Let’s face it: It’s tough to get in shape on your own. Not everyone has the money (or desire) to pay a personal trainer to slap their hand each time they reach for the Chunky Monkey. It’s one reason why Weight Watchers and other such organizations are so successful. The camaraderie and support from others who share the same goals help get you through the tough spots.

A motivated workout buddy may be the second best thing. If you’re truly motivated to go it alone, aDVDcan also help. Last but not least, there’s tons of online resources. Only what’s good information and what’s not? As a fitness professional, I’m often unpleasantly surprised at what passes for legitimate advice.

Here’s a few general rules when looking for a good exercise program or instructions for specific exercises:

1. Look to credible sources such as the National Sports and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Council on Exercise (ACE) for tips. (Others exist, but these rank tops with me.) ACE and NSCA offer specific exercise instruction. Skip the celebrity instruction exercise routines. Genetically-blessed movie stars should not be doling out fitness advice. Seriously, don’t get me started.

2. Focus on whole body exercises. Lower-body move like squats, lunges and step-ups combined with an upper body movement such as a biceps curl or overhead press work the entire body at once and burn the most calories. Plus, you’ll finish your workout quicker. Done and done.

3. Consider interval cardio training. Sure, it’s tough, but intervals burn fat like nothing else. Incorporate intervals 2 times a week and alternate them with longer, steady cardio workouts. Simply pick up the pace (run, Forest, run!) and drop it back down in 30 or 60-second increments, working within your fitness capabilities. Thirty seconds feels like an hour when you’re really working it. You’ll burn more calories for hours afterward, too.

4. Choose motivating music. Studies show you’ll work out longer and it’ll hurt less when you plug in upbeat, motivating tunes. The only drawback is the sudden urge to jump out of your car and run when you hear the Neon Trees.

5. Keep a journal. Track your progress and keep in out in the open so you see it throughout the day. It will help you stick with it as you see yourself improve. No cheating!

Stick with it and you will see results!

Related post: What You Should Know Before Hiring a Personal Trainer

1. You hang on for dear life.                                                       

This morning I watched as 5 out of 7 people on the treadmills next to me hung on as they walked or ran.( Yes, someone was running while holding on!) When you hold on to handles, be it on the treadmill, stair climber or what-have-you, you support part of your weight on your arms so you burn fewer calories. Plus, if you’re on an incline you negate the benefits (of more glute action) by leveling the playing field when you hold on and lean back.  You’re not water skiing. Let go and lower the incline or slow down.

2. Your approach is willy nilly.

You should always know why you’re doing each exercise and for what muscle group. Jumping randomly from one machine to the next just because they’re available doesn’t work your muscles efficiently enough to get results. Do it fast enough and you may get some cardiovascular benefits, but that’s about it. Ask a professional for guidance if you’re unsure.

3. You stay within your comfort zone.

I once had a personal training client who didn’t want to sweat on the days she didn’t wash her hair. That means every other workout she was just going through the motions. A waste of time. Not every workout has to be–or should be, for that matter–to absolute fatigue or muscle failure, but you need to get outside your comfort zone to see results. On cardio, try intervals. When weight training go for those extra two or three reps (solicit a spotter if you’re lifting them overhead). You get the idea.

4. You use exercise as punishment.

The opposite of #3. Here you step too far outside your comfort zone.  Maybe you ate too much so you decide to go out and run 10 miles, even though you’ve never done more than a mile previously. You then become injured, tell yourself you’re simply not meant to be in shape and quit. Game over. Instead of all or nothing, make exercise a regular habit and don’t suddenly up the ante because you feel guilty about eating that entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s. Or, do a slightly longer version of your regular program and get back on track.

5. You’re not consistent.

You will have good days and bad days. Some mornings you would rather walk on a bed of hot coals than exercise. And it’s fine to skip a day or two here and there (the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week). Just don’t allow a single day to snowball into a week. Or two or three. Like brushing your teeth, you do it because you have to, not because you got a new toothbrush or a new bubblegum flavored toothpaste for incentive. If you need motivation, go with a friend. Change  your routine. Try something new. But just do it!

Incorporate these tips into your plan and you’re guaranteed to reap the rewards.

1. You get an early start.

You get up early, before your iPhone starts buzzing and your inner lazy person convinces you to hit the snooze alarm one more time. You’re more dedicated than your friends who try to get to the gym after work. Plus, you’re not exhausted from work and will, in fact, be energized and mentally sharper after a morning workout.

2. You figure out ways to stay active.

Sitting for long periods of time makes you crazy. You get up to talk on the phone and take a walk at lunch and take the stairs instead of waiting for elevators.

3. You eat clean.

You can’t remember the last time you went through a drive-through. You read labels, avoid additives and try to eat as close to nature as possible. Your grocery cart contains mostly fresh organic produce, whole grains and fresh fruits and organic meats.

4. You keep it all in perspective.

While this may seem counterintuitive to No. 3, it actually goes hand-in-hand. While you strive to eat clean and healthy, you also don’t beat yourself up if you don’t have time to cook brown rice one night and eat white rice instead. No biggie. You believe 80 percent adherence is reasonable.

5. You limit alcohol.

You enjoy a glass or two of wine a couple of times a week, but you wouldn’t dream of binge drinking. You’d rather feel good the next morning so you can get in a good workout.

6. You do cardio AND resistance training.

You know that doing hours on the treadmill won’t give you toned muscles. You do it for the cardiovascular benefits but also workout with weights a couple times a week. PLUS you push yourself by adding weight, increasing sets or otherwise challenging your muscles when it gets too easy. Why waste your time?

7. You enjoy life.

You’re not a whiner or a complainer. You’re disciplined but know when to take a day off. You don’t see exercise as a chore, but rather a lifestyle you’ve chosen to adapt because it makes you feel better, look better, think clearer and be healthier.

Ever notice how much better you feel after a workout? An annoying work problem may not seem quite so bad after a good sweat, and you may have even came up with a viable solution you hadn’t thought of before. What if you could tap into that reservoir of calming, problem-solving energy on demand? Mind-body exercise options allow you to do just that. Granted, almost any exercise that gets the heart pumping and oxygen flowing may help, but try these three when you’d like to soothe the mind while you work your body.

Tai chi

Tai chi uses sensitivity, subtlety, awareness and a connection with the earth and the mind. Plus, the physical benefits of tai chi go beyond its reputation as “moving meditation.” Research supports tai chi’s ability to reduce stress, depression and anxiety as well as increase balance. When practiced regularly tai chi enhances circulation, increases flexibility and reduces chronic pain. It requires no special equipment, knowledge or clothing, making it beneficial for children and baby boomers as well as seniors. Styles of tai chi vary, so look for classes and instructors that best suit your needs. Examples of styles include:

Yang (the most popular style): All movements are slow, soft and circular; fingers are relaxed and held loosely

Chen Incorporates explosive power moves with softer moves and may be more difficult to learn

Wu Involves a controlled, narrower stance and a more pronounced body lean

Qigong

Qigong uses postures, breathing and focused intention to balance, cleanse and health the body. Unlike tai chi, qigong is not considered a martial art. Health care professionals often recommend qigong (as well as tai chi) as a healing, alternative medicine.

Practitioners of qigong credit its gentle, rhythmic movements for its stress reduction properties and its ability to improve circulatory, respiratory and digestive functions.

Blood pressure often drops with those who practice qigong regularly. For more information and to find classes in your area, check out The National Qigong Association at www.nqa.org.

Yoga

Yoga may best be described as a lifestyle more than a practice. In addition to the actual exercise portion, the mind-body benefits result from proper breathing, relaxation, diet and meditation. Your success depends on your individual goals (i.e. back pain relief, stress relief, etc.) and finding the right form and teacher for you.

Many styles of yoga exist, but three popular ones include:

Ashtanga Yoga: Physically demanding with synchronized breathing and progressive postures. Good for improving circulation, flexibility, stamina and a peaceful mind.

Bikram Yoga: Also known as “hot yoga” Bikram is performed in a room heated to 95 to 105 degrees. Proponents claim it helps improves flexibility and prevent injuries.

Hatha: The foundation of all yoga styles, hatha yoga incorporates postures with breathing and meditation into a complete system for achieving self-realization.
Now go get your OM on!

How do you know a trainer is truly qualified or simply has a good PR rep? Good question.

Know Your Certification ABC’s

Fitness certifications run the gamut. Many online companies offer fitness certifications but are not much  more than “diploma mills” handing out certifications to anyone willing to fork over cash. They’re easy tests to pass and do not garner respect among legitimate fitness centers and organizations.

Solid national certifications include, for example, those from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the National Sports and Conditioning Association (NSCA), which provides a Certified Strength and Conditioning Association (CSCS) sports-oriented certification. The latter requires the trainer to possess at least a four-year college degree and is one of the toughest in the industry (it’s why I went for it!).

Ideally, a trainer should possess a combination:

–a national fitness certification

–a related degree

–experience

Trainer’s Experience Should Match Your Goals

If you want to lose weight, for instance, look for a trainer with not only have a degree and certification but also experience in helping clients lose weight.

Does the trainer’s approach make sense to you? A legitimate trainer will take a moderate approach to weight loss strategies. Anyone touting their own line of supplements or extreme methods of weight loss may not have your best interests in mind.

 As with any profession, both good and bad trainers exist even within a certification. Even if a trainer has the credentials, he or she may not have the coaching experience to teach you about technique and movement. They must be able to apply their knowledge.

Avoid the 45 Percent

In addition, a recent survey found that 45 percent of fitness professionals who claim to be certified are actually not certified. IDEA Health & Fitness Association recently launched IDEA Fitness Connect (http://www.ideafit.com/fitnessconnect), the first and only free database of certified fitness professionals.

The listings will show the trainer’s specialties and info along with certifications and show those who are “verified” as well as those with expired credentials.

If you’re not getting the results you want, talk to your trainer and reassess your goals. If you’re still not happy (and your goals are realistic) cut your losses and look for another trainer. Life is too short to settle for less than the best.

1. Fix your posture.

Slumping forward at your desk creates problems beyond aesthetics. This very common forward head posture throws off your entire kinetic chain (a term that refers to the interconnectedness of all body parts) and can result in everything from shoulder pain, back pain and even breathing and digestive problems.

This easy-to-do, feel good stretch can help:

Standing elbow curls: Stand against a wall with toes pointed forward. Keep
heels, hips, upper back and head against the wall. Place your knuckles against
your temples with thumbs pointed down towards shoulders. Open your elbows until
they are against the wall, then close elbows together in front of your face.
Repeat 25 times.

2. Exercise first thing in the morning.

Discipline yourself to get up 30 minutes earlier a few times a week to get in a workout before you have time to make excuses. You’ll feel virtuous and energized all day. Whether you walk, go to the gym or exercise at home, exercising first thing in the morning enables you to clear your head for the day’s activities. Make a commitment with a friend to keep you accountable.

3. Choose fresh.

No need to go vegan or switch to an all-organic diet to eat healthier. Simply start swapping fast food and processed foods for fresh foods. You’ll take in less fat, fewer preservatives and up your antioxidants all in one, fell swoop. Think of apples and peanut butter, yogurt and fresh berries, tuna in your mid-day salad, etc. You may even lose weight in the process.

4. Get off your butt.

Along with slouching, sitting for hours at a time is a proven way to slow fat-burning and increase inflammation, which can lead to heart disease and all kinds of problems. Your body was made to move, so get up at least once an hour. Take phone calls standing up. Buy an inexpensive stand-up desk to use throughout the day when you can.

5. Plan to fail.

Getting healthier and fitter does not happen in a straight upward trajectory. It takes time to find something you enjoy enough to stick with it. Even then, make sure you have other options available. If you find yourself bored to tears on the treadmill, try a yoga class, aerobics class–or hire a personal trainer to get you on a different program.

Trust me, you’ll feel better, look better and live longer.

Happy 2012!

All my best,

Linda

The key to avoiding elastic waistbands come January 1? Moderation. Yup, that boring word again. Only it works. So what if you have a scoop or two of your mother’s homemade cranberry stuffing? It’s not the one serving that turns your thighs into saddlebags–it’s the leftovers you eat for days afterward…on top of eggnog and holiday cookies.

• Limit yourself to a cookie or two. Tell yourself you can have another one tomorrow if you want. Just don’t overdo in every area.
• Pick your favorite one or two dishes or treats and enjoy a serving.
• Skip other snacks you may normally eat and you may break even on calories.

Don’t neglect your workouts, though. Temporarily adding a few extra calories and not hitting the gym or skipping your cardio will do more damage than one alone.

• No matter what, stay active. Get up earlier, grab a family member if they’re in town and go for a vigorous walk after dinner. Aunt Helen always said she wanted to start exercising, right? So give her incentive while she’s in town.
• Hit the malls early, before the crowds, and power walk between stores.
• Be creative. Build snowmen with the kids. Better yet, have a snowball fight. Loser does the dishes.

Instead of focusing on food, engage with relatives you rarely see.

• Volunteer at a homeless shelter. Donate to an animal shelter–or adopt a pet as a holiday gift for yourself.

Do things that make you count your blessings.

Most of all, enjoy the season!

Happiness to All!

Linda

In other words, imagine using a pencil to perform biceps curls. Sounds, ridiculous, right? How could you expect to get any results from “curling” a one-ounce pencil? Yet, using 3-lb weights isn’t much different (unless you’re rehabilitating a shoulder, but for the sake of this article I assume you’re healthy and injury-free).

In order to trigger muscle tone, you must lift enough weight to challenge that muscle to step up its game. It needs a reason to adapt to this added stress. So on your day off (assuming you’re challenged it adequately) between workouts, the muscle repairs itself.  During this process the microscopic tears you created during your workout heal. As a result, the muscle comes back stronger and better, ready for the next challenge. Over time you’ll notice this change in the form of muscles definition and “tone.” Ya! Mission accomplished.

Here’s how you get muscle tone: use a weight you can lift 6 to 12 reps and do this for 3 to 6 sets. The key: those last couple of reps must be a challenge. If you’re breezing through them while texting your friend at the same time or reading a book you’re not using enough weight. When that weight becomes easy a few weeks down the road, up the weight by 10% until it’s a challenge once again.

Done and done.

I’ve been lifting weights for over 30 years and can tell you first hand it’s the best anti-aging solution out there. Bar none.

Here are a few ideas to get you started, no equipment needed.

Interval Walking

If you enjoy walking on the gym treadmill, why not take it
outdoors? To make things interesting—and to burn more calories—try walking
intervals.

Start with a warm-up and then pick up the pace for designated
lengths of time.

Begin with 30 second faster-paced intervals and increase to
two minutes or longer as you become more fit.

Return to a slower pace and then pick it up again as follows (note that walking “fast” and
“moderate” are relative terms and can be adjusted to your individual
fitness level):

Interval walking sample workout:

Warm-up pace: 1 to 3 minutes

Fast walk: 30 seconds

Moderate walk: 1 minute

Fast walk: 30 seconds

Moderate walk: 1 minute

Repeat fast-walk and moderate-walk cycles for the total
length of your workout, striving for 25 to 30 minutes total.

Allow a few minutes at the end to cool down. Gradually increase your time spent fast
walking and reduce slower-paced intervals.

Power Walking

Easier on the joints than running, power walking burns nearly the same number of calories. Get your arms in the swing and keep these guidelines in mind:

–Warm up: walk at a slow to moderate pace 1 to 3 minutes

–Increase pace using short, quick steps (easier on the joints
than long strides)

–Practice a heel-to-toe roll: push off from the heel and
roll through the foot, pushing through the big toe

–Keep glutes tight, which incorporates low-back muscles as
well

–Pull in abdominal muscles: stand tall and tighten core
muscles

–Pump arms: keeping arms bent with fists loosely closed,
bring arms back and forth as if skiing

–Practice perfect posture: keep chest high and neck up,
eyes focused straight ahead

Stair Running

You can do this routine indoors on rainy or snowy days on your home stairs. For a greater challenge, go to your local high school and try this on the bleachers (for advanced exercisers only!).

Beginners start with 10 to 15 second intervals, walking up one step at a time with your arms at your
sides. Gradually increase intervals, but not more than 120 seconds. If you’re an avid exerciser, try running up and increase the challenge by taking two stairs at a time. Begin with a 5-minute warm up and end with a 5-minute cool down.

A sample workout may be:

–Warm up by walking up and down stairs 3 to 5 minutes

–Run up stairs: 30 seconds

–Walk down stairs: 30 seconds

–Repeat for desired amount of time, taking rest breaks as
needed. Cool down.

Get moving!

If you’re like most people, when you make time to exercise you want the most bang for your buck. After all, who has time to waste? Watching the “calories burned” reading slowly tick away on the treadmill or elliptical monitor can be a lesson in frustration. Knowing a few simple tricks can help speed things up. Read on.

1. Interval train.

Interval training involves alternate bouts of intense exercise with recovery periods. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, these short, intense bouts burn more calories than working at the same intensity for the same amount of time. The recovery periods allow for greater intensity during the work periods and, subsequently, more calories are burned.

Many treadmills have interval training routines programmed into them, but it’s easy enough to design a program on your own. You can translate this same technique to other cardio equipment or even walking outdoor. Simply vary the speed, time, rest and number of intervals. Try this sample routine:

Interval Treadmill Training program

(All the variables should be adjusted to your fitness
level.)

Warm up 5 minutes at a 3.0 % incline

MPH
Incline                Time

3.0                   5%                   3 min

3.5                   5%                   2 min

3.5                   10%                 5 min

4.0                   0%                   3 min

4.0                   5%                   2 min

4.5                   0%                   3 min

4.5                   8%                   2 min

5.0                   0%                   3 min

5.0                   5%                   2min

Cool down                              5
minutes

______________________

Total                                        30 min (including warm-up)

2. Just add weight.

Cardiovascular training and weight training both burn fat and calories. But combine the two and you’ll burn the highest number of stubborn fat cells even after you’re finished exercising. Circuit training does just that by combining strength-training exercises with endurance exercises done in sequence. Simple workout “stations” can be alternated and
added to as you progress using minimal equipment and done at home. Grab a friend for a friendly competition for added motivation.

A maximum rest period of 30 seconds between exercises must be followed or you risk losing the aerobic benefits. Rest only after each complete circuit.

A simple circuit may be:

1. Do as many body-weight squats you can do in 30 seconds

2. Perform as many push-ups you can do in 30 seconds
(regular or modified)

3. 1 minute of jogging in place or stationary cycling

–Rest 45 seconds and repeat. Add and substitute exercises as you see fit (i.e. lunges for squats), being sure to include a balance of upper and lower body moves.

3. Upgrade your cardio.

Changing your cardio routine uses different muscles and can jump start calorie burning. For example:

–If you regularly train indoors, go outside; try biking, running, swimming, tennis, etc.

–Join an outdoor activity club for extra motivation and friendly competition

–Exercise with a heart rate monitor to ensure that you’re working out hard enough

–Train for an event. Check out www.teamintraining.com for events near you and help raise money for a worthy cause as you get in shape

Now get moving!