 To register, e-mail kmay@ascd.org.

IDR Inc., McLean, VA
Personal Trainer:  Ellen Yates
Personal Training (by appointment)
Boot Camp, Wed,  July 7 at 6:15 pm


Group Exercise Classes at Fitness First, 8150 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, VA 
Instructor:  Ellen Yates
Spinning Mon, Wed, Fri 6:15 am
Spinning Thurs 9:00 am
Functional Training Sat 8:00 am

Summer Fitness Classes in Pentagon City


Kickboxing June 21 to Aug 23, Mon 7 pm, http://bit.ly/RHKickboxing
Instructor:  Fee Pearson
Zumba June 22 to Aug 24, Tues 7 pm, http://bit.ly/RHZumba
Instructor:  Jackie Broussard
Yoga June 24 to Aug 26, Thurs 7 pm http://bit.ly/RHYoga
Instructor:  Beth Kramer & Joe Chandler

Exercise Prescriptions

Private Training
Cori- PT on Mon 5:15 am. GT every other week on Thurs at 6:15 am, cardio on own.

Holly & Brian  - PT on Tues 7 am, Addt'l cardio 100 minutes per week. 

Kathy- PT on Mon, Wed, Fri 7:30 am. Cardio on own 60 minutes per week.

Carol - PT Wed & Fri 8:30 am. Expresso Bike on own 120 minutes per week. Weigh in Fridays.

Michelle - PT Mon 8:30 am & Fri 9:15 am.  100 minutes cardio per week.  

Fran - PT Mon 10 am & Thurs 10:45 am. Trekking Wed 10:00 am. Warmup 1 mi prior to PT sessions.

Karen -  Trekking Wed 10 am. PT Thurs 10 am.  M, T, Th - Total cardio 60 mins.  Write down what you eat and drink daily on a notebook. 

Vanesa - GT on Tues 6:15 am as able. Spin (2). Run 3 miles. PT Fri 12:00 pm. FT Sat 8:00 am. Portion and fat control.

Luis - Trekking every other Wed at 10 am. Yoga on Thurs 9:30 am. PT Fri 11:00 am. Run 2 miles per week.

Neil - Yoga on Mon. Wed WT on own & 1 mile TM. PT Fri 10:00 am (one mile TM warmup).

Edgar - PT Tues & Thurs 8 am. Cardio on own 150 minutes per week. PU's 150 & Situps 150 per week.

Qunicey & Helene - PT Tues 11 am. WT routine on own 2x/wk as prescribed by Ellen.

Sherry - PT Tues & Thurs 12:30 pm. TM walking 1 mile 2x/wk on own.

Sally - PT One day per wk as decided.  WT routine on own 2x/wk as prescribed by Ellen. Food diary recorded.

Diane - PT Mon & Fri 7:00 pm. Cardio on own 60 minutes per week.

Jackie - PT with Ellen 2x/wk. Times to be decided. Cardio on own 60 minutes per week. Portion & fat control.

Todd - PT with Ellen on Wed 11:15 am.  WT on own 2x/wk, Running 6 miles, Every other day:  Opp arm & leg (1 minute on each side), stretch quads and hamstrings.  150 pushups & 150 situps per week.
Meg & David - PT on Thurs 8 pm.
David - Two times WT & cardio 120 minutes per week.
Meg - Look forward to seeing you on Aug 14 to update routine. 

Group Training

Evening Groups 

Suzette - GT M 5:15 & Wed 6:15 pm, Zumba (2), Cardio 60 min per week.  Leave 25% on her plate.
Cris - GT M&W 5:15 pm, Cardio 80 minutes per week, Continue on low fat diet!
Maryl - GT M&W 5:15 pm, Pilates (2), Cardio 140 minutes per week.  Portion control. 
Kristen  - Spinning (1), Trekking (1), Cardio on own 60 minutes. 
Diane - GT Wed 6:15 pm & Sat 9 am.  Spinning (1).  Cardio on own 60 minutes. 
Ayesha - GT Wed 6:15 pm & 60 minutes of cardio per week, P90X 3x/wk.
Paige - GT M&W 5:15 pm; 100 minutes of cardio addtl'l per wk. 

Morning Groups

Mary - Spin (2), Trekking (1), GT Tues 6 am & Thurs 6:15 am
Julie - GT Tues 6 am, Spin (1), WT on own or class (1), Addt'l Cardio 140 minutes. 
Kimya - GT Tues 6 am, Spin (2), Run 10 mi/wk, WT on own 1x/wk.  Weight Watchers.
Carol - GT Thurs 6:15 am, Spin (1), Run 5 miles per week.  
Donna - GT Thurs 6:15 am, Spin (2), Addt'l Cardio 60 minutes.  One WT on own.  
Deb - WT w/Alfred Mon 12 pm; GT Th 6:15 am; Spin (2), Trekking (1), Yoga.  
Armida - on vacation. 

Link: http://www.n2shape.blogspot.com