The other day during a Shred415 class, I was struggling on the treadmill during a challenging sprint interval.  I was ready to drop my speed, not knowing if I could continue.  Then I heard a voice that said, “Come on Suzanne!  You can do it!”  The voice was from the instructor – my friend Mark Beier (see TIP TUESDAY: Meet Mark Beier ~ Jack of All Fitness Trades).  I ended up getting through that sprint, which meant that I physically could do it, but I let my mind get in the way.  Mark constantly reminds his students that it is mostly mental.  When he starts us on our sprints, he asks us to pick a speed – one we do not think we can hold for more than a minute.  He also says we should challenge ourselves, so that we finish without regretting that we could have run faster.

WORD! (Photo from Social Media CDN Pinterest)

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Pharmacies vs Health Food Stores by Mike Adams (Cartoon from www.NaturalNews.com)

When you look at the above cartoon, what thoughts go through your mind?  Have you ever considered that food could be used as medicine or that certain foods could cause certain symptoms?  While I am not an expert on this topic, I certainly have experience as a patient of alternative medicine.  For most of my life, if I ever got sick or had allergies, I would get a prescription from my doctor or an over-the-counter sinus medication.  I did not put much thought into it, because my symptoms would usually go away.  However, six years ago, my sinus problems could not be resolved with that same medication.  My husband had just started seeing an acupuncturist and urged me to go see him.

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February is that winter month that we despise the most, since it is sandwiched right between the end of the holidays and the possibility that spring is coming.  If you had a new year’s goal to get healthy, this is when you lose motivation.  But, is this the only time?  If you think about it, there will always be a reason why you did not make it to the gym or that yoga class.  I often have discussions with fellow trainers about what motivates their clients.  The unanimous answer was that we could only provide guidance for our clients, but ultimately they would need to put the words into actions.  It is natural for us to be motivated – especially when there is a specific reason.  Do these sound familiar to you?

Keep Motivated for Workouts (Photo from www.freshorganicliving.com)

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Since today is Valentine’s Day, I thought I would stay on theme and offer some suggestions on how you can work out with your loved one. As I discussed in my post last week, partnering up with someone for your workouts will make you more accountable (See TIP TUESDAY: Prioritize Your Health). Additionally, working out with a partner is much more enjoyable! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Couple at the Gym. Photo from www.sheknows.com.

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Work meeting – check.  Project deadline – check.  Bill payment – check.  When it comes to scheduling our daily deadlines, we do it without much thought.  But, when it comes to taking care of ourselves, we usually do not make time for it or say that there is no time.  However, why would you not treat your overall well-being with the same urgency?  I am not talking about just scheduling that massage.  I am talking about scheduling time to exercise and prepare meals.  I bet if I looked at your calendar, I can find pockets of time that are free.  I can even tell by looking at my social media feeds.  One of my clients said that if she did not have her scheduled session with me, she probably would not workout.  In a nutshell, it all boils down to accountability.  So, how do you make yourself accountable?  Let me give you some tips to get you started.

Prioritize Your Health (Photo from www.betterbodysandiego.com)

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I had one of my clients perform a single leg sit squat.  She commented on how her legs felt like jelly, since she does not focus on lower body exercises.  The following day, one woman in my strength class opted to do more bicep curls in lieu of a single leg squat jump I had everyone do.  Why is it that most of us dread lower body exercises?  I find it more common with women than men.  Trust me, I used to be one of those women.  The thought of a lunge or squat was dreadful.  However, I have come to learn that lower body exercises are essential, especially as we get older.  The reasons go beyond just giving us a well-defined derriere.

Suzanne Ko in Deep Squat (Photo by Hubby)

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Recently, the New York Times article titled “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body” created quite a stir, especially from those that are new to yoga or are already skeptic about yoga.  I want to address it, based on my own experience and training.  When I first saw the article, the title seemed inappropriate to me.  If you were already a skeptic of yoga, this only confirmed your doubts.  Just with physical exercise, yoga also comes with risk.  What I find common with my fitness classes and yoga classes is that most students will push their bodies beyond its limits.  I constantly stress for my students to listen to their bodies, offering them modifications, but there are some that will continue to push themselves.  This is when most injuries happen, when your focus is executing an exercise or posture, rather than proper form or alignment.

Suzanne Ko in Tree Pose (Matthew Raney Photography)

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For 2012, I made a goal to try something new or to get out of my comfort zone.  Over the holidays, I took advantage of some time off to try a class at Barre Bee Fit.  So what is Barre Bee Fit?  Designed by owners Ari and Jillian for the unique needs of women, the classes target for a tight butt, trimmer thighs, flat belly and toned arms.  The program combines intense cardio, total body toning, deep stretching and detoxification.  The focus is on small muscle groups, which are often ignored.

Jillian and Ari at Barre Be Fit (Photo from www.barrebeefit.com)

Click through to see the three type of classes offered.

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