Archive for September, 2010

We’ve all seen them at least a few (hundred) times: the eye-catching weight loss headlines on the tabloids surround us at the grocery store, nail salon, or even our own mailboxes.

“The incredible shrinking Drew Carey!”
“Kelly Osbourne: Size 12 to Size 2!”
“Body after baby – 10 amazing celebrity mom slimdowns!”

Stories (and their accompanying glossy photos) like this are easy to dismiss.  Most celebrities have access to all-star personal trainers, top-notch doctors and dietitians, and expensive fitness equipment and services.  “Walk a day in my shoes,” we want to mutter, “and we’ll see how ‘easy’ it is to get fit and lose weight.”

Outside the protected shell of fame, there are definitely obstacles to getting healthy “like the stars.”  Many people have children and cannot pay a child care professional just to steal away an hour at the gym.  Few folks can afford the convenience of a chef or meal delivery service and must count their own calories and/or prepare their own healthy meals, a skill that takes planning and some nutritional education.  Finally, there is the motivation issue – while most of us truly want to live a healthy lifestyle that feels good and bene-fits our bodies, we won’t get fired from our jobs if we gain a few pounds or suffer the humiliation of having a photo taken of us enjoying that huge double-dip ice cream cone.

However, after poring over some of this articles (admittedly while getting a pedicure!), I noticed one thing – if you look past the extreme (liquid diets, fasts, detoxes, and three-hour workout regimes), many of the celebrities actually maintain fairly reasonable routines to achieve their health and fitness goals.

Take Drew Carey, for example, featured in this week’s PARADE magazine.  He notes that “the hardest diet I was ever on was when I was fat…you don’t have energy for anything.  It’s horrible.”  He goes on to claim that his diet – a balanced routine of three protein-and-vegetable meals and two fruit-based snacks daily – along with 30 minutes of cardio exercise per day was the simple formula to achieve his 77-pound weight loss.  Now that’s the level of simplicity that bene-fit can get behind!

How about the aforementioned Kelly Osbourne?  While it is definitely not possible – nor healthy – for every body to transform into a size 2, the petite Osbourne knew that carrying 50 extra pounds on a small frame was going to be a long-term health issue.  She found an exercise she was passionate about – ballroom dancing (in her preparation for Dancing with the Stars) and found that a healthy snack before bed (in her case, an apple) kept her satiated at night yet ready for breakfast the next morning.

And as for those hot mamas, bouncing back almost impossibly after having a baby?  Well, the basic answer is genetics – how well women’s bodies cope with the demands of pregnancy varies widely depending on one’s hormones, body composition, and health history.  However, some “secrets” – such as practicing yoga at home, jogging with baby in tow, and avoiding snacking off kids’ plates – are easy enough for any mom or dad to add to their daily routine.

At bene-fit, we know that our clients are not celebrities – you’re everyday people with real-life demands.  That’s why we offer health and fitness options in a variety of different formats – from in-home and outdoor personal training to private yoga instruction to online and virtual training programs.  You don’t have to be a celebrity to look like one – and you sure don’t have to be famous to deserve good health!  Start by contacting a bene-fit professional today and in no time, you’ll be feeling like the star of your own healthy life.

For many, fall – even more so than spring – is a time for new beginnings.  Students return to school, work schedules reestablish stability after a summer of vacations and flex time, and exercise routines often begin to wane due to the end of swimsuit season.  We here at bene-fit find that the clients that make it through the “autumn hump” (rather than abandon their summer routines) are often the most successful all year ’round.

Fall can be an ideal time to take inventory of your health and fitness goals and start “accounting” for your past year and future plans.  Rather than wait for the typical New Year’s resolutions, why not get a jump start on some new lifestyle changes now?

When I am trying to establish or return to healthy habits in my own life, I find that basic accounting principles are often an easy and organized way of doing so.  While I am neither an accountant nor a mathematician (!), it can be helpful to put an area of your life (like health) into different terms to look at it more objectively and from a new perspective.

First, consider cost.  What have you invested in your fitness goals over the past few months or weeks?  Have you reaped the bene-fits of those investments (such as losing weight after changing your eating habits), or have you squandered them (for example, by purchasing a gym membership and then not going regularly)?  Make sure that the effort and expenditure you’re willing to offer is enough to cover the rewards of your work.

Next, assess full disclosure.  Are you frustrated because you’re doing all the right things and not seeing results – or because you really aren’t staying honest to your diet or exercise routine and actually cheating yourself?  Because your body, health, and well-being are so intensely personal, you must commit to honesty in your habits and expectations, and make sure that you’re not establishing self-destructive patterns while trying to get healthy.

Third, I really like the idea of the going concern principle, which reads: “ an entity will continue to exist long enough to carry out its objectives and commitments and will not liquidate in the foreseeable future.“  In layman’s terms?  Try your best to give your fitness program a long-term commitment and consistent effort for as long as it takes to see the results you want.  Giving up a healthy diet after a week or foregoing your exercise program after your first visit to Spin class doesn’t give you a realistic chance to reach your goals.

Finally, try to practice revenue recognition whenever possible – even if there are no viable “profits” to speak of.  For example, even if you haven’t lost a pound from your first month of clean eating and regular exercise, consider the “revenue” of increased energy, emotional positivity, and long-term health.  Recognize the fruits of your labor in all forms – more sleep, enhanced quality time with a friend or partner, better-fitting clothes – and don’t get so blindsided with a singular goal that you can’t appreciate all the other bene-fits of your lifestyle change.

Any time the seasons change, our routines inevitably do as well – so this fall, make sure that your seasonal adjustments include plenty of exercise, a good amount of sound sleep, and a healthy diet (it’s pumpkin season, after all – why not try a new autumn-inspired recipe??).  Stay accountable for your health and be sure to find your bene-fit.

Many folks are shocked to find out that most bene-fit workouts – particularly our Boot Camps – don’t use any fancy equipment outside the participants’ own bodies.  How can you get a good workout without lifting heavy weights or slogging up a stairmaster, they might ask.  The answer, of course, is that basic calisthenics and high-intensity cardio are often better done outdoors amid fresh air, natural (soft) ground, and sunshine.

However, as well-rounded bene-fit trainers, we also acknowledge the usefulness of both equipment and the gym environment.  For some folks, slinging a kettlebell or joining a Spin class offers a diversion from the usual routine; a way to enter a place and forget about all the things going on outside it.

So which way, then, do we think is better?  Which format does bene-fit recommend to our clients?

I wish I could offer a singular response, but in life as on Facebook, sometimes the better answer is: it’s complicated.  There are a few questions to consider if you are trying to save money by terminating a gym membership or start a new gym routine to complement your outdoor fitness work.  Ask yourself:

1) What are my goals?
If your goals are to run a marathon, complete a triathlon, or start a fitness walking program, outdoor exercise is probably your best bet.  bene-fit offers coached endurance training for these types of events, and you can find great outdoor walking and cycling routes on MapMyRun or similar websites (tailored to your local neighborhood).  However, if you are looking to gain a significant amount of muscle mass (think bodybuilding) or train for a weight-related event (such as boxing), you are likely better off finding professional training in a gym setting. 

2) To what type of setting do I respond best?
For folks who enjoy the shared energy of a group setting, a gym-based exercise class or outdoor group activity like bene-fit Boot Camp is your best bet.  However, for those who are shy about or new to exercise, such settings might be intimidating – in which case hiring a personal trainer or beginning private yoga instruction might be just the welcoming, more intimate relationship you need to get started. 

3) How much do I have to spend?
Depending on what value you want to receive from your fitness lifestyle, the cost comparisons are many.  Most gyms offer a flat-rate monthly membership for using the facilities and attending classes.  In some smaller gyms, classes cost extra.  Personal training in gyms is always an extra cost; personal training with bene-fit charges per session or in packages of 3, 5, or 10.  Be realistic about both your finances and your goals – make sure the investment you make matches the commitment you’re willing to offer.

Once you’ve asked yourself these questions and made a decision about your fitness lifestyle, you’ve taken the first step to figuring out what works best for you – a cornerstone of the bene-fit mission and philsophy.  Finally, we offer a few of our recommendations for the “hidden gems” of both at-home and in-gym fitness:

AT HOME:
–a plank.  You can do it anywhere, hold it as long as you like, and work several muscle groups at once.
–jump rope.  It’s one of the highest calorie burns for the lowest cost you can find.
–stairs.  Whether in your house or in a stadium, these can get your heart rate up FAST.
–DVDs.  If you have Netflix, you can rent them and return them for a never-gets-old video library.
–run-walking.  Try 1 minute jogging, 2 minutes walking, for a total of 30 minutes – in your neighborhood!

AT THE GYM:
–classes.  Take advantage of the diverse and often calorie-busting group exercise activities.
–kettlebells.  A few swings of these weighted fitness tools and you’ll be feeling the burn.
–treadmill.  Play with incline and speed to vary your workout and break up the boredom of cardio.
–box jumps.  If your gym has jumping platforms, ask a trainer to show you how to use them – and have fun!
–cable machines.  There are over 100 different full-body exercises than can be done on this one apparatus.

Whether you choose to work out in your home, outside, or in a gym, remember – consistency is key!  Choose what you like to do, then stick to it.  Build a healthy lifestyle in a way that makes you happy and content.