I hope this message finds you well and not fretting the holidays too much. A couple of weeks ago I had the awesome opportunity to talk with a man that recently lost 130 pounds. He feels as though he has hit a plateau and wants some professional insight and education and most important, motivation. The last couple of months have been a struggle for him, but since his weight loss 4 years ago, he has been doing the same activity. Kudos for the great dedication but the reality is that he has hit a plateau because his body is no longer being challenged. Think about the quote, “If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got. ” So too with exercise, if you keep doing the same thing, your body will not continue being challenged and either plateau or simply add on a few pounds here and there. So following are some basic things to keep in mind when thinking about exercise and healthy living.

Stir it Up- With exercise the best thing you can do is to try new things and stir up your program. If you’re frustrated that your body hasn’t changed, even with all the exercise you do, there’s one of two things you’re doing wrong, first you probably need to add some new things to your program and second, you’re probably not working hard enough. I often see people walking outside which is great, but they’re strolling and talking up a storm. Don’t get me wrong, the body is moving but if they’re wondering why they’re not losing weight it’s because they are strolling versus walking at a pace that challenges their body. So kick it up and stir it up!

Up and Down – There are more and more studies touting the benefits of interval training. Interval training basically means you take your walking program or biking program or swimming program and every 2 minutes or so you kick up the intensity for about 30 seconds to a minute going as fast as you can and then you come back to your regular pace. Continue doing this throughout your program. Not only are the cardiovascular benefits brilliant, but so are the fat burning components. Want to stop going up and down with weight? Consider going up and down with intensity, it’s a great way to challenge your body and kick up results!

80/20 Rule – For my entire fitness career I have always believed and encouraged my 80/20 rule. What is it? 80/20 rule means that is 80% of the time you eat well and move regularly, you have a 20% margin of error, called life. One of the reasons diets don’t work is because they’re rigid and allow minimal wiggle room or wiggle room that’s appropriate for your unique lifestyle. Therefore, by following the 80/20 rule you can live a healthy lifestyle in moderation, no better way to stay the course than following that formula.

Have Fun – For many of the clients that I have worked with over the years one of the reasons they hate to exercise is because it seems too much like work. If I told you the number of people that come in to my studio asking if I’m going to make them run, you’d be surprised. I don’t make anyone do anything that they’re not capable of doing or have no desire to do. Exercise is about discovering what your body can do and finding activities to appreciate your body’s ability and have fun doing it. Exercise shouldn’t be feared, it should be a welcome part of your lifestyle so explore your options, don’t stick to one thing. Movement is movement. Seek out things like Martial arts, dancing (look at the Dancing with the Stars folks, wow!), hiking, etc. Your options are endless. Exercise CAN be fun, really.

Menopause means Strength! – A good friend of mine and brilliant resource, Scott Josephson, M.S., R.D. from the Hippocrates Institute in Florida provided some very valuable advice for women that are in the perimenopausal years. “It’s important that women alter their exercise protocol and add more intensity to their weight training. This will shift metabolism and decrease the hormonal roller coaster. Also remember the 90/90 rule, cardio increases massive cortisol release from the hypothalamus, so if you keep your heart rate above 90%, or go for more than 90 minutes it’s counterproductive. Bottom line, increase strength training and decrease cardio intensity.

I know there is a lot of confusing information out there when it comes to healthy living and weight loss. I have spent the last 5 years dedicating myself to providing you with the latest health and fitness information. I have an amazing arsenal of resources that help me with the latest in trends both with nutrition and physical activity. My goal is to help you discover what will help keep you focused on your path to healthy living. In a world filled with broken promises and “miracles” it is my pleasure and passion to give you straight forward information that will help you make the best choices you can about your health and well-being. After all, a healthy body often translates to a healthy life!