Country Jog

Amish Farms

This morning, I took a jog in the country side. We're up at my in-laws' lake house in Northern Indiana. They live in Amish country. It's really slow paced and relaxed here. As I shared before, I restarted my fitness routine in June. I've been back to spin classes at the gym and working out about 4-5 days a week. I feel really good and not feeling sore after exercising.

A few weeks ago when we were at the lake, I ran about 45 minutes. Today, I set out for a goal for an hour. I use my heart monitor and watch my heart rate closely. Instead of speed or distance, I look at my heart rate and listen to my body. In spin classes, I do lots of interval training and have already seen my aerobic endurance improve. My lungs feel clear when I exercise and I'm not seeing any asthma issues.

Today, I ran on a straight, dirt road along the Amish farms. I ran for an hour and turned around at the 30 minute mark. The sun wasn't very direct in the first half, but it was starting to get really hot towards the end. 

I enjoyed the quiet scenery, despite the farm smells. I didn't see any cars, just an Amish man crossing the road to get his mail. I passed two horses and one blinked at me sweetly to I took their picture.

Beautiful horses

At the halfway point where I turned around, I saw a sign in the corn field that said no spray organic. That made me happy!

Organic corn

When I got back to the house, I felt good. But then I looked in the mirror and I was bright red from the heat! I drank a lot of water to cool off.

I ran close to 4 miles in an hour and burned 735 calories. I don't run for distance. I just stay in tuned with my body and how I feel. I religiously watch my heart monitor to take a break if it starts getting too high. I will do a recovery period and let my heart rate come down about 20 beats per minute after walking a minute or so. It was nice to be alone away from the family to decompress.

Back in the Fitness Game Again

In the past few months, I've been slowly ramping up my fitness program. Having a young child, mixed with work travel and working full-time pretty much wiped out my old 4-5 day a week exercise routine. I started working out at lunches at my company's gym and then the weather started warming up so walking outside was much more appealing. In March, I started to gently wean Ava from nursing in a respectful way. It was a slow process that just wrapped up a few weeks ago. I need to blog about her weaning story in the future. It's still very fresh and emotional for me. By not breastfeeding as much, I started to see my metabolism slow down and now my body is transitioning to a new state again. Back in the old days of exclusive nursing (before solids), I was likely burning 500-800 calories that brought me back to pre-pregnancy weight pretty quickly. But I wasn't getting enough physical exercise that's healthy for my heart and body.

In May, my work travel started to slow down and with the prospect of having a more predictable work schedule I started stepping up my fitness routine. I added more frequent workouts during the week and I started run-walk intervals. I noticed my hip was sore after running, but that has gone away now.

Then about a month ago, I joined the YMCA. I've heard great things about it from my friends in town. I was so excited to get back to cycle class again. I was really into cycle back in Chicago. Check out my interview with my cycle instructor, which is awesome even 4 years later. I bought a new heart monitor because for the life of me, I couldn't find my old one. I love training with my heart monitor. Back when I was doing conditioning, my asthma symptoms were much more mild.

I look at my calendar week-by-week and look at when I carve out some time for me to workout. Now that Ava is older, leaving her at home with Aaron is easier. In the early months, I napped on the weekends with her to catch up because of the night wakings during the work week. I've talked to many of my working mom friends to ask them how they get their workouts in to their schedule to get some ideas. Some work it out with their partners to workout at night, others do the early morning, and also after their children are sleeping at night. I couldn't justify leaving Ava after a long work day separation since the evenings were our only time together. Since Ava goes to sleep later than many kids, I'm pretty much worthless after she's asleep. I've found that it works best for us if I get up at the crack of dawn to do a cycle class at 5:15am or at lunch. So I look at my week ahead and literally try to fit exercise into the mix.

Next week will be tough. I have a big work week, traveling on a day trip to Chicago on Thursday, and then we're off to a family reunion Friday - Sunday. So I worked out at the gym before lunch and came home to Aaron and Ava napping. And then I'll go to two 5:15am cycle classes at the gym. And no doubt the following week will be different.

So while I'm really careful about the foods that we eat at home, I know that fitness was a big gap. I'm feeling better and I know that in time, the results will be seen. I'm motivated by how my body is less sore and my heart rate isn't so high from jogging or intense parts of the cycle class.

Since this is my first time adjusting back to a post-nursing body, I'm really curious how my body will change over the next few months. I've heard from other moms that after they weaned their babies, they shed some more weight that held on or they gained more energy.

I've also gone back to tracking my calories using an iPhone app. So little by little, I'm hoping that it will all make a difference. I'm motivated and ready to make it happen!

Spring Flower Power Walk

Spring rain is a renewal to the lifeless, still landscapes that we see in the winter. I enjoy a brisk walk in the spring to enjoy the budding trees and blooming wild flowers. It's a great way to get outside after a long winter to enjoy a workout in the fresh air! When I lived in California, the spring rain brings out gorgeous flowers and the hills are bright green. Then summer comes and the rain stops and the hills turns golden because of the mustard grass (brought by the Spaniards). Needless to say, I was always distracted seeing the green hills! In my old house in San Jose, where I grew up, we had a cherry orchard at the end of my street. The mustard blooms are a beautiful sign of springtime in California (great photo here). My friend, Romeo, took photos of me back in high school in that mustard grass in the orchard for his photography class when we were in high school. I wish I had those photos! This picture on the left is the closest thing I have in Indiana to the mustard blooms.

This afternoon I took Ava for a 2-mile hill walk on our street and I saw some gorgeous spring wild flowers. My power walk took me about 1-hour and it put the baby right to sleep! It was 45 degrees outside so I bundled her up in her stroller and she was so cozy (you can see in the photo). I saw daffodils, violets, and these pretty yellow and purple flowers on the bushes and trees outside.

I had a cesarean birth and it took longer to recover than a natural birth, but since I was in shape and healthy prior to the surgery, it helped me recover more quickly. Today, was the first day that I really felt strong to exercise like normal again. The stroller, car seat, and baby weigh about 40 lbs total. Going up and down hills I was working my gluts, abs, and getting a great cardio workout!

Power walking in the spring lets you enjoy the flowers and gets you moving! Here's a couple tips on planning a perfect spring walk:

• Trails and hills: Seek out trails in local parks or a secluded country area. When I lived in Illinois, I walked on the prairie path and in Indiana, many people run/walk/bike on the Monon Trail. Even driving a short distance to an open area and then walking from there gets you to a more into nature. The farther you can get from car traffic, the nicer the walk you can look at the spring landscape and not be distracted by looking for cars all the time.
  
• Use Google Maps to calculate distance: I mapped my street that I live on, which has a dead end at the top of the hill. It's a 1/2 mile each way so I do 4 legs to equal 2 miles. Some trails have mile markers to make it easy to keep track.
  
• Be social: I've done lots of walking with friends and it makes the time pass faster because you're distracted by the conversation. It turns out that I've walked farther because I'm having a good time. My mother-in-law walks with her best friends and it helps keep them motivated.
• Take your heart monitor to track calories and heart rate: I forgot my heart monitor this time, but I'm planning to use it for the next walk. I know I worked hard on the hill walk today, but it would be better if knew my calories burned. Here's a post from the summer on using heart monitors.

It feels good to be back in it again! Spin class was my favorite pre-pregnancy workout, but being home with the baby walking the hills outside is a good workout that I don't have to drive to the gym or get a sitter. It's convenient that she falls asleep in the stroller and I can fit in the workout between feeding and caring for Ava.

Please share your tips for spring power walks!

Exclusive Interview: Mom of Two Trains for First Marathon and Shares Her Tips

Catherine and I have been friends for 8 years, since before her kids were born. Catherine amazes me with the grace of how as she balances a marketing career, a healthy marriage, being a hands-on mom to her two young children, and always staying committed to her health and wellness. Now taking it to the next level, Catherine is training for her first marathon with Team in Training this October in San Francisco. Her mother was originally concerned that she would push herself too hard, but when you talk to her, you realize that she's reaching new levels of satisfaction and personal growth and her family is extremely proud.

I asked her to share her training tips because so many people say that they can't find time for exercise. If training for a marathon isn't your goal, that's ok. Use her practical tips to find ways to train for a 5k run or simply balancing exercise in your hectic life. My goal in this blog is to always give you ways to balance healthy living goals with the constraints of time and money, your most valuable resources. Read on....

QUICK BITES: How do you find the time to fit in your training between your full time job and busy family life?

CATHERINE: Great question! A few years ago I would have said that there is no way I could find the time to train for a marathon having 2 kids under the age of 3. Now that the children are a bit older (3 and 5) it is easier. Also, my husband, Gerry, is a great supporter of mine. Getting the training in is hard but I get up every Monday and Wednesday mornings and head out to the gym for 40 minutes. I am usually there at 5:30am and I am back before the children are awake. Tuesday nights from 6:15 to 8:00pm I do track training…definitely not my favorite portion of the training but they say I need to do it to improve. Thursday nights from 6:15 to 7pm I usually run 4 miles and then on Saturdays I run my long run which is anywhere between 8 to 16 miles. I start at 7am and I am back before noon – so I still have time to have fun with my kids.

QUICK BITES: What is your psychological motivation technique when training is hard? So much of training is physical, but it can be a psychological battle too.

CATHERINE: What I am finding is that doing it with a team is easier than by yourself. So many times, when I know no one is waiting for me, I will have a tendency to flake on the training. With a team and friends training for the same event, and same cause, it makes it fun and helps you keep your motivation up. Also, when your 3 year old and 5 year old look at you in the eyes and say “Maman will run a marathon soon” it makes you want to keep going.

QUICK BITES: Are you eating differently to support your training efforts? For example, do you eat more calories? If so, do you calculate it or just "wing it?"

CATHERINE: I am working out 5 times a week, one would think I would lose some weight. Well, to the contrary, since I now have to include carbs in my diet, I have gained weight. I was one of these neurotic ones that would always try to avoid cards to stay slender….what I am realizing is that by doing so I completely deprived my body of carbs and now my thighs are hanging on to every calorie they can! I am definitely eating more calories and I need to! If I do not eat enough calories or hydrate myself correctly, I do not do as well during my runs. Funny you ask if I am winging it or calculating my calorie intake. Until last night, I was definitely winging it but I have now started calculating my intake and tracking it with the Calorie Count website.

QUICK BITES: What have you learned about yourself with this process?

CATHERINE: That I can do this! I can help a cause that is near and dear to me. I am raising money for the leukemia and lymphoma society (LLS) and meeting cancer survivors along the way that have benefited from treatments that were funded by LLS. I am proud of every dollar I raise and every mile I am run. I CAN DO THIS! I am not longer scared.

Follow me on my journey and help the cause. Visit my website today!

Quick Bites Exclusive Interview: Cycle Instructor Dale Foster Shares Beginner Tips and Advice

Meet my cycle instructor, Dale Foster. He's 40 years old and in the best shape of his life. After cycling for 13 years, he decided to be a part-time instructor though he runs a local business. Dale regularly tells the class about his inspirational story of how he lost 100 lbs doing cycle class! So I asked him to share some of his valuable tips to the Quick Bites readers. If you're putting off trying a fitness routine like group cycle classes, you'll see it's okay to try. Listen up!

Quick Bites: As a cycle instructor, you must see a lot of people come and go. Why do you think people should stick with cycle versus other fitness routines?

DALE: I do see many people come to cycle class. I think people should stick with cycle class because of the high calorie, low impact benefits. You can work at your own pace and in time get gradually better and better.

Quick Bites: What do you think are the benefits of cycle for long-term health and well being?

DALE: I think the benefits of cycle for health and well being are: Increased Energy, Increased Calorie burn off of the bike. Your body continues to burn calories thought the day. Cycling is very low impact so there is not a constant beating on the joints.

Quick Bites: What is the proper form for riding the bike?

DALE: It is always important to come in early before a class starts and ask the instructor to help you set up your bike for proper fit. Comfort is the top priority! If you are not comfortable on your bike, it will not be very enjoyable. It is also important to pay attention to the instructor and follow their instructions on proper form during the class. One thing that I can suggest is to limit your time out of the saddle until you develop the muscles to support you when you're standing out of the saddle. Otherwise you can cause some strain in the upper back.

Quick Bites: Can you recommend equipment for cycle class? Keep in mind, if people are on a budget. Where can they can get the most bang for their buck?

DALE: I recommend some form of saddle padding. Sore rear ends are a common complaint. Bike shorts have a nice fit. I suggest going for 1/2-inch padding to cushion those tender areas, and also alleviate any chaffing. Shorts can be found at any of the sporting goods stores, or local bike stores or on line (MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE PADDING). For a more economical choice, a bike seat cover can be purchased for under $20.00 at Wal-Mart or any other sporting goods stores. I use both. Not at the same time though!

Quick Bites: What tips can you give first-timers that are interested in trying cycle it for the first time?

DALE: Ride at your own pace. Don't overdo it the first few times. Take your time. Just relax and peddle through the class. It is not a race and have fun.

I hope you see that it's really not that scary! Thanks to Dale for his practical insights for beginners to indoor group cycle. I've been taking cycle class for a long time to keep fit and my asthma is in check (see my previous post about natural asthma maintenance). Now, I can run! I've never been able to do that before cycle class. But as Dale suggests, you can get better and better over time so these results didn't happen over night.

Are you making the most of your workout?

Feel like you are in a rut or not making progress in your workouts? Here is a quick survey to make sure that you are reaching your potential:

Assess your cardio routine:
Cardio before or after strength training? If you are looking to increase your cardiovascular endurance, do your cardio exercise before your weight training. You will be fresh and more likely to push yourself. When training for strength or mass building, cardio should be done after.
What is your intensity? Do a spot check of your heart rate every so often. Here is a reference of what it should be:
((220 – Age) - Resting heart rate) X % of desired intensity. I would recommend somewhere between 70% and 85% depending on your fitness level.

Examine your strength training:

Make sure that you are performing the correct intensity according to your goals:

Muscular Endurance: Intensity : 67% Reps: More than 12 Sets: 2-3 Rest: Less than 30 sec


Strength: Intensity: 85% Reps: Less than 6 Sets: 2-6 Rest: 2-5 min

Mass Building: Intensity: 67-85% Reps: 6-12 Sets: 3-6 Rest: 30sec to 1:30 min


Power:Intensity: 80-90% Reps: 3-5 Sets: 2-5 Rest:2-5 min

Vary your workouts by making sure you are changing things up regularly. Shift from focusing on endurance to strength to mass building/power every 4-6 weeks. It will help to keep your program fresh and help with adherence.

Get a post workout snack: You should eat a post workout snack within 60-90 minutes of the finish of your workout. When you exercise, you use glycogen to create energy. These glycogen stores need to be replaced with in specific time frame to increase their ability to aid in your next workout. A great snack is your favorite piece of fruit and a handful of raw nuts.

Maintain Hydration: Everyone has a different level of optimal hydration; Aim for 64 oz per day or if your urine is clear, you are probably hydrated!


If you feel like you are not moving forward with your workouts, enlist friends and family to help keep you motivated and set short term goals to keep your self on track. You can do whatever you set your mind to!

My 3-week Observations with the Food/Health Journal

On my journey for balancing a healthy lifestyle, I have one priority now, which is to reduce my body fat. I say that I have one top priority goal because, I recently went to the doctor and my physical revealed that I'm very healthy - blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, thyroid, etc. See even healthy people need to go to the doctor! That leaves only one thing to get me ready for pre-baby shape - losing body fat.

So three weeks ago, I started my online food and health journaling again after feeling my clothes get a bit tighter, (see my post). I did it religiously for many months and successfully shed some pounds. When I stopped in January, I started gradually slacking on my portion sizes.

The online food journal that I use is the free tool The Daily Plate. I enter in my food intake and exercises daily and manage my personal "balance sheet" to see my total nutritional breakdown for the day. I really like statistics so I find this really cool! I entered in my current weight and loss goal (1 pound per wk) and it automatically calculates my target calorie allotment for the day.

After the first 3-weeks, I'm noticing some cool things...

• I'm eating LESS! Knowing that I have to document everything that I eat and drink (wine, beer, margaritas, etc), I'm more cautious about my portion sizes now. I notice that I'm going back to the computer to login my meals so that I can see what I should eat more of for the day, especially at night.
• I'm exercising MORE! When I exercise, I log in the activity and it shows how many calories I used and adds to target calories I need to eat like a financial balance sheet. I like to workout 5 days a week anyway, but logging it really keeps me motivated not to miss or I might do something extra on day 6.
• These 2 factors = weight loss! I'm focusing on losing a little at a time because I'm not making dramatic changes because I already eat a healthy, organic whole food diet. Besides slow weight loss is ideal for maintaining it long-term.

I will keep checking in with you on my progress. Now, I'm challenging you to join me in this effort if you have the same goal. Send me your comments and feedback as we take this journey together!

Practical Reasons to Purge Your Closet of those Pesky Skinny Jeans!

What a strange adulthood phenomenon…keeping those “skinny jeans” in the back of your closet or bottom of your drawer to see if you fit into them in the future. Yes, those are the jeans of your personal ideal size that you aspire to be one day again. I have friends of all shapes and sizes that do this. I suspect that even guys do this, too! Last night, I was with 3 girlfriends and all of us confessed to have our own pair of skinny jeans for the hope that one day they will fit us. But what if we do fit into those jeans one day? The reality will set in that you have accomplished your goal and worked hard to achieve the giant feat of getting back to pre-baby, pre-marriage, pre-life-craziness and you model them in the privacy of your home and gasp…go in public with out-of-style jeans! See that’s the problem. Jeans are a wardrobe staple now, but they need to be updated for cut, style, and rinse. Unless you want to be spotted around town wearing the dreaded “Mommy Jean” – the high-waist taper-leg, light rinse disaster, you need to update your wardrobe for something flattering and comfortable!

Practically speaking, you don’t want to look like a fool wearing 5, even 10-year old jeans! There are a myriad of options for every size and shape person! Even if you’re on a budget, if you wear these coveted pair of stylish denim jeans once a week for the next year and they cost you $150 to buy, that’s still only $2.88 per wearing! If you’re on a tight budget, go for more versatile styles that have a darker rinse (more flattering) and can be dressed up with nice leather shoes (and pumps for the ladies) or dressed down with casual shoes and shirts.

The most important thing is to always love yourself and feel confident every day, regardless of your size and shape. Taking pride in your physical appearance is essential both professionally and personally. If you’re not convinced, add TLC’s What Not to Wear to your Tivo list. Those folks that get the makeovers are usually putting themselves last or suffering confidence issues. People that look “put together” are less distracting and more ATTRACTING, which helps with landing the job, promotion, date, and keeping the marriage interesting.

Just think of all the SPACE you can regain in your closet if you’re harboring more than just 1 pair of skinny jeans! Living in a cozy condo in the city, space is a premium and I intend to use it wisely. My husband is a much bigger fan of purging than me so he encourages me to just purge! Donate the clean, lightly worn clothes to charity and turn the rest to rags or just throw it away.

Now look, there’s a 1-hour project that has a big payoff.

Personal Trainer and Fitness Expert Joins Quick Bite to Share Her Insights

I want to introduce you to my personal trainer, Stephanie Lee, who I've been working with for over 3 years. When I was looking for a solution to prevent my back pain, my chiropractor suggested I hire a personal trainer to help strengthen my core muscle group. I watched the personal trainers at my gym to look for a trainer that was professional and focused on their clients. I spotted Stephanie and the rest is history!

Stay tuned...Stephanie is working on upcoming articles to share her insights and fitness expertise to help motivate you to keep working hard. In our culture we're always trying to find the fountain of youth. Exercise is a cornerstone of longevity and good health.

Stephanie has worked at some of the top fitness facilities in Chicago, helping her clients achieve their personal fitness and health goals. With a B.S. in Sports Medicine and Athletic Training from the University of Charleston and professional certifications such as Certified Personal Trainer, she also has expertise in pilates and pre/post natal exercise.

One of the great things about having a personal trainer is having a personalized workout. Balancing this expense in your annual budget for 5-10 or even 15 sessions is so beneficial because you can make the most of every workout! She creates a unique workout for me, considering my goals and works with my current fitness levels. Then, I do it on my own and ask her questions the next time. I bring the hard copy with me to the gym with her notes so I can remember the moves. We workout together spread out through the year so I can get fresh, challenging routines.

Another client, Jill Rorem, of Chicago, came to her after gaining 60 pounds during her pregnancy to get a major overhaul. Jill says "with a more gradually vigorous exercise regime, coaching on diet and outside exercise suggestions, I have lost the baby weight and look and feel better than I did before I got pregnant!"

I'm very excited to have her join the blog.

Questions about your fitness goals? Let her answer your questions in upcoming posts. Give her a call (773) 742-9480
or email.

On the Road Again...Don't Leave Home Without These Travel Essentials

I spent the evening packing for my trip tomorrow. I'm going back home to see my family in Northern California. I used to travel all the time for business. These days, I hardly travel, but I have my packing routine to a science! When I'm on the road, I pack things that I can use to keep my healthy lifestyle in check. Here are a few tips that may help you on your next trip, whether your going business or pleasure.

Meals & Snacks/Carry-on:

• Refillable, durable water bottle empty the bottle before you go through security and you can wash the bottle throughout your trip, fill up at water fountains, and save lots money on buying bottled water at the airport.
• Non-perishable snacks like dried fruit and individual packaged trail mix (shown above) are great because they don't spoil and it's better than buying an expensive or unhealthy snack. Granola is another good idea. You can always find yogurt on the go so you can top it with granola for a quick breakfast.
• Individual packed wet wipes are great for cleaning your hands after a flight or when there is no soap in public restrooms. I like natural, non-drying varieties.
• Your iPOD filled with energizing music for workouts is a good idea. I also make sure it's synced with podcasts and fully charged the night before.
• Meal for flight - don't forget to pack a nutritious meal. I go for a sandwich or salad with fruit. I use disposable containers so I don't have to bring them back with me. Or try these ideas.

Exercise Gear:

• Sneakers for touring around and you can jog or walk anywhere in the hotel treadmill or city sidewalks.
• Resistance band doesn't take much space and you can do lot of different exercises in a small space with a band. Check these band exercises out for ideas.
• Exercise clothing I pack 2 sets of exercise gear and socks and bring linen spray to freshen them. You can use hangers to let them dry after your workout.

Checked Luggage:

• Sunscreen is essential for protecting your skin. I pack it every time and make sure it's not too old so it is still effective.
• Vitamins help you keep your energy. You may be getting less restful sleep at a hotel or simply being exposed on planes and public transportation to germs so having your vitamins with you is a good idea.
• My heart monitor is small enough to pack and I don't exercise without it.

If you have more travel ideas and essentials please send me an email. I'd love to hear them!

Make the Most of Your Personal Training Sessions

In these economic times, consumers are holding off on non-essential big ticket items like buying houses, cars, and electronics. Personal training sessions can fall under this category. But, working out with a personal trainer has a lot of benefits especially for people need to shake up their routine and access their current fitness goals. I've seen many discount promotions at my gym lately to motivate gym-goers to take advantage. As a budget-minded gal, I think about getting the most value from these workouts.

Now, might be the right time to take advantage of the special offers! But, before you do, consider these tips to get the most benefit from your personal training workouts....

• Be honest: Before you meet with your personal trainer, be honest with yourself and tell him/her your realistic fitness goals, past injuries, and insights on what motivates you.


• Do-It-Yourself-Workout: Ask your trainer to create your personal workout so that you can do it alone without your trainer there. Some workouts require complex machines or two-person moves that you can't do on your own.


• Be a student of your workout: Get the proper form and tips on the moves while your trainer is with you and remember them for when you're on your own. I still pull these out even two years later.


• Ask for homework: My trainer is great about emailing me the link to my personal workout that I keep on-hand for future. It shows pictures and instructions for times when I'm on my own.


• Schedule the sessions 1 or 2 weeks apart: This way you can do the workout routine on your own and ask your trainer follow-up questions the next time you see them. You'll be more likely to remember these moves long-term if you do it yourself right your session.


• Mix it up: Between my personal training sessions, I mix up the workouts and do them on my own.

Please email me your tips that have worked for you.

8-Week Countdown to a Summer Body

It’s April 1 and in the United States, the official kickoff of the summer season is Memorial Day weekend, which this year is May 23-25. There are 8 weeks to prepare to unveil your summer body. This picture is from my favorite place in the summer, Lake Oliver, where my in-laws live. In Chicago, we have long winters and that means wearing lots of layers! Shedding the winter layers is gradual, as the weather improves, but wearing a swimsuit can be scary when you're covered up for most of the year!

This year, I’m trying something new – realistic goals and positive thinking, instead of negative-reinforced thinking. After all, swimsuits come in all sizes and styles! Who says you have to wear a teeny bikini to feel good about yourself? Instead of putting pressure and constantly telling yourself "I need to lose 40 pounds to get in a bikini," try to rewire your internal language.

The language we communicate to ourselves either out loud or internally is powerful! Why not activate that power into something positive. Try focusing your language on something positive like "I exercise X times per week" or "Today, I met my goal and ran X miles or X minutes without stopping."

Why not focus on fitness or health goals instead of just pounds on the scale. If you follow the basics - nutrition, hydration, sleep, fitness, and positive attitude, the rest will take care of itself and you will feel confident that you focused on good health and wellness.

Examples of positive, realistic action language that you can adopt to feel confident this summer:

• "My goal is to work out X times per week" - put in the calendar
• "My goal is to increase my aerobic endurance so I can run/bike/walk longer at a more intense pace" - try a heart monitor and use it every time you exercise and ask a professional to help you use it properly for heart rate zone training.
• "I fuel my body with healthy balanced meals and snacks to give me the stamina and energy to work, play, and workout" - notice how your body reacts when you nourish your body with complex carbs, lean high-quality protein, fruits and vegetables and healthy fats.
• "I have a strong, balanced body" - Think about your mix of activities such as aerobic and strength-training activities to balance your body.

Try some of these and make some statements of your own and LIVE it. Who else will, but you!

Higher Worker Productivity Linked to Short Exercise Breaks During the Workday

I heard this story on the drive into work this morning on Morning Edition. They featured Dr. Toni Yancy, a former college basketball player turned physican at UCLA. It goes into the productivity and health benefits for even short 10-15 minutes of exercise during the workday. I believe that my own productivity is high at work is due to the stress-relief and metabolic boost that a lunchtime workout provides.

Interesting case study:

"L.L. Bean, the retail catalog company, instituted daily, mini-exercise breaks 15 years ago throughout its assembly plant with great results, Yancey says. The breaks were five minutes each, three times a day. At the end of the shift, the company found a 30-minute return on productivity for an investment of 15 minutes of physical activity."

Need Some Motivating Workout Music?

I'm much more motivated when I workout with music. My iPod is my best motivation tool sometimes when I'm fighting the energy to exercise. I have 2 workout playlists that I manage and 1 for commuting/walking. My commute to work includes walking to/from the commuter train. I like the motivation to walk faster because why not burn some more calories. Well, mostly I walk fast to stay warm because Chicago is cold 6 months out of the year!

Here's an idea. Try to manage a playlist for the exercise routines or activities that you're doing.

• Cycling
• Walking/Commuting
• Running/Skiing
• Swimming - Kidding!!
• Strength Training
• Yoga
• Dancing
• Yard Work/Gardening

You might find some great ideas from Fitness Magazine's Workout Music Playlists.