I'VE MOVED!

Well, at least my blog has... : )

My blog is now located at http://www.funfitchicks.com

I picked this name to emphasize my belief that fitness doesn't have to be boring and mundane. You can have fun and get fit!

The new blog is in the beginning stages. I plan on adding more features and resources.

But it's up and going. Currently, I am running the 12 Days of Holiday Fitness Fury where you can get 12 days of 10-minute workouts to keep up with your fitness routine during the busy holiday season.

Go check it out!
Carpe Diem!

www.funfitchicks.com

24 Hour Fitness...NOT!

Widget Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

I basically consider myself a very easygoing person, and I try to take life as it comes, and just have a good time.

But I definitely am an organizational freak in a lot of ways. And when I can't find a way to organize my projects and ideas, my productivity suffers a lot.

Take for example the last few days. Not the most productive I've had lately...although there were some highlights in there. The reason for this is I am at a point with some of my projects where I am in uncertain territory. I know some of the things I should be doing, and I know what other things I need to research and learn more about, but I can't seem to put it all together into a step by step process. So I flounder, and procrastinate, and surf, and procrastinate...

In order to feel more in control, I download applications, programs, widgets - whatever I think might help me organize my thoughts, projects, and tasks. I have to-do widgets, calendar and task programs, goal setting widgets, and mind map creation applications.

Here is a shot of my screen with some of the crazy apps and widgets I have...












Some I use more than others, some I don't hardly use at all. But I still download new ones and will continue to do so in my futile quest for optimal organization and productivity.

Oh, well. Maybe I should start a widget support group! : )

Carpe Diem!

Cardio with a Twist

In my latest newsletter that went out today, I talked about how much better cardio intervals are compared to steady-state cardio.

Steady-state cardio is the standard cardio almost everyone at your local gym is doing. You jump on whatever piece of cardio equipment (treadmill, elliptical, etc) with magazine or ipod in hand and mindlessly go through the moves for the next 45-60 minutes.

Unlike the standard steady-state exercise, during interval training you alternate intense bouts of exercise with recovery bouts. Why is this better than steady-state exercise? Well, that would take too much space for me to cover here, and I already talked about in my newsletter. (If you don't receive my email newsletter, you can sign-up here. It's free! : )

Interval training can take on many forms. Some more structured than others. The idea is that cardio exercise doesn't have to be long, mundane, and boring.

So below I have posted another twist on the standard cardio workout. This workout will definitely get your heart rate up, but you use standard strength exercises, not typical "aerobic" exercises. It's different, intense, and will definitely shake up your regular routine.

Give it a try! Carpe Diem!

Superset for Time

It's the night before Thanksgiving and I just finished my workout. I'm currently doing a 3-day per week split. Monday is lower body, Wednesday is upper body, and Friday is a 10-Minute Fitness Fury full-body workout.

As we get deeper into the holiday season, I will probably do more 10-Minute workouts due to time constraints.

If you haven't tried this type of short, intense workout, you should give it a try. It's a great way to shake up your current routine and challenge your body.

Here's a 10-Minute full body workout using just dumbbells and a stability ball:

Ball squats with OH Press superset Crunches on the Stability Ball, 2 sets, 10-12 reps each
Bent Over DB Rows superset DB Chest Presses on the Stability Ball, 2 sets, 10-12 reps each
DB Clean & Press superset Stability Ball Roll-Ins, 2 sets, 10-12 reps each
20 rep Ball Squat, 1 set, 20 reps
(A superset is 2 exercises performed back to back with no rest in between.)

That's it. Start with some muscle specific warm-up moves and end with a cool-down.
Use weights that challenge your muscles so that you can just eek out the recommended number of reps.

The supersetting technique allows you to move quickly through your workout and still keep the intensity up.

Give it a try. What do you have to lose?

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Carpe Diem!
Bobbi

Blessings

Having just finished my Thanksgiving newsletter, I started thinking more about my own life and what I am thankful for.

I have a lot for which I am very grateful.

-My wonderful, sweet, loving girlfriend.
-My mom and sister - they don't live too far and we all have a good time together.
-Two cute, loveable dogs and a cat.
-That all the above are healthy.
-To be in a career field that I really enjoy. I have so much fun doing boot camps! : )
-To always know I have options for my life. My life experiences aren't limited by anything but my own imagination.
-Awesome boot campers that work out hard and can party hard too! (As evidenced by all the drinks on the table in our pictures from El Toro... : )

This is by no means an exhaustive list. I could easily keep going for pages. These are just the ones that popped into my head first.

I hope y'all comment and share what you are thankful for in your life.

Have a great Thanksgiving!
Carpe Diem!
Bobbi

Ouch!!

So today, standing and walking were pretty difficult tasks.

I irritated my lower back a little while ago. Not bad enough to pay much attention to it, just enough for it to be a little inconvenient. I've continued all my regular activities, including working out. So I did a heavy lift day this past Tuesday, and I don't know if that's what did it, but today, I could barely get out of bed. I moved from inconvenient to downright painful.

Something is really out of whack in my back. Ouch! It has gotten better throughout the day and I'm sure will feel even better tomorrow.

I know it needs time to heal, but I don't want to miss a bunch of workouts. So what I do sometimes is body weight only workouts. These are fun to throw into your routine every once in awhile to break things up and do something different.

Here's an example of one that I do sometimes:
(After a 3-5 minute warm-up...)
Move from 1 exercise to the next with no rest...
--12-15 Push-Ups with 3 count holds at the bottom of the movement
--20-25 Ball Squats with 5 count holds at the bottom of the movement
--8-10 Pull-Ups with 3 count holds at the top
--15 Single-leg Leg Curls on the stability ball
--3-point Crunches on the stability ball
--20 Walking Lunges each leg
Repeat 2-3 times...

Adding holds to the exercises increases the intensity so that body weight exercises become pretty difficult!

If you need something new to break up your usual routine, give this workout a try.

Carpe Diem!

The Sky's the Limit!!!!

My girlfriend's birthday was this past Sunday.  We did some shopping, went to dinner, had some pink champagne, and I even made her favorite cake...German chocolate.  For those of you who know me at all, you know I don't cook...or bake...or make toast for that matter.  Not my thing.  I will set off the smoke alarm more often than not.  : )

But she said the cake was good so I was very pleased with myself!

For her gift, I got us two tickets for a hot air balloon ride.  She had told me that was something she always wanted to do.  The funny thing...she is scared of heights.

That is something about her that I really admire.  She doesn't hesitate to do what she needs (or wants!) because of fear or discomfort.  Can you imagine how much your world would open up if you learn to disregard fear?  And I'm not just talking about phobias or the fear of physical danger.  But everyday fears that we all face...fear of failure, fear of loss, fear of what others think, fear of success, fear of uncertainty, fear of the unknown...

What would you do if you weren't afraid?

Back to my present to my girlfriend.  The week before her birthday, I gave her at least one clue per day.  But I stumped her!!!  She didn't guess it until the night before when we played charades.  : )

If you want to see one of the clues I gave her, check out this webpage. 
OK, so it was a little obscure...but I didn't really want her to guess too early!!!  : )

Carpe Diem!!

Chunk It Up

My ebook The 10-Minute Fitness Fury Program is finally available! I'm so glad to have it out there. My girlfriend and I celebrated Friday night with some champagne.

Now I will turn my focus to other projects so today I need to sit down and do some planning and brainstorming. But it's hard for me to just sit and plan. I prefer to be doing, not just thinking. But it is a vital part of the process so what I have figured out that works for me is to break stuff like that down into little chunks.

I got the idea from an ezine that I subscribe to. In it, the author recommended dedicating at least 15 minutes a day to a project you are working on, but struggling with. Just 15 minutes. Over time, all those little chunks of work add up and before you know it, your 1/2 way done with the project.

I have a difficult time focusing for long periods sometimes, so I break it down even further and just plan on 10 minute chunks. Even when I don't feel like working on something, I can remind myself it's only 10 minutes...I can do it for just 10 minutes.

I use this strategy for a variety of things...meditation, brainstorming sessions, writing, and of course, workouts. I find that it helps me get things done more. A 10 minute writing session seems much more doable than forcing myself to get an hour's worth of material down.

What strategies do y'all use to be more productive? If you have any that work well for you, let me know, I'm always looking for good ideas! : )

Basic Training

As I talk to women about their current workouts and why they aren't getting results, I find several common themes almost every time.  So if you're interested in making the most of your time in the gym, and getting results, check out these 3 common mistakes:

1) Working out too long and too much.  Overtraining is more common than you might think.  I mean it sounds counterintuitive...how can you exercise too much???  It's really not that hard.  The body has it's limits.  It needs downtime to recover, repair and make itself stronger for the next go round.  If you don't give it the time it needs, it will rebel on you and along with holding back in the results department, it may also punish you with fatigue, lack of motivation, and irritabilit...just to name a few possibilities.

2) Not working out hard enough.  Sounds contradictory to number 1, doesn't it?  It's not.  You need to learn to train harder and smarter, not longer and more.  Intensity and quality are key to getting results from your program, not volume and quantity.  Make sure you fatigue your muscles when you strength train, and you just aren't throwing dumbbells around.  Do interval cardio training to really tax your system and cause a metabolic disturbance.  Work harder for shorter periods of time.

3) Making the workouts to complicated.  You don't need fancy equipment to get in a good workout. In fact, a lot of the time it can be more of a distraction than anything else.  My girlfriend got me a membership to her gym so we can workout together (or rather, I can help her workout : ), but what I usually do is workout at home, then go to the gym to help her.  Sometimes I do my workout at the gym, but not usually.  At home, I have a set of adjustable dumbbells, a bench, a rack, and a barbell with some free weights.  That's all I need.  Keep it simple.  If you want results, stick to the basics: full body workouts using compound exercises with a few intensity techniques thrown in.  That's it.  Piece of cake, right?  Actually, if you want results, I would skip the cake...   : )

Carpe Diem!

The Cookie Diet....Really???

I just recently heard about this diet although it has supposedly been around since 1975. Dr. Sanford Siegal is the brainchild behind this new trend...The Cookie Diet.

Of course, these aren't real cookies...at least not in my book! These are 'health bars' shaped as cookies. But, to be honest, I don't think they are really that healthy either.

And the overall plan is a little crazy - you are to eat 6 of these cookies per day and then 1 regular meal at night. Not only is that unhealthy because you are seriously limiting your intake of healthy fruits, vegetables and other natural foods, but that's not even remotely appetizing...YUCK! Six meal/snacks being exactly the same everyday...not my idea of a culinary fiesta.

Anyway, I could go on about this cookie diet, or I could just let you check out the blog where I found out about the infamous cookie diet. My colleague from Dallas, Scott Colby, has discussed it in a couple of his blog posts, complete with videos.

Go here to see what he has to say about it, then let me know what you think of the diet, and Scott's statements.

Portable Workout Blooper

In order to provide my clients with numerous options they can use to get a good workout, I created a full-body workout using the Lebert Equalizer and made a video. You can check out the workout video at the FitCamps4Chicks social page.

The Lebert Equalizer is basically a couple of hurdle-looking bars. Not very sophisticated, but incredibly versatile, and a great way to add some variety and fun to your workouts. They are also fairly light and portable.

Anyway, I created this video in my backyard and it turned out OK. But it took me numerous shots to get it right (I'm new to this whole video thing). Since it was a nice day, I had my two dogs outside with me so they could enjoy the weather and get some exercise. I didn't really think that one through very well...dogs are not so conscious as to whether they are getting in the way of the camera...

For a little entertainment, I decided to post one of the blooper videos...check it out below!
Carpe Diem!

PS - If you want more information about the Lebert Equalizer, go to their website.

Witches & Devils....BOO!

I don't have much time...getting ready to eat some dinner. But I wanted to post the Halloween pics of our dogs. My girlfriend (no, I wouldn't dress my dog up myself, but she wanted to, and...well, what can I say...) and I picked out costumes for them and set up mini photo shoots.

Here are the results.

(Joie is the terrier mix and Sibley the poodle.)

Lindt's or Snickers??

Happy Halloween!!!!

Part of the Halloween tradition is of course handing out candy to a bunch of sugar-seeking youths. One of my colleagues in Texas mentioned how this year he was giving out dark chocolate squares to the trick or treaters.

He had 2 rationale for this 1) dark chocolate is slightly healthier than other candies and 2) if he has some left over, he can eat them! : )

Now, although I give him kudos for thinking of number 2 (smart man!), I'm a traditionalist and when I'm home and give out candy, it's just standard stuff...mini packets of M&M's, mini Snickers, that kind of stuff.

Of course, a lot of people are understandably concerned about this practice of handing out bags and bags of nutritionally empty, sugar-laden food to kids. And I definitely agree that it is important to start solid nutrition habits early and guide children to healthier treats like fruits and vegetables. However, I also am a fan of indulging yourself on occasion and enjoying things in moderation. So, I don't see the harm in the tradition of Halloween and giving out candy.

What about y'all? What are you going to hand out this year?

Have a wonderfully scary Halloween!!!

Wise or Wuss?

I took today off from working out. My original plan was to workout Monday-Friday. Three of those days would be lighter, more circuit type training and two days (Tuesday and Thursday) would be heavier lifting days. But I am tired today, a little worn out, so I took the day off.

A lot of people would say that I should have worked out anyway. They would say that 'not feeling like it' isn't a good enough reason to skip a workout. And I agree...to an extent. There are plenty of times I don't feel like working out, but I go and do it anyway. But there is a difference between being truly worn out and just not wanting to workout.

I think after 12 years I can tell the difference and know when to push myself and when to back off. But I will be the first to admit that there are times when I go a little too easy on myself and times when I push a little too hard.

So what about y'all? Do you workout no matter what? Is it get to the gym or bust? Or do you try and listen to your body and give it a break sometimes even if it is supposed to be leg day at the gym?

Post on the blog and let me know...am I being wise or just a wuss?

Weekend Warrior - not me!

My heavy workout went well. I like lifting heavy. I only do 1-2 sets per exercise, for 3-4 exercises. So the workout doesn't take me long at all. But I am definitely sore for a few days!

I really prefer short, intense workouts. I just don't have the energy or the time to spend working out for 45-60 minutes.

I didn't workout over the weekend - never do really. I like to relax, eat fun stuff, spend time with my girl, and not worry about exercise on the weekends. So I will start my cycle again tomorrow. Monday is a lighter day and I plan on doing one of my 10-minute Fitness Fury workouts.

How do y'all structure exercise into your life? Are you weekend warriors and prefer to workout over the weekends? Do you keep your exercise limited to M-F?

Post on this blog and let me know how you go about scheduling fitness into your lifestyle...

Carpe Diem!!

Light/Heavy

Since I am finished with my 4-week trial of Turbulence Training (for my opinions on the program look at the 10/16 post, "Chaos Theory"), I am setting up a new program for myself. I will workout 5 days per week, Monday-Friday.

On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I will do lighter, cardio interval training, using strength and body weight movements. These workouts will come from my 10 Minute Fitness Fury Program. Then on Tuesday and Thursday I will do heavier strength movements to focus on working the muscles and hypertrophy...I like those days!

All days will be full-body, no splits. And no workout should go over 20 minutes, some will be as few as 10 minutes. So today will be a heavy day. I'm planning on some heavy Chest Presses, Pull-Ups, and Squats. Good stuff!

Will post tomorrow and let you know how it goes!

PARTYYYYYYY!!!

This past Friday, some of the boot campers and I met out at El Toro on Springfield to celebrate (and mourn!) the end of boot camps here in Champaign.

We were supposed to meet out after boot camp that night, but the evening class surprised me by showing up to the park dressed in jeans, shirts, nice shoes, etc - in other words, not boot camp outfits! It was a mutiny, and they decided we were going out right then, and not having boot camp...so off we went for chips and salsa instead of working out! : 0

We all had a fantastic time...talking, drinking, and eating great Mexican food.

Go here to check out some pics!

The girls bought me a beautiful necklace made by Wesley Waters, who owns Butterfly Beads, (Centennial night class) with a charm made by a friend of hers. The charm has a shooting star on it representing me chasing my dreams...hopefully I don't have to chase them too far!! : )

Thank you all for a wonderful time and the beautiful necklace. Every time I wear it I will think of my boot camp girls and remember all the fun we had and how much y'all inspired me with your dedication and persistence even when it was dark, cold, wet, and it seemed like we were being attacked by swarms of mosquitos.

I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with y'all and hope I changed your lives for the better as much as you did mine.

Carpe Diem!!!

The Chaos Theory

I am still doing the Turbulence Training program. This is my 4th week. I will probably finish up this week and then do something else for awhile.

Not that I was following the program exactly anyway. Yesterday for my workout, I did one of my own 10 minute Fitness Fury workouts. I was really strapped for time and needed an intense workout in a short period of time. I still do some of the workouts from the Turbulence Training program, but I do find myself switching up exercises to keep my interest and motivation up.

Overall, I think Craig's program is fine. You do get a lot for your investment. I still get 1-2 emails from him everyday with new videos and workouts to do. I honestly don't have time to sift through all of that information (to be honest, I haven't even looked at all the 'bonus' workouts and reports I got with the original program) so I end up deleting a lot of his emails, although I do look through some.

I think there is such a thing as information overload. If I wasn't a fitness professional, didn't know how to put together a program and was looking for some guidance, I would feel a little overwhelmed with Craig's program. According to his selling points, Turbulence Training is exactly that...a specific program you can follow to help you achieve your fitness goals. But then he throws in 4-5 other workout programs as bonuses (TT for abs, TT for women, etc), plus he sends you more workout options via email everyday. So, at what point, does he totally lose the concept of Turbulence Training being an actual program versus just a jumble of unrelated workouts?

I guess his program just isn't right for me. I can put together my own workouts and my own routines, but I was looking for something new and inspiring so I tried Turbulence Training. Unfortunately, I find the main program a little boring and repetitive. And all the extra workouts he throws at me daily, I find to be an overwhelming amount of non-related information - at least in regards to my goal of finding a good program that offers variety with structure and purpose. As a fitness professional, I did get a few new ideas for exercises from him though! : )

However, for those who don't do fitness as a career and are looking for a basic program to help with a fat loss goal, his program is fairly solid, and does provide you with the basics you need (and then some!).

If anybody else has tried his program, feel free to comment on this blog and let us all know what you think!!

Carpe Diem!

Great Pumpkin Workout

The other day, my girlfriend and I went to Curtis Orchards here in town. This is a wonderful place with apple and pumpkin orchards that you can wander through, select and pick your own fruit and pumpkins.

So we wandered way into the back of the pumpkin patch and picked 3 pumpkins. Last night we had tons of fun carving our pumpkins and cooking the pumpkin seeds (they turned out yummy! : )

Before we carved up our pumpkins though, I created and recorded a fun workout using just those pumpkins. It is a circuit of exercises that work all the major muscles and gets your heart rate up. I only went through the circuit once for the video, and my muscles were burning!

So grab some pumpkins, go outside, and enjoy this beautiful fall weather while you sweat to the Great Pumpkin Workout!

Happy Halloween!!!

5lbs, 8lbs, 10lbs, 12lbs????

When women talk to me about working out at home, the first question I ask is what equipment they have.  Most women have a stability ball and maybe a few dumbbells.  Now this is plenty of equipment to get in a great workout.

However, I then find out that the dumbbells they have consist of a couple of 3 lb weights, a couple of 5 lb weights, and maybe a 10 lb.

This is probably because this is what is portrayed on a lot of exercise videos.  The instructor takes a couple of 5 lb weights and does a series of exercises...maybe some tricep extensions, bicep curls, chest presses, and overhead presses...

The problem with this is that the same weight is not appropriate for all those different exercises.  A tricep extension is an isolation exercise.  It works only your triceps.  A chest press is a compound exercise, meaning it works several muscles.  The chest is the main mover, but the triceps and front delts also assist.  Therefore, do you think that when you are working your chest, triceps and shoulders you should use the same weight as when you are working just your triceps?

Obviously, a heavier weight should be used for chest presses than triceps extensions in order to challenge all the muscles involved in the exercise.  The same thing goes for bicep curls and rows.  Or squats and leg curls. 

I'm a firm believer to sticking to the basics when it comes to working out.  I actually prefer to workout at home with my bench, barbell, and a few dumbbells, rather than go to the gym with all their fancy equipment.  However, you do need at least a decent selection of dumbbell weights in order get the most out of various exercises.

So put down the 3 lb dumbbells, grab some 12 lbs, and do some chest presses.

Cookies and Frosting

Yesterday I did my Turbulence Training workout. Pretty good workout. I had to cut out a couple supersets due to a rushed schedule, but otherwise, it went well.

I then went to the gym and did a short cardio interval on the recumbent bike. Although, I get a little bored with the bike, it's good for something different every once in awhile, plus I can read while I do it! : )

Since I become a little bored doing the same workouts over and over, a friend suggested that I mix things up by throwing other workouts in on occasion. So that is why I did my own 10 minute Fitness Fury workout on Monday. Tossing in my own workout on occasion keeps things fresh for me.

By the way, check out my friend's blog and follow her journey as she completes a 100 day challenge on the Fat Burning Furnace program.

Regarding my nutrition, I admit it hasn't been the best! : ( My girlfriend knows I like cookies and frosting (2 cookies with frosting in the middle...best sandwich ever!) so she bought some cookie mix and frosting for free day this past weekend (isn't she the sweetest?!). However, I have been munching on them a little here and there throughout this week too. Not good! But I've done it less and less the last couple of days, so it's getting better.

Some people think because I'm a trainer when it comes to fitness and nutrition, I'm almost perfect in my own life. Ha! Not even close! I have a bad sweet tooth and love cake, cookies, ice cream...all that stuff. And sometimes I give in to my cravings when I know I shouldn't. I also will skip workouts sometimes when my energy is low or I didn't schedule my day well and I'm really rushed. But that's OK. It's not all the time, and it's just a matter of putting the slip up behind me and doing the best I can after that.

I can guarantee you, fitness and weight loss aren't about being perfect! It's not going to happen. You will miss workouts, eat the wrong thing or splurge on a few margaritas. The key is knowing when you slip up, acknowledging it, and moving forward. Piece of cake, right?! (no pun intended : )

Fury Fitness in 10 minutes

I confess that I didn't complete my Turbulence Training workout yesterday.  I needed something different in order to jack up the intensity of my workouts.  Not that the Turbulence Training workouts aren't good or intense...they are.  But psychologically, I was bored with the sameness of the workouts.

So instead of my Turbulence Training workout, I did one of my own 10 minute Fitness Fury workouts.  With the short, intense workout, I felt exhausted, but good.  Doing a short workout like that allows me to keep my intensity up more. 

Here is the workout I did - performed as a circuit.  The first time through I used slightly lighter weights and performed 12 repetitions per exercise.  I then rested about 1 minute, and completed the circuit again, this time using heavier weights so I fatigued at about 8 repetitions.
Rear Lunges
Stiff Leg Deadlifts
Wide/narrrow Push-ups
Dumbbell Pullover
Air Bike Crunches

With a warm-up, the entire workout took about 11 minutes.

I then went to the gym and did a 12 minute interval workout on the treadmill.

Remember, workouts are about quality, not quantity.

Overall, great workout! 

Carpe Diem y'all!

Is Diet Coke Making Us Fat?

I have heard a lot lately about the perils of drinking diet soda.  Diet drinks have been under fire ever since a study came out in February from Purdue University.  They fed one group of lab rats yogurt flavored with saccharine and one group was fed yogurt flavored with glucose.  Oddly enough, the saccharine fed group of rats ate more and gained more weight than the glucose fed group.

This is counter-intuitive to most people, as we think of artificially flavored sodas as having no calories and therefore helping us to lose weight, not making us gain weight.

What scientists think is that taking in something so sweet triggers certain metabolism responses in our bodies.  Our bodies naturally link a sweet taste with high caloric intake.  But since there isn't any caloric intake linked with the sweet taste of a diet soda, our bodies get confused and our metabolic machine gets all screwed up.  We then overeat...and the cycle starts.

Since this study was released, I have heard numerous women talk about how they are going to stop drinking diet soda as it is making them fat. 

I do agree that everyone should cut down on her diet soda consumption...including me (although I am down to only about one per day...a vast improvement from the 4-5 I used to drink every day).  Diet soda has no nutritional value and may have detrimental effects on calcium levels in the body. 

However, I think a lot of women want to target something specific that is responsible for their weight gain.  That way, she feels more in control, because then she has a simple solution: just stop taking in whatever that one item may be.  But it just isn't that simple.  There is no one magical thing that causes weight gain or obesity.  It is often a complicated mix of environmental, physiological, and psychological factors. 

One issue I have with this study...it was done on rats.  According to the study, the rats that were fed saccharine over ate.  But we aren't rats, and we can make conscious decisions...even if that means ignoring our cravings sometimes.  So what if Diet Coke makes me want to eat more...does that mean I have to???

I'm not saying diet soda is good for you.  And I do think that you are much better off drinking water.  But I don't agree with criminalizing diet drinks as the evil perpetrator that is causing the obesity epidemic in this country. 

And to be honest, if you need to lose weight, and I'm not talking about those last 5 lbs, but if you really are at an unhealthy weight and know you need to start changing your dietary habits, I would focus on your consumption of fast food, sweets, and fattening snacks (ie-potato chips) before I would worry about your diet soda consumption.

Carpe Diem y'all!

Variety...the spice of life...and workouts?

I just finished my Turbulence Training workout for the day. It was a good workout consisting of challenging, compound exercises like single-leg squats and chin-ups.

I still get a little bored with my routines on this program. Even though I just started the advanced routine (this is my first week), all the workouts in the program follow the same basic structure. Three supersets (two exercises back to back with no rest) are performed 3 times with one minute rest between supersets. Within that structure, based on whether you are doing beginner, intermediate, or advanced, the exercises change, but the basic structure remains pretty much the same.

This probably doesn't bother most people. But I really need a lot of variety in my workouts, or I just get bored and uninspired.

I'd like y'all to let me know how you feel about this. Post your comments on this topic. Am I just too hard to please, or do any of you feel the same way and want more variations in a fitness routine?

I'm certainly looking forward to relaxing this weekend. Tomorrow is the Cross-Town Challenge: Savoy vs Centennial. My two boot camps are coming together to compete in a series of events to find out who are the fittest of the FitChicks. It will be a fun day!

By the way, if any of you are also following the Turbulence Training program, feel free to post your comments and thoughts on this blog!

Carpe Diem y'all!

What do you do now that boot camp is almost over??

I have developed a few options for those interested in adhering to an exercise program after boot camp ends in a few weeks.

The options include: virtual training, program design, downloadable ebook programs, and an indoor camp here in Champaign.

For more information, check out my website.

Email at me bobbi@fitcamps4chicks.com if you have any questions.

Boredom and Weights

I started the advanced Turbulence Training routine yesterday. I have to say I like this workout a lot better. Craig sticks to basic, compound exercises in superset form. It only took me a little over 20 minutes to complete the strength portion of the routine.

I did switch up the interval I did today. Standard cardio activities bore me. I hate doing the treadmill, elliptical, bike, or even jogging outside. So I did a cardio interval using what would generally be considered strength exercises. I've added these types of intervals into my routine a handful of times over the past 6 months or so. I really enjoy them. They definitely get my heart rate up, and are very intense, but they aren't mundane like running on a treadmill.

Tomorrow I will do the 2nd workout in the advanced Turbulence Training routine. Hopefully it's as good as the 1st workout.

Carpe Diem!

Impatient or Inspired?

After a nice, relaxing weekend, I'm ready to get back to my workouts. But since I'm a little bored with the Turbulence Training intermediate workouts, I'm going to move on to the advanced routine...which is actually the original Turbulence Training program. I will do my first workout today.

So, am I just impatient with the program, or inspired and can't wait to move to the next level? I guess a little of both. The problem for me is that I need a lot of variety in my fitness programs. When I create my own routines, each workout is different. For those of you in my boot camps, you know that no two sessions are exactly alike. Incorporating variety into a program keeps you motivated and provides constant incentive to keep your body changing. Doing only 2 workouts for 4 weeks just doesn't work for me. Especially since I was already changing aspects of the intermediate routine. So, starting today, I'll give the advanced routine a try and let you know how it goes.

A friend of mine has decided to start a new program called Fat Burning Furnace. If you are interested in following her progress, check out her blog.

Carpe Diem y'all!

Same 'ole, Same 'ole

I just completed my Turbulence Training strength workout for the day. Overall, it was a good workout. Took me about 24 minutes to go through and I pretty much followed the overall layout exactly.

I did substitute a couple of exercises. The workout consisted of squats, rows, lunges, a couple ab exercises and a low back exercise. I took out one of the ab exercises, the side planks. Not that I don't think that is a good choice to strengthen the core. But Turbulence Training is marketed as a fat loss program, and side planks are not an optimal choice for that specific purpose. So I replaced those with an active 3-point crunch.

I also did away with the low back exercise. Again, strengthening the low back is important; however, as with the side planks, it isn't an optimal choice when your specific goal is fat loss. As I mentioned in a previous post, there is not any compound shoulder exercises in the intermediate routine, so I replaced the back extension with an Arnold Press, a twist on the standard overhead press.

I like the supersets in the program. They keep my workouts intense and short.

Unfortunately, I do find myself getting a little bored already. For the intermediate routine (which you do for 4 weeks, but since I'm an advanced trainer, he recommends I do it for 2 weeks, then move on to the advanced routine) there are 2 workouts that you alternate.

Although this is my first official week on the program, I did the workouts a couple times last week to get a feel for layout. I like a lot of variety in my exercise routine, so doing the same workouts for the last 2 weeks as left me a little bored and uninspired.

But I'll stick to it for another week and see how it goes.

I'm going to do hill sprint intervals in a little bit, then I'm done for the day. Tonight is free night so I'm going to enjoy some pizza and cake!!

Have a great weekend!
Carpe Diem, y'all!

PS - If you want to join me in my Turbulence Training, go here for more information on the program.

Looking for a good opinion or two...

Last night I did my first Turbulence Training workout. Overall, it was a good workout. The program is centered around supersets - two exercises back to back with no rest. The idea behind this is it keeps the intensity high, and the time to a minimum since you don't rest between the exercises.

I like supersets and use them in my own workouts. The supersets he picks seem somewhat arbitrary though. My first workout consisted of squats, incline chest press, stability ball leg curl, push-ups, an ab exercise, and a rear-delt exercise. I didn't understand the point of the rear delt exercise at all. That is a true isolation exercise, hitting only one head of the shoulder complex. Looking over both workouts in the intermediate program, there are not any compound exercises for the shoulders. So I substituted overhead presses for the rear delt exercise. (What can I say...I'm a trainer myself...y'all knew that would happen!)

I then did my cardio interval. Craig recommends you do your intervals on a stationary bike, partially for safety reasons. So I went to the gym to do this, but I got bored and did my interval on the treadmill instead.

If you move through the program as it is laid out, you can complete both strength and cardio in about 45 minutes. My kind of program!

I would like y'alls opinion. As I mentioned in my last post, all the 'extras' included with the basic program are a little much for me. He dedicates numerous pages to nutrition tips, such as eating several times per day, stay away from trans fats, etc. Although this is good information, it isn't why I bought his program. The program is marketed as a basic fat burning training program. I usually create my own routines, but was looking for some inspiration and so went with an already laid out, structured program. But I don't have time to sift through pages and pages of informatino. He also discusses travel tips, goal setting, and other related topics. Again, this is all good stuff, but if I was looking for a complete program that included nutrition and other aspects, I would have researched and purchased such a system.

I haven't even had time to look at all the 'bonus' files that came with the basic program. There are around 13 extra .pdf files...including women's workouts, ab workouts, etc.

So, here's my question to you...do you agree that one product can't be something to everyone and putting too much information in there can be overkill, or do you just be glad that you got all that for only $39.95 whether you ever have time to use it or not?

What do you think?

Back to the Basics

I've had several emails about the Turbulence Training program that I mentioned in my last two posts. Let me clear up a couple of things.

The Turbulence Training program was created by Craig Ballantyne, not me. In order to follow the program, you must pay for and download his ebook, Turbulence Training. It is in .pdf format. The program is $39.95. The ebook outlines a specific program for you to follow and has various levels: introductory, beginner, intermediate, advanced, and bonus workouts.

You do need basic equipment to follow the program, such as dumbbells, a bench, and a stability ball. I am not endorsing, nor recommending the program at this point.

I just started the program, and will post my thoughts and opinions (good, bad, and indifferent) on the program as I progress through it. This will give you more information so you can form your own opinion about the program.

If you do want to try the program with me, you have to purchase it. Click here to get more information.

I looked over the entire program today. I do find it a little overwhelming. I was really looking for something really straightforward...you know...back to the basics kind of stuff to get me back on track with my workouts. When you download this ebook, you are also provided with numerous "bonuses"...more ebooks with more workouts. Not that this isn't great, but it gets a little confusing which workouts you are supposed to do.

The basic ebook is quite long (128 pages). Fourteen pages are dedicated to FAQ's. That's a lot of questions and answers. But I guess too much information is better than too little.

In his introduction, Craig talks about how the program is centered around higher intensity...meaning you don't do as many reps. He picks 8 as his magic number of repetitions per set. He also talks in length about the importance of doing compound exercises for fat loss (which I agree with) - exercises that use multiple muscles - squats versus leg extensions. However, as I looked over the program, the only routine that follows these principles is the advanced routine.

Based on the instructions, since I'm an advanced trainer (have been training for numerous years), he recommends I start with 2 weeks on the intermediate program, and then move to the advanced program. Each workout has 6 exercises. In the intermediate routine, among the 12 exercises, he only assigns 8 reps to 6 of the exercises. And 6 of the exercises are not compound exercises.

My initial feeling is that he tries to make the program too much by trying to include something for everyone. The advanced routine is the 'original' Turbulence Training; I get the idea he added the other routines later. But in doing this, the program loses it's edge. For example, the introductory routine is for those who have been sedentary and may even have movement issues. I realize that Ballantyne is trying to cover all his bases so that anyone can use his program. But, as a consumer, I wouldn't expect a program called "Turbulence Training" to be easy or for beginners.

I am doing my first workout tonight and will let you know tomorrow how it goes. But I already know I will be substituting some exercises...

Carpe Diem y'all!

Donuts and Acrobats

I had a fantastic time in Nashville to celebrate my birthday! We played disc golf. The course wasn't well maintained so we ended up just jumping around to various baskets and creating our own course. We went on a riverboat and saw this amazing show called the Peking Acrobats. You have to admire someone with that much muscle and body control. We also went to the Grand Ole Opry which was a lot of fun.

When I'm on vacation, I allow myself to relax and just enjoy my time off. So I don't worry about workouts or my nutrition much. I ate a lot of wonderful food, but am definitely ready to get back in the gym and back to a solid nutrition plan.

Due to some unexpected scheduling conflicts, I won't be able to make it to the gym to do my first Turbulence Training workout.

But I will get in there tomorrow.

I did start tightening up my nutrition today. Today I am returning to a lower carbohydrate nutrition plan, making sure I eat 4-5 times per day, taking in healthy fats, protein, and complex carbohydrates.

Looking forward to my workout tomorrow!

Don't forget...if you want to follow this program with me, click here to check it out!

A Little Inspiration Needed...

Lately, my workout routines have not been the best. They have been somewhat inconsistent, and when I do get around to them, they lack the intensity I've had in the past.

In an effort to jack up the intensity and overall feel of my workouts, I decided to add structure and inspiration to my routine by using an already structured, laid out program.

The program I chose is Turbulence Training by Craig Ballantyne. This is a fat burning routine that includes strength and interval training. One reason I chose this program is because Craig built it to be time-effective - workouts (strength and interval) shouldn't take more than 45 minutes.

When I'm in a rut, I usually sit down and design a new program for myself, but right now, I just don't have the time to do that. So I'm hoping that the Turbulence Training program will provide the structure and planning I need to stick with a routine.

On this blog, I will track my progress with this program. My goal is to let you know the good and bad (as I see it) aspects of the program. I will also go ahead and track my measurements since this is a fat loss program.

If you are interested in doing this routine with me, go here to check out the program!

I'm leaving today to go to Nashville for a long weekend...a belated birthday celebration.

So I will kick off the new program on Monday.

Carpe Diem!