All the ladies (and bros) on a shoestring budget, please stand up! I’m talking about a food budget here because hey, we have to get our nails and hair done and that stuff costs a lot. All joking aside, I’m here to tell you that healthy eating is not as complicated or as expensive as many diet gurus make it …
Form Fix: The Pilates Swan
The number one question I get from someone unfamiliar with Pilates is “Is it like, a lot of abs?” Who knows where this notion comes from, but real Pilates is so much more than a single muscle group. A typical workout will have one’s spine moving in multiple planes of motion, including extension. The Pilates swan is one of those energizing …
Form Fix: Shoulder Bridge
This week’s #FormFix shines its spotlight on the shoulder bridge. A well-known exercise in the Pilates repertoire, the shoulder bridge appears in other variations such as the basic glute bridge and hip thruster. So if you’re a meathead, this little #FormFix tip is for you too! What’s so badass about the shoulder bridge? Well it does double duty: Lengthens and stretches …
Form Fix: The Pilates Push-up
Call me vain but there’s nothing I love more then some well-shaped arms and a strong back when I’m cruising through San Diego in a sleeveless tee. However, a nice looking upper body is useless if you don’t have any strength to go with it, which is why I’m a die-hard push-up fan. For those struggling with the Pilates push-up, here’s …
How To Get Motivated When Motivation Isn’t There
Recently I asked my Facebook tribe “What is your biggest struggle in health and fitness right now?” I expected to hear people struggling with fat loss or perhaps not knowing what to do in the gym. But I was surprised to learn that motivation was among the biggest challenges people face. In the past, others have looked to me and …
How Bad Do You Want It?
Years ago, when I was still running half marathons and taking a million spin classes in between, I looked in the mirror and decided I could do better. At the time, my stomach had definition, my jeans fit on right and I weighed in at a comfortable 125 lbs. Yet to me, it wasn’t good enough. I wanted more athletic, …
4 Principles for Healthy Eating Without Deprivation or Diets
“What should I be eating to lose weight?” This is the #1 question I receive from busy, professional women who struggle to achieve a lean, healthy physique they are proud of. As a former cubicle prisoner myself, I saw the struggle every single day among my colleagues. The yo-yo dieting, the deprivation, the strict rules and restrictions, the all-or-nothing, comply-or-die approach …
The Truth About Spot Reduction Exercises
Pointing to a small crease in her underarm a woman asked “How do I get rid of this?” I inched closer to see what she was pointing at. “Here,” she pointed again. “This piece of fat right below my armpit. How do I make that go away?” Health magazines and social media “trainers” have us all conditioned to believe that …
4 Female Fat Loss Myths to Throw Out for Good
“Torch belly fat.” “Trigger that after burn with these three movements.” “Tone up without getting bulky.” Sound familiar? These are your typical, run-of-the-mill promises made by women’s magazines, personal trainers and misinformed Kardashian followers. Beneath these false promises are negative and predatory connotations that have troubled coaches for years. They prey on women’s fears and body image issues. They imply …
This Is How Your Workouts Ruin Your Life
When it comes to walking my talk, lifting heavy things is my weapon of choice. Working out is relaxing, fun, therapeutic and just a part of my lifestyle. However, this isn’t always the case. Depending on what “life season” I am in, working out regularly isn’t always the fun, easy, breezy, beautiful walk in the park one imagines it’d be. Yup, not …