When Life Gives You LEMONS....Make Lemonade Spiked With VODKA!

It's been an interesting week, to say the least... I feel like I have been tested this week.  Those lemons that life gives us have not  been given to me in a gingerly fashion.  Instead, they have been thrown at me at a speed of 90 mph in every different direction.  I feel like I did when I was in high school playing dodge ball (always the last to be picked) going home with welts on my legs from the darn dodge ball game.  Do they even play that in phys ed anymore?  Anyway....I know life can be worse...blah blah blah..but for this moment...for right now, I give myself permission to be angry and fed up.  You see, If I allow myself to be a grumpy dump truck for a couple of hours, I get over it much quicker.  It has been a challenging week.  We have some unexpected obstacles going on with our home and our attempt to try to sell it AND it's that time of year again when my Anthony's Asperger's gets the best of him.  I'm not certain why, but every year like clock work, around this time, he seems to unravel.  Poor kid...everything is a HUGE mountain to him and everything is catastrophic.  His anxiety over every day tasks shoots through the roof.  For example...he couldn't sleep the other night because he didn't do well on a school assignment and he was afraid he was going to be sent back to 3rd grade.  The kid literally thought this would happen.  I could go on and on about my measly little problems, but I won't.  Instead I am going to list the things in my life at this moment that I am grateful for.  First of all...as I feel overwhelmed, I think of Japan and that totally brings me back to reality.  It really does.  However, I have so many wonderful things to be grateful for, so here they are:

1.  MY KIDS. Though they make me crazy, they crack me up and are such good little guys.  My Austin giving himself a pedicure on the beach and Anthony absorbing more facts about U.S. Presidents:

2.  MY HUSBAND.  I seriously may have the best husband ever.  My dear Matt always knows how to make lemonade.  He keeps me grounded and always finds the humor and fun in things.  NOTHING is a big deal to Matt.  I love him the most when we are tested with challenges.  He always rises to the occasion.  Us before my Women of the Year Awards Fundraiser:

3. MY JOB.  I love my job so much.  How many people can say that?  I love that I can help people improve the quality of life in an immediate, direct way.  My clients and trainers are my LIVELIHOOD!  They are always supporting each other and ME.  I love you guys! Showing support at the MBPA 5k and at my WOTY event:



4. MY HEALTH.  I never take my health for granted.  I feel so lucky that I am  healthy and fit.  Yes, I work hard at it.  However, I am lucky that I have been given the tools and the knowledge to stay disciplined and to keep myself fit and my family fit.  I appreciate this every day.  I am very lucky that I enjoy exercise and eating right and that I have the ability to implement healthy, balanced habits into my household!  Me and the boys at the 2010 Autism 5k:

I could go on and on, but I don't need to now.  I feel better.  I'm going to go give my kids and hubby a big hug and enjoy our Sunday afternoon together.  Have a great day everyone!

www.makeitfittraining.com

Get the "Skinny" (or "fat") on Corned Beef

Happy St. Patrick's Day my friends!!!  I know many of you will be celebrating or Irish heritage with green beer and a corned beef and cabbage dinner tonight.  Others that are not Irish, may just use this holiday as an excuse to consume green beer!  You know I'm NOT a dieter.  Food is a HUGE part of my Italian heritage and my family celebrates with food at LEAST once per week.  However, moderation is the key!  I am going to preach to you and tell you that corned beef is high in sodium and fat and that you should NOT eat it?  No, I don't want to spoil your holiday.  What I will say is that you should consume your meal (and green beer) in moderation today.  Remember...it's all about moderation.  If we ate, drank and exercised in moderation, we would be one, healthy society.  So, enjoy your meal, Cornenjoy your beer, but WATCH YOUR PORTIONS!!!!  Boiled cabbage is great for you and few small potatoes (with a small pat of butter) are fine too! Corned beef is high in fat, sodium and cholesterol  so be careful.  I have included below, some nutritional information on corned beef.  I got this from the Livestrong website.  Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

 

Basic Nutrition on Corned Beef

The nutrition values in this article are for a 3 oz. serving size of corned beef. It has 213 calories, no dietary fiber or sugars and an insignificant amount of carbohydrates. It's a great source of protein. One serving provides 31 percent of the recommended daily value (DV). Corned beef is high in fat, containing 25 percent of your daily value for total fat, 27 percent of saturated fat and 28 percent of cholesterol.

Vitamins

Corned beef is a great source of Vitamin B12 (23 percent DV), niacin (13 percent DV), Vitamin B6 (10 percent DV) and riboflavin (9 percent DV). It also supplies other B vitamins: pantothenic acid (4 percent DV), folate and thiamin (1 percent of each). One serving will give you two of the fat-soluble vitamins; Vitamin K (2 percent DV) and Vitamin E (1 percent DV).

Minerals

As you might expect from the brining solution, corned beef is high in salt. One serving supplies 40 percent of the daily recommended value. However, it's a rich source of other essential minerals, including selenium (40 percent DV), zinc (26 percent DV) and phosphorus (11 percent DV). You'll also gain 9 percent of the recommend amount of iron, 7 percent of copper, 4 percent of potassium and smaller amounts of magnesium and calcium (3 and 1 percent respectively).

Fatty Acids

Corned beef provides a small amount of heart-healthy fatty acids. It has 0.11 g of Omega-3 fatty acids and 0.46 g of Omega-6 fatty acids.


Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/80936-corned-beef-nutrition/#ixzz1GsGOS6Ma


www.makeitfittraining.com

Get Medical Clearance Before Playing Wii

Okay, well maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. However, I threw my back out in December playing Just Dance 2 trying to blow the "sweat o meter" out of the water while dancing for my life to "Proud Mary" and my darn back hasn't been the same since.  I immediately went to see Dr. Alicia at Select Care Chiropractic (they are AWESOME there...I highly recommend it), and she put me back together so i could get back into the Just Dance 2 game and back to the gym.  However, my back really hasn't been the same. I then injured it again, trying to make gingerbread cookies...What?  Did I really just admit that?  Then yesterday, I was all excited for my Monday morning workout, and again...it started to ache right before I went to the gym.  I did go to the gym and worked through it, staying away from any exercises that would strain my lower back.  I actually felt better after my upper body strength workout and running 3 miles.  However, I didn't want to overdo it, so  I took the day off and I really do feel much better.  However, I still feel a little pain so I will heat it when I can today (in all my spare time...)  It's important to listen to your body, people. If you are in pain or have an injury, do NOT ignore it.  It could just lead to more serious complications.  I KNOW that I do not stretch enough and that I need to learn some more exercises that focus more on strengthening my lower back.  I will continue to get regular chiropractic care, go for a massage and I will definitely start to incorporate some more stretching into my routine.  Lesson here, people...do NOT ignore your pain and seek medical attention when needed.  If your body is telling you to rest, then DO IT!  Remember, your rest days are just as important as your workout days!  We only have one body and we should treat it with respect by feeding it well, strengthening it, stretching it and paying attention to aches and pains. Stay tuned for my next entry...a day in the life of Mel's food journal.  YIKES!  I will expose it all.....

Happy Tuesday!
www.makeitfittraining.com

Mel's Workout of the Day

Here's a tush-kicker.  I tried this one out this morning at the Y and it was awesome!

5 laps of walking lunges around a small track or 500 walking lunges
*muscles worked:  quads, hamstrings, glutes (all lower body) AND cardio!

5k jog or jog/walk.  I am tired of the DREADMILL!  I ran around the track for 30 minutes after my walking lunges.  Probably a little more than a 5k.
*muscles worked:  cardiovascular

50 push-ups on your toes if you can.  I did 5 sets of 10 with a small break between each set.  This helped me to stay on my toes and not have to come down to my knees
*muscles worked:  back, chest, triceps, biceps and core

3 sets of 12 seated shoulder press
*muscles worked:  shoulders

3 sets of 12 alternating standing bicep curls
*muscles worked:  biceps

3 sets of 12 overhead extensions (champagne glass lifts)
*muscles worked:  triceps

This took me about 75 minutes.  It felt great and worked almost every major muscle group!  Happy exercising!

www.makeitfittraining.com

Six More Lives About to Change!

I started a brand new session of Boot Camp Challenge yesterday over at the Shen Adult Community Center in Clifton Park.  I left there on a high that lasted all day long.  I had six newbies show up and about 18 returners will come back.  I took all of my newbies' measurements and then tested everyone.  When I did the push-up test, I could NOT believe it!  Almost every person there could pump out at least ONE strong, toe push-up and their form was excellent!  I have NEVER had that happen before.  My class is full of motivated recruits and I cannot wait to challenge them.  And my returners....one of my girls pumped out about 40 toe push-ups with ease and one of my long time recruits completed more full sit-ups then she thought possible.  I LOVE MY JOB!  My favorite part of this session, is that I have a recruit who is expecting TRIPLETS in a few months.  Let me clarify...his WIFE is expecting triplets.  He is determined to get in super tip-top shape for his new babies and that just makes my heart SING!  We are all off to a great start and I cannot wait until tomorrow to burn out their upper bodies, abs and to kick up the jump rope!  I have attached a photo of one of my previous BCC sessions.  See how much fun we have? 

http://www.makeitfittraining.com/

I Just Want to Go to Sleep!!!!!!

Here we go again...four bootcamps and Zumba started last week.  MY  bootcamp session starts tomorrow, another starts next week.  Yoga is coming back next month.  I have to work on payroll, pay my rent.  My sister's wedding shower is coming up and I have to get the invitations out.  My 9-yr old son with Asperger's is a closet chocolate eater and I have to deal with it sooner rather then later.....AHHHHHHH!  All of this and the laundry, bills, another snow storm, etc. is putting me into another viscious cycle of insomnia.  I was doing so well.  Two months of sleeping through the night.  Then all of sudden, the sleepless nights return again from nowhere.  I have gotten about 4 hours the past two nights and I am one that needs at least 7 hours to function.  When I can't sleep, I become extremely irritable, short-tempered, cranky and overwhelmed.  I also drink so much coffee to try to function that I slack on my water intake and my workouts drag due to lack of energy.  Oh the viscious cycle.  I know everyone that is reading this, can commiserate with me.  We all go through cycles of insomnia and lack of sleep.  However, we must address the issue and do something about it before our health takes a turn for the worst.  I know that once my class starts tomorrow and my stress decreases over the next few weeks, my sleep will regulate again.  I must however, help it along.  This morning when I awoke at 4:00 a.m. and laid there for 45 minutes thinking of EVERYTHING that I have to do including cleaning the old clementines out of the fridge, I decided to get up and make a to-do list of everything floating around in my head.  Though my list is about 4 pages long, I now have everything written down and somehow it seems much more "doable".   Some other tips to get a good night's sleep (7-8 hrs):

1.  Ease up on the caffeine after the noon hour

2.  Though alcohol can help you fall asleep, it can also disrupt your sleep pattern, stirring you up a few hours  after catching a few zzzzs.  No alcohol if you are having trouble sleeping

3.  Get in your bed ONLY when you are ready to go to sleep.  laptops and TV in bed can lead to insomnia!

Remember..lack of sleep can also mess with your metabolism, prevent weight loss and contribute to weight gain.  Therefore, get your recommended 7-8 hours.  If you try these tips and you still cannot sleep, see your doctor.  This is not a matter to be taken lightly. 

Happy Sleeping :)
http://www.makeitfittraining.com/

Put Me Out of My Exercise MISERY!!!!!

The lights go down and the door shuts...you assess the unfamiliar person who will torture you for the next 60 minutes and  you put your life in her hands. After a 60 second first-impression, you decide that from the way she looks, her physique and the expression on her face, she will provide a torturous, yet satisfying experience.  She gets on her throne and looks out to her 30 victims, making eye contact with noone.  Your adrenaline starts to pump as your feet begin to pedal and you are excited to get all of your anger, anxiety and stress out.  You are in the zone, ready to ROCK.  Then the music begins...she starts the warm-up with Barry Manilow.  Okay, you like Barry, but not for working out. Your heart rate actually decreases when it should be increasing.  However, you give her the benefit of the doubt.  After a torturous 3 minutes and 30 seconds of Barry you are anxiously awaiting the next song.  This one is not much better.  You cannot identify it but you vaguely remember hearing it on Delilah the night before as you were trying to fall asleep.  You now feel trapped.  You are praying to the gods above that your toddler has a meltdown in the babysitting room on the other end of the gym and that someone will come in and tell you that you need to remove your unruly child immediately. However, it doesn't happen.  You are stuck in a Spin Prison, unable to escape.  Yes, you could walk out and jump on the dreadmill, but you may get busted and insult the instructor.  So you continue in this workout Hell for the next hour.  You try your best to work hard, but the music is completely ruining your workout experience.  Once the class ends, you can't escape fast enough.  You feel disappointed and unmotivated only to go home and eat a pint of ice cream because the melancholy music that was played for an hour actually put you into a slight depression.  A depression that only ice cream can fix.  You lose your motivation to try new things and go back to light intensity on the elliptical every day for the next month and wonder why you can't lose weight?  Sound familiar?  MUSIC!!!!!!!!!   I want to address the importance of MUSIC when you workout.  Whether you are in a spin class, aerobic class, boot camp class, pumping iron or running on the treadmill, music can make or break your workout.  As a Boot Camp Challenge Instructor, I try to find balance in my play lists.  If it was up to me, I would play 80's hairband music sprinkled with a little heavy metal and topped with even a little fist-pump music.  However, I KNOW for certain that my clients who's ages range from early 20's- late 60's probably won't come back if I play White Snake and Pit Bull every class. Therefore, I always ask them to send over musical requests to keep my music diverse.  As far as my own workouts,  I have complied a list of my favorite weight training play list and my favorite dreadmill play list. These are my favorites today.  I will get sick of them soon and move on in a few weeks to different play lists.  Give them a listen on itunes!  Please note:  I always listen to heavier music while pumping iron:

Weight Training
Headstrong by Trapt
Paralyzer by Finger Eleven
Fire Woman by The Cult
Control by Puddle of Mudd
Panama by Van Halen
Still of the Night by Whitesnake
Figured you Out by Nickelback
Fuel by Metallica
Decode by Paramore

5K A Day
Shake That by Eminem
Next Contestant by Nickelback
I Like It by Enrique and Pit Bull
Ready to Go by Republica
What's My Name by Rihanna and Drake
Waka Waka by Shakira
Getting Over You by David Guetta and Chris Willis (Fergie is in there too)
Most Black Eyed Pea songs :)
Kick Start My Heart by Motley Crue
Brand New Day by Sting

Music can be a HUGE motivator when working out.  So invest in an ipod and start downloading some motivating awesome music.  Hopefully, some of my suggestions will help burn a few calories! 

www.makeitfittraining.com