Gymming for Beginners

So you're in the gym for the first time. You've got your spandex, your sneakers, your sweatband, your heart rate monitor, your lifting gloves, your ipod... you feel good. You feel ready. You are about to be in THE ZONE.

But where do you start?

Always always always start with a warm up. I usually run for 5 minutes, roll out my joints (arm circles, leg circles even though they look funny, foam rolling). Then it's time to get moving. Burpees and mountain climbers are a great way to get your whole body involved.

When it's time to start working on specific body parts, avoid burning yourself out too quickly. Start with big muscle groups and multi-joint exercises. If you wear out the muscles that only work with one joint, you won't have the strength you need to work your bigger muscles. I like to begin with the legs. Your femur is the biggest, heaviest bone in your body, so moving it takes a lot more work than any other part. Keep the heart-rate up; include jumping exercises (if you can) throughout the workout. If you have bad knees, talk to a personal trainer in your gym for modifications.

When you work your arms, stick with the same rule as before: multi-joint exercises first. Pull ups work the shoulder and elbow. Front raises only work the shoulder. If you start with front raises, you'll find yourself doing less pull-ups than you're actually able to do (I know, "less pull-ups" sounds awesome because no one likes them... but your back will look way sexier if you do them!) Similarly, do your push-ups before your pec flies.

Finish with your abs. Why? Because you NEED your abs to assist you with the rest of your workout. You should maintain a tight tummy with every single exercise. (*Don't know how? Imagine someone is about to punch you in the stomach. Did you feel your stomach tighten up? If not, put your hand on your gut and cough.*) If you start with your abs, you'll feel low on fuel for the rest of the workout, maybe even less coordinated. 

End the whole thing with a nice stretch from 3-5 minutes. DO NOT SKIP THE STRETCH. Stretch because it feels great, will improve your flexibility and ROM, help prevent knots and finally, because I said so!

Eventually, you'll want to switch it up, maybe work different parts on different days, whatever. This is just a good way to get more work into your workout. If progress is slow, just remember that SLOW progress is STILL PROGRESS. Be patient, be consistent and soon enough you'll reach your goal and beyond!

"Baby, I was BORN to RUN!"

So you want to be a runner....

Awesome! But before you get going, there’s a few things you need to do:

1) Check Yo-self before You Wreck Yo-self.

  How are your knees, ankles and heart? If you answered anything but “Fine, thanks for asking!” you need to go to a doctor and see if running is the right activity for you.

2) Get in Gear

   Starting to run when you’re really NOT a runner isn’t easy. The endorphins take a while to kick in. To make the experience as comfortable as possible, make sure you have the right sneakers. If your sneaks are old or if they aren’t running shoes, go to a store and get some. Modell’s often has great sales on Nike’s. I love my Nike running shoes, but I found that the laces are kind of lame and untie by themselves a lot. After falling down and scraping my hand (why do bad things happen to good people?), I replaced the laces with some that I got at Areopostle and they stay tied nicely. Also, they’re sparkly, which is just added incentive to wear them.

    But anyway, I’m not saying you necessarily should get Nike shoes- what you ought to do is go to a sneaker store/running-specific store (there is one in Rye, Westchester folk!) and talk to a professional. They can hook you up with the right shoe, like Cinderella. (Or if you’re a dude, Cinderello. Whatever.) They might be on the expensive side, but you know that a) they’ll last a good while b) you’re less likely to get injured.

3) Keep Track at the Track

   If you’re a total novice in the running world, go to the track first. Warm up with a brisk walk and then start jogging. Jog as long as you can and keep track of how many laps you did.

   I started in June of 2009. At the time, I could only jog half a lap at a time (one mile is four laps around the track). When I absolutely felt like I was going to die, I’d walk and then start jogging again when I could control my breathing. I would go about three times a week and every week I was able to jog for longer periods of time. By the end of the summer, I was jogging three miles at the track. By November, I was running 5 miles and competed in my first Turkey Trot (5 miles) and finished in 44 minutes!

4) Stay Hydrated

   Bring a water bottle with you to the track. If you decide to run elsewhere, get a camelback, carry your water bottle with you, or know if there is a water fountain available on your path.

5) Wear sunscreen.

   ‘Nuff said.

6) DON’T GIVE UP!!!

   When I was in high school, we had to run a mile for the Presidential Fitness Test. It was brutal. I hated it. I’d get all red and end up walking most of it out of rebellion. I think the best time I got was just barely under ten minutes when I was in 11^th grade and it was zero fun for me. Now I run all the time. On purpose. And I LOVE it. If I can become a runner, anyone can. Seriously, anyone (with good knees/ankles/hearts).

  If you take on running this year, let me know how you’re doing!! Like my facebook page and send me a note!

   Turkey Trot 11/22/09

***Shakeology Contest!***

   The results are in: Shakeology + Exercise WIN! In the top pictures, I was working out a bit everyday, but coming down from being sick AND eating junk food like it was the end of the world. Gave up that life and now I drink my Shakeology everyday (I also watch what I eat).

   The bottom row of pictures was taken today and I'm a pretty happy lady. (Progress, not perfection!) 

   

   Now I want to help YOU. I am going to give away two FULL week's worth of Shakeology. But don't get too excited- I'm not pulling an Oprah here. This isn't "Shakeology for YOU and YOU and YOU". Only ONE person will win. 

   Here's how ya play: firstly, if I'm going to help you, we gotta be friends. Go to my facebook page and  "like" it. Then write me a message about why you think you should get the Shakeo. 

   The winner will recieve 14 scoops of Shakeology and a workout plan to follow (we'll talk about your schedule what's available to you so it's realistic). Two rules: 1) Winner MUST live in the United States 2) Winner must be willing to show some before and after pictures. I'm confident that you will see a change in two week's time if you follow the workout and drink your Shakeology. **Winner will be announced Saturday, May 4**

   I'm not doing this to push sales. I'm doing this because a lot of you have asked me about Shakeology and while some end up taking the life-changing leap, others make excuses. Now you have no excuse. I'm GIVING it to you. If there is anything I hate, it's sharing my stuff. Maybe because I'm the baby of the family, I don't know. But I'm willing to put that aside to help you make a positive change in your life! 

   Ready, set, GO!

Fat Burning Zone vs Cardio Zone (And How a HR Monitor Can Help You!)

   As a personal trainer, I spend kind of a lot of money on fitness clothes. But I don't mind because I wear them so often and it SO beats having to wear real pants everyday. Just sayin'. But as a modern man or woman of today working at a desk or someplace where real pants are required, you may not want to shell out tons of cash at Lululemon. And that's fine! But the one thing I suggest you pony up for if you are, or want to be, consistent in your workouts, is a heart rate monitor.

  The first reason I think you need a heart rate monitor is because they make you look super intense! Think Mega Man or Iron Man or Batman or even Inspector Gadget... you have a tool you can use to make your BODY your super power! You can get one for as cheap as $50 and you'll use it all the time, so I'd say it's money well spent.
    It lets you know when you're in your "fat burning zone" as well. But keep in mind, staying in your fat-burning zone may not be ideal for your goals. Just because the treadmill says "fat burning zone" doesn't mean it will make you lose weight faster. When your heart rate increases above that zone, your body starts using its carbohydrates as its primary source of fuel, thus lessening the percentage of calories from fat being burned. So let's say you walked a half hour and burned 200 calories (and you may or may not burn that many- everyone is different. This is hypothetical). Of those 200 calories, 50% would be burned from fat. So 100 calories of fat = gone. Now, if you ran for a half hour and burned, say, 500 calories, you may have only burned 40% of fat. BUT, 40% of 500 is 200 so that's 200 calories of fat burned! The key to weight loss is creating a caloric deficit- taking in less calories than you burn. More work = less calories in you!

   Anyway, the heart rate monitor is waaaay better at judging the amount of calories you burn in a workout than the treadmill. I've noticed that the machines often say you're burning about 20 more calories than you actually are, because it is guessing. Just putting your hands on the metal bars isn't enough for it to know what's going on in your body throughout the whole workout. A monitor let's you know exactly what you're doing. It also tells you in its data section where your heart rate was throughout. This is a pretty cool feature. It's fun to see how much more I can push myself as my fitness improves and which workouts burn more calories in a given amount of time. I usually try to burn roughly 300 when I train with weights and I reach that way faster on leg days.
  
   For people with heart problems, it's great to have. If you know where your heart rate is at, it's easier to keep it at the healthy level that your doctor recommends for you.

   So to sum up, push yourselves a healthy amount and if you need an extra kick in the pants/something to keep track of your success, get a heart rate monitor!

 

Stretch!

  People ask me all the time why they’re stiff, why they have so many knots, why they’re hunched over.

   “Do you stretch ever?” They shift their eyes.

   “Sometimes…”

    Yeah... do it more, please! I’m often met with the excuse, “I hate yoga”. Well, you don’t have to take a yoga class to stretch, silly! But I recommend it because a) yoga stretches pop up in so many other fitness classes and in at-home DVDs as a cool-down and b) If you take one class, you can learn the correct posture so you don’t hurt yourself. I’m sure you can find a few poses for each muscle group that you don’t hate. Plus, you don’t have to be a contortionist to take a yoga class, contrary to popular belief. Any GOOD yoga instructor will tell you to do what YOU can do and over time, you’ll see your stretches getting deeper. I have experienced a boot-camp type yoga instructor who told people that their stretching wasn’t good enough and even laughed at people! If you find yourself in a class like that, I encourage you to leave and find a more compassionate yogi who inspires you. Also if you don't want to take a class, I recommend DVDs by Gaiam featuring Rodney Yee. The man is a genius.

   Increasing your flexibilty is important because your body will function better in your day-to-day life- not just when you’re working out. When you reach back in your car to get your seatbelt, when you squat down to pick something up properly, when you reach up to grab a mug from your cabinet. If you don’t stretch, the likelihood of knots building up in your muscles increases and so does the opportunity to become injured. Soon you could start feeling pain when you move a certain way and you’ll stop moving that way to avoid the pain. Your body will try to compensate for the lack of doing that particular motion, which can throw off your balance and lead to other injuries over time. Then you get old, you need hip and shoulder replacements and you think to yourself, “Dang, I wish I listened to Niki Webber”.

   Do keep in mind that over-stretching can be a bad thing and if you have a serious muscle injury, don’t make it worse- see a doctor. You may just need a few massages to work out what you have going on, or you may need something more. Either way, talking to a doctor that you trust is imperative in these situations. Also, stretching will NOT prevent the soreness you may feel the days following a tough workout. It WILL help prevent knots and muscle injuries so you can keep up with your beastmode workouts. 

  To conclude, workout + water + stretching = winning! Have a fantastic-elastic day!

How to Receive a Massage

   I know what you’re thinking. “Don’t I just lie there and accept it?” No! As a licensed massage therapist who’s been working in the field for over three years, I can tell you a few things that you should do to make sure you get the most for your money!

 1) Know which service you want!

     There are many different kinds of massage. The ones I do the most are Swedish and Deep Tissue. You’d be surprised at how many people don’t know the difference!

  During a Swedish massage, the practitioner only works with the hand flat. That means, if you’re looking for them to really “get in there,” you should not get the Swedish massage, you should get the deep tissue. A lot of times, people ask for a Swedish at the front desk, but when they get on the table, they ask for a deep tissue and don’t want to upgrade. The reason for this is that deep tissue massages cost more money. But we don’t charge more because we feel like it, it costs more because the therapist has to work a lot harder. We are loosening up severe areas of tension in your muscles to increase your range of motion and treat muscular-skeletal disorders.

    Now, just because you may not want a deep-tissue massage doesn’t mean you can’t get a strong, firm treatment. Swedish massages can be done at any pressure! If you’re looking more for relaxation and a full-body treatment, get the Swedish.

    Last thing on this topic, if you want a deep-tissue massage, it may not be full-body. It is impossible to fully release all of the tension in your back/shoulders/area of concern and still have time to get to everything else. To increase your chances of getting more work done, go for the 90 minute instead of the 60 minute. Yes, it’s pricey, but it can prevent injuries and the doctors appointments for injuries are way pricier (ever been through physical therapy?).

2)  Talk to your massage therapist!

    A lot of us in the massage business are very intuitive, but we can’t read your mind! If the face cradle is uncomfortable, if ANYTHING is uncomfortable (room temperature, music volume, pressure etc.) speak up! It is the absolute worst to have a silent client tell you after everything is over what could have been better for them, or worse, lying to our faces and then complaining to the spa manager.

   Also, when you meet your therapist tell them how you’re feeling. Not just physically, but mentally. We are, for the most part, a very nurturing people. If someone tells me their day/week was lousy, I will usually work extra hard to make sure their experience is therapeutic. And on the flip side if their day is going AWESOME, far be it from me to ruin that!

3) Feeling talkative?

   If you want to chat during the massage, that’s fine! If you don’t, that’s fine too! If your massage therapist starts chatting you up while you’re on the table and you don’t want that, let them know. Generally, we don’t do that, but I’ve heard stories. “Why didn’t you say anything to them?” “Oh, he/she was so nice…” That doesn’t matter. You’re paying for a service, not a pow-wow.

4) Other:

-Be on time for your service. If it is at 1:00, don’t show up at 1:00, show up 15-20 minutes early so you get your full service. If there is a 2:00 appt, why should the 2:00 person have to wait just because you didn’t show up on time?

-If you’re getting a scrub service, don’t shave your legs beforehand. You could react badly to the exfoliating sugar/salt in the scrub.

-Wait until your massage therapist leaves the room to disrobe.

-Get in the covers on the massage table as though it were a bed. There is a blanket, a top sheet and a bottom sheet. Your therapist should explain that to you, but every once in a while I’ll still come into the room with the person lying on top of everything. That pillow with the hole in it is where your face goes.

-Take off all jewelry beforehand, or don’t wear jewelry. Massage oil/creams ruin pearls. Wedding/engagement rings are fine.

-I know I don’t really get a say in this, but while I have your attention, feel free to wash your feet beforehand, especially if you were wearing flip flops. That’s just a little considerate.

-Don’t drink alcohol before a massage. Alcohol is dehydrating and when you receive bodywork, your circulation increases so your body is doing a lot of work.

-Drink TONS of water after to avoid dehydration, since your body will be all well-circulated.

-Always go to someone who is licensed. Don’t settle for someone who isn’t just to save money. You’re investing in your health and trusting someone with your body. You want to know that they know what they’re doing so you don’t end up injured.

Alright folks, that’s all I’ve got on the subject for today! I hope you’re still working out hard and that you’ll reward yourself by getting a faaaabulous massage!

Abs Are Made In The Kitchen

Top Left: Nov '12 Top Right: Dec '12 Bottom Left: January '13 Bottom Right: Early February '13

    February was a downward slope for me... I achieved killer abs for the first time in my life (you know the type I mean... when you're doing a workout DVD and the main instructor goes over to one of the background models and points to their stomach and says "THE ABS YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED". See bottom right pic in the ab pic-stitch) then I took it for granted. Then I got sick AND celebrated my birthday. Then I was mad at myself and ate my feelings.

  The GOOD news is that I still worked out (once I was healthy) and in my solitary disease-ridden confinement, I did a lot of virtual observation (via blogs & instagram) of the people who share my goal- to live a more healthy life than I previously have. I've seen a lot of great recipes and ways to replace the things I've been eating and in only a few days, I'm starting to see the positive changes shine through again!

Here are some things I've found helpful in eating better:

1) Shakeology

-Shakeology is a meal-replacement shake. It has over 70 natural ingredients found all over the world. There are enough vitamins in it to replace a daily multiple (if consumed daily) and IT'S SO GOOD! The thing I love about Shakeology is that you can do so much with it. You don't have to make the same shake everyday- it comes with a calendar of 30 recipes to choose from. You can also cook with it. I've been making little cakes and ice cream with my chocolate Shakeology. It's absolutely unreal. I love that I can actually have my cake and eat it too without feeling bad about it later. To learn more, leave a comment in the comment section and I'll answer any questions about it or give you some awesome Shakeo recipes!

2) Salad

People are always hating on salads. Why? Ya know the best thing about a salad? THERE ARE NO RULES! You throw things in a bowl and put dressing on it and it is delicious! If you don't "like salads" you need to start experimenting more. Anyway, here are some sub-tips:

   a) Don't use creamy dressing. I'm looking at you, Ranch addicts! I've BEEN there! When I was on my college swim team, I ate NOTHING but salad... but I drowned it in ranch dressing. I couldn't figure out for the life of me how I'd 

 become a victim of the freshman 15 (The 15 lbs college freshmen gain from having freedom for the first time). Now I usually use a light balsamic vinaigrette mostly, and it goes a lot better with the ingredients I use in my salads.

   b) Lose the croutons. They offer little nutritional value. I know, they're pretty tasty, but they're like putting potato chips in there (okay, not as extreme but still). Instead, I use walnuts. If you're allergic to nuts, try bits of your favorite crunchy vegetable instead! 

3) Afternoon snack

 I don't know about you, but I always want junk food somewhere between lunch and dinner. I used to eat whatever I wanted in the afternoon. Ten years ago when I was in eighth grade (ew), I used to come home from school and eat a bowl of potato chips and drink a glass of Pepsi while I sat and watched my favorite shows on TV. The good news is that is also the year I started dance classes and figured out how to enjoy activity... but I didn't know much about nutrition, so I just maintained a frumpy figure for a while. Over the years, my afternoon snacks have shifted. I've cut the soda completely, I only eat chips on Christmas (my Aunt Julie's dip is irresistible), and I've even cut down on granola bars with chocolate chips in them... because I found that a handful of walnuts and raisins is all I need!! They don't have the same "I can't stop eating this" quality that junk foods have and the raisins are nice and sweet. Allergic to nuts? Try apple slices or a small fruit salad instead. 

4) Water

 If you are a big soda drinker, I DARE you to replace soda with water for ten days. Notice how you feel in your body, your thinking patterns and attention and your sleeping patterns change. Not to mention your abs, but that's what all of these tips are for anyway. Also, your body will appreciate the water so much, that the next time you drink soda your stomach might hurt a little afterward. That's your body telling you "this sucks".

5) Tea

  I am a big fan of warm drinks in the winter, especially at night when the wind is howling. Instead of filling my limited-edition Paul McCartney mug with cocoa, I've been drinking decaffeinated tea with a slice of lemon. This may not work for everyone, but I don't know... something about tea makes me feel the warm-fuzzies. Maybe switch up the flavor of the tea? It's also a good way to keep from night-snacking!

I hope these work for you on your quest to achieve "The Abs You've Always Wanted"! 

Survival of the Fittest

Right at the new year, my entire family joined a gym that opened up very close to my house. It’s a pretty great gym and so far I am enjoying my membership there. It’s infinitely closer to my home than my last gym, less expensive AND has a pool! I also love that the whole family is involved- it’s been extremely inspiring and lovely to see everyone’s spirits lifted and their dedication to staying active!

Now, my old gym was different in a lot of ways. It was female-only and most of the population seemed to have a 9:00-5:00 job because when I worked out between my two part-time jobs, it was just me and the retired. It was also a much smaller building with just one employee cleaning, constantly. There wasn’t a lot of worrying about gym etiquette there because there weren’t many other people around to take into consideration. Here are some notes I’ve made on how to be a good citizen of a gym:

1) WIPE YOUR MACHINE DOWN- This is the most important rule, in my opinion. Pretend that the handles on your machine are made of poles from the subway that never get cleaned. Gross, right? Wipe it down before and after you use it. It’s winter, it’s flu/cold time. Ain’t nobody got time for that. But we do have time to be a little sanitary.

2) If you’re going to be naked in the locker room, keep a towel between your naked butt and the seat in the locker room/sauna. For one, the sauna seats are made of wood and glutal-splinters seem like the opposite of fun. For two, no one wants to see your butt-print. Maybe one day at Grauman’s Chinese Theater Show, but certainly not now and not here.  Know your audience. For three, that whole thing I just mentioned in #1 about being sanitary.

*Another bit of advice on this topic- please keep your sweaty, naked self awaaaaay from me in the locker room. I mean, just what kind of girl do you take me for? You haven’t even taken me out to dinner.

3) Have a towel handy. If your gym offers a towel service, take one. If they don’t, bring one from home. It’s good because you’ll have less sweat to wipe down if the towel is between you and the bench. Also, it’s good motivation- don’t leave til that towel is drenched!

4) Grunting and groaning is fine in my book, but talking on your cell phone in the weight room isn’t cool. Texting is okay if you’re not walking around without looking or hogging a machine/bench. But if your conversation is really that serious, take it somewhere else, dude. I’m tryina get in the zone, here.

5) Be mindful of time limits on cardio machines. A lot of places have a 20-30 minute time limit when all of the cardio machines are full. If that is the situation you find yourself in, try to be inspired to cross-train. Hit the weights after your time on the cardio machine is up.

6) Don’t sit and rest on the machines if someone else is waiting for it. You can politely tell them that you have another set or two, but let them “work-in” in between your sets. Have your cleansing-fluid-soaked paper towel handy.

7) Deodorant is a must.  Unfortunately, though, my gym smells like it is personally sponsored by whatever spray-on deodorant is on sale at CVS that week. One spritz is enough. If I can taste your perfume/cologne, it’s too much.

8) Don’t laugh at anyone. We are all in the gym to better ourselves and raise self-esteem. Mind ya business.

9) Wear appropriate clothing for working out. Ladies, (and men with long hair) put your hair up. Wear something you feel comfortable in and allows you to move through your full range of motion. Keep all goods covered. I don’t know about you, but the idea of my bare skin against those seats and machines is a little cringe-inducing… covering up just to avoid peeling your skin off the sweat-soaked bench is enough reason to dress a bit modestly.

Last But Not Least…

10) CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF. This is not YOUR personal gym. If you have a paper towel in your cup holder on the treadmill after you wiped it down, THROW IT AWAY when you’re done. If you used free weights, PUT THEM AWAY in their rightful place. Let’s be adults here, people.

Got more? Leave em in the comments section. Or take these advice nuggets with you and make your gym a better place to be J Have a good workout!

What's Your Motivation to Move?

Hey peoples!

 I hope you've all been THRIVING in your New Year's resolutions, whatever they may be. One of mine was to say "yes" to life more and as a result, 2013 is off to a super sweet start. Admittedly, I've probably said "yes" to food I should probably avoid more... but I've also said "haaaale yes" to harder workouts and fitness events with my fellow BeachBody coaches AND I've finally begun training for a triathalon.
   One thing I've always struggled with, and maybe you have too, is the tendancy to beat myself up when I've said "yes" to too much of life's...shall we say, richer experiences (like chocolate cake, for example). When that happens and the self-loathing kicks in, I find that a lot of people tend to say "Meh, forget it. I've ruined everything. What's the point? I'll never get where I want to be." Phooey. It's all one big journey. Okay,  you created a new obstacle in your fitness journey.
   So step one- Move on. Don't live in the past. Don't give up on your goals because you decided to not be reclusive and stay home eating celery and drinking Kambuchka over the weekend.
   Step two- Get back in the gym or your living room or wherever you do fitness.
   Step three- Get a workout mantra!!

  See, the idea of working out isn't always all that appealing. The sweat, the discomfort, the bunching of spandex... but as an avid day-dreamer and meditation participant, I've started saying to myself, "This workout is contributing to my success." It beats trying to figure out how many calories you need to burn to work off the weekend. Plus, if you're having an off-day, not feeling as strong as usual, it is good to remember that EVERY workout is still a contribution to your fitness success and overall wellbeing. You're still strengthening and doing something good for yourself. Go harder the next day.

   What other things do you like to think about when you workout? When I feel the familiar discomfort of exercise targeted on a specific muscle group, let's say triceps, I imagine my future-self in the summer time with the most sun-dress friendly arms. And a tan. And suddenly my workout just got a lot less icky.
    I also let the day-dreamer come into play when I'm running (but not when I cross the street, my brain is SO in the moment when cars are involved). I imagine I'm stuck in an elevator with someone famous and gorgeous, like Zac Effron. Now, I am the most realistic day-dreamer that ever happened, so I know that if I were stuck in an elevator with Zac Effron I'd probably clam up and fidget on my cell-phone til it died and then I'd probably take a nap (I have an uncanny ability to fall asleep anywhere except my own bed. It's amazing, really). Anyway, the point of this is that in my wildest fantasies, Zac Effron sizes me up and thinks to himself, "Okay, not bad. I could be stuck in an elevator with someone who has less fantastic shoulders."
   I DARE you to come up with a more riveting work-out fantasy than that. You can post it in your blog that your parents read ;)
 
    Remember that whether you're the smallest, fittest, or buffest you've ever been or not, even if you're not working out to reach a clothing size or athletic goal, working out and eating well will improve the quality of your life and the efficiency of your body into your old age (and you'll be the most ridiculously goodlooking old person. Photo-shopped Madonna has nothing on future-you).

I leave you with a few musical suggestions for your workouts, in case mantras and fantasizing aren't your thing:

SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA- Antidote
THE WHO- Baba O'Riley
KARMIN- Hello
DANIEL BEDINGFIELD- Gotta Get Thru This
SAVAGE GARDEN- Cherry Cola
BRUNO MARS- Locked Out Of Heaven
N.E.R.D.- She Wants To Move
DAVID GUETTA & SIA- Titanium
FLO RIDA & SIA- Wild Ones
SKRILLEX- Cinema
GLORIA ESTEFAN- Wepa

Shred on, you beasts!

Happy New Year!!!

  Hello, beasts! What an INSANE holiday season it's been! Since a few weeks before Thanksgiving, I have been on the Insanity program- a 63 day workout in which you only use your OWN BODY to build the body you deserve! I know people who have lost HUNDREDS of pounds on this program. I didn't lose much weight, but I lost inches on my waist and I'm way more toned all over than I've ever been. Even my running times are better than ever because my endurance levels are fabulous, thankyouverymuch. I love the program because it challenged me every single day and conquering the workouts has been SO rewarding. To the victor goes the spoils!
   What's next? Back to the gym for a month (I need to lift, I feel crazy strong) and then one more found of Insanity and THEN the 60-Day Les Mils mixed martial arts program. ON TOP OF THAT I'll be starting to teach TurboKick at Scarsdale Golf Club VERY soon! I'm stoked to bring Turbokick out of my living room and into my class!
    Now that it's a new year, I've reflected on my photos from last year (see above) and I want nothing more than to help others get to this feeling of inner-peace and strength that radiates from my soul throughout my being. Join my team. I will help you pick the right program to get you to the body you want.
     Is the idea of being happy not enough for you? How about them apples:
*If you are one of the FIRST THREE coaches I sign for 2013, you will receive a very special starter kit of things I find essential to goal completion, including a shopping list and a sample of Shakeology.
*You'll have access to me for help whenever you need it whether it's a workout question, a motivation issue- anything you need. I'm here for ya, babe.
*You'll be invited into a very EXCLUSIVE group called Shrednation. We are 300 and growing. Over 300 people to help you meet your goals. They'll become your family, I promise. They inspire me every single day. (See picture to the left- me with my Shrednation pals Maddie and Ronnie running in the Commitment Day race 1/1/13 in NYC. We had such a blast and met our goals for the race! Couldn't have asked for a better start to the new year.)

Those are only SOME of the reasons I want you on this team. Whatever your goal is, I want it for you and so do 300 other people. You can't fail. So what have you got to lose?? Message me on facebook, email me at niki.webber@gmail.com or follow me on instagram @wellnesswebb and let's SHRED!