Gain Strength--Lose Weight!!

Sun is shining--weather not so cold--dare I say, Spring is here??? While everyone scrambles and starts to think about the easiest and fastest way to get in shape, those in the know understand our classes meet all criteria to help you do just that!! I am posting an article a friend shared recently (thanks Shay) that explains the ongoing debate of strength training vs. cardio. And why to be fit and healthy you need to have BOTH!! Enjoy the article, enjoy the sunshine, Enjoy the day!!

"Gain Strength, Lose Weight"
University of California, Berkeley, Wellness Newsletter, January 2007

Many people take up strength training thinking that it will boost their metabolism (the rate at which the body burns calories) and thus help them shed pounds and lose body fat. Many books, magazines, and personal trainers tout this concept. Some go so far as to promise that the pounds will practically melt away without dieting and with no other exercise. Here's a look at the truth behind the claims.
CLAIM: Strength training increases resting metabolism, which means your body bums calories at a higher rate even when not exercising.
REALITY: True, but how much it goes up and for how long depends on how intensely you train and which muscles you work. Some studies have found that resting metabolism stays up for 14 hours or longer; others show it goes back to normal within an hour after exercising. But average gym-goers don't work out long enough or hard enough to achieve any significant calorie burning after-effect. More significant are the calories you burn during the workout. There is nothing magical about strength training itself: all exercise-particularly aerobic exercise-can increase metabolic rate to some degree.
CLAIM: Strength training builds muscle, and muscle burns far more calories than fat.
REALITY: Strength training builds muscle, but you have train strenuously and long term to add a significant amount. And even then, the impact on body weight is usually small. One pound of muscle typically burns five to eight calories a day, though this depends on many variables, according to estimates by Dr. Robert Wolfe, professor of geriatrics at the University of Arkansas. (Don't believe pie-in-the-sky claims in some books and on some websites that a pound of muscle burns a whopping 50 to 100 calories a day.) In contrast, one pound of fat burns about two calories. A woman who strength trains three times a week for six months, for example, may gain two to four pounds of muscle. That would result in 10 to 32 extra calories burned a day-not much, considering that you need a deficit of about 500 calories a day to lose a pound a week.
Proven benefits:
Whether it helps you lose weight or not, strength training can provide many benefits, including stronger muscles and denser bones. You may see an improvement in endurance and athletic performance, such as in your tennis or golf swing. Stronger' muscles can also improve your quality of life, making it easier, for example, to tote a bag of groceries, stow a suitcase over­head, or carry a child in your arms. And a toned body makes you look slimmer even if you don't lose weight (you might, in fact, gain weight if you train strenuously and add lots of muscle). Like other exercise, strength training may also reduce blood pressure and cholesterol.
Words to the wiseA balanced workout should include both a cardiovascular (aerobic) workout and strength-building exercises. But if your primary goal is to lose weight, focus mainly on aerobic exercise (such as running, biking, skating, or brisk walking) four or more days a week for at least 45 minutes. This burns more calories and is more likely to significantly boost your metabolic rate afterwards than strength training.

First step through the door!!

Sorry I have been missing in action for a couple of days. I have been under the weather and desperately need my workout tomorrow. Did you ever feel you need that workout more some days than others??

Some days you are more stressed and need the release. Some days you just need to get out of the house. Some days you have been missing from class for a while and just need to get your feet back in the door. That is truely all it takes-the first step through the door. Remember when you were a new student and you thought, " I am never going to get all those steps" but they came. The first step to good health comes from that first step through the door. So when you think you can't make it to class, try a different time--we have them. When you think I just don't feel like it- push yourself to go and try to have fun. When you haven't been in some time and you think you just want to quit--take that first step through the door. We will love to see you back in action--Trust me!!!

Spring is just around the corner (yes I know I have been saying that for weeks now-but it is I promise)!! Soon Summer will be here and with that--BATHING SUITS!!! Come on everyone--this is my promise to you.

I promise if you take that first step through the door.
We will give you a well instructed class-you will learn what muscles you are working and when
We will give you a FUN class-you will smile or laugh and forget you are working out!!
If you can't make it to your regular class-there are others to turn to.
We will help you get FIT for summer!!!
We will help you stay HEALTHY all year long
We will welcome you each and every time with a smile
We will help you "leave your slippers and your stress at the door"

COME ON IN all it takes is that first step through the door!!!!

Totally Tuesday!!!

Alarm goes off at 5:30AM--have to leave my down comforter and warm bed to wake up teenage daughter!! She is grouchy and tired~~It is going to be one of "those"days. Big sigh!! Go back to bed for 20 minutes till heat kicks in...Well after the whole morning routine everyone got off to their correct destinations on time (hubby has jury duty today)--laundry is in dryer and washer, new routines are learned for class, 1/2 dressed, not feeling 100% today, trying to get to class on time~~Puppy decides he needs to use his personal toilet (my dining room) AGAIN!!! Yep, one of "THOSE" days!!! Thank goodness I am leaving to teach (yes after I clean up said dining room). I can take it out on my loving students~they love it when class is hard and I am in drill sargeant mode!!! Ok I convince myself they do...

Now it is after class, still not feeling 100% but in a much better mood!! My students made me laugh, I hope I did the same for them (it helps them forget they are working out)!! By the looks of it outside we are in for some more "weather"!! And by that I mean snow and rain AGAIN!! Wait--Wait I see a bright spot outside...maybe the weather people are wrong again~~for the good this time..."it will be warm and sunny for the rest of the week"--yes yes, wishful thinking again!!

I think today would be a great day to try the Diet Coke cake I posted a couple of days ago!! mmmmmmm....chocolate baking in the house!!! So to those who like the snow--here we go again and for those who don't, my final thought is for you!!

A lot of people like snow. I find it an unnecessary freezing of water.~~Carl Reiner
Enjoy the rest of your day everyone!!

Still need the heat!!

Living in New England means needing the heat till mid-June sometimes!! Thank goodness my 4pm class yesterday didn't need it. Apparently the heat flowed nicely for the morning students but my afternoon class had to dance without it...needless to say my instructor got them all warmed up quickly!! Got to my center when the gas man arrived--he did me a favor by coming in the center to take a quick peek at my furnace and heating unit (because gas was flowing just fine from the street). He was able to fix the problem and no classes needed to be cancelled. My morning instructors of course had to deal with my conflicting and whining phone calls!! Isn't it funny how our students never know what goes on in the background. (I guess they will now though) We try to keep their workout environment as "stress-free" as possible. I have a great team of instructors- who try to help at every turn. Makes me warm inside, which last night was needed.

Today the sun is shining and is supposed to be mild. That in New England terms means 30+ degrees and sun. But still cold enough for me to use my new auto-start in the new ride!!! It is a fun toy that I know I will use a LOT! I am also going to stop by the Extreme Home Makeover who are in Maynard, MA. I have a fruit platter and one of my students (thank Nancy!!) made some cookies. I am hoping to at least catch a glimpse of Ty--you will surely hear me if I do!!! Maybe they need an exercise break~I will be coming from "J" class. This is a show that makes me cry each week (c'mon ladies you know what I mean~ that happy cry), from the beginning of the show to the end!!

My thought for you all today is: Keep your face to the Sunshine and you cannot see a shadow~~Helen Keller

Will it ever end???

All week we were hearing about the impending storm, 1-3 inches. I watch as the snow piles up past that three inch mark and scream at home when I know I need to cancel the afternoon and evening classes!! (Childrean and dogs run whimpering from room!!) I send out emails and post on website--didn't receive any hate mail yet!!! 8pm--still snowing, 10pm--still snowing, MIDNIGHT (after a marathon viewing of The Stand--NO we didn't finish it) just a little flurry of snow....

6am--Ok wake up early to check out the situation. My road is always one of the last to be plowed so I don't get the best judgement of the scene outside. Puppy needs to go out (to go the bathroom but instead jumps through the snow for 15 minutes having fun, while I glower at him to just do his doody ), and I notice that there is 8+ inches of snow on the ground. WHAT THE HECK--that is WAYYYYYYYYY more than 1-3 that they were saying we were to receive!!! Can forecasters be that far off base?? Don't they know that small business owners rely on their expertise daily??? Not to mention hubby and I were going to have a weekend ALONE--Nana was taking the kids for the weekend. All that shot with one inaccurate report.

I know in both my centers, my team of instructors put a lot of thought, effort and fun in each of their classes!! When I tell you, you will laugh, work hard and have fun doing so--each of my instructors brings "it" every day!! We all take pride in our classes and our students--and I know we HATE cancelling classes because of snow!! Finding the good in a day like this is, staying home and watching the beautiful snow falling. Having the kids nearby (a little more antsy perhaps but happy) to watch Monk on TV!! Late breakfast/Early dinner of pizza delivered by Daddy in his truck!! Holding hands with daddy and enjoying the amount of time we finally have to watch MOST of The Stand together!!!

So my point is work hard, try your best no matter what--and if the lemons become lemonade, go with the flow and make it work!!! Happy day everyone--It is BEAUTIFUL out there!!!

New England and our weather!!

Sunny one day--raining the next--and don't forget about the snow!!! We live in New England. I was loving the weather the other day. It was 60 degrees, snow was melting and the 7 foot snowbank in my parking lot was slowly disappearing, like the glaciers in Antarctica!! Today it is 25 degrees by the read out in my new van and we will have snow on Friday!! Hubby put dogs out this morning to enjoy the fresh air a bit. I was leaving shortly after and was to bring dogs in the house!! Ice skates needed to get across my front lawn but didn't know it till I was on my backside looking up at the tops of the trees! Man, our pine trees are tall these days!! I know I speak for all of us (who do not love skiing) when I say, I can't wait for Spring!! But we need to live day by day and the weather isn't going to change that quickly--it is after all, February!!! So find the good in what seems like the worst. I do love the way the ice looks on the lawns (ok with the exception of mine when I am lying on it). I love the way the snow looks on the field I pass to come home. I love the FULL moon that is out tonight (and no I am not talking about my backside again). I love the smell of the clean air!! My thought for all of you today is to smile and make the most of it. Although it may seem neverending winter can be beautiful too!!

How about you make a Diet Coke Cake??? Nothing smells better in a warm house!
1 package of Devils Food Cake mix
1 12oz can of Diet Coke
Mix together--bake as directed on package!!
It is that easy and it tastes great with a little bit of COOL WHIP on top!!! (thank you Maripat for this wonderful recipe--my family LOVES it)
Try it before you mock it!!! :)

Vacation and rain!!

Well a new car must get wet sometime...but it is so pretty!!! I guess I am not missing the duct tape that was--what I used to call, my driver's side window!!! I guess I am not missing the deer crushed grill on the front of my van!!! I guess I am not missing the broken passenger door handle from my young Tim Wakefield in training (ok that I might be missing--made for some humor in my day)!! Living in New England our weather is crazy...10 degrees one day--54 today!!! Melt SNOW MELT!!!!! The 7 foot snowbank (and no that is not an exaggeration) in front of my center will be here till Summer. It takes up three parking spaces which believe me, I understand is a major issue. The town will not comply and remove it as it is IN my parking lot. hmmmm....where did I get all that snow?? It couldn't be from the street when they clear those now could it?? Anyway the reason for my post is Spring is on the way...people (including myself) are in much better moods, even with the rain. It is also vacation which means all three children are home. Planning for the week has been easy and Nana is helping by taking them for a night or possibly two-haven't told her that yet!! :) Mall tomorrow, The Shining and subsequent nightmares last night, celebrating a teenage birthday with the girls on Wed, etc. Working out just falls somewhere in between. Before life takes over take that time for yourself--work off the extra aggravation, sleeplessness, etc. Have a piece of chocolate and then come to class--that always makes me smile!!
So before New England goes below 20 again let's hope for some sun and my students' smiles that keep my job the best that it can be....