If it's not in the house, you won't eat it, right?

We spent a considerable time on our honeymoon in Italy eating our faces off.

Breakfast was full-fat cappuccinos with custard-filled croissants. Lunch was pizza & gelato, and dinner was 7 courses of bruschetta, pasta, steak, & tiramisu.
Rinse with a bottle of wine a day, repeat.
O man.
Getting back into the swing of things is not easy!
Here are some tips that have helped me to get back into shape in the past:

• Stop eating bread. Just don't buy it.
• And cheese.
• Stay away from drinking.
  
• Book a trip to the beach 2 months from now to have a goal date.
• Keep each other accountable by checking each others' food log each night.
• Make a bet with a friend to see who loses the most weight in a certain amount of time.
  
• Go to the gym every day...no excuses.
• Eat a salad every day day. Dressing on the side.

Ack! Let's see if this works...

Well-Behaved Women Rarely Make History

"I love your T-shirt," chuckled Jenny, my twentysomething personal trainer, as she stretched my aching legs. "I never saw that before."

I hadn't noticed which of my many message T-shirts I had thrown on when I rolled out of bed before sunrise. Most of the folks who populate New York's Columbus Circle Equinox gym sport workout clothes that bear designer labels, but seldom do I see any that pack a message punch. I figure my chest is valuable real estate -- why not use it to communicate my convictions?

I looked down and saw that I'd grabbed one of my favorites: Well-Behaved Women Rarely Make History. Historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich's wry observation became one of the guiding principles of the women's movement during the 1970s, and living it seems as natural to me now as balance ball crunches do to my lithe trainer.

So begins Chapter 7 of Gloria Feldt's new book, no excuses: 9 ways women can change how we think about power
I am so honored to be featured in a book empowering women to take charge of their lives and 'lead an unlimited life'. Gloria gives validation to the struggle I had in my 20's when I broke free of the shell of the small Midwestern town I was raised in. While I am grateful to my parents for a solid, wholesome and clean upbringing, I found myself yearning for a bigger existence, something more than the options that were set before me. However, I knew I might have to break some pretty tall barriers to achieve my dreams. I commend my family for handling my departure so well and can say that we have all learned a great deal about acceptance and love. I have so much respect for each of them and their strong, unwavering faith...it was something I just couldn't find in myself.

My struggle is not unique. Many women in the world today yearn to break free, to 'behave badly' and shed the skin they were raised in. While I exercised, the physical force inside me translated to emotional strength and gave me the gall to tackle my dreams. By making physical exercise a part of my daily life, I found a rhythm, an internal hum that made me feel alive, strong and forceful.

Thank you, Gloria, for putting in print the exact tools we need to unleash our inner power!

Warm days, crisp nights, FALL LEAGUES!

I love this time of year.
Makes me want to rake leaves, play a game of football and eat roasted brussels sprouts (and other seasonal veggies).
It's also a great time to bring the gym outside.
You see, winter is looming and that 5-pound weight gain is just around the corner.
I have a good friend who plays in seasonal sports leagues. It's always fun to hear about the friendships she's made, how she got that purple bruise on her thigh, or how her softball team just won the championship!!
When I played touch football in Minneapolis, I learned how fast I can run and that I was a natural at the game! Who knew?!
So, let the season begin!
There are a few places to get started:

• zogsports.org
• the lawyer's league
• player's sports

Check with your local YMCA, community calendar or parks organizations. Why not play indoor soccer, dodgeball or try and improve your bowling game?

Foot Schmoot. Work it out!

I had minor foot surgery Monday. Bad timing all around, since I'm just getting back from a 3-week hiatus and September is an important month in my line of work. However, in my book there never is a good time for foot surgery. Just get it done.

So, I had it done and I'm in a lot of pain. Each step I take literally sends shocks up my leg (my nerves were involved).

Most people would say that this is a good time to take it easy, give myself a break and fully recover before going back to the gym. However, since it's me we're talking about, you can bet your socks that I found a way to hit the gym. There are still countless ways I can challenge myself without involving my foot:

A couple cardio options

• The arm bike
• The recumbent bike
  

Strength options can include

• Seated cable rows
• Supine chest press
• Seated shoulder press
• Lat pulldown

(Basically any upper body strength exercise that can be performed seated or lying down)

Examples of core exercises might be

• Crunches with knees & feet elevated
• Reverse crunches
• Criss-cross crunches

Legs? Legs!! Check it out!

• Hip Abduction/Adduction
• Knee extension
• Hamstring curls

See?!

It's that time of year...

The beginning of fall is always a great time of year to reassess one's fitness goals. It's time to get serious about school, work, focus on a routine, a schedule and get a good start on new projects before the holidays quickly descend and throw us off our game until spring.

That said, fitness goal setting is important for many reasons
1. It gives purpose to working out
2. Your program won't get stale if you're always striving to achieve something
3. When you achieve your goal you have an amazing sense of achievement and bragging rights
4. Trying to reach your goal gives you something to strive towards
5. You prove to yourself that you can do anything you set your mind to
6. It's fun!

Start Today.

I dedicate this blog post to a dear friend who reached out to me today in her quest for motivation to become healthier, overcome physical roadblocks and seek patience to stay focused in the months/years to come. Many people struggle with the overwhelming and daunting task of shedding pounds. It can be a scary, difficult, intimidating and long winding road. Everyone is afraid of failure and fear gets you nowhere. I fail every single day but that's why reaching the top is that much more rewarding!!

My encouragement to my friend and others like her is this:

1. Rome wasn't built in a day. The weight didn't pack on overnight. Therefore, it won't be gone tomorrow. Losing 30 pounds starts with 1/2 pound, 1 pound, 2, 5, 10 and so on. Focus on today. Right now. Each day is a new opportunity to make smart choices.

2. You truly are what you eat. And drink. Each time you sit down at the table to eat (or plunk in front of the TV), it's a new chance to nourish your body. Imagine you purchase a shiny new car. If you put the cheapest gasoline in it's engine, it may not run as efficiently and may clog up or wear down quicker than if you feed it high-octane gas. Compare that cheap gas to beer, sugary drinks, fried foods, large portions of mac&cheese and processed foods. Your body will feel sluggish, low-energy and weary. I like 'The Eat-Clean Diet' by Tosca Reno. She's pretty inspiring and her recipes are easy, fun and made with REAL FOOD.

3. Overcome obstacles. If you have bad knees, a bum shoulder or an achy back, you can still lose weight. Sure, your exercises might not be as hardcore as they may have been in the past, but you can modify accordingly. Take up pilates or yoga and go for long walks with your husband after dinner each night. Skip happy hour with the girls and suggest you all rent bikes for the evening. Subscribe to Oxygen magazine for inspiring recipes and workouts. Contact me for inspiration--I do long-distance consulting and can help you via skype, email, phone, instant messaging, twitter, text message or psychological torture (heh heh)

4. Fad diets and cleanses are nonsense. Juice cleanses are all the rage these days. From BluePrint to Cooler Cleanse to the Master Cleanse, they're all about juicing your way to a better body. That's not sustainable for long periods of time and you WILL lose weight. But it's water weight that you lose, and before you know it, you'll gain each pound back and then some. I will blog separately about fasts and cleanses in another post. Eat sensible, whole, real foods. Keep a food & exercise log to visualize calories in and calories out. Incorporate healthy fats, fiber and protein into each & every meal & snack you eat.

5. Stay positive and keep your eyes on the prize. Put a picture of your ideal body on your fridge. I have Jillian Michaels on mine, as her body is similar to mine and I believe I can attain that physique. Don't say: I will lose 50 pounds by Thanksgiving. Because you won't. And you shouldn't. It's not healthy. Aim for a pound or two per week. Some weeks you won't lose any but over the course of 6 months or a year, you're a new person!

6. No drama, no excuses. Shed the negative influences from your life. 'Nuff said.