Are You Sticking To Your Workout Routine?

Today’s article is courtesy of my good friend Jay Cataldo who is a NYC life coach and owner of Definitive Diva.

Thanks Cindy. Even though summer is here, it’s not too late to melt off those last few pounds. While Cindy can give you plenty of advice on how to get in shape, I wanted to share four quick tips for helping you stick to your workout routine when dealing with a hectic schedule.

1. Make a list

Every night before I go to bed, I make a list of all the things I need to get done the next day. For some reason, having a list of things to cross off at the end of a day really helps to motivate me.

One thing that makes the list even more effective is when you schedule in times for everything that needs to get done (i.e., instead of writing down “workout”, you should write “workout 7-8pm”).

2. Make a vision board

A vision board is simply a collage of pictures designed to motivate you and keep you focused on the end result. If you are looking to lose weight, for instance, you might want to use pictures of fit women, pictures of you when you were at your ideal weight, and maybe even pictures of the island you’d like to travel to when you’re in tip-top bikini shape.

You can choose to make a physical vision board or you can find some digital images and make a collage on Microsoft Paint (or a similar program). Just make sure to look at the vision board at least twice a day (both when you wake up and before bed), being sure to feel the feelings you will experience when you finally attain your goal.

3. Don’t skip workouts unless an emergency comes up

The act of skipping workouts usually starts a downward spiral that can lead to a serious lack of progress. So unless a true emergency comes up, be sure to get your butt to the gym no matter what!

4. Get a harassment buddy

Sometimes, we need a little outside help to stay on top of ourselves. A workout partner is great to have, but more importantly, it’s good to have someone who will harass you when necessary and make it really uncomfortable for you to slack off. If you can’t find anyone, you can use this free service in the meantime: http://www.hassleme.co.uk

That’s it for today. Hopefully, these four tips will make it easier to stick to your routine. Thanks again to Cindy for letting me share this info with you. If you like some more health and fitness advice, come chat with Cindy and I on our Diva Forum.

Make it happen,

-Jay Cataldo
www.JayCataldo.com
www.DefinitiveDiva.com

Atlantic City Follow Up

After reading over one of my own blogs from June '07 describing my annual weekend in Atlantic City for my Fitness Convention, I feel a need to contrast it with my recent trip last week. Being a divorced mom of three (now teenage) children, going from one job to another, and running around like a "chicken without a head", I very rarely have a couple days alone to move about at my leisure. My description of my fitness convention 2 yrs. ago, when I went alone for the first time in years was a clear indication of what it's like to let a bird out of it's cage...out of control!
Of course I always go to my morning classes in hopes of learning some new moves to do in my kickbox or step classes, or maybe get some good ideas to try with my clients, but I usually take off after lunch if it's nice out to hit the beach. The difference two years was that I went alone but had friends to meet up with and treated the day as one big party, drinking on the beach, in the casinos, happy hour with my friends, and continuing into the night. Needless to say, I missed my classes the next morning...NOT GOOD!
This year I brought my two sons, one whom was taking classes and the personal trainer exam, and my 13 yr. old whom I got to spend some "quality" time with. We went to the beach after lunch and I did get "A drink", we walked the boardwalk and shopped, and then my older son met up with us and we all went to Rainforest Cafe' for dinner. It was a great opportunity to spend time with them without the interruptions of my hectic schedule, their video games, or other family members being around to take my attention.
I was actually in bed by 10pm and up early, feeling great and ready for my morning classes. I did get some new ideas for my classes, bought 4 new Cd's for my classes and a new pair of cross trainers. Maybe if I plan these "get away" weekends more often I wouldn't be like a bird out of a cage when the opportunity arises.

You Are What You Eat

Most people today are, to some extent, aware of the nutritious value in the food they're eating, whether it's good or bad. The media is overflowing with advertisements for different "diet" products, vitamins,cooking shows, as well as commercials for diseases you can get from not eating "healthy" foods. So how is it possible that it took me over 20 years of being a health FANATIC to finally realize that the so called "healthy" foods I've been eating come from SERIOUSLY TORTURED animals that are filled with diseases, antibiotics, pesticides, and hormones. It's not that I've never heard about it, but I didn't know the extent of it until I recently watched some undercover videos of slaughterhouses demonstrating the SEVERE CRUELTY and horrible conditions of the animals I've been eating...poultry included.

If you knew your neighbor was torturing his dog or cat everyday, would you report it or just pretend it wasn't happening? If your cat had kittens, would you put the males kittens in a plastic bag and throw them in a garbage bin to suffocate to death just because you had no use for male cats? Every day, hundreds of thousands of male chicks are killed by suffocation in plastic bags, decapitation, gassing, being left to die in dumpsters, or being thrown alive into grinders, sometimes remaining alive for even twenty seconds after being slowly tortured and mangled (Rollin, B.E., Farm Animal Welfare).

A pregnant sow's (mother pig) biological need to build a nest before having her litter is so great that some sows confined in "gestation" crates will rub their snouts raw on the concrete floor while trying to satisfy the drive. Piglets are taken from their mothers as young as 10 days old and packed into pens to be raised for breeding or meat. Due to overcrowded conditions, the piglets develop stress-related behaviors such as cannibalism and tail-biting. Factory farmers chop off the piglets' tails and often use pliers to break off the ends of their teeth. In order to prevent unpleasant odors due to sexual pheromones, the farmers rip out the males' testicles. All of these procedures are done without any use of painkillers (www.merceyforanimals.com).

History classes all over the world will teach about the horrendous treatment that occurred during the holocaust, rightfully so; but most people will turn their backs on the cruelty that is happening everyday to millions of animals. How can a person physically and mentally be "stress-free" when their eating animals that were tortured and completely "stressed-out" until their death? Does the word "Karma" ring a bell?

The average vegetarian spares the lives of more than 50 animals each year. That adds up to thousands during a lifetime. For healthier options and recipes with "peace of mind", go to www.chooseveg.com, www.veganhealth.com, and of course www.facebook.com/cindyfoxfitness.

Spice Up Your Life this Autumn!

One of the benefits of living in New Jersey is having four Seasons...and that distinct feeling of change that comes with each one. What a great loss it would be to not take advantage and experience your life in a slightly different manor, and really live your life through different eyes every three months. For if you never expand your awareness beyond your daily routine, you will never experience the abundance the world has to offer.
I personally feel the strongest changes, both emotionally and physiologically as we enter Autumn and Spring. It's only three weeks into the Fall season and I have instantly transformed from Cindy Lee to "Sara Lee", although at this point in time Rachel Ray would be a more appropriate analogy. I practically starve myself all during the "summer" season because it's bikini season and I feel the pressure of having to be in good shape. But the first chilly day...I can't wait to put my clothes back on and find a new recipe to make! I put on my favorite cooking music(soundtrack from Chocolat, Practical Magic or City of Angels), light my candles, open a bottle of wine, and and spend hours in the kitchen.I don't even know who's going to eat it all, but I don't even care!
For some people, the cooler weather means they can now participate in more outdoor activities without getting heat stroke. I personally have no problem running outside when it's 90 degrees; and although I do prefer doing it when it's in the
70's, once I feel a slight chill on my ears, it's back to the treadmill I go. For sports fans, the fall means getting out of the hot sun of the baseball games and getting ready for hours of tailgating at football games...Go Giants!
I'm not thrilled with the "Back to School" displays of September, but I love the festivities of October...Halloween Costumes, pumpkin picking, and the scent of spiced candles. Even breweries take advantage of the Autumn Season to put out their "Harvest Blend" beer. I'm not a beer drinker, but I will take advantage of this time of year to have some cider jack if the occasion should arrise...Octoberfest!
Even if you're oblivious to all of these changes, you can't ignore the fall falliage! Unless you you never leave New York City (which is still no excuse because Central Park is beautiful right now!), or you only drive the NJ Turnpike exits 12through 16, you can't avoid seeing the many different colors of the leaves on the trees. There's even a difference in the air...a cool, more crisp feeling when you take a breathe. Get out and take a walk, or go sit on a park bench and do nothing...just notice the change and enjoy!

Surviving Bellydance Bootcamp

I know it sounds rediculous to think that anyone would NOT survive a weeklong bellydance workshop. Considering I normally run to 4 different places teaching about 12 classes a week of any mixture of kickbox, powersculpt, spinning, cardio-step aerobics, urban rebounder, and beginner bellydance, plus train some clients in between; it's safe to say I'm not a lazy person. Add to that the 20 hours running around at the hospital lifting and moving patients, or teaching CPR classes, flying home to drop off or pick up or cook for one of my three kids, and then run errands and clean the house...oh yeah, and don't forget the never-ending classes at school I'm STILL taking...I love pushing myself to the limit!
Ever since I took Suhaila Salimpour's 3-day level 1 Workshop last August in Arlington, VA, and got level 1 certified, I knew I was hooked! After 24 years of teaching and/or taking almost every new trend of fitness classes available, I have finally found something that challenges me both physically and mentally. Don't get me wrong...an hour long class at L A Boxing, punching and kicking the hell out of a heavy bag with multiple sets of push ups and sit ups intermittingly or teaching an hour long spin class are both enough to make me hypertentilate and want to through up. Then there was the half marathon I ran 2 years ago in 1 hr. 58 mins. after only starting to run again for 3 months, which of course gave me a cramp in my hamstrings that lasted 2 months. These too, are challenges I welcome!
There is another element to Suhaila's workshops that for me added to the mental challenge I experienced and that is unfamiliarity. There's a difference between knowing how to do something and pushing it to your physical limit, which takes mental discipline and determination. It's a whole other thing trying to do something you're totally unable to do at first while you're watching other people in the same class doing that same thing you're struggling with, 4 times faster, plus two other things at the same time. Talk about frustrating!!!! Now, if you're a "type A" person in one of these classes...it's enough to make you cry.
Ok, so I didn't cry, but that's only because I'm not one to cry very easily. But I almost didn't go back to class after lunch on the second day of class. Of course being a "type A" person, that would be absolutely unacceptable, so instead I just got depressed and dragged my ass back to class. I can't say the second half was any better. Actually, it was worse! We learned choreography, which is probably not that big of a deal to a dancer, but that's not my background. On a positive note, I did keep up with every single push up, all 300 abdominal exercises (with a bruise on my spine to prove it), the lunges, splits, and glute squeezes for the hour-long warm up everyday, though!
What's so difficult? Moving my pelvic area clockwise for hip squares (marking 4 points) at 1/4 time or 1/2 time was nothing. Trying to do chest rolls (undulations) up to down or down to up was ok, too. Putting them together is a bit challenging for me, but attainable. It's when I try to do alternating glute squeezes full time while moving with rib cage slides in any direction at a different speed and try to remember what's coming up next that gets me totally frazzled. And that's just the beginning!
Day three arrives and I have no ambition to get out of bed and get to class. The thought of not being able to remember the choreography and do it all correctly was making me sick to my stomach. I had to remind myself that I traveled to the other side of the United States and paid a lot of money for this whole trip, and I would hate my own guts if I didn't finish what I started. So off I walked to the train.
The warm-up was even harder, but I was able to still do the whole thing, which made me feel better. We learned some new drills that for some reason, I actually seemed to pick up quicker than usual. Suddenly I was starting to detect a bit of self-esteem again! The choreography still kicked my ass mentally, but "holy shit...I think I'm going to make it after all"!
The fourth night I ran into one of the girls from class in the lobby of the hotel I was staying in. I had no idea that two of them was staying in the room right across the hall from me. I walked out at the same time with them the next day and realized I could've been taking the bus instead of the train, which would've been much easier and quicker. Finally, it's all coming together. Everyone is starting to bond a little bit, the drills are coming to me easier, and suddenly I don't want to leave...go figure!
So for any of you who have taken you first step-aerobics class, or started taking a dance class, or just hired a trainer and want to kill her already...don't give up, and know that "I feel for you...lol"!

Do Over

I've heard many people say, "If only I could do it over". This implies that they'd do things differently if given another chance. If you had the chance to go back in time and change something you did, would you?
Having all circumstances exactly the same as they were back then, what makes you think you'd make a different decision? Wasn't the choice you made at the time right for you at that time? And if you knew at the time you were making a "mistake", what factors drove you to take that path anyway? I think of those factors as curve balls the universe throws at us to guide us down certain paths.
Think of one of the most painful experiences you ever had that was due to a choice you made. Can you find ANY good that came out of that experience? Maybe an important lesson learned that prevented you or someone else from future pain? Or maybe this decision made you stronger in some way or more understanding of others? If you think of all the events that occurred in your life following that experience imagine they never existed...would you still want to undo that so called "mistake"?
Isn't it true that when we lose something, we gain something else? There have been times in the past when some "great" opportunities slipped out from under me and I was very disappointed. Almost every time though, an even better opportunity emerged. So why is it that we sometimes struggle when faced with difficult decisions with fear of regret or worry about making a "mistake"? Often the clouds are infront of the sun so we can't see it...but it is there and will shine again.
I believe that everything happens for a reason, regardless of how long it takes to realize what that reason is. These "forks in the roads" are essential to our growth as spiritually and emotionally fulfilled human beings. Would you really want a "DO OVER" and miss out on these great learning lessons in life?
I dedicate this to my biggest so called "mistake" I made in my life that took a very long time to stop regretting and appreciate what I now have instead. "The Five People You meet in Heaven", by Mitch Albom is a great book to read if you agree with my thoughts on this matter.

It's All About Balance

Does the "hustle and bustle" of the holidays get you stressed out and thrown off your daily routine? With the extra shopping and spending, the cleaning and decorating of the house, preparing and cooking for family and guests, and the pressure of trying to please everyone...no wonder so many people get stressed out and loose their "inner peace" this time of year. "Eat, drink, and be merry", doesn't mean gorge yourself with food, drink to oblivion, and pretend to be so "merry" that you loose yourself in the "act".


I'm not sure that other cultures or religions, outside of Christianity in the United States, go to the same extent as most of us do in celebrating "the holiday" Christmas has become. I'll admit that it has become for many a very materialized holiday filled with overindulgence and not much reflection of why we celebrate Christmas. I'm not knocking it all because I love the whole "spirit" of Christmas", but I too get caught up in the "pressures of pleasing" and all that it entails. Here are some ways I've learned to maintain "balance" this time of year:

-I keep up with my regular workouts (for the most part). I work off any "negative energy" that may otherwise stress me out; plus it increases my endorphins, the "happy hormones" which get released from physical exertion.

-When I see that my co-workers have brought "tempting" deserts and fattening foods into the lounge for everyone, I head right to my locker and grab a protein bar or start munching on some rice cakes; or I'll take an early lunch to make sure I'm not hungry when I walk into the break room. I can resist temptation much better if my sugar level isn't crashing...don't get to that point!

-When it comes to shopping for gifts, I make a list of who I need to buy for and what I'd like to get them. I may look in the fliers to see which stores have what I need at the best price so I can save time by going to the place that has the most of what I need in one shot (time management!).

- I try to buy ONLY gifts and things I REALLY need right away. I remind myself that I can shop for myself after Christmas...January Clearance Sales!!

- Not only do I NOT suggest wrapping all 30+ gifts at one sitting, but don't wait until the night before to realize you have 15 gifts for one child and only 7 for the other! There are only so many "girl" gifts you can put into the "boy's" pile on Christmas Eve without upsetting someone.

The main thing is to appreciate the time spent with the people you love. As we get closer to Christmas (the holiday I celebrate), I'll start to remember some other possible "triggers" that can offset your "Balance" and "Peace of Mind"...Deep cleansing Breath...ahhhh:)