Blog Archives

The Lehigh University Dance Marathon

10/31/2013

Years ago, I cheered on a very good friend at Penn State's THON, a yearlong effort to raise funds and awareness for the fight against pediatric cancer that ends with a 48-hour long dance marathon. The experience was inspiring, motivating and heartwarming, and I was just a spectator! I dreamed of organizing or participating in a similar event, but never had the chance. I was recently contacted by Alexandra Stephanou, a junior at Lehigh University (my alma mater). With the help of her fellow mountainhawks, she founded and is co-directing the first ever Lehigh University Dance Marathon. They are focused on organizing an annual dance marathon at Lehigh to raise funds and awareness for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - my current place of employment! Additionally, they are striving to unify the Lehigh community and celebrate the miracle children and their families.

The Lehigh University Dance Marathon will take place on November 16, 2013 at Lehigh University, and I'm honored to be invited to attend. This cause warms my heart in more ways than one. Please read the information below and click to donate - you won't regret it!

Who are we and what are we doing?

Lehigh University Dance Marathon is a student-run organization that is focused on raising funds for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. We also organize an annual Dance Marathon event, "All Night Strong". The event celebrates the year's fundraising and champions the children and families of CHOP. Our first "All Night Strong" will be an 8 hour event taking place at Lehigh on November 16th and 17th from 5pm to 1am.

Our Vision

Inspiring the kids. Unifying for hope.

Meet Coco and Joey, two Miracle Kids that will be coming to our event to share their stories and celebrate!

Coco

Joey

Our Mission

Our mission is a threefold idea that incorporates not only the kids, but also Lehigh Students, faculty, staff, and the Bethlehem community.

To Foster Meaningful Relationships
To Champion Miracles
To Provide Inspiration

As our event approaches, we are thankful to have seen nothing but full support from the Lehigh community. Currently we have 473 students registered to give up their usual Saturday night plans, and stand on their feet for 8 hours! Collectively they have raised over $11,900.00. Students will also be joined by 5 Miracle Kids who have been treated at CHOP. The evening is a celebration of them!

Please help us reach our goal of $50,000! Tax deductible donations can be made at this secure site! Do it FOR THE KIDS!

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Les Mills BODYPUMP 87 Launch & the importance of strength training

10/30/2013

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Les Mills BODYPUMP 87 Launch & the importance of strength training

Launching a new BODYPUMP workout is always an exciting time, and the launch of 87 certainly did not disappoint. This release is one of my favorite BODYPUMP workouts yet - the music is great and the back and lunge tracks are KILLER! My favorite tracks are squats & biceps for the music and back & lunges for the challenge. This year, the launch coincided with our Freaky Fitness Fest at the gym - a full day of free group fitness classes, prizes and even a dance class to learn the moves from the Thriller video. It was double trouble for me - I started my day team-teaching the 7:30am class with Jackie, and finished things up at the 6:30pm class with Alex and Carrie.

Why is it important to strength train?

It is important to understand the basics of strength training and why you should incorporate this activity into your training program. Muscle mass naturally diminishes with age. "If you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you'll increase the percentage of fat in your body," says Edward R. Laskowski, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic and co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. "But strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass — at any age." It's the good old "use it or lose it" phenomena. The lean muscle mass that we all work so hard for decreases with age. If we don't add strength training to our routine then it will turn into fat. Below are some specific benefits of strength training.

Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density, resulting in stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis. One of the best ways you can control bone loss as you age is to add strength training into your workout plan.
Control your weight. Strength training will not only make you strong, but will also help with managing your weight. As you gain muscle, your body begins to burn calories more efficiently because your body works harder to maintain muscle over fat. The more toned your muscles are, the easier it is to control your weight. Controlling your weight can also improves your quality of life as you gaining body confidence. In a specific study where BODYPUMP™ was used for strength training, An average of 483.1 (males) and 338.9 (females) calories can be burned during a BODYPUMP™ session. This equates to 8.4 (males) and 5.9 (females) calories per minute. An additional 10% of calories have been shown to be burned after the cessation of a BODYPUMP™ session, due to Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). Who doesn't want to burn more calories?
Boost your stamina. As you get stronger, you won't fatigue as easily. Building muscle also contributes to better balance, posture and functional fitness.
Manage chronic conditions. Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, including back pain, arthritis, obesity, heart disease and diabetes. It not only builds muscle, but increases the strength of connective tissue, muscles, and tendons. This leads to improved motor performance and decreased injury risk. Strong muscles, tendons and ligament build up in the joint and back areas making these areas less likely to give way under stress.
Muscle tone. The conditioning effect will result in firmer and better-defined muscles.
Improved aerobic fitness. In the same study as mentioned above, it was found that during a BODYPUMP™ session the mean oxygen consumption was 21.5 ml/kg/min (males) and 19.0 ml/kg/min (females), with an average intensity of 41.6% VO2 max (males) and 39.8% VO2 max (females) observed. Males spent an average of 11.6 minutes and 3.2 minutes, and females, 8.0 minutes and 0.6 minutes, above 50% VO2 max and 70% VO2 max, respectively, during the same BODYPUMP™ session. The average heart rate during a BODYPUMP™ session has been shown to reach 138.2 beats per minute (males) and 132.6 beats per minute (females). Males spend an average of 37.4 minutes, and females 40.2 minutes, above 70% of maximum heart rate during a BODYPUMP™ session.

And when it comes to BODYPUMP specifically? Well it's just downright FUN!

Have you tried Bodypump yet? What are you waiting for?

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Friends of FitYaf - Why We Run ["I run because ________"]

10/28/2013

13 Comments

Don't you get bored? What do you think about? Why do you even do it?

If you're a runner and you're like me, these are common questions that friends, family, sometimes even strangers will ask you all of the time.

The answers: Do I get bored? No, I don't get bored - I get tired, I feel pain, I get thirsty, I get hot, my fingers freeze when I run in the cold, I even get itchy sometimes, but I don't get bored. I don't know what it is about running, but it never bores me. Yoga? Yes! Running? No!

What do I think about? It's more like what DON'T I think about?! One of the greatest things about long distance running is it's my "me" time. We all lead such busy lives - I so rarely get time to think. When I run - I have all the time I want to think. I also have a really terrible memory, so only if I'm lucky do I remember what I think about. But, every once in a while, the stars align - I'll have a really great idea while running, AND I'll remember it! Now who is going to come up with the app that will record your thoughts while running?

Why do I do it? For so many reasons. I started running for exercise. I love all (most) types of exercise, so if it were just for the calorie burn, I'd probably choose something else, but somewhere along the way, running became more than exercise for me. That feeling when I ran for 30 minutes straight without stopping the first time? Pretty amazing! The feeling when I did it again, but ran a farther distance? Even better. But what really does it for me is setting a goal and then actually reaching it. In life, there are so many things that we can't control. But with running, for the most part, you're in full control of the progress you make. You might have to postpone a run because of weather and sometimes even life getting in the way, however, barring no injuries, it's just you and your feet. Speed work and training runs - they really work! If you would have told me last year that I would be running at the speed I'm running today, I wouldn't have believed you. If you would have told me ten years ago that I would one day be a two-time marathoner, I would have said you were crazy. Now, I'm going to let the sky be the limit. I will continue to set goals until my legs won't hold me up anymore.

But that's not even it! Perhaps the best part about running is that when I line up at the start line of a race or wave to someone on the trail, I'm surrounded by so many other people who are running for a completely different reason than I am. Yet, we're all in it together. We're a community. We get the same blisters, drink the same sports drinks, but what is driving us to that finish line can be completely different. So, I reached out to my running friends (both virtual and in real life) and asked them to finish this sentence: "I run because _______________". The responses were great, and I just HAD to share them with you!

Click on each picture to learn more about each runner.

How would YOU finish this sentence: "I run because _____________"

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FitYaf's Fitness Friday Workout - Body Blitz Style

10/25/2013

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We all know that Step Aerobics is my "soulmate" workout, but my Body Blitz class gives me energy in a much different way. For a full hour, we sweat together, we grunt together, we sometimes even laugh together. Each week I try to come up with new and challenging moves, and each week, my participants destroy the workout. Today's Fitness Friday workout is another Body Blitz style workout, guaranteed to get your heart rate up and your energy blazing!

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Workout - Body Blitz Style

Here are some other Body Blitz style workouts:

Notes about this workout:

Some of the moves in this workout are high-impact. Please feel free to modify the workout to make them low-impact if necessary.
If you're unsure about any of the movements, check out the videos linked to the name of the exercise or google them before you start the workout. You don't want to lose momentum, stopping after every exercise to look up how to do them.
The warmup and cardio sections of this workout are designed to do in a set amount of time. This means that you'll work at your maximum level (as hard and as fast as you can) during this part of the workout. Sometimes this might mean that you'll slow down, but as long as you're still feeling challenged, you'll benefit from the workout!
The resistance training sections of this workout are designed to complete a set amount of reps. Be sure not to rush these movements and perform them in a controlled manner. Choose your weights so that you can complete the workout, but it is still challenging for you!
Rest in between sets if needed, but no more than 1 minute!
Be sure to stretch at the end of the workout. Check out some post-workout stretches from Health.com.

Warmup

Do each for for one minute, as fast as you can:

Jumping jacks
Squat jumps (jump out into a squat, about halfway down, then jump back up to standing)
High knees
Jump rope side to side (use an imaginary rope, moving both feet together, jumping side to side about 1-2 feet)
Out & in (jump both feet out, then back in, knees slightly bent)

Resistance Training, SET 1

Uneven squats - keep your weight evenly distributed between both heels (25 each side)
Side raise with rotation - brace your abs to keep your torso still (20)
Abductors with weight behind knee - On your back, put one dumbbell behind each knee. Position your knees over your hips and keep the insides of your feet touching. Open your knees, keeping the insides of your feet touching, then close them, (30)
Upright row to overhead press (20)

Cardio, SET 1

Do each for for one minute, as fast as you can:

Resistance Training, SET 2

Squats with heel lift (30)
Overhead tricep extension - keep your biceps by your ears and elbows pointing forward (25)
Standing abductors with weight behind knee - try holding the dumbbell behind your knee (25 each side)
Bicep circles - With your dumbbells in your hands, bring them up to a half-bicep curl so that your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Keeping one arm stationary, make small circles with the other hand. Do four circles before moving to the other hand. (15 sets of 4, each side)

Cardio, SET 2

Do each for for one minute, as fast as you can:

Sprint in place
Basketball jumps (180 turn), 30 seconds each direction
Mountain climbers
Ice skaters
Tuck jumps

Body Blitz Burpee Challenge

Core

V-sit extensions (20)
Low plank knee tap - Hold low plank so that your shoulders are over your elbows (neck in line with spine). Gently tap your knees to the floor and return to plank position. (90 seconds)
Cheek to cheek plank - @ 40 seconds in the video (90 seconds)

Stretch

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What do you do when you crush your half marathon goal a month before the race?

10/23/2013

6 Comments

At some point, while training for the Pittsburgh Marathon, I fell in love with the half marathon distance. While the marathon was still the main focus of my training this past Spring, I was really looking forward to the Philadelphia Half Marathon in the Fall. I managed to hit my original half-marathon goal during my full marathon training, so I did what any runner would do - I lowered my goal. Since I'm relatively new to the racing scene, I had no idea what was a reasonable amount to lower my goal. At first, I lowered it 2 minutes. But over the summer, I decided I was going to "dream big" and lower it 5 minutes. I knew it wasn't something that was going to come easily (or even at all), but that number has been in the back of my head for a few months now.

What do you do when you crush your half marathon goal a month before the race?

This past weekend began with thoughts of a 13.1 mile run. Part of me wanted to go out and "race" the run to see if I could hit my goal, but the other part of me was scared that it just wasn't possible, and I would wind up walking the second half of the run after my legs gave out. After agonizing over this, I decided that training is for practice, and I was going to try to hit that goal. If I made it, great, if I didn't, I still have one month to go.

Lately I have been using the Nike+ app, so I know what my pace is, but I tend to run more for effort level than pace. I usually let myself go about 0.5 miles before really deciding what my pace is going to be for that run. Imagine my surprise when I look down at my Nike+ app and realize I'm 10-15 seconds faster than I need to be to hit my goal! If it was race day, I probably would have scaled back a little to be safe. But, it was a training run, so I decided to just stick with the pace. I figured eventually it was going to catch up with me, and I was going to have to slow down a little. But, mile after mile I was maintaining that pace. It wasn't until the last three or so miles that I started to slow down, but by that time I knew I had owned the run. I just had to keep pushing to the end.

My Nike+ app registered my 13.1 mile run at one minute and 45 seconds LESS than what I thought was a "reach" goal for my half marathon! I guess that answers the question of if I "can" run the distance at that speed (whether or not I can do it again is another story). So with less than four weeks left before race day, I'm left with two options.

Option 1: Keep doing what I'm doing

I can keep up with my current training - running three relatively short runs during the week (with at least one being speed work) and a long run on the weekend. I'll aim to finish at about the same time that I did during my training run this past weekend. I'll feel confident that I can do this, since I have already proved that I can, but I risk finishing the race feeling like I could have done better.

Option 2: Step it up, set a new goal

I can set a new goal. While very tempting, this option brings up so many questions for me: 1) What should the new goal be? 2) Should I adjust my training? and 3) At what point during the actual race do I decide whether or not I'm going to hit that goal?

Another option: Who cares? Stop obsessing!

This option comes after reviewing my post on pace. Maybe I should just let whatever happens happen? I've already come so far!

I'm have not decided yet which option I will take (suggestions welcome), but as I often say - when struggling between two options, it's usually because they are both good ones!

Have you ever reached a goal before the race?

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Friends of FitYaf - Lisa answers, "Wanna be a yogi?" & more tips for finding the perfect yoga class

10/21/2013

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I met Lisa in Deanna's step aerobics class at Club One Fitness in Pittsburgh, PA. She always stood in the front row and had a TON of energy. I still remember her taking class right up until days before her second child was born - and she still could kick her leg higher than me! Lisa was also extremely supportive when I began teaching step aerobics - she was super patient with me as I navigated my way through those first few classes. Having a passion for yoga, Lisa became a certified yoga instructor in 2009. She now teaches at Amazing Yoga, is a Lululemon Ambassador and recently co-taught at Lululemon's Yoga and Yarn event on the Andy Warhol Bridge. Below Lisa shares some tips on finding the perfect yoga class for you!

A friend recently asked what a yoga class is like. "Could I watch to see if I would like it?" Um, no, that would be inappropriate. "Then how will I know what I'm getting myself into?" Good question. And the answer is: (wait for it) you won't! Yoga, on oh so many levels, is designed to allow (or maybe force) us to open up. Physically, the practice can open up tightness in muscles, joints, and even deep connective tissue. Spiritually, mentally, whatever term you chose, it can open us up to our inner power and greatness, our true selves, new opportunities, thoughts and ideas. And to get to this place where we're more open we are encouraged to try new things, to step out of our comfort zone and to do something that may even scare us. So even though your first yoga class may be a bit of an experiment, you can and should do some research and inform yourself beforehand.

First, pick a style. There are many different styles ranging from very athletic (power vinyasa, ashtanga) to very meditative (restorative). There's hot, not hot, yin, vinyasa, the list goes on. How to choose? Talk to your friends, friends of friends etc. See if any like-minded peeps in your life practice yoga. Word of mouth is a great reference. Just be a bit wary of online reviews. In my experience, people are very quick to complain and very slow to compliment. Take web ratings with a grain of salt. Think about your likes/dislikes, your level of fitness and your reason for wanting to try yoga in the first place. If you prefer Alaska to Texas, then a hot class (where the temperature can be anywhere from 90-104 degrees or more, depending on the style) may not be for you. If you've just completed your umpteenth marathon, love to spend hours in the gym or consider yourself a fitness junkie then maybe try power, vinyasa, bikram or ashtanga. If you don't want anything very physical, but want to breathe, relax and maybe even meditate a bit then seek out a restorative or Hatha class. You may not find your perfect match on the first try so if your first date is not your soulmate then try someone else.

Next, see what studios are nearby and check out their websites. You'll find information about their teachers, what style they teach, how experienced they are as well as information on what to bring for your first class, pricing and any new-student specials offered. Unless a particular teacher has been recommended to you (by one of your peeps) I recommend taking the owner's class. That way you'll get a feel for the studio from the person who created it. I'm told that owning a studio is a lot like having a baby, and the owner typically cares about it more than anyone else. It was created in their image, from their heart, hard work and unyielding attention.

Once you've got the where, when and possibly even who down, pack up your sticky mat (if you don't have one, most studios will have some available for you to borrow or rent), your open mind and whatever else you need to take (see the studio website) and do your best to get there a bit early. You'll need extra time on your first visit to sign in and get the lay if the land. Let whoever checks you in know that you're new (yoga teachers love having new students in class!) and they'll be able to give you an idea what to expect, as well as offer any tips to make your first visit a pleasant experience. Once class begins, do the best that you can, listen to your body and stay until the end because savasana, the final resting pose, is possibly the most important posture of all!

What's your favorite type of yoga class? What questions do you have for our yoga guru?

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FitYaf's Fitness Friday Tabata Workout

10/18/2013

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What is Tabata you ask? Just like HIIT, Tabata incorporates periods of work with periods of rest. During the period of work, you work at 100% intensity (maintaining proper form of course), then you partially recover during a short rest. The fact that you never "fully" recover is part of what makes this workout so effective. Typically the "work" period is 20 seconds and the "rest" period is only half of that or 10 seconds. This type of exercise was discovered by the Japanese researcher Izumi Tabata, who was known for his work with Olympic speedskaters. Tabata's research showed both aerobic and anaerobic benefits from this type of exercise. For HIIT workouts, you're typically doing high-impact moves that are more "cardio", but for a tabata workout, you can do strength exercises as well as cardio exercises. Due to the high intensity nature of the workout, tabata workouts are typically shorter than a traditional workout. You can use the Tabata protocol with almost any exercise, but lucky for you I put one together for you! The traditional tabata workout is designed to do the same exercise for the whole workout, but what is the fun in that? The first section is four cardio exercises, and the second section is four strength exercises, but don't worry - I squeezed some burpees in there too. Grab your stopwatch (or your favorite interval timer app) and let's go!

Notes about this workout:

Some of the moves in this workout are high-impact. Please feel free to modify the workout to make them low-impact if necessary.
This workout is designed in an ON/OFF format. When you are ON, you want to give the exercise EVERYTHING you've got. When you're OFF, walk around and keep your feet moving.
The whole workout once through is 9 minutes (4 minutes cardio, 1 minute burpees and 4 minutes strength). Start with a little warm-up (walking/jogging) to get your muscles warm. Challenge yourself and try and go for a second round!
Be sure to stretch at the end of the workout. Check out some post-workout stretches from Health.com.

Tabata Cardio

20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest for each move, twice (total = 4 minutes)

high knees

gymbodylife.com

mountain climbers

oprah.com

switch

kicks

duniafitness.com

jump squats

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Tabata Workout - jump squat

womenshealthmag.com

Burpee

45 seconds of work, 15 seoncds of rest, one time through (total = 1 minute)

dailymovesandgrooves.wordpress.com

Tabata Strength

20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest for each move, twice (total = 4 minutes)

push-ups

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Tabata Workout - pushup

womenshealthmag.com

sit-ups

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Tabata Workout - situp

fitstudio.com

squats

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Tabata Workout - squat

running.competitor.com

plank

womenshealthmag.com

Have you ever done a Tabata workout?

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Avocado Chicken Parmesan with Green "Rice"

10/16/2013

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If you've spent a day in my household, you know that my husband is the cook in the family. Although I "can" cook, he enjoys it more. Plus, he eat WAY more of the food, so it only makes sense, right? We pretty much have the same goals when it comes to meal planning - we like lean protein, and we try to avoid processed foods and foods with little nutritional value. While I'm not seen much in the kitchen, I do love finding recipes and coming up with ways to tweak them to fit our style. Recently, we took a chicken parmesan recipe and a rice recipe and combined them to make am amazingly delicious meal with lots of avocado!

Avocado Chicken Parmesan

The original recipe can be found at ellenaguan.blogspot.com. We used whole wheat breadcrumbs and skipped dipping the chicken in egg, but you can skip the coating step altogether too! We also cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise instead of pounding the chicken. You can even make your own sauce from tomatoes and seasoning. This is SO good, especially for avocado lovers like me!

elleaguan.blogspot.com

Green "Rice"

For our green "rice", we took a Green Goddess Rice recipe and substituted quinoa for the rice. Just make the quinoa first and follow the recipe as described. We added a half a cup of frozen peas to the avocado mixture too - it made it greener and added some nutrients. You can even cut the oil in half.

onecoupleskitchen.blogspot.com

This made for a delicious meal - it was very delicious, filling, satisfying and the best part was it was guilt free!

What are some ways you tweak recipes to fit your nutritional needs?

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Friends of FitYaf - Robin goes from rock bottom to sky high, Part II

10/14/2013

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We first met Robin when she shared her incredible weight loss story. She lost 105 pounds over 3.5 years, but it became much more than counting points and losing pounds. Today Robin shares with us her starting point, which she describes as "rock bottom" and some physical and unexpected mental changes that accompanied her weight loss. She takes us to her "sky high" moment half way through her first Broad Street Run in 2011.

As one would imagine, pealing 105 lbs. off your body incurs some changes in your life. Changes along my journey came in small, medium, and large packages. Every single one that I could consciously recognize was sweeter than next. These changes help me manage the struggles along the way.

During my weight loss and maintenance journey (truthfully, it will be never ending), I’ve often been asked, “What was your rock bottom?” Essentially, what pushed me to finally commit to a change? The answer I clearly remember. About a week or two prior to joining Weight Watchers (again…for the last time), I found that my arms and legs would randomly fall asleep while I was asleep. I’d wake up and not be able to move one or more of my limbs. I wasn’t laying on them, or constricting the blood flow in anyway. They would just be asleep. Then, after waking up, I would be quietly lying in bed, and my heart would race and my breathing would become erratic. Very scary! I had always thought that I was a relatively healthy person, well, save for the obesity, but this just got real. With that recent development and me just really, really feeling bad about myself, I needed to commit to change. So, on Sept. 25, 2008, I walked through to the door to what would become my Thursday evening home for 4 years.

Along the way, the changes to my life varied in degree, but all were welcome!

Physical Changes (just a sampling)

After only about 30 lbs. I found myself less out of breath after climbing steps.
I found that the more I exercised, the stronger I became, both physically and mentally. Plus, the changes in my body were exciting! Feeling stronger physically, of course, added to my confidence.
I could buckle my seat belt without having to lean my hip over to buckle it. Small physical changes = big mental changes. It’s been years since that started to happen, and I still remember it.
My cholesterol dropped to 133 from 232. No meds. Just lifestyle change.
When I flew in on a plane, my thighs didn’t rub against the person’s next to me. AND I was no longer dangerously close to having to ask for a seatbelt extender.
I didn’t look in a mirror in disgust.
I was able to run, far. I started walking, then started to run (it wasn’t overnight!). Oh, and being able to run isn’t purely a physical change, it’s a mental change.

Mental Changes

This is a very interesting part about the journey. One would think that confidence would go up as the weight went down, but for folks like me who pretty much identified herself with her weight, it was a very scary proposition. After losing 20 pounds, I suddenly became afraid. I became afraid of changing, of almost losing that identity. Granted, it wasn’t an identity I wanted, but still, it was change. It almost paralyzed me and made me rethink my new lifestyle. Almost, but not quite. This was a mental obstacle I had to overcome if I was going to see more results. I see this fear in some of my members today. Change, even for the better, is scary to many. Don’t let it scare you, let it motivate you!
So many habits had to be eliminated or changed. Another frightening change, but the key is to tackle one at a time in very small increments. Small changes = big success.
My body started to change, but my mind wasn’t quite catching up with the changes. When I looked in the mirror, I still saw the fat person. I was being very over critical. This can really defeat a person rapidly. I was actually fearful of developing some sort of body dysmorphic disorder. Eventually my mind caught up through constant reminders to myself that the scale and my clothes weren’t lying to me. However, even today, I don’t describe myself as “thin.” I was recently completing a health history for my son. It asked if there was obesity in the family and I marked “yes.” Never forget where you started, so you are reminded not to go back!

I think the biggest takeaway is knowing that there are BOTH physical and mental adjustments that come with weight loss. Recognizing this helps us understand that it HAS to be a journey to allow us to get used to all the change.

Ok, so I started out describing my rock bottom moment. Let me finish with my sky high moment. I mentioned that one of the physical changes was being able to run. I ran my first 5K in 2009 and was hooked. I ran a couple more, and then I decided to go for a 10 miler – the Broad Street Run in Philadelphia. I was terrified! I consulted marathoner friend who suggested a training plan. It was simple enough. I followed it and was ready. With two hours sleep (that’s how nervous I was), I was off at 5am driving to Philadelphia, hoping I wouldn’t die. I had two goals – don’t walk and finish under two hours (both were accomplished). The race started, I felt pretty good and my playlist was perfect. The 5 mile point was just before I hit City Hall, and as I did, Beautiful Day by U2 started playing in my ears. Indeed, it was a beautiful day. I knew I would finish and it felt awesome! That was my sky high moment.

Friends of FitYaf - Robin goes from rock bottom to sky high, Part II

Have you noticed some mental changes that accompany your physical changes while losing weight?

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FitYaf's Fitness Friday Low Impact HIIT Workout

10/11/2013

8 Comments

When teaching a class, especially high-energy classes like my Body Blitz class, I often demonstrate low-impact options for people who may have injuries or are just beginning a workout program. While most exercises can be modified to be low impact, I recently got a request for a whole low impact workout from my friend Lauren's mom. So today, I bring you FitYaf's Fitness Friday LOW IMPACT HIIT Workout.

Low impact exercise is a type of exercise where the amount of stress placed upon the joints of your knees, hips and ankles is relatively minimal. Often times this translates to never having more that one foot off the ground at a time. However, it can also refer to something like swimming, which is a great example of low impact exercise that is often chosen by athletes who have suffered a stress fracture. The athlete is still able to participate in cardiovascular exercise, without putting a large amount of weight on the injured body part.

Last week I posted a high-intensity interval training or HIIT workout, and explained the benefits of combining high intensity intervals with short periods of rest for the benefit of excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. The good news? Low-impact exercises can be part of a great HIIT workout too - and that's what I have for you today! This workout plan was designed to help you push yourself to your max without doing any jumps. You don’t need equipment or a lot of space.

Low Impact Exercises

*from Shape.com

Begin by walking or doing the elliptical for 5 minutes. Then, go through the exercises 1-8, doing each one for 50 seconds, as fast as you can while maintaining proper form, and resting for 10 seconds before continuing on to the next move. For your rest, grab a drink if you need to or march in place (just don't sit down). The 5th exercise (lunges) is a 2-for-1, since you'll have to do it once on each side! Once you're finished the 8th exercise, repeat 1-8 again two more times. Including a stretch at the end, this whole workout should take about 35 minutes.

1. Squat

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Low Impact HIIT Workout - squat

Start with feet slightly outside your hips, lower into a squat position with arms extended. Bring your arms down as you push through your heels to stand up. Reach arms overhead and lift your heels off the floor. Return to start position and repeat as quickly as possible for 50 seconds.

2. Reach-through

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Low Impact HIIT Workout - Reach through

Begin in a full plank position with feet hip-width apart, neck in line with your spine and shoulders over your wrists. Quickly kick right leg to the left, as left hand reaches toward right foot, pivoting on left foot. Return to start (rotate back to full plank) and repeat on the other side. Continue alternating sides.

3. No-jump burpee

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Low Impact HIIT Workout - No jump burpee

Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms extended overhead. Push hips back and bend knees to lower into a squat. Place hands on the floor and quickly walk feet back into a full plank position, one at a time. Lower into a pushup if you can. Press up, walk feet back into squat, and stand up, reaching arms overhead.

4. Plank extension

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Low Impact HIIT Workout - Plank extension

From a low-plank position (feet hip-width apart and shoulders over elbows), extend one arm keeping your torso still and hips square to the floor. Return arm to plank and alternate.

5. Lunge (once through on each side)

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Low Impact HIIT Workout - Lunge

Begin in a lunge with left leg forward, arms bent by sides, back knee pointing towards the floor and both knees at a 90 degree angle. Pushing up through your feet, extend legs and rise up onto balls of feet as arms extend overhead, fingertips reaching to ceiling. Return to start and repeat. Repeat on opposite side.

6. No-jump tuck

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Low Impact HIIT Workout - No jump tuck

Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair or box, leaning back slightly. Pull abs in tight, and bend knees about 90-degrees. Point toes lightly on the floor, and bend elbows and hands in front of shoulders. Lift knees up and lightly tap thighs with hands, sitting upright as you draw legs in. Return to start and repeat.

7. Skaters

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Low Impact HIIT Workout - Skaters

Stand with feet wider than your hips. Bend right knee, putting your weight in your right heel & extend your left leg out, driving your left arm forward and right arm back. Staying low in squat position, shift weight to left leg, lowering into a left side lunge, with your weight in your left heel, right leg extended & right arm forward. Repeat side to side.