Fitness Friday

We all know how it goes.  First month of the New Years Resolutions are full of packed gyms, stocked refrigerators, and high aspirations.  However somewhere between Valentine's Day and Spring Break our motivation to achieve our goals slowly dwindles and we end up right where we started.  Whatever your fitness goal may be, I encourage you to take small steps and be consistent, you'll get there eventually.  Here are a few motivators to help you stay fit in 2012!

Fit Tips to Keep You on Track:

• Pack a gym bag- Before you leave for work in the morning, pack a bag to have in your  car for after work.  This way you won't have to run home to change and lose motivation in the process.  Also, if your gym offers permanent lockers, try renting one for a month and keep an extra pair of gym clothes and sneakers in your locker so it's ready for you anytime!

• Keep a workout log- either in a journal or at an online website such as www.sparkpeople.com or www.fitnessmagazine.com/tracker This can serve as a form of motivation for you as you can look back on your progress.  New to working out? Set a goal of 150 minutes of physical activity per week.  This is the minimum amount of exercise required for general health according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

• Take on a Challenge- Train for a triathlon, run your first 5K, or try a timed obstacle course like The Mud Run.  Training for an event is excellent motivation to get your out of a workout rut or the push you need to get off the couch. For a list of events in your area, visit http://www.active.com/

• Invest in a Heart Rate Monitor- These handy little devices will calculate your heart rate as well as how many calories you burn during a workout.  They can also help you track the amount of time you spend each week working out along with calories burnded to keep you on track towards your goal.  You can buy them at a local sports store or purchase them online through Polar. This is the ultimate way to know you many calories you're burning during a kickboxing class or a jog around the park.  **And FYI- the calorie count on the machines at the gym are incredibly inaccurate.

• Sign up for a Bootcamp- Are you typically a gym rat? Switch up your workouts by joining a bootcamp for a month. Bootcamp style training is based around high intensity intervals that torch calories and tone your entire body.  Plus, you have the added motivation of other people working out with you and it can be a great place to find a new workout buddy! There are many bootcamps in the Dallas area such as Camp Gladiator or Transformation

• Track your Steps- Even if you're already physically active, you should aim to get in at least 10,000 steps a day.  Research shows that most people who engage in physical activity tend to be less active throughout the day.  That explains why many people have trouble losing weight even if they are consistently exercising.  So even if you hit your 6 am Spin class in the morning, remember to take the stairs instead of the elevator!

Fitness Friday

Halloween starts the beginning of the Holiday season. Next up is Thanksgiving, then Christmas and New Years.  This time of year lends to indulgence many tasty treats that we don't normally have all the time, which is why it's not surprising that many people gain weight over the Holidays. 

Instead if turning a blind eye to the statistics, why not amp up your workout routine to help off set some of those extra calories? Running is one of the fastest ways to burn calories-  fact: running 1 mile= about 100 calories expended.  If you've never been a runner before, sign up for a 5K with a friend.  Signing up for a race with the accountability and encouragement of a friend will help you to stick to your plan. 

Here is an easy beginner 5K training plan.  If you've never run before, be sure to take advantage of your rest days as your body will need time to adapt to training. 


Training for your first 5-K

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	1.5 m run	30- 60 min walk
2	Rest or run/walk	1.75 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	1.75 m run	35-60 min walk
3	Rest or run/walk	2 mi run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	2 MI run	40-60 min walk
4	Rest or run/walk	2.25 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	2.25 m run	45-60 min walk
5	Rest or run/walk	2.5 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	2.5 m run	50-60 min walk
6	Rest or run/walk	2.75 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	2.75 m run	55-60 min walk
7	Rest or run/walk	3 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	3 m run	60 min walk
8	Rest or run/walk	3 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	Rest	5-K Race

• To find out about 5K races in your area visit Runner's World and enter your zip code