DC Fitness

Life's Path.....to Las Vegas

2008-03-13T07:47:00.002-04:00

Most of you already know that we are moving to Las Vegas on April 1st. It is very exciting for us. I just want to thank all for supporting me in my career change for the last two years and your friendships. Of course we will come to Jackson occaisionally to see family as well. I can always be reached through this website or at dianeclimer@yahoo.com. Look forward to hearing from you! ~Diane

Some Basic Rules (as shared from Truly Huge Fitness Tips)

In order to achieve the maximum benefits and to train effectively
and safely, always observe these principles:

Warm Up & Cool Down:

This cannot be stressed enough. Most workout-related injuries can
be avoided by proper warm-up and cool-down. Your muscles need a 5
to 15 minute warm-up as well as a brief cool-down. This holds true
for all weight training workouts.

Start At The Appropriate Level:

If you begin training at to high a level you risk serious injury.
You will also develop poor form, which will hinder your efforts
and discourage you. Use this as a guideline: If you cannot lift
the weight your working with 10 times with proper form, the weight
is too heavy. Similarly, don't choose too light a weight; the last
2-3 repetitions of your set should be difficult.

Proper Technique:

To get the most out of training and to reduce the chance of injury,
use proper lifting techniques. These include working with your
muscles through their full range of motion (Not locking out any
joints), lifting at a speed at which you can control the weight
and easily stop if necessary, and maintaining good posture.

Exercise Large Muscles First:

You should work your large muscle groups first-your chest, back,
and legs - before you exercise your biceps, triceps and smaller
muscle groups. Because our bodies naturally recruit large muscle
fibers first, these muscles will be the first to fatigue.

Progress Gradually:

Increase reps before increasing resistance. Reduce rest interval
between sets to increase workload.

Breath Correctly:

Do no hold you breath. Exhale at the moment of highest effort.

Challenge Your Muscles:

All training should begin progressively, using increases in weight
until your goals or a plateau are reached. Then, change your workout
to include increased reps with lowered weights at the end of a set,
change the order of exercise, or add sets, etc., to reach new goals.
(workouts should change about every 6-weeks).

Give Your Muscles & Mind A Rest:

You'll get the most out of your training if you give your muscles at
least 48 hours rest between weight training workouts to recover and
rebuild.

Food for thought...and the FDA

2008-02-08T12:36:00.000-05:00

Money is really what drives the decisions of the FDA. It's such a shame because who do we trust if we can't trust the FDA? If you have not heard, the FDA feels that meat and milk are safe from CLONED animals. I am very happy to be a vegan, although I know 99% of the population is not, however, in our very near future, I believe more and more people will consider veganism. This problem could hurt our kids more than anything. Since this is the cheaper way, restaurants probably wont need to put this on the menu either. Another reason why you need to be even more careful with going out to eat. America is making it harder and harder for the population to eat clean, pure and healthy foods.

If you click below you can sign a very fast petition to allow the consumers to know if the meat is cloned or not. This will effect everyone. Thank you in advanced for supporting the health of ourselves and children. To read more on this issue check out www.notinmyfood.org.

Copy and paste to the site below to sign the petition.

http://cu.convio.net/labelclonedfood

5 Easy Steps

2008-02-01T09:28:00.000-05:00

I truly believe that nutrition is the biggest, by far, component of
a good fat loss program.

There's a saying in the fitness industry, "you can't out-train a
bad diet", and that hold's true almost 100% of the time (and
especially as you get older).

Fortunately, I also believe that good nutrition for fat loss is
very simple. And here are my 5 steps to building a fast fat burning
diet.

1) Find out how much you are eating now. Use fitday.com. (There is no fee to use this!)

2) If you are not losing weight, eat less.

3) Eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and good protein sources. Don't eat
junk from a bag or a box.

4) Give yourself one treat meal per week to look forward to - not a
treat day, just a treat meal.

5) Plan ahead. Prepare your meals (spend 1-2 hours on the weekend
getting your meals and meal plan ready for the week). Identify
obstacles and come up with solutions to avoid them.

That is it.

Very simple. Most people do pretty well on 1-3 and even 5, but mess
up on number 4. I often hear how well someone did all day long, but
then while making dinner they snack on upwards of 500 calories of
their kid's treats, or other processed carbohydrates they have lying
around the house.

The little things can add up to big time problems. So take a good
long look at everything you eat.

And all of this can be avoided if you follow rule #5.

Combine these five simple nutrition rules with three short workouts
per week of resistance training and interval training, and you have
a very manageable fat loss plan that can fit any busy lifestyle.

Happy New Year

2008-01-03T12:49:00.000-05:00

Ok, please forgive me, It's been awhile since an update. I hope your holidays were great. Now that there officially over, its time to get to work. I rarely make resolutions, but rather a wish list of what I would like to accomplish. Keeping your goals small and "doable" is the best way to start. This past year has been awesome for me, working with clients to help them meet their fitness goals. I celebrate a year of being a certified fitness trainer, and look forward to many more. Keeping up with the fitness industry on whats "in" and whats "out" is my passion to share, and I can only be grateful, to have been able to do so.

2007 brought kettlebell training in the limelight, and is my preferred full body functional training. It's amazing how a weight that looks like a bowling ball with a handle can bring so many different variations of training, whether your younger or older, just beginning training, or experienced. It can be done in a small amount of space, in your garage, or in the summer, outside! But, being as versitale as I am, I know it is not for all. Any activity of exercise done in a safe manner is awesome, shoot for 30 minutes of activity every single day, whether its walking or cleaning the house.

Here is a great link to remind you of all at least 25 wonderful benefitsexercise offers. Until next time....Diane

Holiday Fitness

2007-12-02T11:33:00.000-05:00

Wow, Vegas was lots of fun, and warm too compared to Michigan. But like the holidays, vacations can be nutritionally challenging as well, but I was fortunate to have a great gym at the Stratasphere to work off the few frozen margueritas I treated myself to. Here are some tips for the holidays for you.....

Fat loss is like running a business or household budget. You haveto control what comes in and what goes out. And as many successful business owners and household managers will tell you, "What gets measured, gets improved".That's why, if you are truly committed to success, you need to take measurements of your body (body fat and tape measures of your arms,legs, hips, and waist) and track those changes over time. Take photos. From the side, from the front, from the back. Hey, nobody has to see them. They can be just for you.

And if you aren't happy with your photos, don't worry, because I have the 3 most important tips for sticking to your fat lossprogram over the holidays...

#1 - Social support you need either a workout partner, a nutrition buddy at work, or helping hands from your family to succeed. If you're trying to go it all alone, then everyone around you will drag you down, whether intentionally or not.That's right, sometimes people purposely sabotage the success of others. So hang-out with people who have similar goals, whether at your gym or online reading this blog.

#2 - Measure your progress with photos, tape measurements of your arms, legs, hips, waist, and thighs, as well as your body fat. If you aren't measuring, you don'tknow where you need to improve. (Ask Diane for this anytime!)

#3 - Record your progressWrite down the progress made in your workouts, recording the sets and reps and weight for each exercise. For your nutrition, record itin a spreadsheet or online like Fitday.com, its free! . And finally, keep track of what works and what doesn't, so you know what to avoid.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-19T11:05:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you, but it's hard to believe Thanksgiving is almost here! Let alone, everywhere you go it's Christmas before Thanksgiving is done with. I even bought my first present of the year yesterday. I am heading out for Las Vegas on Friday for a week and I can hardly wait. A little hiking at Red Rock Canyon and also Lake Mead if we have time. We are not big gambler's at all, but still love all the things to do in Las Vegas, not to mention all the sunshine they always have there, mountains, and I could go on. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with family and friends and here is a fun video to keep your holiday munching in check....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

I couldn't agree more

2007-11-04T09:03:00.000-05:00

I often get asked, What's the best way to burn fat and lose my belly? Do aerobics work better than interval training? Does resistance training help at all? What should I eat to lose stomach fat? All of those are common questions. But here's the truth. Cardio is not the best way to burn fat. In fact, I've met very few people who have successfully used cardio to lose stomach fat. And most of those people were young men, and anything works for them when they want to burn fat. If you want to lose stomach fat fast, you need to increase the intensity of your workout by using both resistance training and interval training to lose stomach fat.

Let's take a look at the perfect workout plan to get you maximum fat burning results in minimum workout time. Here are the keys.

First, start with a circuit of bodyweightexercises to prepare your body for a fat burning workout. This should only take 5 minutes. Follow that up with supersets of resistance training using multi-muscle exercises for maximum metabolism boosting. This works so much for post-exercise calorie burning than slow cardioworkouts. That will lead to more belly fat burning as well. After 15 minutes of resistance training, finish with 15-20 minutesof interval training. Use a warmup, then do a few intervals, and then cool-down. You don't need a lot of intervals to get great fatburning results.With that workout schedule, you'll be in and out of the gym in 45minutes, three times per week.Compare that to what most people do, which is run, jog, cycle or use the cardio machines for 45 minutes straight. Sure, that will burn calories, but it doesn't build a better body.

The best way to lose stomach fat is to use the following three exercise methods.

1) Bodyweight circuit training to warm-up the body

2) Resistance training supersets to boost the metabolism

3) Interval training to burn belly fatPut those three, short exercise methods together into one greatbelly fat burning workout if you want to lose stomach fat

My training revolves around this theory as told by Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS, Turbulence Training. Who wants to spend hours on cardio? Not me. Come see me at Snap Fitness and get started today! See you soon :-)

Fitness Tip

2007-10-24T14:19:00.000-04:00

Hello my fitness friends. I have decided to eliminate "Just Di" workout posts to separate blog, as it is too much to keep up with, and not sure anyone really cares what kind of workout I do, cause I am sure you have enough to do just keeping up with your own. Also new, DC Fitness is now available for training at the new Snap Fitness on Horton Rd. So come in and see me! The rest of the month special grand opening special is: no enrollment fee ($49) and membership is free the rest of this month! Single membership is 34.95 unlimited, family is 49.95 per month, no contract, 24/7 access, free assessment and personal training packages available. Kettlebell classes coming soon there as well.

Avoid Carbs At Night? Some nutrition experts claim that calorie balance is the only significant factor affecting fat loss and that avoiding carbs at night has no impact. On the other hand, many contend that carbs are the best eaten in the morning (to replenish glycogen stores after a night of sleep), pre workout (as fuel for exercise energy) and post workout (to provide glycogen and to increase insulin levels for stimulating muscle growth).It is consistently recommended avoiding carbs at night-if you're able to replenish your muscle and liver glycogen throughout the day, then the excess you consume in the evenings will be more likely be converted into fat.A study performed by Swiss researchers also concluded that carbs should be avoided in the evening. Subjects who ate a high carbmeal (spaghetti and carrots) two to three hours before bedtime had both higher body temperatures and heart rates than subjects who instead ate a big carb meal in the morning. These physiological factors could interfere with sleep, ultimately having a negative impact on fat burning and muscle growth.Recommendations: Since a good night's sleep is crucial, watch your carb in take at night. Eat your last high-carb meal at least four hours before you go to bed.
This tip came from Truly Huge Fitness Tips. ____________________________________________

Niagara Falls

2007-10-01T08:35:00.000-04:00

Well its been over 30 years (eeww, that sounds ancient!) since I have been to Niagara Falls, but not alot has changed. Our motive was to try a different fall wine tour other than Traverse City this year. We weren't dissappointed either! After all, Canada is my birthplace and dual citizenship. The trip was short, but oh so sweet. Thursday evening we arrived and headed for the Casino. Of course we didn't win anything! But we are not big gamblers anyways. Friday morning we took a nice long walk down Clifton Hill to the Falls, a little cool, but not bad. Then we started our wine tour, first stop the organic vineyard, only one of its kind in the area. The bottles are alot smaller in size, (at this vineyard) but not in price. Cabernet-Merlot is a big seller here, and actually my favorite. We went to about 10 different vineyards in all, and didn't even touch what was there. Next year we certainly will try the ones we didn't get to! Friday evening we went back to the Falls and watched the fireworks, awesome. And Saturday, after a good hotel workout (I took my 12kg kettlebell of course!) we were off to the New York side of the Falls, then homeward bound after stopping and checking out Dan Ackroyds vineyard. Nice visit to Canada, glad we tried it :-)

5 Nutritious habits of the planets healthiest Countries

2007-09-21T15:02:00.000-04:00

From CNN.com

Healthy Habit 1: Eat plenty of produce and whole grains
Countries known for putting it into practice: China and Greece

In many countries, meat is a garnish. The traditional Chinese diet, for example, consists primarily of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. And in Greece, "vegetables and legumes are main meals, not just side dishes," says Antonia Trichopoulou, M.D., Ph.D., professor at the University of Athens Medical School and director of the World Health Organization's Collaborating Center of Nutrition.

Healthy Habit 2: Savor leisurely dining
Countries known for putting it into practice: Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Japan

A meal in these countries often lasts several hours. In fact, one of Greece's dietary guidelines, its version of our USDA dietary guidelines, is to "eat slowly, preferably at regular times of the day, and in a pleasant environment." Sharing a meal is so important that Greeks call someone a friend "by saying we have shared bread together," Trichopoulou says.

Healthy Habit 3: Practice portion control
Countries known for putting it into practice: France, Japan
We have an abundance of delicious and nutritious food available in America; we just need to pay attention to portions. An average meal in France is 25 percent smaller than one in America, according to a University of Pennsylvania comparison, which examined portion sizes at 11 similar pairs of establishments, from pizza parlors to ethnic restaurants. The study also found that a typical carton of yogurt sold in Philadelphia was 82 percent larger than one offered in Paris, and a soft drink was 52 percent larger. In Japan, foods also come in smaller sizes and are often eaten out of bowls, rather than large plates or platters.

Healthy Habit 4: Eat a variety of unprocessed, fresh foods
Countries known for putting it into practice: Italy, France, Greece, Japan, the United States

The first thing many foreign visitors comment on when they enter an American supermarket is how many choices are available. It's not uncommon to find wild Alaskan salmon, olive oil from Greece, and grains from Italy all in one store. Organic foods and farmers' markets have also never been more popular. Many of these outlets feature interesting varieties, such as heirloom fruits and vegetables

Healthy Habit 5: Spice up your plate
Countries known for putting it into practice: India, China, Thailand, the United States

Herbs and spices add delicious, attractive, and healthful flair to your plate. In addition to being low in calories and virtually fat free, researchers are discovering that herbs, such as garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and spices, like cinnamon, cloves, and curcumin (also known as turmeric), may fight disease. One 40-day study of 60 people with type-2 diabetes found that consuming half a teaspoon of cinnamon twice daily significantly lowered subjects' blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Great habits, I say! Have a great weekend

The Simple Things in Life

2007-09-13T09:21:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to Rowan! Well on the 19th, but we did celebrate early and went to Chicago as promised on the train to the American Girl Doll store. A great way to memorize a 4th birthday. Chicago is a wonderful place, a bit pricey, but hey, its Chicago. Today the 13th is also a great day to remember for Paul and I. Today marks a 4 year anniversary of QUITTING SMOKING! I have NO regrets, now don't ask Paul, he will tell you he would love to smoke, but he won't. We have our health, what more could you ask for? It's the simple things in life, cherish them and hold on tight, were only here for a short time, Enjoy it!

Make your Fitness Habits Now before Winter Comes!

2007-09-04T18:55:00.000-04:00

Here are the fruits of my labor! Last year my sunflower seeds were washed out with the rain, an d the worms ate my tomatoes! But not this year. First year for peppers. I love the colors, we saw them in pots as decorative plants in Australia, and I love the look, so I decided to grow them too. Actually got 52 off one plant!

I have been neglectful to this blog due to my extensive training log for my kettlebell certification, so please forgive :-) A link is listed to the left called "Just Di" if you are interested.

Get started on your bodyweight fat loss workouts today
For example, here's a great body weight circuit to start now, NO gym or equipment required! No Excuses!:

- Prisoner Squat-

Pushup (or incline pushup for beginners)-

Split Squat- with or without weights

Elevated Pushup (or kneeling elevated pushup for beginners)-

Step-up- with or without weights

Mountain Climber

10 reps per exercise (10 reps per side for the split squats, elevated pushups, stepups, and mountain climbers). How many sets can you do?

Leavings for Chicago Sunday, promised my grandaughter a train trip to American Girl doll store for her 4th birthday!

Till next time,

Stay Well, Diane

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

2007-08-20T19:40:00.000-04:00

I'm sure Michigan isn't the only place getting pounded with rain. I'm thankful we don't have hurricanes here. This past week I made a new blog just to post my kettlebell practices and experiences on. You can see the link to the left, called "Just Di". I have always kept track of all my workouts, but with this specific goal I want to see how the progression goes, so this new blog will help. On another note, just want to reiterate how important breakfast is:
,"When you wake up in the morning, you are in a fasted state because you haven't
eaten anything since the night before. The theory is that you will burn more
calories as fat because of this.

The science shows that your workload capacity is decreased because you don't
have the energy that is needed to push your intensity for your workout.

This results in less overall calories burned. Your body may also rely
on the muscle to be used for energy.

I just wanted to reinforce how important breakfast or a pre-workout
snack is.

If you aren't doing this, start doing it right away. You will get better workouts
which will translate into better results. Here is a recipe most of my clients love:

Jello Whip: 1 -4oz pkg of sugarless Jello
2 C 1% Cottage Cheese
2 scoop vanilla/Choclate protein powder
2 cups Water
1-2 pkg Stevia

Place 2 C of Cottage cheese in blender, boil one cup of water and dilute Jello, add to Cottage cheese, add another cup of cold water, add 1 scoop of protein powder, blend, place in ziploc containers (6-8 oz size) and refrigerate. Makes approx 5. Great flavor mixtures are Orange jellow/vanilla pp, lime/Vanilla, black cherry/Chocolate pp, these are a few of my favorites. Calorie contents approx: 120 give or take, protein of 20 grams, give or take. Enjoy!

Aren't they Lovely, Aren't they Beautiful!

2007-08-10T13:42:00.000-04:00

Sorry it took sooo long to get this posted! To the left is the beautiful grandaughter Rowan, and of course to the right is our beautiful bride Emily, oh and don't forget the groom Justin. We couldn't have hoped for better event!

Back to the fitness page, my tennis elbow is actually getting better. hooooorahhhhh! I did my first practice of 7 sets of snatchs with kettlebell yesterday with no pain. I am so excited to get back to focus on training for my RKC certification in October.

No matter how long you have been traveling on the wrong road, turn back”
- Turkish proverb

Damn!

2007-08-02T11:59:00.000-04:00

I really am stubborn. I started playing tennis this past spring with a friend and client, because she said it was something she really wanted to do "when" she achieved her fitness goal. Well, to be the motivator, I told her we weren't "waiting" until she reached her goal and that there wasn't any reason we couldn't just hit some balls around and have fun with it. We played 2 or 3 times a week and actually got pretty good at it, until about a month or so ago, when I realized I had tennis elbow. It was the same time I received my first kettlebells as well. I must be like a magnet to iron, I love it, lifting, swinging, throwing weight over my head! I love it all. I have been practicing dilingently with my kettlebells exclusively and last week had been waking up in the night with pain in my arms, couldn't figure out why (didn't want to face it either!) Now I am facing the fact that it is the tennis elbow that is causing the pain, so am "laying" off for a couple of days and putting myself through my own version of physical therapy. I had this about five years ago, and only hope it doesn't take as long to get rid of it as it did back then, so any suggestions, please feel free to comment. Ok, didn't touch the KB's yesterday, but today, um, I did this for a workout and practice:
10 GM / 3X3 R/L TGU-12kg/50 KB - less swings/15snatches L and 5 R (12kg) (shouldn't of but couldn't help it!) /10 Front Squats w/9kg/ 50 KBless swings/10 GM / 10 snatchs L (12kg)/50 KB less swings/5R/5L TGU 1/2/25 BW Y Squats, then finish up with 20 minutes of Killer Hill Intervals on treadmill. Have to thank Tim Anderson's , Life is Movement blog for his KBless swing idea! I wish my Doc would give me a cortisone shot, back when I had it before, he would not, and I happen to see his sub one day and he gave me one! I loved it, it felt better with in a few days, but I hear they are not good? If anything for now I will train the left side.

Ouch!

2007-07-27T08:50:00.000-04:00

Yes, I finally did it. Took Tracy's advise and am now snatching my 12kg, not as well as the 9kg, but I will get there. I really didn't know what the fear was about, but I am determined. Especially since reading Kettlebell Lady's post, she inspired me because of the size kettlebells in her workout! Thanks KB Lady! On another note, I love all the advise out there, went and bought some Corn Huskers Lotion for hands, as I ripped my first blister, it smells really good, like baby lotion and seems to soften well. Should have taken Rif's advise about soaking and sanding with pumice stone before it got this far!

Been awhile!

2007-07-25T16:59:00.000-04:00

Wow, I knew it was a bit since last post, but didn't realize just how long. This Saturday we have daughter Emily getting married and are very excited and happy for her and Justin. I will post a wedding pic next week. Training for Kettlebell Certification in October is soooo exciting. I now have 3 kettlebells, 2 @ 12kg which is 26 pounds and 1 @ 9kg which is 18 pounds, names are Boris, Sergai and Natasha respectivly. Its hard not to get ahead of myself, but practice makes permanent. Amazing how the body adapts! In the last month I have worked up to 350 swings per training, and various other exercises to strengthen.

My next goal is to snatch the 26#, and with the help of my kettlebell friends and their advise, I expect to complete this goal by weeks end. Here is an example of what kettlebell training can do for your arms. To see more on Tracy's journey, see her blog link to the left.

"Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.”
- Mark Twain

Sunday Mornin, you sure looked fine.....

2007-07-15T09:33:00.000-04:00

You had to be there! 2007 Hot Air Jubilee at its finest. There is nothing like getting up early for the 7am balloon launch. I took video from my Treo phone, but I cannot figure out how to upload it to share with you...sorry about that.

Summer time is a great time to start a fitness HABIT, so you're hooked for winter at staying fit. I am working diligently at my Kettlebell practice for my certification in October. Making my first trip to pickup "hand care" items today to take care of the blister and callus on palm of hands, but it's all good! Here are some 25 best fitness tips for giggles and truth!
25 fitness tips from Covert Baily
Some I agree with, some I don't. But overall it's very balanced perspective. I wonder what would happen if someone gave him a KB (kettlebell).

1 Exercise. If exercise were a pill, it would be the most widely prescribed medicine in the world.
2 Eat a balanced diet, lower in fat, lower in sugar and higher in fiber.
3 Diets don’t work. Exercise is the bottom line behavior for weight management.
4 Throw away your scales. Measuring your body fat is a better indicator of health than your weight.
5 When trying to lose fat, aim for a maximum of 2 pounds a week.
6 If spot reducing worked, people who chew gum would have skinny faces.
7 Crash dieting, over exercising and fasting will slow down your metabolism.
8 People don’t stop exercising because they grow old, they grow old because they stop exercising.
9 It’s easy to lose weight. The challenge is to keep it off. Exercise works.
10 Don’t worry so much about your heart rate when you exercise. Use common sense and pace yourself so you can talk.
11 When you exercise, remind yourself, “I’m building fat-burning enzymes.”
12 If you get out of breath when you exercise, you’re going too fast.
13 One of the best ways to reduce stress is to exercise.
14 The older you are, the more important it is that you exercise. Exercise makes bones denser. Exercise helps maintain mobility.
15 Labels don’t lie, but liars write labels.
16 Statistics are like bikinis. They only reveal half the truth.
17 Upper-body weight training will help women maintain lean body mass.
18 More muscle equals less workout time.
19 Don’t say, “I don’t eat red meat.” Say, “I don’t eat greasy meats.”
20 There’s no such thing as cellulite. The word was dreamed up by people with products to market to describe skin with texture that shows underlying fat on some women more than others.
21 The best aerobic exercise is the one you’ll do every day.
22 The best time to exercise is when you will do it.
23 If you don’t seem to be getting more fit, you may be exercising too hard.
24 If you exercise more than 45 minutes 5 days a week, you aren’t doing it for fitness sake.
25 Beware of medically monitored diet programs. If you need a doctor, there must be something wrong.

Vitimins and new Craver bars by Prograde

2007-07-10T15:55:00.000-04:00

I recently have been researching a good affordable vitimin to recommend and have chosen Prograde to represent on my website. Today is the launch of a incredibly tasty bar called "Cravers".they are 100% Organic and only 180 calories. Now, don't get me wrong, I always will recommend eating healthy whole foods not coming from a package, but these are yummy and affordable,and for those times of travel and in between a meal to hold you over occaisionally, not to mention they also offer a great line of vitimins, follow the link on my website to read all about them.

At DC Fitness, I always like to share the new knowledge from my readings, and my recent research on kettlebells. I am very excited to tell you about my upcoming certification to teach and train after attending the RKC in St. Paul, MN in October! Stay tuned to hear more very soon, or see the link to the left. Here is a sample of "kettlebelling"

Happy Holiday Week!

2007-07-02T08:39:00.000-04:00

It just doesn't seem fair to have smack dab in the middle of the week! Remember the 10% rule...eat healthy 90% of the time, and allow yourself some room to relax on the other 10%.
BUT...
Don't set yourself back an entire week by eating 2000 calorie meals around the BBQ and salad table. Stay consistent and you'll stay lean all summer long.
If you need to melt some fat, try this outdoor playground workoutfor fun and something different.

Here are some great ways to enjoycorn on the cob at your July 4th grill out.
Here is a tip of the week by Dr. John Berardi: Fish Oil Rules

I consider fish oil to be an essential supplement for fat loss. Data from the University of Western Ontario shows that fish oil supplementation increases lean body mass (during non-dieting conditions), increases BMR (by up to 400kcal/day), decreases inflammation, and improves the ratio of fat/carb oxidized (sparing carbs, burning fat). Recommended dose: Start with 6-10g per day of total fish oil (assuming 30% EPA and DHA).
Have a safe and Happy 4th.

What are kettlebells?

2007-06-23T14:38:00.000-04:00

A 'kettlebell' or girya (Russ.) is a traditional Russian cast iron weight that looks like a cannonball with a handle. The ultimate tool for extreme all-round fitness.

The kettlebell goes way back, it first appeared in a Russian dictionary in 1704 (Cherkikh, 1994). So popular were kettlebells in Tsarist Russia that any strongman or weightlifter was referred to as a girevik, or 'a kettlebell man'.

"Not a single sport develops our muscular strength and bodies as well as kettlebell athletics," reported Russian magazine Hercules in 1913.

Meet Natasha! My new addition to DC Fitness gym. I am very excited about learning this new physical activity so stay tuned about more on kettlebells. Check out thisvideo that will just "make you happy"! or go to www.russiankettlebell.com and read more

Take your dog to work day

2007-06-19T14:41:00.000-04:00

Did you know that The Cascade Humane Society will be bringing some of their furry friends to Nomad Bookhouse for adoption on Friday, June 22nd? They will offer smoothies for you and a doggie treat for your dog. You can also get your picture taken with your pup and meet the Cascade Humane Society volunteers and pets. So, head to Mechanic St. to pick out your pup, or stop in for a smoothie, and make a donation for a great cause.

And when your done picking out your puppy, you will want to be in shape for walking them by doing this better butt exercise. You can do it!

What I eat

2007-06-15T15:23:00.001-04:00

I love summertime for the grilled food,fresh vegetables, picnics, vacations and warmth! Being semi vegetarian, I get all my protein from eggs, fish, and occasionally Boca burgers, have you tried them? Here's the breakdown for one burger 70 cal, .05g fat, 0 sugar, 4g fiber, and low sodium, great protein alternative. And for those of you who want butter on your corn, great alternative is the spray, 0 calories, good taste. So, to keep healthy eating habits, EAT, every 3 hrs., include a protein with a veggie, or protein with fruit, and watch the portions! Stay tuned for more upcoming features of "What I Eat"

Here is a great grill recipe for mushrooms and save www.calorie-count.com to your favorites, this nifty web site will tell you how many calories, and nutrition grade just about every food there is! Have a great week-end!

This is for Susie

2007-06-12T14:33:00.000-04:00

I love this job! There isn't a better feeling than when you help people feel better about themself. I am truly inspired by my clients, they work hard and never miss a workout. We weigh once a week, and this past week Susie has lost a total of around 30lbs and an awesome 30 inches, all since March 1st!! She is truly an inspiration and never gives up, because I won't let her. Why does she call me a Bully? Susie has changed her eating habits right around because she knows diet and exercise go hand in hand. Keep up the great work Susie!

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. ~Jim Ryan, three time US Olympian Runner.

That said, with summer here, smoothies are a great way to use all the summer fruits that are fresh, but be carefull with portion and what goes in your smoothie. Check it out by clicking on smoothie above.

Fitness and Children

2007-06-09T10:51:00.000-04:00

I often have the opportunity to spend time with my grandaughter Rowan. She will be 4 yrs in September and is alot of fun! Friday we went to the park, we baked cookies in the easy bake oven, we went swimming, whew! thats why they say it's great to be a grandparent, they go home. Point being natural activity is great exercise for kids, making it a game, remember simon says? (we played this too) or follow the leader, (include marching, arm circles, etc.) and swimming, not to mention the fun time spent with them.

On another note, I recently purchased Val slides as invented by Val Waters of the Red Carpet Ready system on my site. These slides are awesome for perfecting your lunges! and they come with a great workout and they small enough to travel with. Check them out by clicking the word slides above.

Fitness Fun

2007-06-06T19:55:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my first Jackson County Fitness Council meeting. Rick Comley, MSU Hockey coach was the speaker. He touched on making time in the community to make fitness available to all ages as the fitness council is doing through different programs, you have to check it out through their website,it sure opened my eyes as to how much is available right here in Jackson.

Now if you want the best massageyou have ever had, head over to West Ave. & Franklin to JT Massage Center, only $15.00 for a 15 minute chair massage,and Kelsey is awesome!

Note on nutrition: We all love our summer cocktails, so read the scoop about the "best" and "worst" here.

Addition to DC Gym

2007-06-05T10:18:00.000-04:00

The DC Gym is now Bigger! by view anyways. Jackson Glass delivered and installed the rest of the mirror wall, so being all mirror now it looks twice as big, and now that you can see yourself no matter where you are in the gym, it adds motivation and will help you maintain good form!

In my readings today I found this article: Resistance exercise reverses aging in Human Skeletal Muscle. Age has no barrier on fitness, start today

Do you know squat?

2007-06-03T13:02:00.000-04:00

Today is yet another blog "learning" experience to share with you. One of my favorites email letters from grrlathlete had this special on you tube on squatting by ttmembers.com. Practice makes perfect, not to mention a firm fanny! have fun.

First Post

2007-06-01T14:49:00.000-04:00

June 1st, 2007

Wow, I actually am starting to figure out the way to blog! My only experience with blogging was when we went to Australia this winter. Once I master this I will be able to attach really cool stuff to share with you!