I know what you are thinking… “She is a fitness instructor so she gets PAID to work out!!!  If I got paid to workout, maybe I would be more fit as well!”  I am here to tell you that, we don’t get paid that much.  I teach because I love to change lives and help motivate those that are in need.  In my past life I wanted to be a sports psychologist/motivational speaker.  This path was blocked because my other half accepted a job in Fort Collins, CO where there is not a Sports Psychology program and we were not willing to be separated from one another so I could get my masters.

After a few years of being home with my kids my desire to reach out to people and help grew stronger.  Then it happened, I stepped into my first cycling class ever!!  I hated it!!!!  I kept thinking to myself, “How am I going to run with my two girlfriends tomorrow morning?”  But I made it and I ran the next day as well.  I even kept going to cycling……I even became a certified SPINNING instructor 9 months later.   I couldn’t just stop there, I soon became Group Centergy (a mixture of yoga and Pilates) certified and then onto Group Power, a lifting class.  I like them all, but recently I have been able to form a small group to personally train.  Now, this is what I love and that is why I am writing this article.  I am here to give you some quick tips on how to get into better shape or to just get into shape!!!

Step ONE:  Find something you love to do for cardio.  Examples:  SPINNING/cycling, running, swimming, stair master, walking, elliptical. Try to mix it up throughout your week.  Several of these require you to own a machine or be a member at a gym.  Both have its benefits.  Running or walking requires no membership or costly equipment, just make sure you have a good pair of shoes.  (If you live in the Fort Collins, CO area I recommend going to RUNNERS ROOST!  They are so knowledgeable and will set you up with the best pair of shoes for you.)

Step TWO:  Compile some type of a weight routine.  YOUTUBE has so much information or a great App for your ITOUCH or IPHONE is the Nike Training Club.  Routines are already programmed and you can pick and choose what you would like to do that day.  Another option would be to hire a personal trainer.  They will put a routine together that will fit you and your style.  I would try to lift a few times a week.

Now I know some women are scared to lift weights because they don’t want to get big, but it is especially important for us to do so.  Here are a few reasons why:  It helps you to become physically stronger, you will lose body fat, you will gain strength without bulk, (women do not have the same hormones that men do and do not bulk up like they do) you will decrease your risk of osteoporosis, you will fight depression, diabetes, heart disease.  Do I need to list more reasons???  How about ONE more:  Muscle burns more calories than fat, therefore the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn, even when you are not working out!!!!

Step THREE:  Stay on track and mix it up.  Maybe find a friend that will keep you motivated.  (In my personal opinion, I would keep that number low.  Too many people leads to, too much talking and less working out.)  I love to bring in some burst of cardio mixed in with my weight lifting.  This type of exercising has been proven to increase calories burned while working out and for at least 24 hours after you workout, as well!  You can think of it as a boot camp workout or incorporating plyometric exercises into your training.  This type of exercise works both your fast twitch muscle fibers and your slow twitch muscle fibers.  Here is a quick and basic definition of these two muscle groups.

“The slow muscles are more efficient at using oxygen to generate more fuel (known as ATP) for continuous, extended muscle contractions over a long time. They fire more slowly than fast twitch fibers and can go for a long time before they fatigue. Therefore, slow twitch fibers are great at helping athletes run marathons and bicycle for hours.  Because fast twitch fibers use anaerobic metabolism to create fuel, they are much better at generating short bursts of strength or speed than slow muscles. However, they fatigue more quickly. Fast twitch fibers generally produce the same amount of force per contraction as slow muscles, but they get their name because they are able to fire more rapidly. Having more fast twitch fibers can be an asset to a sprinter since she needs to quickly generate a lot of force”. (About.com, Sports Medicine)

Okay, this information is great, but how do you find the time???  Sometimes, we just have to make the time by moving our schedule around or eliminating something from our schedule.  Several mornings a week, I have to get up really early and do my workouts and sometimes my house is not perfectly clean.  I love a clean house, but I also need to workout so I can stay happy and healthy (something’s gotta give).  That may not work for you and that is okay, but is there something that you can eliminate from your day or at least spend less time on.  How about taking a run while your kids ride their bikes next to you?  Our kids LOVE this and you are also being a great example to them.  Try breaking up your workout time, 10 minutes at a time 3 times a day!  If you can’t squeeze anything in that day, try 20 burpees before you go to bed!!!  I encourage to to be active everyday, it does not always have to be for an hour or two!  Our Sundays consist of taking our kids out for a bike ride while my husband I get some quality time walking next to one another!!  Good luck and BE ACTIVE!!!