I fell off the plan yesterday but so what…

“Personal success is never static.  It usually comes in small steps leading to other small steps that lead to broader achievement”  W. Roberts

I love this quote above because it’s so true.  Sometimes people get caught up in the fact that their goal is so big and zealous that it seems impossible so sometimes they get ‘paralysis by analysis’ and do nothing. But if they just did something, no matter how small or insignificant, that points them in the direction of their goal they would soon be achieving amazing results.  You just have to take it one day at a time, one little small success at a time. So the message this week is “Do Something!” 

Cardiovascular conditioning: With the longer days, this week I am suggesting you incorporate a cardio-split workout as often as you can.  This means that you workout or are active twice in one day.  So you could, for example, get up in the morning and head to the gym for an indoor cycling class and then later in the evening, go for a walk, bike ride or take a yoga class.  Try to take advantage of the burst of energy many people experience in the spring!

Muscle Conditioning:

I wanted to give you another quick full-body Kettlebell workout set that you can do when you are running short on time. It will take only 5 minutes and will work your entire body. Remember, if you don’t have a Kettlebell you can pick one up at a Sporting Good Store and Target stocks them too. It’s nice to have a number of different muscle conditioning tools. Feel free to take lots of breaks if you are new to Kettlebell Training and listen to your body and modify any moves that you are not comfortable with. This is a more advanced training approach so if you are new to exercise, you might want to choose one of our previous training options instead.

If you cannot view the video clip above, cut and paste the following link into your browser.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY-T7yAbVQ8

You now have 7 different muscle conditioning videoclips. If you are ready to advance your program, maybe chose two to three different videoclips and complete them back to back for a more challenging workout. Or mix up your workouts throughout the week so you challenge your body in a variety of different ways.

Nutrition – Commit to a “Free” or “Treat” day once this week when you allow yourself to indulge in a food that is higher in fat or calories.  This treat day should occur only 1-2x maximum every week. For example, this weekend I ran 8 miles on Saturday and then worked out at a fitness conference for quite a few hours yesterday. So I was hungry and craving a hamburger and fries so I treated myself. Now, it’s not something I would eat everyday but I sure did enjoy it yesterday! And life is meant to be enjoyed so every once in a while it’s okay to indulge. Just be sure to set limits and stay on track 80% of the time and you will do amazing!

Other Helpful tips: Find a number of meaningful quotes that you are inspired by.  Post them in key spots at your home or office to remind you to stay on track everyday!

Yours in health and fitness,

Sherri McMillan

ps.  It’s Spring Break next week so I’ll be taking the week off from my blog but not from my workouts so I expect you all to stay on track too. Just stay consistent with cardio 3-5x week and pick a few of my muscle conditioning videos and get that done 2-3x next week also.

pps.  Our Spring Makeover challenge starts April 13th.  So if you live in Vancouver WA or Portland OR call us at 360.574.7292 or 503.287.0655 and get on a team before all spots fill up. It’s a great way to lose 10 pounds fast! Nothing like peer pressure, team accountability and a friendly competition to inspire you to do what you need to do!