Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Should I purchase toning shoes?

I have been asked by so many people if toning shoes are worth it.  I have to tell you that they are not.  Why?  They are just a gimmick and your money is better spent enlisting the help of a personal trainer that will motivate you and provide you with the expertise to get the results that you want and need. 

Here is the Proof in the Pudding:

http://catalyst4fitness.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=101:the-real-scoop-on-skechers-and-other-toning-shoes

Thursday, December 23, 2010

How can I walk faster?

Walking is one of the safest and most effective sports for

fitness, but to become fit, you have to move fairly fast. You

should exercise vigorously enough to increase your heart rate at

least 20 beats a minute more than when you rest. Walking at a

leisurely pace will not raise your heart rate very much. You can

increase your speed by taking longer steps or by moving your feet

at a faster rate.

To lengthen your stride, swivel your hips so that you reach

out further forward with your feet. This causes you to twist your

body from side to side, which forces your toes to point to the

outside when your feet touch the ground. By pointing your feet

forward after your heel strikes the ground, you will gain a few

inches. To move your feet at a faster rate, you have to move your

arms at a faster rate also. Every time one leg moves forward, the

arm on the same side moves back and the arm on the other side

moves forward. For every step forward, there is an equal number

of arm movements forward. To move your arms faster, you have

to keep your elbows bent. The fulcrum of your arm swing is at your

shoulder. The straighter your elbows, the longer your arms swing

as a pendulum from your shoulder, reducing the frequency of arm

swings. Bending your elbows shortens the swing and allows you to

move faster.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

December Goals and Prescriptions

Trishla: Goal: Overall Toning and work on diet.  PT 1x/wk, GT 1x/wk, Running 4 miles per week, Additional Cardio on your own 45 minutes per week. 

Stephanie: Goal: Lose 5 lbs.  Bike trip in Nova Scotia this summer. RX: Train with husband 2x/wk.   Cardio on own 120min./wk as well as abdominals, biceps, and tricep exercises every non-training day.

Diane M: PT 2x/wk. Walk on own 60 minutes per week.  Do Leg Raises & Plank 2x/wk. Food Diary to Ellen weekly.

Rosemary -  Goal: Lose 10 Lbs. RX: PT 3x/wk. Cardio on own 90 min/wk. Follow diet plan from Michelle.


Bob Wein: Goal:To Climb Old Rag MT. In Shenadoah. RX: PT 1x/wk; Cardio 90min./wk; Routine on own 2-3x/wk

Isabel Wein: Goal:To be a size 4.  RX: PT 1x/wk; Cardio 90min./wk; Routine on own 2-3x/wk

Meg - Goal is to work up to 10,000 steps and increase to 3 to 4 workouts per week. PT 1x/wk. 
David - PT on Tues at 8 pm. WT 2x/wk. Cardio 120 min/wk.

Cecilia - Zumba (2x/wk), WT routine on own (2x/wk). Goal: Lose weight, feel better,and lose love handles.

Todd - PT 2x/wk; Boot Camp 1x/wk, WT on own 1 x/wk. Run 4 miles per week.
Danielle - 10,000 steps, food diary,walk 3.5miles, 5 days/wk, trekking, yoga 2days, body pump 2 days, portion controll, weight watchers program.

Ken -Goal: Look better by the holidays  RX: Train 6x/month with trainer.  5,000 steps per day.

Cori-  PT 1x/wk.  Cardio on own. 

Kathy- Goal: Fit into suit by Dec. 16th  RX:PT on Mon, Wed, Fri 7:30 am. Cardio on own 10 min before PT.

Carol - PT Wed and Fri 8:30 am. Expresso Bike on own 120 minutes per week.

Phebe & Allie:  RX:PT 2 x wk, Cardio on own 60min. /wk

Fran:  RX: PT 2x wk; Trekking 1x wk; Warm up prior to PT session.  Eat small meals throughout the day. 

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

Qunicey & Helene - PT Tues 11 am.  WT routine on own 2x/wk as prescribed by Ellen.  Goals: Quincey - Not to slide back from where he is. Helene - Keep on toning. Firm abs.

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. Win Fitness Pool. 

Diane Frasier: Goal: Lose weight RX: PT 2x/wk - Cardio on own 60min/wk

Jill - PT 1x/wk; Follow directions per Melissa.

Group Training

Maryl: RX: WT 2x wk; Spin 2x wk; Pilates 2x wk; Trekking 1x wk. Vegetarian dinners 4x/wk. Portion control. Plank 1min per. day with Pat and not to gain any weight.

Pat: GT: Goal: Lose weight and get strong. RX:GT1x wk; cardio 3x wk for 45 min. Bike (15min.), Arc Trainer (15min.), TM (15min.) Responsible for keeping food diary for her and Maryl.

Karen - Record what eat on Spark People 3x's per week. Mon GT 10am. Trekking Wed 10 am. Spinning Thurs at 9 am. Cardio 30 min/wk

Cris: RX:GT 2x wk; cardio 90 min/wk. Take lunch to work 3x/wk.

David G - Get healthy so can get back to training consistently. Spin 2x/wk. GT 1x/wk. Fitness Pool!

Diana - Mon GT 10 am with Ellen; Wed 10 am Trekking; Thurs 9 am Spinning; Fri Kickboxing, Sat Heavy lifting, Sun Spin. Food Diary to Ellen on Mon. NO eating after 8 pm.

Tara: Mon GT 10am. Wed. circuit training , 1x wk pilaties, 1x wk spin & Cardio 150 min/wk. Food diary on Mon.1 healthy starch at dinner.

Diane Fitzgerald: Goal: To lose same stinking 5 lbs. and get biceps “guns”.  RX: WT 3x/wk;spin 2x/wk; Cardio 120min/wk.

Ayesha - GT Wed 6:15 pm &; FT Sat 8 am. Goals: To workout and eat breakfast.

Joan: Goal to do more on her own during the week. RX: GT Sat. ; Cardio on own 60min. /wk (10min. ea day)

Julie - Spin (1), WT (GT or on own 2-3x/wk), Stairs (60 min), Win Fitness Pool. 

Carol - Lose 4 pounds by Xmas.  Spinning 2x/week.  Cannot run due to strained arch muscle. 

Kimya - WT (2 x/wk), Spin 2x/wk. Cardio on own 60 minutes per week.  Continue to lose weight. Weight Watchers. Win Fitness Pool!

Mary - Goal: Build endurance back up. GT(1); Spin (2); Walk 4x/week.  Trekking 1x/wk. Weight Watchers.

Donna - Goals: Do more upper body and ab work. GT Thurs 6:15 am, Spin (1), Aerobics classes on Mon &Wed nights.

Deb - Goals: Increase cardio endurance, improve strength. WT w/Alfred Mon 12 pm; GT(1); Spin (2), Trekking (1), 90 min Treadmill.   Yoga one time per week. 

Helen- GT Fri 5pm. ,I would like to increase my strength training to 3X times a week for 25mins. Go from 15 push ups to 20. 20 situps to 30. Continue Cardio for 3-4 times a week/1hr including Zumba (Thursday).  Work on smaller meals and NO stress eating.

Heather- GT Fri. 5pm, Run 15 miles per week, eat small meals throughout the day. Do strength training on own 3 x’s per week. Goal: Overall strength
It's working! People are starting to realize that fitness is a necessity to maintaining good health. It is the holidays and N2SHAPE is super busy!