When you can't workout outside...

As the seasons change, we loose our extra hours of daylight and desirable weather which allows us to jog, run, walk, swim, hike or bike outside. Many times the inability to do our favorite outdoor exercises results in no exercise at all. It is easy to get into a comfortable routine and loose the motivation to make a change. Here are a few ideas to get you pumped up for your Fall and Winter workout options!

• Utilize free week trials, groupon gym discounts and friend referrals ~ I always joke with my friends that with all the different bootcamps, yoga studios and gyms that offer a free week trial, I could probably get by with never paying for a membership! Taking advantage of these discounts and free trials is a great way to try out new exercise programs.



• Get a new membership ~ If you find a studio, gym or bootcamp that you enjoy- join! When you know you are paying a monthly fee, you are more likely to stay true to your weekly workout schedule...making sure to get your money's worth!



• Update your playlist ~ Running a few miles on the treadmill isn't always the most desirable workout...but running on a treadmill with a new playlist with a few of your favorite songs is a great way to get pumped up!



• Take a Group Class ~ Most gyms offer a wide array of group classes. Spin, kickboxing, zumba, weight lifting classes, gravity training, bootcamps and yoga...with so many choices, you are way less likely to get bored or burned out! Working out in a group is also very motivating...I don't know anyone who wants to be the girl that leaves the class 30 minutes early. My competitive nature always seems to kick-in, preventing me from slacking off!



• Workout in the comfort of your own home ~ It is easier than ever to order exercise DVDs online or walk into the local Target to pick up weight resistance bands, hand weights and bosu balls.

Excuses, Excuses!

I like to check "workout" off the daily to-do list first thing in the morning because giving myself 10 hours throughout the day to come up with excuses is way too dangerous! "Oops, I forgot to pack my sports bra in the gym bag... Oh, no! I totally forgot I promised my friend I would meet up for drinks after work... I am too exhausted to even put on my gym clothes after a long day at the office, how will I ever have enough energy to get in a good workout ?" The list of excuses can go on and on! It happens to everyone, even the most motivated of us. I can remember an instance when after doing one loop around the first third of the gym parking lot, I turned right back around and headed home (dressed in gym clothes, hair in a ponytail, water bottle, towel and all). I convinced myself that it wasn't my fault that the parking lot was "COMPLETELY" full and if the parking lot was this bad, just imagine how long I would have to wait to use the gym machines! Once you come to terms with how your mind operates, you can outsmart those endless excuses.

Here are a few responses to those excuses we tend to hear over and over again:

~ There just isn't enough time in the day!
~ You actually have the power to add hours to your day! I know you aren't going to like my solution but it works-wake up one hour earlier than you usually do. Before I got a puppy, I would wake up at 7:15am every morning in order to get in an early morning workout, but after I got the puppy he took up this time. Solution- set the alarm for 6:30am! I admit, it isn't easy the first week, but now I automatically wake up at 6:30am every morning. If you aren't a morning person, stay up an extra hour each night...life is short- get the most out of your day!
~ I also like my fiance's response to this excuse-"If you have enough time to watch TV, you have enough time to workout!" Better yet you can do both at the same time. Find a gym that has treadmills with personal TVs!

~ Gyms are too expensive!
~ Run around the bay, hike a trail, walk on the beach, bike around the city, jump rope, swim, get a workout DVD! Done and done...too easy!

~ I barely have time to spend with my friends!
~ I can't think of better quality time than working out with your buddies. This has two-fold benefits: 1- you have instant motivation, you are less likely to cancel on your gym session when you are meeting up with a friend there; 2- "Walks and Talks" (as I call them) or "Wogs" (a walk/jog as my friend Cindy calls them) are great gossip sessions and if you find a good talking partner, your workout goes by so much faster!

~ I have a baby!
~ There are so many great new programs for mommy's and mommy-to-be's! Check out Stroller Strides or local Mommy Boot Camps. Or refer to above and bring the baby on the "walks and talks" or "wogs" with you and the girls!

~ There is so much more that I would rather do with my time!
~ True, many times a big glass of chardonnay, tapas at happy hour or snuggling on the couch are much more tempting than clocking in a session at the gym. But like I said above, there is always a way to cram a workout into your schedule, whether it is combing friend time with gym time, adding more hours to your day or getting creative with where and when you workout. Plus, enjoying a glass of wine or ordering an extra tapa is so much better (and guilt-free) after a great workout! Lastly, snuggling on the couch doesn't provide all the wonderful benefits exercise does like weight loss, combating disease, mood improvements, and boosting your energy level (just to name a few of the hundreds)!

~ I just don't have the motivation!
~ Here is where I insert my teaser for next week's blog...I will be sharing my not-so-common motivators which will hopefully help your workout motivation level!

Insane enough to try INSANITY!

I recently noticed that I couldn't be in a conversation about workouts and exercise regimens without the mention of P90X. From Facebook posts and day-to-day conversations to great infomercials, P90X seems to be the newest "it" workout! Being the workout feign that I am, I jumped on the Internet and researched the program. Filling my tiny condo living room with the required P90X equipment: dumbbells, pull-up bar and weight bands was less than desirable. Just the thought of working out in front of the television with a yoga mat, exercise equipment and chair or stool made me claustrophobic. If you can relate, you might find Beachbody's Insanity to be a great substitute for the P90X craze.


After a conversation (which initially started about what else but P90X) with a friend's boyfriend who lost 10lbs the first month on the Insanity workout regimen, I ran home and googled "Insanity". From the same company behind P90X, Beachbody, promises the intense workout program will transform your body in 60 days and without any equipment at all! I was sold and a few days later popped in the first of ten Insanity DVDS.

I have successfully completed the first month of strength, power and resistance interval trainings mixed with high-intensity plyometric drills. To clarify my definition of "successfully"- I have diligently followed the assigned daily dvds for the past 30 days; in some cases with the hardcore drills, I am usually lasting a good 45-50 seconds of the 60 minute drills. Thus far, I have noticed more definition in my arms and abs. Unfortunately for all those out there that like to see the results on the scale- I have actually gained 1.5lbs (mostly likely due to muscle gain because my pants are beginning to feel loose which is always a sure sign to great results).

Here is my personal list of pros and cons:

• PRO: Sean T. and his fit team of six-pack shirtless men and sports-bra wearing women are very motivating.
• CON: An over-peppy Insanity student, Tanya comes off much more annoying than motivating! I want to throw a dog toy at the TV every single time she opens her mouth or makes an irritating gesture. I guess I have this type of student in every workout class I have taken, so it makes me feel like I am really in a group class!
• PRO: Easy to follow schedule and convenience of working out in your own home.
• CON: Lack of motivation from working in a group setting; must be very dedicated and committed to successfully complete this program.
• PRO: Most daily exercises are only 35-45 minutes!
• CON: With my A.D.D, I get very bored/distracted with two stretching sessions in one video.
• PRO: Having a weekly recovery workout and one day off gives me the motivation to push hard on the workout days.
• CON: I was excited to have a "with music" option, but the music doesn't add much and doesn't do what music is suppose to do in a workout- get me pumped up! I suggest turning Pandora on once you are familiar with the workout.
• PRO: No equipment needed.
• CON: Without a trainer on site, you have the risk of making a mistake on form. I have noticed strange pain in my neck and right hand which makes me question my form on all those planks.
• PRO: Great meal plan with a variety of food suggestions accompany the 10 disc program.
• PRO: Yes, the drills are intense but you never do one exercise for more than one minute.
• PRO: When I am finished with the workout, I don't have to get into my car all sweaty to drive home from the gym...I just walk down the hallway, jump in the shower and start my day- huge time saver!

As you can see, my Pros outweigh my Cons...looks like the program is a keeper!

Fitness Frenzy? What's this all about?

In regards to my workout addiction, I have heard it all from, "You are absolutely crazy" and "Why do you put yourself through this" to " I wish I had your dedication". So what if 90% of my Facebook wall posts are check-ins at the nearest gym or updates about my newest health endeavors and my idea of happy hour is a walk around the bay with my besties! Most of my close friends and family realize that my obsession with diet & exercise is just part of who I am, the way that I am wired while others think it is purely crazy.

I am not sure if you would call me the classic yo-yo dieter, or maybe I am a sucker for all those exercise and diet advertisements and infomercials, or quite possibly I just have a basic addiction to a good workout. All I know is that I never feel better than when I am walking out of the gym covered in sweat! I am definitely not the classic "skinny girl" we see at the gym ALL hours of the day, counting EVERY single calorie; more like the girl that clocks in a good workout at least once a day and counts calories only when I am on a diet that calls for it. I think my obsession for breaking a good sweat comes from my passion for good food and even better wine (yum)! In order to let myself indulge on special occasions and avoid my "BIG BONED" Italian genes, I started working out and found it to be the greatest stress relief and the best "me" time that I could ever ask for.

Whether I'm grocery shopping for a new diet that I plan to start on Monday or I'm on a new workout kick, I always have a few comical stories, enlightening findings or helpful hints to go along with these crazy wellness adventures. Consider me your guinea pig in experimenting the latest and greatest diets, partaking in innovative exercise routines and scoping out the hottest health and nutrition secrets. In the past eight years, a few of the many programs I have participated in include, the Cabbage Soup Detox, Medifast Weight Loss Program, Atkins, Bikram Yoga, Hot Yoga, Turbo Kickboxing, Beachbody Workouts and preparing for races. With new routines and regimens popping up every day, I know many more stories and adventures are sure to come. I promise to get down to the nitty-gritty...the important stuff...what works, what doesn't work, what is worth the time & energy and of course the things the advertisers don't tell us. You can rest assured that me and my type-A personality will put 110% into each wellness endevour and report back to you with all that you need to know (most likely even more)!