January 11,2008
Fitness Walk On Alki
Beach
Your new year’s resolution for 2008 is to get in shape. A fitness walk
along Alki Beach
is a perfect place to get started. You have five miles of side walk with breath taking scenery and it doesn’t cost you
a dime.
You will need some good walking
shoes, warm but light clothing, bottled water and (optional) music to help keep you motivated and moving. Start out walking
briskly with a 30 minute goal in mind. You
should feel a bit “breathy” but still can carry on a conversation. Tell yourself you are going to walk everyday. If you miss one or two days you still have five under your belt. Set the time you are going to walk and keep it consistent. HEveryday have your clothes, shoes and music ready to go everyday. Keep an umbrella handy, just in case.
After a week of consistent walking, try adding ten minutes to your time, then
add 10 minutes every couple of weeks until you reach 60 minutes. To help increase
your stamina and challenge your muscles, you will need to raise your walking speed and your intensity. Increase your intensity by walking up and down the stairs located along the boardwalk or circling several
little hills, like the one around the Statue of Liberty. Also, walking or running
in the sand can really challenge your workout.
A good formula to use is to walk briskly for 5 minutes and then add a 2 minute
hill or stairs, repeating until your walk is complete. Make sure you end your
walk on the flat surface so you can cool down. Using stairs, hills and sand will keep your walk interesting while pushing
you toward your fitness goals.
While burning the pavement on Alki
Beach you are surrounded by water, mountains, ferries ,marine animals, the best view
of Seattle, submarines, lady liberty, eagles, seagulls, ducks, dogs (many dogs), friendly people, …and so one. We have the best place in Seattle
to walk, we’re lucky! See you at the beach.
Sammie Pullen ACE, ACSP certified in home personal trainer
www.personalcoachseattle.com
Simplifying Weight Loss
When diets have too many rules and information, it can be overwhelming and
lead to failure. For most of us, getting started is the most difficult part.
Here is a much more simple idea for losing weight.
It is a fact that one pound of fat equals
3500 calories. Reducing 500 calories from your diet each day for a week will
give you a deficit of 3500 calories and a weight loss of one pound per week. An
even better and healthier solution would be to burn off part of your calories with exercise.
Begin by recording everything you eat or drink for three or four days. Decide
on some foods you can live without and reduce 300-400 calories from your daily diet. For
example, if you have two tall skim lattes a day you can save 130 calories by cutting out just one or 220 calories for a whole
milk latte. Just changing from whole to skin milk is a difference of 90 calories each.
Substitute a glass of sparkling water or a diet soda for that extra glass of wine or beer and save100-150 calories.
Salad dressing, toppings like butter (1 t =100 calories) and sugars have huge amounts of calories. Substituting or cutting back on these foods can make a big difference in your total calories. Next plan
a daily brisk walk for 35-40 minutes to burn off 200 more calories. It can be
a pretty simple workable formula if you are consistent. A few changes in your daily habits can make a big difference for successful
weight loss. Of course, if you are going to a party & expect to drink and eat a lot more calories, you will have to compensate
for that. Go for a longer and brisker walk and skip the lattes all together. Try
a cup of black coffee or Americano with no calories.
One pound of fat a week is significant and it is a safe way to lose weight.
Remember, it is one pound of fat not just water. Think of losing a pound of butter each week. Calories and serving sizes are
listed on almost all foods. Here is a web site that has a chart for calories burned for types of exercises http://www.nutristrategy.com/activitylist3.htm .
You can always improve on your diet, but this is a great way to get started. There is nothing like success to jump start a life change.
Good Luck!
Sammie Pullen ACE, ACSP certified in home personal trainer
Five Great Tips to Boost Your Exercise Workout
June 29,2007
You’re working out hard as usual but lately
you haven’t noticed any improvement. You’re not feeling the “endorphin high” you usually feel and
your fitness level has plateau. The fact is workouts like many things need to
be adjusted, updated and improved upon from time to time. If you’re doing the same exercises over and over again for
an extended period, you’re unlikely to see improvement. Your body needs
a boost and you need to recruit some new muscle fibers. Here are five great tips
to get things moving again.
1. Drink
enough water. Your body is about 60% water and it is the most important essential nutrient next to oxygen. If you want
your body systems to work at their peak performance, it makes sense for the best results (burning fat) to stay hydrated. One hour before exercise, drink two glasses of water.
Drink 4 to 8ozs. every 20 to 30 minutes during exercise and two glasses of water after exercise. You can lose up to
25% of your energy when dehydrated. If you’re thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
2. Change the mode of exercise. Your body just gets bored with the same type of exercise. Your fitness level will plateau because you’re working the same muscle groups. For a change, try the stair master instead of the treadmill or bike instead of jogging. You can try alternating between two or three machines. Really helps boredom and it
gives your body a real attention boost. Those fat calories will pay attention now.
3.
Up the intensity. If you’re
on that fitness plateau, you need to increase the intensity. Start by adding
speed or incline on the machines for five minutes at a time. If you’re
walking, jogging or biking outside, add some hills or increase your speed in five minute intervals. Many neighborhoods have those long steep stairs. Add those to your
walk. The missing endorphins will start flying again.
4. Go
slower breath deeper.¨ When strength training, take full deep breaths through your diaphragm (not the upper chest)
and exhale upon exertion and inhale on release. Lift and return the weight (or
any resistant device) as if in slow motion. This will exhaust your muscles faster & the deep breaths will deliver more
oxygen to your working muscles. Your results will be a much more effective and
progressive.
5. Listen
to Music. Listening to your favorite music can really give your workout meaning. Instead of watching TV, get an IPOD or listen to your stereo. If you already listen
to music, maybe it’s time to add some new tunes. You won’t believe how much more energy you will have. When you’re
feeling good, you’re more likely to increase your intensity and last a lot longer.
How can you go wrong with that?
Sammie Pullen ACE, ACSP certified in home personal
trainer
