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!

Happy Fall!

 Guess what?? It is the MOST perfect time to work on your fitness goals! The kiddies are adjusted in school, the holiday season is still far enough away that you don't need to think about all the food that goes along with it, and it is GORGEOUS out! So what are you waiting for??

   Go For A Hike!
 Are you not much of a hiker? Well here is a secret I learned- hiking is actually just WALKING. Hiking in the summer can be a little miserable with all the hills, heat and bugs... but this is perfect hiking weather. Get a fleece, get some boots, get in the woods!
***Remember: Do not go hiking alone. I had a friend who fell off a cliff hiking alone and if you've ever seen the movie 127 Hours... well, you'd know hiking alone is a bad idea. Make sure your cell phone is charged and wear bright colors so that no one mistakes you for a deer. Look online to find a trail near you that fits your level of intensity!

  Walk For a Good Cause!
   There are SO many fundraising walks and races going on this month. Just yesterday, my mom, aunt and sister-in-law walked in the Breast Cancer Walk at Manhattanville College (5 miles! Way to go!). They had a blast! I've done a lot of walks like that and it's so much fun.

  Start Training for Something!
  Are you going on vacation during the winter? Doing a Tough Mudder or Triathalon in the spring? Want to look great in whatever you wear this holiday season? Hit the gym! If you don't have a gym membership, there are SO many ways you can get fit in your own house. Check out teambeachbody.com/nicolewebber for details or send me an email at niki.webber@gmail.com so we can see what would be best for you!

  As for me, I'm still dabbling in everything. Obsessed with water and I still run a lot; I'm doing the midnight run at Central Park on New Years Eve with some friends. If you want to be part of my team, definitely message me or comment here on this post for details!

Home Sweet Home

    How stoked are you that fall is here? Hopefully as excited as I am! I came back from the brutally hot Las Vegas on Tuesday to find that New York has jumped right into fall weather. The humidity has finally broken, the foiliage is just beginning and the local kiddies are back in school, so I have the beach all to myself again!
     My vacation was fun and I definitely let loose a lot more than I would regularly, but I still managed to come home and leave the calories behind. Here are some of the ways I managed to keep the lbs off:

*Fit In Some Exercise
  -I know this isn't always possible for everyone, but I made it work even with our heavily-packed schedule. I hit the gym early one morning at the hotel in LA and made time to walk (and attempt to run a little) in Vegas. It's also a good idea to walk as much as possible when exploring a new city instead of taking a bus-tour.
*Compromise!
  -We're all guilty of it- "I'm on vacation so I will eat ALL THE FOOD! nomnomnomnom!" Some of the events I went to provided a meal. They generally weren't the healthiest. When I wasn't at an event, I kept tabs on what I was eating- a side of fruit with breakfast instead of bacon. Veggies instead of fries, water water water instead of soda or alcohol!
*Speaking of alcohol....
  -Some of those events included free alcohol. There was this one orange fruity concoction that was super heavenly. Another event had tons of bubbly. I totally indulged... but not every night. There came a point when I decided my body needed more hydration and I called it quits on drinking for a few days. Turning down an alcohol-infused milkshake wasn't the easiest, but it was definitely for the best.

   I don't know about you, but my next vacation isn't for a while and the holidays aren't too close by, so it's a really great time to be active! The weather is PERFECT for running, and a lot of the moms aren't in the gyms because school is starting up again, so you'll have plenty of space for your yogalates and Insanity-inspired drills ;)
   Also a little bit of celebration is in order- NYC's health board has voted YES to the soda ban. In restaurants and fast food facilities, soda is only available in small quanties and not "super sized". How effective will this be? At many fast-food joints, re-fills are free so people can just get up and get more. I just hope that this ban will force people to make better choices and really think about the amount of sugar going into their bodies when they drink soda. These days, more people are dying from being over-weight than from starvation. That really says something, doesn't it?
   Anyway, I just did Zumba with one of the faaaabulous instructors I work with and I need to get my resistance training on! Til next time, be well!

Thirst for Health

  Well, my two week water challenge is over! I determined that the first week, I was given regular tap water. The second week, I had the kangen. Aside from the taste, I didn't really feel a difference (Kangan water definitely tastes infinitely better than "purified" tap). However, I did experience some changes in my body and my life!
    -Drinking water constantly made me feel full. I didn't get hungry as often as I used to.
    -I definitely dropped some pounds. I may have mentioned in my previous post that iced-tea used to be my go-to drink. Ditching all that sugar (and resisting the temptation of alcoholic beverages) made me appear more lean than I've been in quite a while.
    -It got a lot easier to drink copious amounts of water. The more accustomed I became to drinking it, the more refreshing it became. Definitely quenched my thirst better than any other beverage.
    -My skin looks fantastic! If only someone had told me in 7th grade what a positive effect that water could have on my skin! It's so hydrated and clear. The other day I was out in the city with some friends. It was nasty and humid. They told me that the water definitely had an effect on me because despite the heat, I wasn't too oily lookin'.
    -Maybe it's in my head, but I doubt it; my running times got increasingly more awesome. I dropped ten whole minutes off my 7-mile run. That's ridiculous. I just felt better and stronger.
    -I had some CRAZY dreams. This was probably the only real downer of the whole experiment. It was easy to get to sleep, but I didn't want to because my dreams were pretty stupid and bad every single night. I hear it was the lack of caffeine.

   Soooo if you want REALLY delicious water, go with the Kangan. But I promise if you replace some of the things you drink with water, any kind of water, you will feel better in your beautified, glowing skin! I will not be going back to iced tea as a primary beverage, but I will no longer deprive myself of my morning cup o' joe.

   Tomorrow I leave for LA! I'm all packed and beyond ready to get out of here. When I come back, I have a LOT to do- my Women & Weights class starts up right when I get back and since a lot of people are heading back to the gym, I will definitely be picking up some new lovely clients. On one hand, I can't wait!!! On the other, all that can wait til I'm back from the west coast ;)
   Til I return, keep being active and start drinking tons of water! Your body will thank you and you'll be glad you did, I promise. Xo

"My water is healthier than yours!!!"

  Do you drink enough water? Do you drink tap? Bottled? Do you get the recommended amount each day? Most of us don't. But if we did, we could experience headache reduction, an increase in energy, healthier skin, decreased risk in heart attacks/cancer and weight loss. All you have to do is replace your high caloric beverages with some water.
  So about 10 months ago, my darling granny (who lives down stairs from me) purchased a Kangen Water machine. They say it's supposed to make you experience all those great things I mentioned earlier and MORE. For instance, if you're hurt, your body could heal itself faster. What this machine does is turn our nasty, acidic tap water into alkaline water. It's also said to contain living ions that will give you more energy, as the water is then "living". This sounds interesting enough, because our bodies are made up mostly of water. Every chemical process that goes on in our bodies happens because water is the universal solvent that can allow them to take place. So wouldn't you want the best possible water in your cells?
  The real question on my mind is: IS this the best possible water? Is it really capable of aiding our bodies faster than regular water?
  Well, I'd like to find out. For the next two weeks, I am replacing every beverage I usually drink with water. And to really figure out if the Kangen water is better, my assistant (mom) is filling a pitcher of water and not telling me which type it is. The next week, she will switch. I will see if I feel any differences.
   It's not really the most scientific experiment; I don't have a designated amount that I'm drinking. Also, two weeks is a pretty short time. But I go on vacation Sept 4th and this is an awesome way to keep my mind off of the anticipation of getting away. PLUS it definitely won't hurt in my quest to look stellar in my dress, so I win anyway. And if I'm ONLY drinking water, surely I will be able to tell if there is a real difference.
   So far, I've felt differences in my body from all the water-intake. 1) Severe depression from quitting coffee cold-turkey 2) I've found it easier to run. Definitely increased energy there. 3) I pee a LOT more.  (as this experiment unfolds, I promise I won't keep you posted on my peeing frequency.)
     Anyway, I am off to the movies. Time to stash a bottle of mystery water into an oversized purse like a delinquent.

Run For Your Life

   Only four more weeks until my grand vacation to California/Las Vegas! I can hardly wait. To prepare, I've been running anywhere from one to ten miles everyday... depending on what I did for resistance training that day.

   Do you like to run? There is much to love about it, even though it's hard and it's hot out. First, there's the endorphin rush. What an awesome feeling! Then there's the fact that it is a free activity. I put my favorite feel-good tracks on my ipod and BOOM it's a cardio party! It's all I can do not to fist pump in public.

   Here are some tips for you runners/aspiring runners out there:
*If you're going to run in the day time, WEAR SUNSCREEN. On your nose. Under your eyes. On your knees and shoulders.
*Night time running is awesome too. Unless you're at a very well-lit track, wear bright colors. Your favorite black running outfit may make you look super duper cool and athletic, but oncoming cars won't see that and you won't look so awesome as road kill. Do yourself and everyone else a favor and get a reflective vest and/or a flashlight (don't shine it at the driver's eyes, just click it on and off a few times for their attention).
*STAY HYDRATED. Get a big 'ol water bottle and keep it cold. There are all kinds of temperature regulating bottles out there, camel backs, ice cube trays that make tiny ice cubes for water bottles... so many ways to avoid dehydration.
*Invest in a good pair of running shoes. My personal favorites are ADIDAS. The best idea is to go to a sneaker store (or a running store specifically) and talk to someone who works there. They will talk to you about your running goals, check out your foot shape and point you in the right direction for the shoes of your dreams. Yes, they will probably be on the expensive side, but it's worth it for the amount of time they'll hold up and injury prevention!
*A good friend of mine hates running, but he just signed up for a 5K. He bought a new pair of sneakers and a rad new watch that keeps track of his times. He has the right idea- if you have a goal and you want to stick to it, invest some money into it. Buy things that you will be excited about, even if it's just a cute workout outfit to match your new running shoes or sporty sunglasses. I have a heart-rate monitor that I use for every workout. It tells me how many calories I burned and how to stay in my weight-loss zone and encourages me to work harder every time.
*Write out your goals and running game-plan the night before the work out, or on Sunday write out your plan for the week. Somehow I always feel like I have to stick to a plan that I took the time to think up and write down.
*Watch the Olympic track events. If that doesn't get you up off your butt, I don't know what will!
*Join a running club or reach out to runners in your area that you know on facebook. Having people around for encouragement is never a bad thing. If you don't like to talk during your runs (I certainly don't), maybe tell them that ahead of time.
*Make a kick ass playlist of songs that make you feel happy! My current favorites to run to are "Gotta Get Thru This" by Daniel Bedingfield and "Cherry Cola" by Savage Garden.
*Don't pound on the pavement. Think about your knees.
*Think positive thoughts during your run! If it gets hard, think about the fact that you're doing something GOOD for your body! Think about your goals!
*If you see a sprinkler, run through it! If you think the homeowner will chase you off their lawn, whatevs, you're running anyway! (Don't blame me if they catch you, though.)
Happy trails, you animals!

Free Weights Vs Machines

 Hello readers! I don't know about you, but I have a case of Weiber Fever!

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxjCrfZUyDY

  I'm coming at you from my post at the country club today. I've already trained a few of my radtastic clients and now I have a few hours to kill before I have to give a massage. I have to say, I have muscle envy for my upcoming client! I have a knot in my shoulder blade that is SO mad at me today.
   Today's workout plan is my favorite. I have yoga at 5:30, a big walk for an hour and then Zumba! I am obsessed with Zumba. If you love to dance, you need to try it out. Even if you don't, I guarantee you'll have a great time trying!


  So a lot of times I am asked, "Nicole, which is better: free weights or machines?"
  First of all, every single person on this planet is different. What works for some simply won't work for others.

  When you work with a machine, you can add more weight than you would with a free weight because the machine is holding it up for you. In other words, you don't have to rely on your stability and core to maintain the right form. Can you still have bad form on a machine? Totally. But it's less likely you'll fall over. They are also less intimidating. When I'm working at the gym, I tend to see more people gravitate toward the machines than the free weights because it's less of a risk. No one will look at you and wonder what you're doing if you're doing what it says to do on the machine's diagram. My advice to you is to go at a moderately slow pace. Use your breath to your advantage: when you're working the muscle, breathe out and tighten your core. As you bring the weight back to the starting position, fill those lungs with air!

  Free weights can be a bit trickier because they require more stability.  Using free weights adds the challenge of balance. Free weight exercises while keeping your core engaged will improve your core strength while working whichever muscle you're focusing on. Another benefit of working with a free weight is that you can incorporate more natural movements. Do you have trouble lifting a heavy pitcher of lemonade in your home? Simulating that motion with a dumbbell can help you strengthen up for your daily activities. It really isn't too hard to learn to use a free weight. They may seem scary and you may fear people judging you...but ya know what? No one is worrying about what you're doing in the gym. Watch a YouTube tutorial. Make notes. Bring them to the gym. Or hire a trainer OR simply ask a trainer for help! Any trainer who is hoping to score your business will have no problem giving you a few pointers. Besides, a lot of gyms offer comp sessions.

  So to conclude, do what feels right for you. Push yourself. Work is work whether you do it on a machine or with free weights. If you keep up with resistance training and cardio, as well as watching your diet, you WILL see changes in your body.