Snow Workout

I’ve clearly been getting some extra cardio and strength workouts in this past week:

Yep – there’s a car under there. MY CAR!

We had a major blizzard here in Nova Scotia (and other parts of the Maritimes) last weekend.  Obviously I was snowed in for a few days which means I had to cancel my classes and miss the gym.  So, on top of the crazy home workouts I did I got to shovel a whole lot of snow.  Like, a whole lot.  A.TON!

Fortunately, the majority of the snow in the photo above was cleared by a plow but, as you can see, my car was almost completely buried and digging my way to clear a path to get to the car was a feat in its own.  I felt totally accomplished by the end.

~Fit Bitch

30 Day Plank Challenge Starts TODAY!!

My last post was an intro to the 30 Day Plank Challenge….and it.starts.now!

You have an easy 20 seconds to do.  Start planking.

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The great thing about this (as with most) exercise is that you can only improve.  (Unless, of course you suffer injury, and please, let’s all avoid that!)

You can do each day’s challenge once or several times.  Become a master!

And you can do it anywhere….I will find no shame in dropping down by my desk to plank for 20, 30, 60 seconds.  :)

No excuses for this one (again, unless you have suffered an injury, especially to your lower back.  With a physician’s approval, however, planks are excellent for strengthening back muscles  – along with the rest of your muscles).

I CHALLENGE YOU ALL TO THE NEXT 30 DAYS!!

~Fit Bitch

30 Day Plank Challenge

Did I do this before? I thought maybe I had but looking back at past posts it seems that I didn’t actually post a separate Plank Challenge but plans were also included in the 30 Day Ab Challenge.

I noticed a few of my friends doing a version of the Plank Challenge on Facebook this past month so I figured I might as well get in on it too and share it with you.

Now, I plank all the time.  I do it at the gym, in my classes, when I’m bored.  And I make the girls in my boot camp classes plank all.the.time.  They hate me. :)

Planks are one of the best exercises because it works and strengthens so many areas of the body. Think about it – when you’re in proper plank position how many parts of your body are engaged?  Core, back, shoulders, arms, wrists, neck, legs, ankles, butt…everything is working here.

There are two basic planking positions you can choose from for this challenge:

The low plank:

Low Plank – from the elbows

or the high plank:

High Plank – arms extended

and of course there is a beginner/modified version (*note – you can modify the high or low plank):

Modified Plank – which can be done high or low – from the knees

The proper form of either of these planks is to ensure a straight line from head to toe.  Be sure not to strain your neck or let your back sink (or butt raise)…these will only lead to injury, AND if either of these occur then you’re not engaged properly and defeating the purpose.

There is no shame in modifying your plank (or any exercise, for that matter) – whether it’s from the start or you’re halfway thru your daily challenge and need to take a knee a for a second or two or go fully into the modification.  If you’re feeling shaky or weakness or pain that’s your body telling you to smarten up and take it a little easy.  You can’t go beast mode if you’ve got a broken back or wrist.

So, since we’re at the end of January, take the next day or two to “practice” your plank and then for the next 30 days enjoy the challenge.

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~Fit Bitch

Beast Mode

Y’know, except for those times when I’m recovering from an injury, I always put 100 % into my workouts – even if I’m strapped for time and can only spare 10 or 20 minutes (this rarely happens for me nowadays) I put everything into my workout.  I want to leave the gym or a class feeling like I really accomplished something. I want to feel like I earned that sweat or those gloriously sore muscles.

Last week I hurt my back at the gym – I tweaked an old (serious) injury and the following few days I was in pain and hobbling around…..the fact that I was able to dress myself those days was a feat in itself.  And although I’d had plans for exercise I played it smart and safe and took a few days off.  Last night I did 30 minutes of yoga (from the P90X series, which is a little bonkers) and felt really good to get those stretches in and start a little sweat.  But once the back pain reared its head I decided I’d had enough.

Tonight I felt good and strong and ready to go.  I just finished a great workout – I didn’t overdo it and definitely didn’t do anything that I knew would leave me hobbling for the rest of the week.  But what I did do I did full beast mode.

(Note* – I don’t encourage or condone working out while injured.  I am a professional with a history of a recurring back injury and I know my limits.)

What my body was capable of I let it do.  And what my mind new better of, I made sure to avoid.

~Fit Bitch

Time

Someone said to me once “The weight didn’t come on in a day, it won’t come off in a day.”

That is something we all must remembers. It will take time to undo the “damage” we’ve done to our bodies. We just need to take our time and stick with the work and the end results will be worth it.

~Fit Bitch

Getting Started

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Don’t be afraid of the unknown. You can do this!

Years ago when I decided to make a change to my lifestyle, I had no idea where to start…so I just started.  I got up one day and climbed on my elliptical and that was it.  My life changed in those moments and I have never looked back.

Making a change can be a scary thing.  We become so accustomed to our lifestyles and comfortable in our habits and often the idea of change – regardless of how grand and beneficial it can be – holds us back.

But don’t let it….don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid of looking silly or feeling self-conscious or doing something wrong….because whatever you choose to do, you’re already a step ahead of where you were yesterday.  And you’re miles ahead of those who are still stuck on the couch.

You can do this!

~Fit Bitch

A Workout Recap

I’m gonna brag here for a minute….I have honestly had a great week of workouts!

Monday night I taught my boot camp class.  It was the first class of the new sessions and a few new peeps were present so I wanted to keep it interesting for the regulars and just the right intensity for the newbies.  It was fan-friggin’-tastic!!  We all worked up a great sweat and felt exhilarated when the class was over.

That right there is important to me…I always want to feel exhilarated when my workouts are completed.  I want to feel good and accomplished; not like I’ve just finished a very menial task.

In fact, I had several notes after the class and the following day from a few of the boot camp participants thanking me for a great workout and that they felt great and were happy to be back.

The rest of the week’s workouts were spectacular – Wednesday night I worked out at home and I changed it up a bit – trying a combo of new workouts, Thursday night I hit the gym for a much-needed run, followed by a superb strength workout (by myself and then with my client), then I followed that up with a Zumba class.  I finished the night off with a yoga class and it.felt.so.good!

Last night it was a bit stormy here in Nova Scotia so I came home again and worked out here.  I did one round of one of my boot camp sessions and kicked it in the ass!!  It feels so good to do that kind of craziness!

I’m taking today off because my calf muscles are a little stiff and sore (likely from my run the other night) and I’m heading out for a massage shortly.  I really think I deserve that today.

Thank goodness for rest day!

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~Fit Bitch

Love/Hate

I almost always love doing my workouts – it’s part of my life and who I am – but there are those times……

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There is so much satisfaction in completing a workout, no matter how intense or “easy” it may be.  It’s an accomplishment and we should always feel proud.

~Fit Bitch

Commit

I have come to the conclusion that not everybody wants to be fit and healthy.  I can’t even comprehend how that even makes sense!  I guess I’m stumped because it doesn’t….make sense, that is.

I have people telling me almost daily that they want to: lose weight, lose their pooch, improve their cardio, become more active, lead a healthier life.   I invite them to come to classes or the gym, I offer to give them tips or be their workout buddy/voice of reason, I offer to design fitness plans….etc., etc., etc.   And you know what?  Nada.  No effort on their part.  None of them show up for any of the classes, no one joins me at the gym, and I still see fries and donuts being shoved in their respective faces all the darn time.
SO.FRUSTRATED!!

Listen, I don’t expect everyone to follow the same path as me and fall in love with health and fitness the way I have.  But for the love of your own health put some friggin’ effort into it.

What really ticks me is when some of these people want advice and take up my time while I dole it out – or take the time to design a program for them – and then don’t bother.  Same as when I offer them to attend a class for free (I still have to cover my rental fee but want to get them out to try it) and then they just don’t bother to show up.   Rude!  That class space could have been set aside for a paying client.

I’m to the point where I’m about done being a nice guy!  (Just kidding, I’m too nice for that.)

I don’t mind helping people out.  In fact, I enjoy it.  But don’t waste my time.  Once again, there’s no miracle for instant weight loss.  You HAVE to work for it.  And again, being healthy doesn’t mean being thin.   There are plenty of people who are super duper healthy and not really thin.  And there are tons of thin people who are totally not healthy (ie. The girl at my gym who has a cigarette before and after every workout.  And coughs through every cardio exercise.  Derrr!!).  
And each and every time you work out you become a little healthier.  And each and every time your body will thank you for it.

So, do yourself the favor – commit to changing your lifestyle, commit to a healthier lifestyle and a fitter you.  Become emotionally involved in your workouts.  Do this for yourself.  You deserve it.

And if you know you’re not ready to work for it or not willing to make the effort….be honest with your coach/instructor/nutritionist/buddy and don’t waste the time.

~Fit Bitch

Another Chapter

I am very excited.  VERY VERY EXCITED!!

I signed up today for my next course – The Nutrition and Weight Loss Specialist certification thru CanFitPro.  This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while now.  It’s something that’s important to me and I’m really doing it for my own growth, education, and knowledge….but I’m not gonna lie…earning a little extra cash from it will be nice too.

I can’t wait to blast this banner:

via CanFitPro

I’m really looking forward to this next chapter.  My fitness instructor got this certification this past year and she tells me there is so much to learn and it’s incredibly interesting.  I really can’t wait.

And fortunately, I don’t have to.  I should be able to access the online portion of the course as early as tomorrow so I will be all over that!  Color this girl happy!

~Fit Bitch