A good fitness training program should take a comprehensive approach to fitness…good nutritional habits,  a focus on balance and flexibility, cardio endurance, and strength training designed to improve not just how your body looks, but how it functions throughout  your daily activities.  Functional training incorporates movements designed to mimic real life activities with a focus on how your posture, strength, core, and coordination all function in a situation that you are likely to encounter in your day to day life.

The results?  You look better…feel better…and function better than ever!  And as you enjoy the many activities life has to offer, you can do so knowing that your chances for injury are greatly reduced!  So, get up, get active, get fit…and seek out ways to ensure that your fitness is functional!

Stay fit!

Well, don’t shoot the messenger…BUT IT AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN!!  But I will share with you the absolute secret to getting fit and staying that way, and this won’t cost you a thing!  Are you ready?  Got a pencil and paper?  Write this down….D..I..S..C..I…P…L…I…N…E……AND….S…E…L…F…-…C…O…N…T…R…O…L.!  That’s all you need!!!  And you thought this was going to be hard!!!  All you need is the discipline to move your body…to be active… and the self-control to limit what you’re going to feed that now-active body of yours!

Once you make the decision to exercise discipline and self-control with regards to your fitness, then you’re ready to take serious action!  Formulate a plan based on things such as your interests, your skills, the weather, your resources, and your long-term goals.  Only then will you be prepared to keep your efforts on track when things come along that will challenge and discourage you from reaching your goals!

Now you have the secret!!    Stay fit!!

The most successful ventures in life require passion!  Find yours!  Find the motivation that will inspire you to improve your life!  Find that magic that encourages you to be the best you can be…and then…just do it!  Once you incorporate a fitness program into your lifestyle, you will never be satisfied returning to the position of…couch potato!  

Stay fit!!

Balance:  Balance is a key component of all movement…everything from walking down steps, to playing sports, to squatting down to pick up something.  It is critical to daily life and normal activity.  And yet, the CDC reports that accidental falls are the leading cause of death and injury among older adults, affecting more than 1/3 of the older adults in the United States each year.  As we age, sedentary lifestyles result in less stability and balance making simple things like walking, reaching, squatting, etc. challenges that we all face.  People (maybe YOU!) often joke about all those things they can no longer do due to those little “aches and pains” that come with age!

Flexibility:  Here I am referring to your ability to enjoy full range of motion throughout all the joints in your body.  People today are plagued by poor posture and inflexibility, perhaps because so many are confined to jobs where they sit all day…and then watch TV all night!  Joints become stiff, muscles become tight…backs hurt…necks ache…and muscle imbalances and joint dysfunctions and injuries result!  And the cycle just continues and worsens as we age and become more and more inflexible.

Strength:  When muscles are not used, and as we age, they begin to atrophy, or deteriorate…oh yeah, and then things begin to sag!  Strength training is way to keep muscles looking and acting young!  The result is improved energy, muscle functionality, strength, body tone, increased metabolism,  appetite suppression, stronger bones, ligaments and tendons….and I could go on and on!  The bottom line is that strength training is a huge benefit for EVERYONE who wants to improve their fitness level!

The results of aging and of a sedentary lifestyle take a tremendous toll on our bodies if we simply allow them to, by doing nothing!  I firmly believe that the quality of life we can enjoy, to a large part, is up to us, and how willing we are to take responsibility for our health and our fitness!

So how do you combine all of this into an integrated fitness program that results in a better YOU?  Get active!!  Start today!!  Do something!  Do anything!  The key is to find physical activity that you enjoy and that you will continue!   A personal trainer who incorporates these key components into an integrated program is also a great alternative!!

Remember…a fit YOU…is a happier, healthier YOU! 

Stay fit!!!

That was the case this morning, when I decided I wanted a hot cup of coffee…and homemade blueberry muffins!  And not just ANY blueberry muffins…but I wanted HEALTHY ones!  Yeah, I know, that begs the question “WHY”…but this is a FITNESS blog!

 So…I thought I’d share a healthy muffin recipe that you can use on those occasions when you want to splurge a LITTLE, but still be good!  These muffins (when made to serve 12) have less than 300 calories!  Limit yourself to one or two, and take the rest to your neighbor or to work, and share the joy!

Here you go: 

BEST FITNESS BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

 1 ¼ cup bread flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 ½ tbsp. baking powder

1 cup sugar (I like to use natural sugar – demerara cane sugar – it’s not so overly processed!)

2 eggs

½ cup skim milk

½ cup canola oil

1 tbsp. vanilla flavoring

1 16 oz. can blueberries (I used ones packed in light syrup)

Simply mix the dry ingredients, add the remaining ones, sprinkle with just a hint of demerara sugar,  bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes…and presto-poofo…THEY ARE DELICIOUS!

All things in moderation!!!  Besides, spring will soon be here, and you can work your muffin off!!! 

 Stay fit!!

This is the beginning of what I hope to be regular updates regarding all things “fitness”. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, tone your muscles, or develop greater functional fitness…I hope this will become a great source of useful information for you to use on your fitness journey.

Life is short…time is precious…and we all need to be busy seeking our own best fitness for life! That may mean many different things to different people…but for me, it simply means being the best me that I can be…and the best YOU that you can be! 

I would love to be a part of the encouragement process that helps you meet your fitness goals.  So stay tuned!  I’ll be in touch as we pursue our BEST FITNESS FOR LIFE!