Fit: Cardio Balance!

Fitness for me is a lifestyle, I love it. I need it, and I crave the sweat related endorphins. I am happiest when my daily routine includes a workout, of any sort. I'm huge into the Tracy Anderson Method, because it employs both muscle toning and cardio conditioning exercises. The method works for me. 

workouts need to have variety, they need to change especially as fitness goals are reached. Our body is inherently lazy; and once it figures out the muscle memory to master a move it will rely on memory, instead of engagement. To avoid cardio/fitness plateaus switch up your workout. Alternate your cardio, and force your body to engage in the work, and to maintain focus. 

I've put together a 10 minute cardio routine, that alternates between a mini-trampoline and the floor. The differences in the surfaces of the floor and the tramp will help challenge you balance forcing you to engage active mental concentration. 

Try the routine once, and repeat as often as you'd like. 

- Cheers to You, and your fitness goals. 

Vanity and the Facts

In the age of heroic chic and strung out beauty (early 90's) size 0 was introduced into the retail fashion market. The sizes told a story of a shrinking mass majority. The decreasing sizes flattered the market and woman shopped happily in the belief that they were actually shrinking and fitting into the coveted teeny tiny sizes of whimsical ideals. 

When Size 0 entered the market it was seen as ridiculous. Now Double and Triple 0's stock warehouses. Sizes are getting smaller. And on the contraire, we as a society are not getting any thinner. Vanity sizing is the act of cutting roomier petite sizes  to trick the general public into feeling giddy about how tiny a size they are. 

In 1937 a woman with a 32" inch bust would have worn a size 14, in 1967 that same woman would have worn a size 8, and today she would wear a size 0.  Marilyn Monroe, Today is praised for her plus sized beauty, the starlet wore a size 12-16. However, Marilyn's waist was only 25,"  today she would easily fit a size 2.

Vanity sizing fools us, it is an optical illusion. The question though is:

Do we want to be fooled, into believing we are something that we are not?

Pant sizes are based on inches. I wear a size 25 jean. When I take a measuring tap to the waist of my jeans the inch sizing does not match up. My jeans have a waist of 29" a 4 inch size difference. Now I understand that my jeans are fashioned to be worn low, but all other measurements aside; inches are not suggestions they are units of measurement. 

For many woman who don't keep a scale in the house or take measurements the tags on clothing is how we keep track of our waist. Vanity sizing is a dangerous illusion that can easily trick the mind into believing falsified facts. 

We as a society are not thinner, and we are not healthier in 2009 it was estimated that 1/4 of all North American woman are over weight. Vanity sizes nicely conceal the flaws in our physique with a discrete complement. As a society we are in denial, it is hard to place blame on retailers, who in truth are just meeting customer demands.  Vanity sizing works, because it woos us into believing fantasized facts. 

The numbers on the tags of our clothing define us, and impact our ego. We are glamorous and beautiful in sizes 4's, 2's,and 0's. Sizes may lie, and hold no truth, however a measuring tap does. Fitness guru Tracy Anderson advises clients to take weekly measurements of their body to help track progress. Witnessing your body transform and shrink through measurements is a motivating and honest achievement. Style advisers are now insisting to clients to rip out the size tags, wear what fits and flatters and to only believe actual measurements.  

Pre Halloween Abs

I want a flat stomach, one that is not too defined with a ripped 6 pack. I want muscles, but I want them to look soft and feminine. I want definition at my waist, and slender curvy figure. I think, that as woman, we are most beautiful when we embrace femininity. With Halloween, the sluttiest time of the year, just around the corner the push for perfect abs is heightened. 

 The male, and female bodies are built differently and fueled by different hormones. Men and women burn calories differently, and favor different muscle groups. Due to our structural differences alone, it doesn't make sense to have one strict abs routine for both woman and men. 

In the fitness world there is push towards functional training. Fitness gurus are designing programs to target key problem areas; ie, the stomach, in ways that the muscles are realistically used. When you go out dancing you don't drop to floor and do crunches. Instead you end up isolating your rib cage and moving it to the beat. 

In real life activities, most of the body's movements are done standing up. By adding a standing abs routine to your workout your body naturally has to focus to remain balanced which activates core stability. Rib cage isolation's, and standing abs target the all the major stomach muscles, increase ones balance, improve posture, and can help prevent back pain. 

To get a simple understanding of how to isolate the rib cage, follow along as one of Tracy's instructors explains the method.

Okay, so you've got is? Now you are ready to bring the abs to tempo. Get ready for a killer abs blast! 

Keep it up! You'll see wicked improvements; perfect for the haunting season. 

Magically Fit

There is no such thing as a quick fix. Achieving your ideal fitness is a result of commitment to your goal, and adjusting your lifestyle. In the past few years companies like Sketchers and Reebok have had huge success through the innovation of traditional training shoes: The toning shoe. 

Sketchers Shape Ups, and Reebok's Easy tone claim to incorporate leading edge fitness science to grant the user a super hot backside instantly. Rebook claimed that just putting your foot into an easy tone shoe, could tighten your ass 28% more effectively than other shoes. 

The claim Reebok made concerning its product benefit was investigated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).  Reebok has since made a $25 million settlement with FTC over deceptive marketing. The research done by the FTC concluded that minimal benefits may be temporally achieved; however in contrast the toning shoes have actually caused more harm. A record number of customer complaints for any one product has been associated with toning shoes. The shoes may cause serious injury including but limited to sprains, strains, fractures, and the material alteration of walking gait mechanics. 

Toning shoes are designed to challenge your balance: they add a core stability challenge to walking. Kind of like how high heels challenge your balance. The problem is, toning shoes are being sold and marketed as an exercises shoe, not as a special occasions shoe. I don't know many people who exercises is massive stilettos; so why risk toning shoes?

If you want get toned, you have to put in the effort. Find work out that fit, and combine cardio and muscles structure work.  

Try this Tracy Anderson Leg workout; your ass will thank you.

Dance for fitness

As if you need a reason to dance, but in case you do: exercisers who opt for dance aerobics or dance inspired cardio and conditioning have less concentrated body fat. Dance freaks, typically have flatter tummies.  Dancing is believed to reduce the Buddha Belly syndrome because the whole body is engaged in the movements, which tricks us into performing. 

Dance is fantastic because our largest muscles (which burn the most calories) are in our legs.  Dance utilizes minor and major leg movements through the incorporate of a wide variety of leg movements including plies, leaps, kicks, and attitudes. The whole body is working- 

The challenge of following choreography and keeping up with the beat stimulates the mind. Focus is required. The active memory engagement compliments and enhances our short term memory.  

The high energy music can boosts our moods. Leaving us more positive and willing to add our own personal twist to the movements. This further engages self expression which builds confidence.

 SO in short I'm saying Dance; You'll look better, feel better, and even remember more. The Tracy Anderson Method is my personal favorite: try her, or take a zumba class.

 I don't care- Just dance.  

Friday, Funday, Fitday

The work week is finally over, and I for one cannot be more excited. I love school, truly, but for the first time in my scholastic career I am actually a little overwhelmed by the work load. I know that insanity of pressure is all for my best interest. I'm thrilled to be out of my comfort zone; because that is where real lessons are learned.

My mind has been cruising the auto-bond on auto pilot all week. I have been a stress case; and am so excited to just go and sweat it all out. Nothing clears my head like the cocktail of fresh air and exercises.

Workouts need variety, and need your focus. You can't do the same exact workout everyday and expect changes in your body, mind, or spirit. As Tracy Anderson would say, You need to manipulate the accessory muscles into participating. Muscles need to be challenged and they need to be exhausted.

SO I'm going for a run today; not an ordinary run. A Tracy Anderson inspired run.

5km (30min):

- Warm up with a light jog for 2-4 mins

- High knee skip for 2-4 mins

- Side Shuffle for 2min each side

- Sprint for 1 min, slow jog for 30sec, sprint for 1min, slow jog for 30 sec

- easy jog for 2 mins

- running leaps (20 each side) (2 min)

- bum kicks for 1 min

- High Knee run for 1 min

- Walking High Leg kicks for 2 mins

- Light jog for 2 mins

- Repeat sprints (3min)

-Skip for 1 min

- Easy jog for 2 mins

-Walk for 1 min

(Walking Leg Kicks)

Create a play list, and get moving! 

(Tracy's Treadmill workout if you need more inspiration)

JuMp- Tramp it up.

The cardio machines at the gym can get dull fast. Even with my favourite tunes playing I space out for entire work outs. Yes, we can receive benefits through "exercise blackouts," but the black outs prevent us from ever reaching our exercise goals.

An easy way to spice up a work out is to add some jumping movements. Plyometrics (jumping) stimulate the fast twitch muscles in our legs which burn more calories while evenly strengthening leg muscles. Jumping movements train the body to absorb impact this in turn leads to stronger and increased bone mass. Preventing osteoporosis.

In a recent study by the American Journal of Sports Medicine, researches found that athletes who incorporated plyometrics into their workouts improved their balance, and reduced injuries. Most typical form of cardio (Cardio Machines) primarily exhaust quad muscles. Jumps require response from both hamstrings and quads: resulting in a more even muscular structure. The more balanced our legs muscles are the more protected our knees.

Mini-trampolines are incredible. Put on some music, follow a cardio workout and just jump. You'll be beat and energized in just half an hour. Tracy Anderson's tramp workout is constantly on my play list. Check it out, and tramp it up.

Love for Fall

September to me is always an exciting month. The city is finally back from it's summer vacation, as memories of the lack are forced into the background to make room for change in seasons. Fall marks a mental period of organization, resolutions, and new ideas. The brainy aspect of the seasons force practical behaviour. Fall means winter is around the corner! You're basically forced to stock up on winter necessities: fabulous boots, blazers, pants, jackets, snow gear. I love fall, almost as much an I love winter. 

I find it important to set my routine whenever my schedule changes. I find that I don't have the time unless i make the time. September is a perfect month to make exercise a priority. We are lucky in the pacific north west the days are still beautiful and the nights cool down nicely. With cooler weather just around the corner I'm enjoying exercising outside. Getting back to your exercise routine does not mean hours at the gym- 

 I have two workout ideals. Tracy Anderson, tracyandersonmethod.com, and lulu-lemon. Lulu-lemon, lululemon.com, makes the most amazing workout gear. Lulu fits, performs, and lets you look adorable while drenched in sweat. Tracy method forces you to switch up your workout. 

For my run I took inspiration from Tracy's Treadmill workout. I mixed the skipping, leaps, and side shuffles into my jog. Looking like dork when exercising is expected, hence my love for lulu all dorky-ness is erased by sheer fact that your ass looks amazing. The result a complete body burn that challenged my concentration; and left me feeling recharged while sufficiently exhausted.  Try the workout first, and then try to repeat it once, then twice. You'll love it.