Saturday, March 31, 2012

What NOT To Do At The Gym...Part Two



In my valiant ongoing quest to make your gym visit the best it can be here is part two of what not to do any time you work out.

Sharing Is Not Caring

Did you ever stop to think about all the gross little germs hanging out on every surface of the gym?   Do yourself a favor and use the disfinectant spray that the gym provides before and after you use them. It only takes a minute to clean up after yourself when using a machine, but so many people are inconsiderate of their fellow gym members.  There is nothing worse than sitting down onto a machine and feeling like you just took a trip down a slip and slide.  So don’t leave your mark on every machine you use and don’t take for granted that the last person was as considerate of you as you are of her.  In this case Sassy Girl says it’s ok to be selfish. No need to share your germs.

Don’t Role Play

‪It’s important to remember that not everyone knows what they are doing when they head into the gym. If you are not on staff at your local fitness facility and haven’t been asked for help then keep your mouth shut. If you feel another member is putting themselves or you in harms way talk to a staff member about the situation. If you take the situation into your own hands it can be a liability and not to mention annoying. A good rule of thumb is if the someone didn’t ask for your help, they aren’t looking for you to take it upon yourself and give it to them. The gym staff and trainers can take this task on. ‪


Smelly

‪I can’t believe I even have to say this...please use deodorant BEFORE making your way to the fitness floor. It’s not so awesome to be on a treadmill getting your cardio on only breath in someone else’s stinky body odor. I know, I know you smell like roses and don’t stink but please just humor the rest of us by putting some stink fighter under your arms.

By just following a few social “rules” we all will have a pleasant fitness experience.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Gym Rules



If you already go to a fitness facility kudos to you. I understand that we all view gym time differently. Whether it be a place to relieve stress, a place to go to prepare your body for a particular event or maybe it's just a necessary evil and something that you feel you "have to" do. Whatever the reasons you have to sweat the truth is most of us don't have the luxury of a private gym and that means we have to workout in the presence of others. That means there must be unwritten rules we all must follow to ensure a pleasant environment at the gym.
Here are some rules we all should follow wherever you go to sweat to make sure a sassy time is had by all. This entry is part of an ongoing series.


‪Cell Phones OFF

‪Tweeting, texting, BBMing, emailing and chatting all have their time and place – and they should NEVER be done in a group fitness class. The light from a phone can be very distracting to the other students in a darkly lit spin room. No matter what kind of class you are in being on the phone is disrespectful to the instructor and the other students who paid good money to be there. Even if group fitness is not your thing and you like to workout on the gym floor, running at full speed on the treadmill and trying to do business on the phone is a disaster waiting to happen, plus it's totally unprofessional. If your phone call is that important, the gym may not be the best place to be in the first place.


‪If you need some outside stimulation during your workouts check out this playlist that I posted recently.


Be Aware Of The Time


If you belong to a big gym there are clearly stated cardio deck rules. Please follow them. If the rule is 30 minutes on cardio machines due to the high volume of treadmill lovers, make sure your 30 minutes count. Interval drill and inclines will make your 30 minute totally tough and 30 minutes is enough time to make sure your cardio session is awesome. After your 30 minutes are over WIPE DOWN the machine and move on. Make sure you clean up after your sweaty self. It’s gross to finally get on the treadmill only to put your hands into someone else’s sweat. If you must do 60 minutes, maybe you should try off-peak hours.

I have a few more "rules" that I'll share with you in the next post.  

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

A Mantra For All Seasons



“My body is a machine.” This is my mantra during most of my workouts! I constantly tell my students in class  “Your mind gets tired way before you body does”. During any workout I partake in the challenging thing for me is to turn off the voice inside my head that is telling me I’m tired. Even though my body is doing what it’s told my mind is questioning every move I make.
Maybe your not the most naturally gifted athlete but what will take your workouts to the next level is knowing how to endure and outwork the physical pain. Having a mantra and muttering it to yourself constantly through your workout will help to push your body and mind past what you know you can already do. You have to be stubborn and using a mantra I guarantee will help you achieve power. Try using the mantra “Finish Strong” and repeat it in your mind during the last stretch of your workout. It helps your brain to remember the pain is just temporary. The benefits of pushing yourself will carry on so much longer.  
Plus positive thinking is always sassy!  

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Food, Glorious Food


“There are no longer foods you don’t like.  There are only new foods you don’t know you like yet.”  This is my husbands new favorite saying. He has been pushing me to expand my interest in different kinds of foods for years now and finally I am giving in and trying to expand my horizons.
I grew up in a house where food wasn’t a thing of joy so much as something you have each day because you have to.  Cooking wasn’t an art it was a chore.  I grew up in the middle of the country where fresh seafood was never an option.  As a result dinners were bland and boring.  My palate was limited and my opinions on so many foods were negative.  As a result as an adult I have become a finicky eater with often times down right prejudiced opinions against some everyday foods such as peanut butter, yogurt and even pork chops.  
When I was in my early 20's I met my future hubby and let me tell you the man can cook. He introduced me to the way food was supposed to taste. It has been amazing and truly eye opening. My taste buds were constantly talking to me saying “Wait a sec this meal is actually good and I am actually enjoying eating.”
That being said it has been over ten years and I have only opened my mind and my mouth so far.  
Recently I’ve had to make a big change in my diet and that means I have to open myself up to trying new foods and expand my palette.
I talk all the time about pushing yourself to where you are uncomfortable in your workouts I figure I might as well do the same thing in my life when it comes to food.
My first mission All Natural Peanut Butter. The verdict....I enjoyed it. I tried sushi for the first time too! Guess what....I enjoyed that as well.
I’ve tried and enjoyed yogurt and a few other things.  Some things I still don’t like and that’s ok.  I don’t have to like everything but I am trying new things, stepping out of my comfort zone and my body is thanking me.  
Day by day I try new things and before you know it all the foods I had programmed my brain to dislike will become on my “will eat” list.
I encourage you to try a food you don’t normally eat. Maybe your sassy self will actually dig the taste!


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Eating...It's A Love/Hate Relationship



As I write this blog entry I am watching American Idol and I think I’ve gone to the fridge about 10 times hoping that something awesome will be there...guess what? Every single time there was nothing that I wanted to eat so I’ve just eaten what ever I had easy access to and nothing seems to satisfy me. This is not the first time this has happened to me. This is what I know and what you can do to make sure your next food binge doesn’t do much damage.

Food that is in easy access will always be eaten no matter what time and what instance. If you have junk aka candy bars in your line of vision and within reach, you will be constantly eating without realizing the mass quantity of food consumed. Give this a try... don’t stock up on the junk so it’s not at your desk at work or in your cupboard at home.

A big NO...Eating while working, studying, or watching TV. You are distracted and the volume of food consumed goes unnoticed and before you know it you’ve eaten an entire bag of Doritos because you were too caught up in whatever it is you are doing. Try to fill your stomach with food that will last you for at least 3-4 hours. That way you won’t crave immediate gratification while you work, study or watch the tube. Eat a satisfying meal full of fiber and vegetables plus a little protein and little fat before you do your job or hit the books.

Never skip a meal. It’s a big reason why we overeat. Try to stay on a schedule because if you wait hours between meals you will  want more food because you are getting hungrier by the second. You will be too ravenous to enjoy your food and you will also be rushing to eat so you can get back to what you are doing immediately. And try your best to eat on the hour so it’s easy to track.

Simple changes will bring awesome sassy changes to your life.
Check out these yummy cookies that won't do damage to your waistline.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Too Little To Weight


It seems like every time I teach a fitness class the same thing will happen. A lady will come in and pick up a set of 2lb weights and proceed to work large muscles of the body with them. She will do this over and over again and wonder why she isn’t any stronger, leaner, or why she isn’t getting in better shape.  Those super light weights she is using will never change her body. Basically you must challenge your body to do something it isn't currently capable of doing. Now, this doesn't mean you need to go outside and try to pick up a car. It just means you need to do things that are challenging for YOU.
A lot of women do workouts like this because they think they will get "big and bulky" like a guy. Here's the thing though, you CAN NOT get big and bulky like a guy. Don't get me wrong, sassy girls can definitely put on a good share of muscle, just not nearly as much or nearly as fast as a guy. It's just not our genetic makeup. What? What about the women who are indeed big and bulky like a guy? Well, guess what? They are using drugs and I suggest you do not partake in that.

When you advance to heavier weights you body is forced to adapt to the new work that it is asked to do. That means you will increase strength, endurance, flexibility, bone density, overall health. What is important to remember the body MUST be challenged to improve or else it will glady stay the same. As women don’t worry you are not just going to wake up the next day looking like a big female body builder. Muscle mass doesn’t happen that quickly!

Ladies, you need to push yourself...safely of course. You need to challenge your body. You need to do more than pick up the same little pink dumbbells and lift them for the same 15 reps for the same little isolation exercises.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Vitamin Sass

I am about to admit something that isn’t so sassy. I don’t take vitamins on a regular basis. I know, I know I really should take a multi everyday. I do eat a well and try to get all my nutrients from food. There, I said it. Mom, I know you are going to be disappointed. You did teach me well but I just dropped the ball somewhere down the road.
I’ve tried getting back on the vitamin bandwagon a million times, but every single time I take a multi, it almost always upsets my stomach, which does not make me want to take another.
I was at my annual check up and my nurse asked me if I take a multivitamin on a regular basis. I told her “Honestly, NO.” She suggested gummy vitamins like the Flintstones vitamins. I started to giggle. I asked her “Are you talking about the ones I took when I was 7?” She responded “Yes, but if you need something more adult Centrum makes gummies that are made for grownups.” AWESOME! Right after the appointment I happily went to Walgreens and picked up a bottle of citrus flavored ONE A DAY VITACRAVES daily vitamins, and since then I’ve taken a proper dosage every single day. I know I’m not alone and it’s totally common that most adults aren't consistent in taking them. My suggestion for you as always is to get the nutrients your body needs from your diet. That means making sure you eat your fruits and veggies, but chew on a gummy to make sure you don’t miss out on anything you may need.




Sunday, March 4, 2012

The Agony And The Exercise



I just got off the phone with a client who just got home from a great squash game with her gym buddies that resulted in an injury for her. It wasn’t her first time on the court either, but a weird footstep that caused shearing pain in her knee. Just when she thought she couldn’t move another inch her “friend” snapped a picture to post on Facebook. When you look at the pic you can see the knee under strain.
Getting injured is maybe one of the worst things that can happen to an athlete no matter what sport you love to do. It just sucks after all the training in and out of the gym. It may be your sense of identity not to mention your self esteem may stem from there. It’s best not to try to be a hero and 'work through' the pain. You'll only do more damage. You may be tempted to ignore that soreness in your knees or your back, but just because the injury isn’t dramatic doesn’t mean it’s unimportant or will go away on it’s own. The bad news is if left untreated it will more than likely get worse over time. YUCK! Basically any swelling, numbness, tenderness, loss of flexibility, or worsenes over time get thee to a DR asap. It is serious and should be treated. If you suspect you are injured STOP doing whatever it is that caused the pain or if you notice you feel the pain only after a specific activity make an appointment with your PCP or a Sports Medicine doc.
Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation will help decrease swelling and ibuprofen will help with the pain and do NOT participate in the activity that got you injured while you heal. Also it’s not a bad idea to get a protective device like a knee brace or wrist guard to use while you play.