APP-tasticly Fit: 5 Fitness Related Apps to Keep You Motivated

Everyone has a smartphone these days that we often spend a significant amount of time on.  So why not put our phones to great use when it comes to meeting our health and fitness goals.  Here are 5 great (and fun) health and fitness related apps that I love and suggest to all of my clients.

MyFitnessPal

This app tracks caloric intake and expenditure.  You will be asked to enter your current stats as well as goals, and the app will determine your recommended daily caloric intake, as well as the amount of protein, carbs, sugars, etc. you should be consuming.  You can also enter your exercise for the day to determine your net calories.  The barcode scanner function on this app makes entering in food easy as pie (pun kind of intended)!  Whether you want to lose weight, lean out or maintain, this is app will keep you aware of what you're putting in your body and help keep you accountable!

MapMyRun or MapMyFitness

Both of these apps sync directly to your MyFitnessPal app.  These are great trackers to keep up with your caloric expenditure from your daily workouts and help you plan, track and analyze your fitness.  You will be able to set and meet goals with these helpful fitness apps and even connect with other uses to cheer each other on.  MapMyRun has a GPS function to determine your pace and distance during run.

24-Day Challenge

Optimize your results on the AdvoCare’s 24-Day Challenge with their very own app!  With this app, you can log your workouts, as well as food and water intake.  You can also share your progress with other challengers, get product information, portion and nutrition suggestions and much more!

RockMyRun

Save time, perform better, and have more fun with intelligent music and innovative technology that powers you forward.  Select the genere, tempo, time, etc., and RockMyRun will give you the prefect playlist to keep you motivated throughout your workout!  Not just for running, this app is great, especially if you've gotten a little bored with your iPod playlist.

FitSnap

For those of you who like to share your fitness journey with your friends and family through social media, the FitSnap app is a fun, creative way to do so!  FitSnap is an iPhone exclusive app that creates motivational pictures from your workouts & activities.  Add your workout information to your photos to create cool images to share with your friends on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter.  Be sure to add #CWSCPerformance to your photos when you share so we can keep up with you too!

6 Tips for a Healthy Holiday

The holiday season is officially upon us!  It's that time of year where we get to spend quality time with friends and family, exchanging gifts and making memories.  It is such a wonderful and joyful time of year, but can also be very stressful and difficult to keep up with a healthy, active lifestyle.  With multiple holiday parties, cookies and candy every where we turn, a change in routine and the stress of the holidays, it's not too uncommon for many people to gain a few holiday pounds.  We want to be able to enjoy the festivities and time with our loved ones, but still be able to fit into our clothes after the New Year!  So here are a few helpful tips to keep you on track this holiday season!

1. Plan Ahead
Meal planning/prepping is one of the best ways to stay on top of your nutrition, not just during the holidays but throughout the entire year.  Planning ahead and even preparing what you are going to eat each week will ensure you always have fresh, healthy food available, keeping you from making poor decision like going to a drive through or snacking on bad foods.  This time of year gets very hectic.  Our schedules change because of the holidays and traveling or visitors can make this a bit of a challenge, but all the more important to plan.  Take a look at your social calendar for upcoming parties and events and take those days into consideration when it comes to meal planning.  Be sure to plan out and prepare as much of your meals and snacks as possible and that they consist of a variety of whole, natural, healthy foods.  If you're putting great fuel into your body the majority of the time, you will find yourself continuing to make healthy food choices, for the most part, even at those temptation-filled holiday parties!

2. Indulge Without Over-Indulging
As stated above, there is going to be temptation everywhere and it would be unrealistic to assume you will not at least try a bite here and there of those delicious treats that come around only once a year.  Depriving yourself isn't the answer because it could actually set you up for failure.  There's only so many times you can say no to something you enjoy so much before it becomes all you can think about, and before you know it you've gorged on a whole pound of fudge!  Also, starving yourself so you can pig out later actually negatively effects your metabolism.  The best thing to do is allow yourself these holiday inspired dishes and desserts every so often over the next few weeks.  Be sure to plan these indulgences accordingly with your meals for the day.  So for example, if you happen to stuff yourself silly at a work luncheon, enjoy a lighter, healthier afternoon snack and dinner to help even it out.  Pay attention to serving sizes and make sure to practice portion control, and of course do your best to plan ahead, and this should allow you to enjoy your holiday favorites without going off the deep end.
 
3. Avoid Too Much Alcohol
Holiday cocktails, delicious wines and seasonal inspired beers are great to enjoy this time of year...in moderation.  These festive beverages can pack quite a caloric punch per drink, which really adds up after a night of holiday partying.  Another concern with abundant alcohol consumption is lowered inhibitions when it comes to food choices.  Free flowing beer, wine and cocktails makes everything look and taste so good.  Your best defense when it comes to avoiding too much alcohol is be sure to drink equal (if not double) amounts of water for every ounce of alcohol you consume.  This will help keep you hydrated, slow down your alcohol intake and also help ward off those pesky hangovers!

4. Join a Gym NOW
There is no need to wait until after the holidays to begin your fitness regimen.  Many facilities, like mine CWSC Performance, are running a variety of specials and deals to get people started right now!  Getting a jump start at the gym will help in several ways.  You will be able to work off some of that holiday stress, you will begin to appreciate your hard work at the gym and will be more conscience of your holiday eating, and last but not least, you will get a jump start on your training before the influx New Year's resolution gym goes.  If you're going to be traveling a lot this holiday season and joining a gym is out of the question, be sure to carve out time each day for exercise.  Even if it's just a short, brisk walk or squats and planks in the living room, something is better than nothing.  Once you're back home and settled, get with a fitness professional to get going on your fitness routine going!  You still have plenty of time to start looking and feeling better BEFORE 2015!

5. Set Some Goals
The best way to keep yourself on track and accountable during the holidays, and all throughout the year, is to set realistic goals.  Even though life may be turned upside down for the next several weeks, you can still set some expectations for yourself and do your absolute best to hold yourself to them.  You don't have to strive for perfection or even any significant changes this December, but setting some healthy, attainable goals for yourself will put you on the right path.  Some examples of goals for this time of year can include, maintain NOT gain weight, walk/run no less than 20 minutes per day, limit yourself to 1-2 drinks per holiday gathering, etc.  These small goals aren't too much to ask, but can make a big difference in your health, energy levels and waistline this holiday season.   This is also a great time to begin planning your goals for 2015 and how you intend to accomplish them.  For more information on goal setting, visit my past blog on S.M.A.R.T. Goals.

6. Have Fun!
You want to do your best to stay healthy and committed to your goals this holiday season, but you also want to be able to enjoy yourself.  There are a million and one things to do, people to see, parties to go to and present to buy, so the holidays can be stressful enough.  Constantly worrying about your food, weight and finding time for exercise can make it even more exhausting.  So be sure to let your hair down and live a little.  All the tips above are great suggestions to help enjoy your holidays in moderation, so don't get too caught up on being tremendously strict on yourself.  Do the best you can with your fitness and nutrition, but most importantly, enjoy this special time with your friends and family!

For more information on Coach Christina and her company's training and nutritional services, visit CWSC Performance on Faceboook or at www.CWSCPerformance.com.  

Have a wonderful and healthy holiday season everyone!

7 Tips For Staying Hydrated

With the rising temperatures, it can be difficult to stay hydrated, especially while being active.  Maintaining a healthy fluid balance is vital for proper functioning and athletic performance.  Staying hydrated not only helps with your alertness, controlling appetite, and improving activity and performance, it also prevents fatigue, headaches, and dry skin.  Below are seven simple tips to help keep you hydrated this summer...

1. Water is not the only way to stay hydrated.  Fruits and vegetables are great sources of water as well.  Not only are these great for your overall health, many fruits and veggies are comprised of high amounts of water and will help to increase your daily intake.  Be sure to eat a good variety of both.

2. To maintain proper hydration during exercise, it's important to drink before, during, and after activity.  Remember these numbers when it comes to exercise and hydration:

• 2-3 hours pre workout, drink 20+ ounces
• 30 minutes pre workout, drink 8-10 ounces
• Every 10-20 minutes during exercise, drink 8-10 ounces
• 30 minutes or less post workout, drink 8+ ounces

3. To encourage continuous water intake, always keep a water bottle at your desk or where you spend most of your time so that you can to keep drinking water throughout your day.  Also, try to carry one with you while you are out and about.  Investing in a reusable water bottle will not only be good for you, but also for the environment.

4. Make it a habit to have a glass of water before each meal.  Not only will this help suppress your appetite and avoid overeating, it is a great way to remember to drink water.

5 After each trip to the restroom, drink a glass of water to replenish your fluids.  On that note, a good way to tell if your hydration level is good or low is the color of your urine.  If your urine is very pale and close to clear, you are well hydrated.  If the color of your urine is dark yellow or closer to a tea color, then you are becoming dehydrated and need to increase your water intake.

6. Set reminders on your phone, watch, or email to drink every hour.  It may sound a little silly, but it is a perfect way to remind yourself to drink.  When you're caught up is the responsibilities of the day, it is unfortunately rather easy for us to neglect our health.  Set an H2O alarm so you can stay on top of your fluid intake.

7. If you're not a fan of plain old water, simply add a slice of lemon, lime or cucumber to your water to give it some flavor without adding any extra calories.  If you're still struggling to consume water because of the taste, or lack thereof, and prefer using low calorie or calorie free flavored sweeteners, consider trying to dilute the sweetener more and more over time to become more accustomed to plain water.  Simple, ice cold water is always best when it comes to fluid and staying hydrated.

Plank Progressions [VIDEO]

As far as core exercises go, the plank is one of the best around.  Utilizing the muscles in the abs, hips and back, the plank is a great way to build strength and endurance in the core.  Another great attribute of the plank is it requires little to no equipment and can be done virtually anywhere.  Regardless of your fitness level, a plank is a great staple core exercise to include in your programming.  The video below demonstrates four plank progressions, from beginner to advanced.

For more information about this exercise and training programs to help you reach your fitness goals, contact CWSC Performance Coach Christina Wood.  To learn more about Coach Christina and CWSC Performance training services, visit us on the web at www.CWSCPerformance.com.  Be sure to like our Facebook page for more information about upcoming events and promotions.

Be a Lean, Green Fitness Machine

In honor of Earth Day today, here are a few eco-friendly fitness tips:

1. Stainless steel water bottles are a perfect way to stay hydrated while being green. Because they are reusable and easy to clean, you will never need to buy another take and toss plastic bottled water again!  Klean Kanteen is a great source for water bottles and accessories.

2. One mile in a car equals up to one pound of carbon released into the atmosphere. Skip driving to the gym today, and go for a long walk, jog or bike ride instead. This way you not only conserve gas, but you get your workout in while enjoying what Mother Earth has to offer.

3. Next time you expand your workout wardrobe, consider purchasing organic materials. Unlike conventional materials which use chemically and hormone treated seeds as well as harmful pesticides, organic clothing is untreated and relays mainly on the natural effects of the environment to grow. Organically grown materials help preserve our air, water, soil and the biodiversity of our planet.  Inner Waves Organics has great organic clothes for both men and women.

4. Get eco-friendly workout gear. For example, Gaiam yoga mats are phthalate and latex free so toxins won’t hurt the environment or interrupt your Zen.

5. Recycle your old iPods and MP3 players. Some major electronic stores will give you store credit if you turn in your gently used iPod. Or better yet, consider protecting the environment while supporting a worthy cause. Recycle for Breast Cancer will provide you with prepaid shipping labels and envelopes to send in your used items.

Take a moment to enjoy this beautiful Spring day and all that your environment has to offer.  If you're unable to get out and about today because of work and other commitments, consider scheduling a time in the coming weeks to get out and enjoy nature.  Go for a hike, bike ride or even camping, head to the beach, visit a zoo or local state park.  Be courteous of your environment and be sure to clean up after yourself.  Enjoy and have a Happy Earth Day!

6 Tips To Get You Ready For Summer, and How To Keep The Momentum Going

Spring has officially sprung and the weather is getting warmer by the day.  If you're a Floridian like myself, you probably have been in tank tops and shorts for weeks now, but most of the rest of the country is finally getting to enjoy some sunshine and warmer temperatures.  This time of year is great because not only do we get the opportunity to do fun and exciting outdoor activities, but we can also start packing up the winter clothes and break out our Spring and summer attire!  This can be a somewhat discouraging time though, and not just because some of us may be in desperate need of a tan.  Often we let the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and the gloom of the winter months disrupt our fitness and nutrition regiment.  Eating healthy and working out consistently typically becomes less of a priority during the winter months and by the time the warm months come along, many of us are not quite ready to strut our stuff on the beach.  And then, once the summer months get rolling, we get busy with trips and parties, it can also be tough to stay on track.  So if you're in need of an extra boost to get you ready for bathing suit season as well as how to stay on top of your goals this summer, here are a few helpful tips to get you going in the right direction:

1. Get Up and Get Moving: Physical activity is incredibly important, not just for heart health but it is also a great mood booster, which is needed after the dreary winter months.  If you have spent the past several month sedentary, you will want to start off slow.  Going for a walk is a great place to get started. Spring time is actually wonderful time of year to participate in a run/walk event like a 5k.  In my blog post, "My Journey to Becoming a Marathon Mama" I offer some tips on how to get started with jogging.  Not only will this cardiovascular activity help you burn calories, lose weight and feel better, completing an event like a 5k will give you something to work towards and be an accomplishment to be proud of!  Running may not be for you but there are several other great activities you can engage in to get your heart rate up.  Biking, swimming, tennis, basketball and Zumba are just a few great examples of things you can to help get you in shape for summer time.

2. Lift Weights: Even more so important for shaping your body than cardiovascular exercise is strength training.  Although you cannot technically "spot train," lifting weights will increase your overall lean muscle mass, burn calories and tone your muscles to help slim and shape your body.  Body weight exercises like push ups, planks, squats and lunges are a great place to get started and can be done in the comfort of your home.  You will soon want to challenge yourself by increasing your work load with things like dumbbells, kettle bells, medicine balls, bands, etc.  And ladies, don't be afraid to lift heavy, you will not bulk up!  The best and most effective way to strength train is to hire a fitness professional.  This way you will have a safe, progressive program designed specifically to your abilities and goals.  For more information on hiring a fitness professional, check out my blog post on the topic.

3. Ditch the Quick Fix:  Vacation time may be right around the corner and you are eager to look good in your bikini, but think twice before you jump on the latest fad.  From pills to magic body wraps and juice diets to miracle cleanses, I have seen just about every quick fix around claiming to "change your body and change your life."  Yes, these things may give you some instant results, but don't expect them to withstand the test of time.  Many cleanses and diets are too strict to do for extended periods of time and once you are finished with them, the weight packs right back on.  Also, be leery of the latest and greatest weight loss products sold on the shelves or by people claiming to be experts.  Often these are simply fads that will not get you permanent results, sold to you by people with little to no knowledge of nutrition and fitness..  The only way to get true, lasting results is through healthy nutrition and regular physical activity.  You have to make a commitment to a healthy lifestyle, otherwise you will be constantly looking for the next quick fix and be disappointed yet again when the results do not last.

4. How To Eat Clean At Spring/Summer Gatherings:  From Cinco de Mayo to Memorial Day and Independence Day to Labor day, the warmer months are great for firing up the barbeque and enjoying delicious grilled food with family and friends.  Cook outs can be your friend or your foe though, so it's important to make smart choices when it comes to summer parties.  Be sure to stick with lean proteins like chicken and fish, avoiding those high in fat like cheeseburgers and hot dogs.  Skip the chip and snack table and opt for healthier side dishes like grilled veggies and salads with vinaigrette dressings.  Cooks outs also seem to be filled with decadent summer deserts like cupcakes, pies and ice cream.  Chose fresh fruit over these high calorie indulgences, that way you can enjoy a sweet treat with out the extra calories and fat most desserts are packed with.  Making healthy choices and portion control will help keep you on track even while attending Spring and summer gatherings.

5. Your Clothes Will Measure Your Progress:  When you adopt healthy eating habits, engage in cardiovascular activity and strength training regularly, you are sure to see results.  The best way to measure these results though is not on the scale, but rather how you look and feel.  The scale is just an arbitrary number that unless you have a large amount of pure body mass to lose, it does not tell you the whole story in your fitness progress.  The way your clothes fit, your energy level and how you feel are going to be your best tools to determine if you're reaching your wellness goals.  So instead of having an amount of weight you'd like to lose, consider having a "thinspiration" outfit that you'd like to not only fit back into but feel comfortable and confident in.  This way you will not be so caught up on what the scale is saying and getting discouraged if it's not moving the way you want it to.  Keep in mind muscle is more dense than fat tissue so if you're building lean muscle mass, you may not lose the actual pounds you thought you would.  But if your current clothes are getting loser and you're able to fit back into outfits you were previously not able to, then you're definitely making progress!

6. Don't Just Do It for the Bikini:  Although it's definitely nice to look good for a particular time of the year or specific event, it's important to keep the momentum going all year round..  More importantly than how you look, is how you feel.  When you commit to a healthy lifestyle, an added bonus will be looking better, but above all else, you will feel better and have more energy!  So yes with bathing suit season right around the corner, you may be currently focused on shedding some pounds and toning up for the summer, your hard work should not end there.  Commit to eating clean and working out all year long for a healthier happier you!




The certified and professional coaches at CWSC Performance can help you reach your fitness goals.  Visit us on the web at www.CWSCPerformance.com for more information about our training services, class times and prices.  Also be sure to like us on Facebook for upcoming events and promotion.

Tips for Staying On Track

Holidays, vacations, birthdays, office parties, social events and even just life often gets in the way.  Just when we find ourselves in a good routine, heading in the right direction, it seems like something always manages to come up and knock us of course.  With so much going on in our daily lives, it's easy to find excuses to not stay on track and unfortunately our health ends up taking the back seat.  So how do we stay focused when our life can be so out of sorts at times?  Here are a few simple tips to keeping your fitness and nutrition on track, even when your life isn't:

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail:  One of the best ways to practically guarantee you'll stay on track is to make a plan and always be prepared.  Regardless of your wellness goals, it is vital for results and your success that you commitment to you healthy habits each and every day.  In order to do so, preparation is key.  Here are a few helpful tools:

1. Food prepping:  Make all of your meals ahead of time or at least plan your menu for the week.  Prepare healthy foods on Sunday, place them in microwave safe containers inside your refrigerator and take one with you to work each day.  This way you will not be tempted to run to Taco Tuesday or hit up the vending machine on your lunch and snack breaks because you will already have a nice, healthy meal ready for you!  If you cannot commit to doing the prep work, having at menu planned out for the week is a great place to start.
2. Scheduling your workouts:  Be sure to mark your workouts in your calendar like you would any other important appointment of event.  Hiring a fitness professional will help  keep you on track and reach your goals, check out my blog post for more information on "How and Why to Hire a Fitness Professional."
3. Take into consideration that there will be temptation:  From those pesky office candy dishes to the person who always brings in donuts or cookies, and of course lest not forget all those excuses you can come up with for skipping the gym, you are going to be faced with unhealthy challenges each and every day.  So next time someone comes in with sweets or a coworkers tries to convince you to go to happy hour instead of the gym, acknowledging that this is not a new event, something is ALWAYS going to be there to sabotage your healthy habits, make the commitment to just say NO!

You Are Human and No Human is Perfect.  You are going to get off track from time to time.  It happens to the best of us.  When this happens though, it is important to not beat yourself up about it and lose your focus.  How many times have you thought to yourself "Oh well, I've already blown my diet, I'll eat whatever for today and start over tomorrow," or "I missed the gym yesterday, this week is a wash, I'll start up again next Monday."  Understand it's ok to make mistakes but it's not ok to let those mistakes dictate your future.  Remember the following when you get off track:

1. Avoid negative self talk:  Don't beat yourself up when you make a mistake.  It happens and there's no sense making yourself feel horrible about it, so move on.  Dwelling on it is not going to make it go away or the situation any better, in fact negative self talk will only drag you down.  For more tips on adapting a more positive attitude, check out my "Believe In Yourself..."blog.
2. Don't allow yourself to stay off course:  Just because you slightly veered off path, don't allow yourself to continue making unhealthy decisions.  Pick up where you left off and stay focused on moving forward.
3. Reflect on your mistake and how to avoid them in the future:  Although we want to avoid dwelling on our mistakes, it is important to acknowledge them.  Consider each mistake you make a learning experience.  Evaluate what brought on the unhealthy choice and how you plan to avoid it in the future.

And For Those Extra Special Occasions: When heading out for vacation, keeping your goals in mind will help you when you are faced with temptations and challenges.  Yes, you want to be able to let your hair down a little and enjoy your special event.  But it is important to not lose sight of the big picture and not use this time as a reason to completely over indulge.  Remember the following to help keep you on track, even when your routine is completely out of sorts.

1. Portion Control: Often, when we are on vacation, we want to try all of the new and exciting foods and beverages available.  This is an exciting and sometimes rare experience, so we do not want to completely restrict ourselves.  Enjoy samplings of several different foods and drinks but avoid overindulging on everything in sight.
2. Stay Active: Hitting the gym is probably the furthest thing from your mind when you're on vacation.  Even though you may have no intentions on using the hotel's weight room, don't forget to pack your sneakers and workout clothes.  You'll want to make sure you do something physical daily, it's good for the body and mind.  So even just a 20-30 minute walk or hike is a great way to keep your activity level up.
3. 80/20 Principle:  This principle does not only apply to vacations, it is also a great rule to follow in your daily life.  Put plainly, the rule goes that you choose to eat healthy foods 80% of the time, which then allows you to indulge the other 20%. What's great about this approach is if you commitment to making healthy choices the majority of the time, you in a sense "reward" yourself by enjoying some indulgences here and there.  Keep in mind that the 20% should not be used as a complete free for all, you still want to keep portions under control, but you can certainly enjoy your sweet, or salty sinful treats here and there, you deserve it!

Let the coaches at CWSC Performance help keep you on track.  Our coaches are certified professionals with a variety of experience ranging from general fitness, post rehabilitation, weight loss, nutrition, sports performance training and much, much more.  Visit us on the web at www.CWSCPerformance.com for more information about our training services.  Be sure to like us on Facebook for upcoming promotions and events.